Key events
45 min We’ll have five added minutes.
44 min Back come Colombia, Bedoya, who’s playing well, has a look then a dig from 25 yards … that flies a yard or so over the bar. Frohms, though, had it covered.
42 min Nice from Germany, Magull finding Oberdorf who again slides a canny ball – a return – into the box, and when Magull flips to the far post, Popp is there … but from an acute-ish lashes her volley high! That was a difficult chance, but I doubt I’m the only one who expected a more controlled effort from so accomplished a striker.
41 min Now Germany fly forward, Buhl, who’s such a powerful runner in a style not unreminscent of Gareth Bale, putting the ball in behind down the left and charging after it. But Carabali is there to crowd her out, after which Popp is again on at the ref presumably following another blind-side greeting from a Colombian defender.
40 min But here’s Caicedo now, skipping infield and sliding square for Ramirez, who drags a weak shot wide.
39 min I daresay this match looks very similar to how Colombia wants it to look. They’ve not, though, managed to get Caicedo involved, so are struggling to create much, especially down her left-hand side. On the right, Ramirez and Andrade, have looked capable.
38 min Nice turn from Ramirez out wide, holding off Hagel, but when she spins into a cross there’s no one in the middle, so Frohms collects easily enough.
36 min Nice from Colombia in midfield, Andrade spreading to Ramirez, and though her ball in is a poor one, Germany make a business out of clearing it. This is an even match again, Colombia’s combo of aggression and enterprise asking some taxing questions.
34 min And now Colombia win a free-kick out on the right, far from goal but near enough for the ball to humped into the box. But Usme’s delivery is poor and Doorsun, who’s started well, levers Ramirez from underneath, Harry Kane-style, while Hendrich heads clear.
33 min Colombia have disappeared the last few minutes pretty effectively, halting Germany’s momentum just as it was getting started.
32 min “Chapeau to the Women’s World Cup for keeping the MBMers occupied through the summer!” writes Richard Hirst. “Happy memories of the last one held here in France: went to Montpellier to see Italy play China. The rapport between the Italian team and their fans was fantastic and we became instant Italy supporters: shame about yesterday.”
Still another chance for Il Canto degli Italiani to make the knockouts, so all is not lost. Siiiiiiiiii!
31 min Yup, she hobbles off grinning, and will shrrtly be back with us.
29 min Usme is down and by the way her mates are gesturing, she needs treatment. I think, though, that she’ll be fine.
28 min Now Colombia press forward, Ramirez sliding out to Caicedo … who’s immediately clattered by a firm but fair tackle from Huth (I think).
27 min Colombia are pretty much pinned now, but I should’ve clarified when I said their defending was desperate: it’s desperate in the right way, big tackles and blocks, within a disciplined and focused structure. Germany are still to create a proper chance.
25 min Colombia get Caicedo on the ball, but on halfway, and she’s immediately crowded out by two defenders. After a slow start, Germany are taking over, Carabali forced to slide in and unload Brand, this time staying wide. The defending is getting increasingly wild.
24 min “Good to have the chance to have a look at Lena Oberdorf – as you say, she’d not played in the previous game. Given what’s been said about her, what we’re about to see sounds like a combination of Franz Beckenbauer and Judge Dredd.”
She’s very serious indeed and is just starting to assert herself – physically and also technically.
23 min Perez looks a confident keeper, coming for the cross and claiming well.
22 min Germany are coming now, Oberdorf winning a colossal tackle before feeding Magull down the left of the box. She swipes at fresh air, the ball breaks, Oberdorf shoots, Montoya blocks, and eventually Colombia concede a corner.
21 min Brand skates across the face of the Colombian line from left to centre, but Carabali is there to win a good and important tackle.
19 min Nice from Colombia, a ball in behind sending Ramirez on the chase, but Hendrich stays with her well, then Carabali clatters an increasingly irate Popp. The ref, though, is happy to away a free-kick while keeping words and cards to herself; this is intensifying.
18 min Now it’s Usme at it, flying into Magull and – accidentally – catching her with a stray arm. Colombia are turning this into a scrap, and rancour – all the things that no one wants to see – looks enticingly imminent.
16 min Arias D nudges Popp off the ball, so there’s a break while she accepts treatment. We’ve not been shown a close-up of what happened, but my guess is a friendly elbow-caress to the midriff.
15 min “With the caveat that this will probably age badly,” exculpates Kári Tulinius, “I’ve been surprised by how flat Germany have been in the opening exchanges. After their explosive win over Morocco I expected more. I can’t tell if Colombia is doing something to unsettle them, or if they’ve just yet to wake up.”
They’re already improving, I think, but Colombia aren’t sitting off and have pace in behind, so building from the back against them is a problem.
14 min This could develop into the best match we’ve seen so far, I think. Germany are settling into their passing now, but Colombia are pressing and looking to get players forward quickly.
12 min “Morning greetings from California,” begins Mary Waltz, for whom it’s still last night. “I love the enthusiasm, the feathered head dresses, the youth and energy of Columbia. But won’t the Germans crush the Colombian side? So far Germany and Spain look so much stronger than rest of the field.”
It’s rare that the best side in the first round of tournament-matches is the side dancing about at the end of it, so I’d not want to draw too many conclusions from what we saw during it. Both sides you mention could be champions, but both could easily lose to various of the others in a one-off match.
