Women's WC Qualification Intercontinental Playoffs

This series of games probably worth their own little chat. Go PNG.

And yeah as someone else said keep an eye out for any gems, who Nix ALW should consider signing as a visa.

https://au.soccerway.com/international/world/womens-wc-qualifying-intercontinental-play-offs-/2023/s16785/final-stages/

Saturday 18/02/2023
14:00  Senegal vs Haiti
19:00  Cameroon vs Thailand

Sunday 19/02/2023
14:00  Chinese Taipei vs Paraguay
19:00  Papua New Guinea vs Panama

SEMI-FINALS
Wednesday 22/02/2023
14:00  Chile vs Senegal / Haiti 
19:30  Portugal vs Cameroon / Thailand 

Thursday 23/02/2023
14:00  Chinese Taipei / Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea / Panama 

Paraguay with a win on pens over Chinese Taipei.
Test for OFC women's football as PNG now play Panama in the last Semifinal playoff. Winers of the 3 Finals get last 3 WWC spots

SEMI-FINALS

Saturday 18/02/2023
Senegal 0 - 4  Haiti
Cameroon  2 - 0  Thailand
Sunday 19/02/2023
Chinese Taipei  2 - 2  Paraguay (win 4-2 on pens)
Papua New Guinea vs Panama

FINALS
Wednesday 22/02/2023
Chile vs Haiti
Portugal vs Cameroon
Thursday 23/02/2023 
Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea / Panama

coochiee

Paraguay with a win on pens over Chinese Taipei.
Test for OFC women's football as PNG now play Panama in the last Semifinal playoff. Winers of the 3 Finals get last 3 WWC spots

SEMI-FINALS

Saturday 18/02/2023
Senegal 0 - 4  Haiti
Cameroon  2 - 0  Thailand
Sunday 19/02/2023
Chinese Taipei  2 - 2  Paraguay (win 4-2 on pens)
Papua New Guinea vs Panama

FINALS
Wednesday 22/02/2023
Chile vs Haiti
Portugal vs Cameroon
Thursday 23/02/2023 
Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea / Panama

I went to NHS for the Senegal vs Haiti match. Sat in Bloc(k) 5, off course. 

First observation.....when did the 'other' stand at NHS get greatly reduced?? And why? There didn't seem to be a reason for it, with the media box not taking much space. 

Second observation.....guessed there might be 1,000 people there (official = 925). Remember when the North Shore was called a 'hotbed of football? 

On that, would the organisers be worried about attendances?? The scheduling of matches in July is strange. There are no weekend group matches in Auckland, if I read the calendar right. Is it more expensive to hire Eden Park in the weekend? And why play matches at Eden Park anyway? There'll be 4,000 tops at a ground that holds 50,000. 

Thought Haiti played well, their #6 is really good. Senegal were shark. Sharkegal. But very good at every player only getting one yellow card.

Glad you sat in Bloc 5. Happy memories from those seats.

PNG go down 2-0. Can't find any footage of the first goal for Panama. Sounds like it was a goodie.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-cup/131247294/bicycle-kick-goal-from-marta-cox-sets-panama-up-for-world-cup-qualifier-against-paraguay

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/papua-new-guinea-go-down-to-panama/
It didn’t take long for the pressure to pay off, and the Panamanians did so in spectacular style. A cross by Katherine Macías was in a perfect position for Marta Cox on the penalty spot to turn and execute a sensational bicycle kick that scorched past goalkeeper Betty Sam.

The audacity though. 😮‍💨

Riley Tanner makes it two for @fepafut! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AvI7l7uoev

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 19, 2023

Rusty Dunks

coochiee

Paraguay with a win on pens over Chinese Taipei.
Test for OFC women's football as PNG now play Panama in the last Semifinal playoff. Winers of the 3 Finals get last 3 WWC spots

SEMI-FINALS

Saturday 18/02/2023
Senegal 0 - 4  Haiti
Cameroon  2 - 0  Thailand
Sunday 19/02/2023
Chinese Taipei  2 - 2  Paraguay (win 4-2 on pens)
Papua New Guinea vs Panama

FINALS
Wednesday 22/02/2023
Chile vs Haiti
Portugal vs Cameroon
Thursday 23/02/2023 
Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea / Panama

I went to NHS for the Senegal vs Haiti match. Sat in Bloc(k) 5, off course. 

