{"id":104884,"date":"2022-10-22T15:53:07","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T15:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/womens-world-cup-2023-the-complete-group-by-group-preview-womens-world-cup-2023\/"},"modified":"2022-10-22T15:53:07","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T15:53:07","slug":"womens-world-cup-2023-the-complete-group-by-group-preview-womens-world-cup-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/womens-world-cup-2023-the-complete-group-by-group-preview-womens-world-cup-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s World Cup 2023: the complete group-by-group preview | Women’s World Cup 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Group A \u2013 New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland<\/h2>\n

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Co-hosts New Zealand will be delighted. With the Olympic champions (Canada), the 2019 World Cup runners up (the Netherlands) and the 2011 World Cup winners (Japan) in Pot 2 there was a chance their Pot 1 placement, as a home nation, could mean little. Instead, out came Norway, thumped 8-0 by England in the group stage of the Euros, Switzerland, a team ranked one place ahead of them and debutants the Philippines. Switzerland and Norway will be favorites to progress, but New Zealand have a real chance to move on to the last 16.<\/p>\n

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Group B \u2013 Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada<\/h2>\n

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Canada and the Republic of Ireland have a nasty trek to and from Perth sandwiched between games on the east coast. If New Zealand have been lucky in the draw, co-host Australia have not. The Matildas have struggled of late and Canada could easily beat them to top spot, setting up a tricky tie with the winners of Group D, which will most likely be England. Upsetting an Australia and Canada one-two, whichever way round it might be, will be tough, but Nigeria and Ireland will not be walkovers.<\/p>\n

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<\/picture><\/div>
<\/svg><\/span>Canada are aiming to top Group B after becoming 2019 Olympic Champions in Tokyo.<\/span> Photograph: DPPI\/Photo Kishimoto\/LiveMedia\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Group C \u2013 Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan<\/h2>\n

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Spain and Japan will be eyeing a very smooth run to the quarter-finals. Spain’s pre-World Cup situation is complicated by the dispute of many of its senior players with the federation and coach, Jorge Vilda, but their understudies showed they can beat the best, with an unlikely victory over the injury-hit USA in a recent friendly . Costa Rica and Zambia, making a second and first appearance respectively, are unlikely to trouble Spain regardless of who is on the pitch, or Japan. With the winner and runners-up of Group A guaranteed to play lower-ranked sides a deep run is a tantalising prospect.<\/p>\n

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Group D \u2013 England, playoff B winner, Denmark, China<\/h2>\n

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The draw has been kind to England with Denmark, China and the winner of playoff B (Chile, Senegal or Haiti) all unlikely to troublethem. They have also avoided the dreaded cross-country trip to Perth the other two confirmed sides have to make for their opener. The challenge comes in the last 16 as Australia or Canada potentially lie in wait. The battle for second place is where the juice is, with China, ranked 15th in the world, up against Denmark (18th in the world) and built around Pernille Harder.<\/p>\n

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\"Denmark's<\/picture><\/div>
<\/svg><\/span>England need to be wary of Denmark and Pernille Harder.<\/span> Photograph: Simon Dael\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Group E \u2013 United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, playoff A winner<\/h2>\n

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A rematch of the 2019 final between USA and the Netherlands is a tasty prospect. They will be hoping to top the group to avoid a last-16 tie with likely Group E winners, Sweden, and the Netherlands will be eager to finally get the better of the USA on a big stage. One of Portugal, Cameroon or Thailand will complete the group, and the playoff winner and Vietnam are unlikely to upset the applecart.<\/p>\n

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