The Spanish team already knows its possible rivals in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. If they tie or beat Japan tomorrow (9am, La1) they will cross paths with Norway led by Caroline Graham Hansen and Ingrid Engen. If they lose to the Japanese, Spain will face Ana Maria Crnogorcevic’s Switzerland.
Everything was decided on the last day in group A. Norway’s doubts in the first games, New Zealand’s good start… they left everything open and the co-hosts kept their options until the last minute of the last game. Switzerland was unable to get past a goalless draw against the New Zealanders, who needed just one goal to knock out their rival and advance to the round of 16. He did not succeed and the initial forecasts ended up being fulfilled: Norway and Switzerland, to the next round. Those yes, nobody counted on that it would be so complicated, especially for the Nordics.
Norway goes to the round of 16, but does it touched. The locker room is a real powder keg with the players publicly confronting the coach and with notable absences. Criticism from Engen and Graham Hansen after the first match cost them their replacement in the second. A game in which Ada Hegerberg also fell, with last-minute discomfort. Discomfort in the locker room and some poor results (loss against New Zealand and draw against Switzerland) that left Hege Riise’s team on the verge of the abyss.
They played it against the Philippines and the coach returned Graham Hansen to the eleven, who gave a recital –including a goal- and helped his team win (6-0) that sealed the agonizing pass. Mathematics made it impossible for her to be first in the group, but she manages to avoid repeating the Euro Cup debacle, in which she went home after the group stage and suffered an embarrassing defeat (8-0) against England.
Spain, a priori favorite against Japan, will face Norway if they score in this last game and finish first in the group. Something that would allow Jorge Vilda’s men to play their round of 16 match on Saturday at 10 am in Wellington, in addition to avoiding a possible crossing with the United States until the semifinals.
In case of being second in the group, the schedule would not be so favorable for the Spanish fans, since they would play at 7 in the morning. The rival, in this case, would be Crnogorcevic’s Switzerland.
The Swiss team goes to the round of 16 as the first group, although they have not shone too much during the tournament. They have only won one game (0-2, against the Philippines) and have not gone beyond a goalless draw against Norway and New Zealand.
