First World Cup game without a penalty
Denmark breaks through China’s bulwark at the last minute
7/22/2023 3:54 p.m
In Group D, Denmark headed towards the round of 16 with an opening win. China’s defensive tactics in the closing stages don’t work, a header ensures the late decision. The ninth game of this women’s World Cup is the first in which there is no penalty.
The Danish national soccer team led by Pernille Harder started the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with a win. In the 1-0 (0-0) win against China, however, it wasn’t until the 90th minute before the eleven were able to celebrate the new signing from FC Bayern Munich. Amalie Vangsgaard headed the winning goal in the final seconds of regulation time. In front of 16,989 spectators in Perth, Australia, the Chinese failed to get the draw over time. In both periods, China’s eleven had started a little stronger, the Danes needed a run-up to gain control in their first World Cup appearance in 16 years.
A corner kick from Harder, who is returning to the Bundesliga from Chelsea this summer, started the game-winning situation. Vangsgaard, who came on as a substitute just five minutes earlier, rose the highest about 15 meters from the goal – China’s goalkeeper Huan Xu stretched in vain. Denmark’s coach Lars Söndergaard made an offensive change in the closing stages, and this courage was rewarded with a goal from the Paris St. Germain attacking player.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, however, the equalizer almost came. Goalkeeper Lene Christensen only had to catch the ball when Shuang Wang free-kicked, but let the ball bounce. He jumped from the inside post to the keeper’s back and made his way towards the goal. There, however, Simone Boye Sörensen reacted with presence of mind and clarified. However, the goal probably wouldn’t have counted anyway, as the Canadian referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin called it offside shortly afterwards.
Denmark is level on points with England after the first match day of preliminary round group D thanks to their opening success. The European champions had previously won 1-0 (1-0) against Haiti thanks to a penalty by Harder’s future FC Bayern team-mate Georgia Stanway. The game against China was also the first game at this World Cup in which there was no penalty – in the previous eight meetings the referees had pointed to the spot.
On the second match day Denmark meets England next Friday at 10.30 a.m. German time, at 1 p.m. (both in the live ticker on ntv.de) it is then up to China to keep the chance against World Cup debutants Haiti to reach the round of 16.