W Gold Cup 2024 – Inside World Football

USA beat Brazil to win inaugural W Gold Cup in San Diego

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 02:44:21 +0000

March 11- The USA beat Brazil 1-0 in front of 31,528 screaming fans in the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego to win the inaugural W Gold Cup. It was an exciting climax to three weeks of international football that saw the women’s game take another major step forward on and off the pitch.

A Lindsey Horan headed goal in added time at the end of the first half broke the deadlock between two evenly matched teams.

Beauty and the beast. One will triumph in the W Gold Cup final on Sunday

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:56:21 +0000

March 8 – The inaugural W Gold Cup concludes Sunday with the USA facing Brazil in the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. World ranked two against number 11 in the first major women’s championship of 2024 with eyes also focussed on form going into the 2024 Olympics.

The final will showcase the best and most resilient teams of South and North America. It is a clash of styles from two teams who in the US’s case are used to sitting on top of the world,

Naeher’s penalty heroics end Canada’s dreams and send US into W Gold Cup final

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:54:16 +0000

March 7 – It was a night of high drama in the second semi-final of the W Gold Cup at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

The US overcame Canada 4-1 on penalties after the Canadians had equalised in the minute of added time at the end of extra time. The US hero was goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher who saved three of Canada’s spot kicks and scored her own penalty to send her country into the final on Sunday against Brazil.

Brazil head into W Gold Cup Final with 3-0 win over 10-player Mexico

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:24:43 +0000

March 6 – Brazil beat Mexico 3-0 to head into the W Gold Cup final with goals from Antonia, Adriana and a precocious backheel from Yasmim on a wet early evening at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Mexico, a goal down, had to play most of the last hour with 10 players against a Brazilian team that has grown in confidence and effectiveness as this tournament has progressed.

It was a tough evening for a Mexican side who produced one of the surprise results of the W Gold Cup with a 2-0 group win over the US,

W Gold Cup semis promise a blockbuster night of women’s football

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:52:37 +0000

March 6 – The W Gold Cup enters the semi-final stage tonight with both matches being played at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

Three of the four semi-finalists are ranked in the top 11 in the world, while Mexico, ranked 35th, beat number two ranked USA in the group stages in what was a historical result for a fast developing Mexican team.

But it is the other giant Concacaf women’s nation,

Canada’s Priestman fine-tuned for W Gold Cup semi-final classico against the US

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 11:07:16 +0000

March 6 – Canada coach Bev Priestman is confident that if her players perform to their abilities they can beat the USA tonight in the Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, in the semi-final of the inaugural W Gold Cup.

But she is also wary that they have not yet had to play a high ranked women’s nation in the competition and that in their quarter final against Costa Rica they were profligate in front of goal.

US muscle out Colombia 3-0 and head to San Diego for Canada showdown

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:12:54 +0000

February 3 – In a bad tempered quarter final, particularly in the first half, the USA beat Colombia 3-0 in the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The US now move on to face Canada in the semi-finals in San Diego on Wednesday.

After having been picked apart by Mexico in their final group game, this result went a long way to re-establishing the USA’s reputation against a nation that excelled at the 2023 World Cup and pushed Brazil close in their group at the W Gold Cup a week ago.

Mexico take the hard route to Brazil semi-final with 3-2 win over Paraguay

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:35:11 +0000

March 3 – In an entertaining quarter final at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Mexico dominated and then only just managed to scrape past a brave Paraguayan challenge 3-2 that in the second half pushed the Mexicans to the brink of disaster.

Two goals from Jacqueline Ovalle secured the win that in the end was far from straightforward as Paraguay, as they had done in qualifying for the quarter finals, saved their best for last.

Zanaretto brace as Brazil cruise past Argentina into semis

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:05:40 +0000

March 2 – Brazil turned on the style for a 5-1 win over Argentina at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles to secure their semi-final spot in San Diego next week where they will face either Mexico or Paraguay.

A brace from Bia Zanaretto powered the win which would have been a lot more but for goalkeeper Laurina Oliveros’s commanding performance. Argentina scored a late consolation goal, but Brazil scored their fifth in added time as if to emphasise their dominance.

Extra-time drama sees Canada squeeze past Costa Rica to the W Gold Cup semi-finals

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 03:16:46 +0000

March 2 – It took extra time, but Canada eventually dispatched Costa Rica 1-0 in a one-sided quarter final that saw the Canadians throw everything they had at Costa Rica’s defence and their outstanding goalkeeper Daniela Solera.

To get to that point though it took the save of the match from Canada’s Kailen Sheridan in added time to keep the Canadians from suffering a shock defeat.

In the end it was their inspirational captain Jessie Fleming who drove them into the semi-finals later this week in San Diego,

W Gold Cup enters quarter finals with reputations on the line and the old world order under threat

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:44:05 +0000

March 1 – After nine consecutive days of group games, the W Gold Cup moves into its quarter final stage this weekend with two days of double headers at the BMO Stadium, the Los Angeles home of Angels FC of the NWSL and LAFC of the MLS.

The last eight has all four Conmebol guest teams qualified alongside Concacaf’s leading four nations in the women’s game.

Ranked by their group performances with 1 vs 8,

Heartbreak for Puerto Rico as draw pulls Costa Rica’s name first for last quarter final slot

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 06:53:06 +0000

February 28 – Costa Rica dramatically made it through to the quarter finals of the W Gold Cup, not through outperforming opponents on the pitch but through a head-to-head draw with Puerto Rico.

When the final game of the Group C matches completed in Houston, Texas, Paraguay’s 3-2 win over El Salvador gave them the second place and automatic qualification for the last eight, pushing Costa Rica into third position.

The two best placed third-place finishers qualify for the quarter finals.

Last gasp Paraguay grab quarter final slot with Martinez hattrick in 3-2 win over El Salvador

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:00:03 +0000

February 28 – A Jessica Martinez hattrick saw Paraguay through into the quarter finals of the W Gold Cup, coming from behind to beat El Salvador 3-2 in added time in the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.

Paraguay went into the final game in Group C needing a point to qualify for the next round but with eight minutes left looked to be going home.

El Salvador had taken a 2-1 lead and Paraguay went from being a point ahead of Costa Rica to being behind them on goal difference.

Canada brush Costa Rica aside to head into quarter final draw as top ranked nation

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:25:46 +0000

February 28 – Canada beat Costa Rica in the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston in their final group game of Group C to secure qualification ahead of Brazil for the quarter finals as the top ranked nation.

They will now face Costa Rica again as the eight ranked qualifier on Saturday in Los Angeles. Having finished third in the group Costa Rica were on the same points, goal difference and number of cards as Puerto Rico.

Brazil turn on the style to top Group C with a 100% record

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:02:17 +0000

February 28 – Brazil made it three wins out of three as they topped Group B at the W Gold Cup with a 5-0 win over Panama.

On a chilly evening at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego Brazil strolled, sometimes swaggered, through Panama’s defence. They have yet to concede a goal and certainly haven’t scored as many as they would have liked, but against Panama they matched fluidity with goals, even so 5-0 still flattered Panama.

Colombia secure quarter final slot. Parsimonious Puerto Rico look set to join them

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:00:38 +0000

February 27 – Colombia secured second place in Group B with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico in the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Goals from their stand out strikers Maria Usme and Linda Caicedo dispatched a Puerto Rican side who had qualified through the preliminary play-offs and now restricted world ranked 23 Colombia to two goals to follow a 1-0 loss to Brazil, world ranked 11 and beating 2023 World Cup finalists Panama 2-1.