First observation.....when did the 'other' stand at NHS get greatly reduced?? And why? There didn't seem to be a reason for it, with the media box not taking much space. 

Second observation.....guessed there might be 1,000 people there (official = 925). Remember when the North Shore was called a 'hotbed of football? 

On that, would the organisers be worried about attendances?? The scheduling of matches in July is strange. There are no weekend group matches in Auckland, if I read the calendar right. Is it more expensive to hire Eden Park in the weekend? And why play matches at Eden Park anyway? There'll be 4,000 tops at a ground that holds 50,000. 

Thought Haiti played well, their #6 is really good. Senegal were shark. Sharkegal. But very good at every player only getting one yellow card.

Only the Chile vs Argentina match had a decent attendance thanks to the Chilean and Argentine diaspora here in NZ. I do think the format is crazy where you fly thousands of miles to possibly to be knocked out in your first match, a home and away intercontinental playoff that the All whites sed to have would probably be better

The Paraguay vs Taipei game looked great. 

Rusty Dunks

coochiee

Paraguay with a win on pens over Chinese Taipei.
Test for OFC women's football as PNG now play Panama in the last Semifinal playoff. Winers of the 3 Finals get last 3 WWC spots

SEMI-FINALS

Saturday 18/02/2023
Senegal 0 - 4  Haiti
Cameroon  2 - 0  Thailand
Sunday 19/02/2023
Chinese Taipei  2 - 2  Paraguay (win 4-2 on pens)
Papua New Guinea vs Panama

FINALS
Wednesday 22/02/2023
Chile vs Haiti
Portugal vs Cameroon
Thursday 23/02/2023 
Paraguay vs Papua New Guinea / Panama

I went to NHS for the Senegal vs Haiti match. Sat in Bloc(k) 5, off course. 

First observation.....when did the 'other' stand at NHS get greatly reduced?? And why? There didn't seem to be a reason for it, with the media box not taking much space. 

Second observation.....guessed there might be 1,000 people there (official = 925). Remember when the North Shore was called a 'hotbed of football? 

On that, would the organisers be worried about attendances?? The scheduling of matches in July is strange. There are no weekend group matches in Auckland, if I read the calendar right. Is it more expensive to hire Eden Park in the weekend? And why play matches at Eden Park anyway? There'll be 4,000 tops at a ground that holds 50,000. 

Thought Haiti played well, their #6 is really good. Senegal were shark. Sharkegal. But very good at every player only getting one yellow card.

The "other stand" at NHS got greatly reduced to accommodate a baseball diamond. No, I don't think it was a smart idea either, but John Key's son is really into baseball so, pre-2017, that was the deciding factor 

coochiee

PNG go down 2-0. Can't find any footage of the first goal for Panama. Sounds like it was a goodie.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-cup/131247294/bicycle-kick-goal-from-marta-cox-sets-panama-up-for-world-cup-qualifier-against-paraguay

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/papua-new-guinea-go-down-to-panama/
It didn’t take long for the pressure to pay off, and the Panamanians did so in spectacular style. A cross by Katherine Macías was in a perfect position for Marta Cox on the penalty spot to turn and execute a sensational bicycle kick that scorched past goalkeeper Betty Sam.

The audacity though. 😮‍💨

Riley Tanner makes it two for @fepafut! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AvI7l7uoev

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 19, 2023

First goal was absolutely fantastic, very athletic finish.

Game overall I thought was pretty damn entertaining. 

I caught a bit of the Panama game. I like the look of Riley Tanner, and she was only their sub! Can we claim her?

Fenix

I caught a bit of the Panama game. I like the look of Riley Tanner, and she was only their sub! Can we claim her?

At a US College apparently so at least she will hablar Ingles. But just another sign the women’s international talent pool is getting deeper, and Ferns inevitably risk slipping down the rankings. 

So Portugal (FIFA ranking 22), need a dose of luck to beat Cameroon (58), 2-1.
That's after trouncing the Ferns (24), 5-0.

Looks like the rankings mean even less in the Women's game than in the men's. Though to be fair I imagine some teams are quickly improving, as their FAs take the womens game more seriously.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-cup/131303655/portugal-qualify-for-fifa-womens-world-cup-after-late-penalty-var-drama-to-beat-cameroon-21

A perfect cross and perfect header to put Panama in front.
I hope they win - I want to see more or Riley Tanner