10 min First flash of Germany, Buhl sticking the ball behind Arias C, powering past and slinging over a terrific cross that eludes everyone. Germany, though, sustain the attack, Huth then crossing from the right, but with no one attacking the six-yard box, Perez dives to collect.
8 min …and her delivery is superb too, hit flat and fast to Ramirez at the back post … who heads down and wide! That’s the first half-chance of the match, and we’re warming up nicely here.
8 min Andrade again turns up on the right, feeding a pass in behind for Ramirez, who wins a corner. Usme will swerve in with her left foot…
7 min Colombia have started nicely here, confidently looking to get about Germany at every opportunity.
5 min Germany stop Colombia playing out from the goakick, so Perez goes long and the ball finds its way out to Andrade, down the right. She chucks a lollipop at Hagel and flies by on the outside, but the defender comes back at her really well, timing her slide to perfection – not with the aim of winning the ball, but to force her opponent to take another stride, which takes her behind. Smart work.
4 min Germany hit Popp, who spins Vanegas and accepts the inevitable foul; now it’s Germany’s go to stick a ball into the box, but Buhl’s delivery is over-excited and the ball flies behind.
3 min For those unfamiliar with Colombia’s astronomy-themed away kit…
2 min Early chance for Colombia to exert pressure, sticking a free-kick into the box, but Hendrich is up high and early to head clear.
1 min Morocco beating South Korea means Germany qualify with a win; Colombia will still need something when they meat the North Africans in their final match.
1 min Away we go!
There’s a Hebrew word, kavanah, that means intensity, focus and intention – generally with regard to prayer. The Colombians could not be attacking their album with greater kavanah, and it’s beautiful to see.
Anthem time…
And here they come!
Our players are tunnelled, and it’s almost time…
Get yourselves in the mood with some favourite Colombian tunes:
Also for you:
However, Caicedo fainted in training a few days ago and, having recovered from ovarian cancer not that long ago, people were understandably worried. But reports assure us she’s fine, which is great news.
ITV are showing us VT of Caicedo, who looks every inch a footballer: lithe, but with phenomenal power in her legs. I can’t wait to see how she does against this opposition.
Smart-cas latest: oh, Jonas. Oh, mate.
Looking at the Germany side, it’s absolute levels in midfield and attack. So, though Colombia might well plan to defend deep and slow the game down, they’ll want to get the ball forward, and quickly, with Caicedo dropping off, running off Usme, and darting in behind. If they work it well, Doorsun and Hendrich will have a few problems.
Leisurewear latest:
So Switzerland win Group A and Norway qualify as runners-up; they’ll meet Japan and Spain next, with those two facing off tomorrow in a match that decides first and second in Group C.
Have Norway got themselves going just in time? They now lead Philippines 6-0, and Sophie Haug has her hat-trick.
And Switzerland have hung on; New Zealand are out. We’re not partial here, but I guess the tournament could Australia staying in, to keep the atmosphere going.
New Zealand have four minutes of stoppage time remaining as they seek the goal that’ll see them into the knockouts at the expense of opponents Switzerland.
Colombia settle for one alteration, Leicy Santos replaced in attacking midfield by Lady Andrade.
Germany make two changes following their tousing of Morocco: Felicitas Rauch is, sadly, injured, so her place at left-back goes to Chantal Hagel – and Giulia Gwinn and Carolin Simon were already missing from their back-four. Meanwhile, Leupolz loses her spot at the base of midfield to the also-excellent Lena Oberdorf.
And earlier, from our group:
I’m going to write those down, then we’ll talk about what they mean. So in the meantime, here’s what’s going on right now; the co-hosts badly need a goal…
Let’s have some teams!
Germany (4-2-3-1): Frohms; Hagel, Hendrich, Huth, Doorsoun; Oberdorf, Däbritz; Bühl, Magull, Brand; Popp. Subs: Berger, Johannes, Kleinherne, Hegering, Schüller, Lohmann, Freigang,Lttwein, Nuesken, Anyomi, Rauch, Leupolz.
Colombia (4-3-3): Perez; Vanegas, Arias D, Arias C, Carabali; Bedoya, Montoya, Andrade; Ramirez, Usme, Caicedo. Subs: Sepulveda, Giraldo, Ospina, Reyes, Restrepo, Santos, Baron, Guzman, Ramos, Chacon, Caracas, Bahr.
Preamble
Though it’s the job of the writer to describe events, not predict them, I can’t lie: I thought we’d see a fair few blowouts in our first round of matches, but in the event, there were just three.
The most convincing of them, though, was perpetrated by Germany, who monstered Morocco 6-0 and looked, if not the best team at the tournament on paper, the team for whom the tournament has come at the best time on grass. Most particularly, Alexandra Popp – so heartbreakingly forced out of the Euro 2022 final during the warm-up – is back and, with Klara Bühl, Lina Magull and Jule Brand behind her – then Melanie Leupolz and Sara Däbriz behind them! – we’re looking at a formidable side that it’s easy to see growing into a champion side.
Colombia, though, are not going to hand them anything. They also won their first match, 2-0 against South Korea., and are a tough, skilful outfit with total belief in what they’re doing. They won’t, most likely be able to rival Germany in possession, but do have serious qualify in attacking areas – most particularly thanks to Linda Caicedo, a next-generation superstar, but also through Cata Usme, the country’s all-time leading scorer.
So, a win for either side and they’re almost into the knockouts, but a draw would work fairly well too – and Colombia won’t give up their 0-0 without a fight.
Kick-off: 7.30pm local, 10.30am BST