Penalties the difference in Group A at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Wendie Renard 2

All the games from Group A and Group B concluded on Monday at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup from France. In Group A, there were four goals scored in two games, and all three goals scored from the winning teams came off of penalty kicks.

In Norway’s 2-1 win over South Korea, Caroline Graham Hansen scored on a penalty in the fifth minute and Isabell Herlovsen scored the game winning goal on a penalty in the 51st minute. In France’s 1-0 win over Nigeria, the only goal came from Wendie Renard on a penalty in the 79th minute.

France’s win over Nigeria was however controversial. Renard’s initial penalty kick was wide, but it was ruled that Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie had come off her line. In a new rule for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the goalkeeper must have both feet on the line when the shooter makes contact with the soccer ball. If that does not take place, the goaltender is assessed a yellow card, and the kick is retaken. In her second attempt, Renard scored, and France hung on for the victory.

This was the second time in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup that a player was awarded a rekick after the goalkeeper came off her line. It happened in Italy’s 5-0 win over Jamaica on Friday as Cristiana Girelli was awarded a rekick after Sydney Schneider initially made an outstanding save.

France won Group A with a perfect record of three wins and zero losses. Norway was second with two wins and one loss. Nigeria, can still advance to the round of 16 with a record of one win and two losses. They need to be among the top four third place teams to move on.

In Group B, Germany beat South Africa 4-0 and Spain tied China 0-0. Germany wins Group B with a perfect record of three wins and zero losses, while South Africa was last with a record of zero wins and three losses. Spain and China finished tied for second with identical records of one win, one loss and one draw for four points. Spain gets second place because they had a goals for and against ratio of +1, while China was zero. China however is guaranteed a spot in the round of 16 because three third place teams cannot reach four points.

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