In Montpellier, the most surprising group winner Italy competes against China. Although both teams are not among the favorites to win the tournament, there are good chances to get far. The winner of this match will compete against the Netherlands or Japan, two teams that were unable to impress this tournament.
Italy:
The Italian women have caused a stunt by winning group C. The team of coach Milena Bertolini was previously ranked number three in the group, since Brazil and Australia were also classified in this group of death. For Italy, continuing as number three in the group had already been a good result, especially since they missed four world championships in a row and they did not pass the group stage last European Championship.
This World Cup was immediately set with a 2-1 win over Australia. Italy was the lesser in the first half, but it still had two good chances. The first was well rounded off by Juventus’ Barbara Bonansea, but she was centimeters offside, while Cristiane Girelli (also from Juventus) met the goalkeeper in the second chance. Because defender Sara Gama gave away a penalty kick, Le Azzure looked up with a 0-1 deficit halfway through the dressing room. In the second half it was again Australia that got the most chances but the Italians proved deadly effective, they only needed two shots in the second half to score two goals. Both goals came in the name of Bonansea, who clearly traveled to this World Cup in good shape.
In the second game, the women in blue worked on their goal balance by winning no less than 5-0 against Jamaica, so placement for the knockout phase had already arrived. In a very equal final game, Brazil lost 0-1, thanks to the goal difference, Italy still held the lead and reached the less difficult half of the tournament.
China:
The Chinese women’s team has not belonged to the top for years and that is also visible in this tournament. In the last century, they won the Asia Cup seven times in a row, and in 2006 they succeeded again. However, in the last three editions, China had to make do with the consolation final, Japan and Australia are now the top countries in Asia. The world championships also show that the most densely populated country in the world has been overtaken on all sides. In 1999, the Chinese still lost the final, since then it has stranded three times in the quarterfinals and once failed to qualify.
At this tournament, China started with a 1-0 defeat against top country Germany. China had almost nothing to say in that match, but managed to limit the number of shots on the goal of Die Nationalelf, of the eighteen shots, only five ended up between the posts. In the second game against South Africa, China itself was the big favorite and only a win would suffice. This time the Steel Roses themselves shot seventeen shots, but the vast majority were impure. The 1-0 that Li Ying made on indication of record international Zhang Rui just before half-time turned out to be the winning one. The Chinese were completely eliminated by Spain in the final game. Despite 24 shots of which nine on goal they managed to keep the zero, China itself only got one chance in the entire match.
PREDICTION: Over 1,5 goals @ 1,49
