Norway downs Aussies on PKs
NICE, France — Ingrid Hjelmseth proved to be a shootout hero again as Norway beat Australia on penalties Saturday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup.
Hjelmseth saved Emily Gielnik’s kick and Ingrid Engen, who is playing in her first World Cup, hit the decisive penalty as Norway won the shootout 4-1 after the match had finished 1-1.
Australia captain Sam Kerr, who was frustrated by Norway most of the night despite several opportunities, fired her penalty shot high and wide.
“It was a great win,” Hjelmseth said. “I was just focusing and picking a side when they put the ball down. I was just telling myself, ‘OK, I will go to the right,’ and then I took a chance and it was good for us, it was the right side.”
Hjelmseth saved two penalties in her last shootout — the semifinal of the 2013 European Chasmpionship.
The game went to extra time after Australia’s Elise Kellond-Knight scored from a corner to make it a 1-1 game in the 83rd minute. Forward Isabell Herlovsen put Norway up 1-0 with a goal in the 31st.
GERMANY 3, NIGERIA 0
Alexandra Popp had just scored a go-ahead goal against Nigeria in her
100th international appearance when Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita signaled for a video review to determine whether German teammate Svenja Huth, who was in an offside position, obstructed the view of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
“I was a bit irritated to be honest,” the German captain said through a translator.
Popp’s goal stood, and a few minutes later the match was stopped for another video review, this time to determine whether Germany’s Lina Magull had been fouled in the penalty area by Evelyn Nwabuoko. Having seen the stud marks in her teammate’s leg, Popp was pleased the referee awarded a penalty kick.
“Otherwise, I would have asked myself why we were using this technology,” Popp said, “so it was quite obvious in the pictures.”
Germany advanced to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the eighth straight time, beating African champion Nigeria in Grenoble.
Nigeria coach Thomas Dennerby endorsed VAR but said it caused disruptions.
“Football is also a game with a rhythm and if you break the rhythm sometimes that is not good,” he said. “It’s good for the game, but I don’t think anybody really has the final solution for VAR yet.”
Popp scored in the 20th minute. Sara Dabritz made it 2-0 in the 27th with the penalty kick and Lea Schuller got the final goal in the 82nd.