The final two spots in the 2019 Women’s World Cup quarter-finals are up for grabs on Tuesday.
In the first game of the day, Italy will face China, and in the second matchup, the Netherlands will play Japan.
Italy has become one of the darlings of the World Cup after their surprising win over Australia in their opener and 5-0 over Jamaica. However, the Italians suffered a slight setback in their final group game against Brazil, losing 1-0 and showing some inexperience.
China, meanwhile, is arguably the most underwhelming team to reach the Knockout Stage. They scored just one goal during the group stage, and that came against a South Africa team that gave up eight goals in three games. Of course, China also conceded just one goal, so they’ve been organized defensively throughout the tournament.
For China, the player to watch is Wang Shuang. She’s the only player on China’s roster to play professionally in Europe and she’s the key to getting the offense going. If Shuang remains a non-factor, the Chinese will have trouble scoring against a solid Italian back line.
For Italy, the player to watch is Manuela Giugliano. The Italians have three different players with at least two goals over their first three games. But Giugliano has been the straw that stirs the drink, collecting three assists from her center midfield position. She holds the key to unlocking the organized Chinese defense.
The Italians are slight favourites in this game with a money line of +110 compared to China at +278. Given China’s inability to score goals, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to advance without taking the game to penalties. That gives Italy 120 minutes to found a breakthrough. The Italians should find a way to get that goal and advance to the quarterfinals.
Japan’s young team has had an up and down tournament. They were stifled in a scoreless draw against Argentina, managed a win over Scotland, and then fell 2-0 to England to close out the group stage. Even in a rather mediocre group, the Japanese have yet to hit their stride thus far.
The Dutch, on the other hand, seem to be growing into the tournament. They won all three group games, scoring six goals and conceding two. More importantly, they looked a little better each time out, finishing the group stage with a win against a tough Canada team.
The Netherlands has several players to watch, but the one to watch closely is Vivianne Miedema. She’s the centerpiece of the Dutch attack and the one who will have to find the back of the net if the Netherlands are going to make a deep run in the tournament.
For Japan, the key player is Saki Kumagai. She’s Japan’s best defensive player and will be vital to breaking up play and keeping the Dutch attack out of rhythm. The Japanese have some skill and creativity, but their top priority against the Netherland will be keeping the game scoreless for as long as possible.
The Dutch are a considerable favorite in this game, with a money line at -121 compared to Japan at +325. While Japan is capable of springing the upset, there’s been very little from their first three games to suggest they’re ready to beat a team as talented as the Netherlands. Bet on the Dutch to survive and advance.
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