Women’s World Cup: Norway beats Australia on penalties; Germany tops Nigeria
Ingrid Engen hit the decisive penalty kick and Norway beat Australia in a shootout Saturday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup.
Australia captain Sam Kerr, who was frustrated by Norway most of the night despite some opportunities, fired her penalty shot wide. Emily Gielnik had her effort saved as Norway won the shootout 4-1 after the match had finished 1-1.
Norway will face the winner of Sunday’s game between England and Cameroon.
Australia had played the final 16 minutes of extra time at a numerical disadvantage after defender Alanna Kennedy was sent off on a red card for hauling down Norway forward Lisa-Marie Utland.
Norway had a number of chances to score in extra time but was repeatedly denied by Australia goalkeeper Lydia Williams.
The game went to extra time after Australia’s Elise Kellond-Knight scored from a corner to make it a 1-1 game in the 83rd minute.
Forward Isabell Herlovsen put Norway up 1-0 with a goal in the 31st.
Australia had two penalties denied on video review and Kerr had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half.
It was the fourth time Norway has qualified for the quarterfinals but the first since 2007.
Germany 3, Nigeria 0
Germany advanced to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the eighth straight time, beating African champion Nigeria 3-0 Saturday at Grenoble, France.
Germany captain Alexandra Popp, playing in her 100th international match, scored in the 20th minute. Sara Dabritz made it 2-0 in the 27th with a penalty kick and Lea Schuller got the final goal in the 82nd.
Second-ranked Germany, which has outscored opponents 9-0, plays the winner of Monday’s match between Sweden and Canada on June 29 at Rennes, a weeklong layoff that gives time for midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan’s broken toe to heal. The Germans, who won the tournament in 2003 and 2007, have never failed to reach the quarterfinals.
No. 38 Nigeria was in the knockout phase for the second time, the first since it lost in the quarterfinals to Brazil in 1999, and it joined Cameroon to become the first pair of African teams to reach the knockout stage in the same Women’s World Cup. The Indomitable Lionesses play England on Sunday.
Popp scored on a 4-yard header off Lina Magull’s corner kick, her 48th international goal. A video review upheld the goal after determining Svenja Huth, who was in an offside position, did not obstruct the view of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Dabritz scored on a low penalty kick beyond the outstretched left hand of Nnadozie, her third goal of the tournament and 13th of her international career. Evelyn Nwabuoko had tried to clear a ball but made a studs-up follow through into Magull, causing the penalty.
Nigeria had an excellent chance to cut its deficit in the 50th when second-half substitute Rasheedat Ajibade streaked up a flank and passed to an open Desire Oparanozie, but the ball was just ahead of the forward and rolled by.
Schuller got her ninth international goal following a giveaway by Halimatu Ayinde.
The Super Falcons were missing defender Ngozi Ebere and midfielder Rita Chikwelu, who served suspensions for yellow card accumulation, and forward Asisat Oshoala, who was injured.
