The biggest women’s soccer World Cup is underway

2023-07-18 22:26:49

Time.news – All ready in Australia and New Zealand for the ninth edition of women’s soccer world cupthe bigger than ever, which will kick off on Thursday with the two home teams playing against Ireland and Norway respectively. Defending champions USA and England are favorites to win but theItaly by Milena BertoliniThat he will make his debut on Monday 24 June against Argentinaaims to have its say in an elimination round which also includes strong Sweden and South Africa.

The ‘downunder’ tournament, which ends on August 20, opens with a lot of problems starting from many champions out due to injury like the French Delphine Cascarino,

Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Amandine Henry, the Americans Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson and Becky Sauerbrunn, the English Beth Mead and Leah Williamson, the Dutch Vivianne Miedema and the German Giulia Gwinn.

Almost all of them are ACL injuries (Spain’s Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas recovered just in time), an injury that is proving to be the Achilles heel of a rapidly growing movement. L’time zone handicapmoreover, by making the 64 matches distributed in 10 stadiums not very usable by the European public, it meant that the networks of the Old Continent offered very little for television rights, to the great dismay of Fifa’s number one, Gianni Infantino. A partial solution was found only after the intervention of the Sport owners of France, Germany, England, Italy and Spain. Rai, for example, will broadcast only a fifth of the races.

However, the tournament is attracting the attention of the whole world for a clearly growing movement, as evidenced by the million tickets already sold. Two sold-out players are already guaranteed on Thursday for the opening match at the Eden Park stadium in Auckland, between New Zealand and Norway, and shortly after in Sydney where Australia and Ireland will take the field.

At the starting line there are 32 teams divided into eight groups. The best two of each group will enter the knockout phase, the minimum objective of the Italians, who will make their debut on Monday 24 July in group G against Argentina and will then have to deal with Sweden, semifinalist at the last European Championships, and South Africa.

The blues are in Auckland, where on Monday the 24th they will face Argentina in their opening match (9 am Italian time, live on Rai 1). Considering that the first two of the group of four will advance to the round of 16, the blues (number 16 in the ranking) should be able to get behind the South Americans (number 29) and South Africa (54) while the Swedes (third in the world) appear out of reach. After the disappointment of the European Championships in England, however, we must be cautious.

Italy’s last two friendly matches were encouraging: a 1-0 victory against New Zealand (Valentina Giacinti scored) and a 0-0 draw against Morocco. After the renunciations of Sara Gama and Aurora Galli, with some controversial aftermath, coach Bertolini is betting on young players such as Giulia Dragoni, Barcelona midfielder born in 2006. “We are enjoying this wonderful experience very much in a place that is truly wonderful and offering many surprises to see and discover”, said the blue Cecilia Salvai, defender of Juventus.