Twenty nine countries have already been confirmed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including co-hosts Australia and New Zealand.
Only three spots remain to complete biggest pool of competition in the tournament – 32 – for the first time ever.
The FIFA Women’ World Cup will be played from 20 July to 20 August this year.
Starting at 10 countries in play-offs, only six are left to battle it out for the three tickets to go Down Under.
Portugal stands in the way of the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, while the other two matches will see Paraguay taking on Panama, and Chile tackles Haiti.
To get to this stage, Cameroon and Panama were comfortable 2-0 winners over Thailand and Papua New Guinea respectively, Haiti proved to be too strong for Senegal in a dominant 4-0 victory with Paraguay getting past Chinese Taipei 4-2 on penalties after a 2-all stalemate.
As the top seeds in their groups, Portugal and Chile were waiting for the winners.
Group A: Portugal, Cameroon, Thailand
Group B: Chile, Haiti, Senegal
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Panama
Cameroon beat Thailand for the right to play top seeds Portugal in the Group A
Top seed in Group B Chile awaited winners Haiti who brushed aside Senegal
Group C had four teams, and Paraguay had the better of Chinese Taipei while Panama knocked Papua New Guinea out of contention – with the victors facing off for a ticket Down Under.
Here’s how it happened:
SENEGAL VS HAITI:
At North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Haiti 4 (Kethna Louis 45’, Nerilia Mondesir 55’, Roselord Borgella 64’, 66’)
Senegal 0
HT: 1-0
Haiti were the biggest winners in the play-offs so far after they thrashed Senegal 4-0 to advance to the final round of qualifiers.
Roselord Borgella was the star of the show with a second half brace after Kethna Louis and Nerilia Mondesir had put the Caribbean nation in the lead.
Haiti, who are attempting their first ever World Cup place, face a Chile side that was in France four years ago.
But the two nations have never met – and whoever wins here will become the 30th team in the final tournament.
CAMEROON vs THAILAND:
At Waikato Stadium, Hamilton:
Cameroon 2 (Gabrielle Onguéné 79’, 82’)
Thailand 0
HT: 0-0
A brace from second half substitute Gabrielle Onguene was enough to place Cameroon a step closer to their third consecutive appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup as they won 2-0.
Should they go past Portugal, the West Africans will be the fifth African nation in the tournament after South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Zambia booked their places at the tournament.
But the Indomitable Lionesses will need a new goalkeeper for the crunch match following the red card dished out to Ange Bawou in stoppage time of their clash with Thailand.
Portugal will not be a walkover as they Europeans showed in their 5-0 demolition of New Zealand in a friendly international on Friday (17 February).
CHINESE TAIPEI vs PARAGUAY:
At Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Paraguay 2 (Dulce María Quintana 80’, Lice Chamorro 81’)
Chinese Taipei 2 (Lai Li-Chin 21’, Su Sin-Yun 75’)
HT: 1-0
FT: 2-2
ET: 2-2
Paraguay won 4-2 on penalties.
Chinese Taipei squandered a 2-0 lead as Paraguay forced the match to extra time after a 2-all draw in regulation time.
It was a day of drama for the Asians as Hsin-Hsuan Pao could have sealed victory in the last minute of extra-time but ballooned her shot, sending the match to penalties to decide the winner.
During the shootout, Pao missed again but the kick was reordered as Paraguay keeper Alicia Bobadilla was adjudged to have moved off her line early.
Pao’s bad day at the office continued as the South American goalkeeper saved the attempt.
In the end, Paraguay, who have never been to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, won 4-2 on penalties and now stand at the gates of glory – with Panama lying in wait.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA vs PANAMA:
At North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Panama 2 (Marta Cox 12’, Riley Tanner 63’)
Papua New Guinea 0
HT: 1-0
It took the brilliance of Marta Cox to give Panama the lead 12 minutes into the match with a well-taken bicycle kick against Papua New Guinea, before Riley Tanner doubled the advantaged in the second half to confirm her side’s spot in the final of the Play-off qualifiers.
Panama made good use of their dominance as they denied Papua New Guinea their first entry into a Women’s World Cup.
At the start of the week, there were 10 teams chasing three spots at the World Cup, but now there are only six. Chile or Haiti will seal one on Wednesday afternoon in Auckland, with Portugal or Cameroon following suit that evening at Waikato Stadium and Paraguay or Panama getting their chance the following afternoon in Hamilton.
Chile Women’s National Team
FINAL FIXTURES:
CHILE vs HAITI
Group B
Wednesday, 22 February 2023
03h00 (SA time)
North Harbor Stadium
Auckland, New Zealand
Portugal Women’s National Team
PORTUGAL vs CAMEROON
Group A
Wednesday, 22 February 2023
08h30 (SA time)
Waikato Stadium
Hamilton, New Zealand
PARAGUAY vs PANAMA
Group C
Thursday, 23 February 2023
03h00 (SA time)
Waikato Stadium
Hamilton, New Zealand
The 29 confirmed countries that have qualified for the 2023 FIFA WOmen’s World Cup
Australia (co-hosts)
New Zealand (co-hosts)
China (AFC)
Japan (AFC)
Philippines (AFC)
South Korea (AFC)
Vietnam (AFC)
Morocco (CAF)
Nigeria (CAF)
South Africa (CAF)
Zambia (CAF)
Canada (CONCACAF)
Costa Rica (CONCACAF)
Jamaica (CONCACAF)
United States (CONCACAF)
Argentina (CONMEBOL)
Brazil (CONMEBOL)
Colombia (CONMEBOL)
Denmark (UEFA)
England (UEFA)
France (UEFA)
Germany (UEFA)
Italy (UEFA)
Netherlands (UEFA)
Norway (UEFA)
Republic of Ireland (UEFA)
Spain (UEFA)
Sweden (UEFA)
Switzerland (UEFA)
