The key stats from the World Cup ahead of the quarter-finals

By Sports Desk August 10, 2023

The eight remaining teams in the World Cup put their title ambitions on the line in the quarter-finals starting on Friday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key statistics that could determine the games.

Spain v Netherlands

Friday, 2am (all times BST)

Seven of the eight group winners made the quarter-finals, with Spain the lone runners-up having beaten Group A table toppers Switzerland in the last 16.

Their 103 shots are the most in the tournament and they have allowed the fewest of the quarter-finalists with 21 – though they have conceded the most goals of any remaining team with five, including Laia Codina’s long-range own goal against the Swiss.

Expect to see both teams use width – Spain’s Teresa Abelleira has completed twice as many crosses as anyone else (20), with team-mate Ona Batlle the only other player in double figures (10), while the Dutch are top for attempted switches of play (41), comfortably ahead of France in second (24).

The game could be decided early, with the Netherlands ranking first for percentage of goals scored in the first half (73 per cent) and Spain second at 69 per cent.

Japan v Sweden

Friday, 8.30am

By contrast, there appears a chance of late drama with Sweden and Japan each scoring a tournament-high three goals after the 80th minute.

Japan are the top scorers with 14 goals, including five from Golden Boot pace-setter Hinata Miyazawa, and have conceded only one. The two teams have the best conversion rates of the quarter-finalists: Japan’s goals coming from 74 shots (19 per cent) and Sweden scoring nine from only 49 attempts (18 per cent).

Despite their all-action game, with a tournament-high 1,001 defensive pressures applied, Japan are the only team yet to receive a booking.

They will face the only remaining side with more World Cup finals experience than their 37 games, with Sweden having played 44 and perennial challengers the United States, Germany and Norway already eliminated.

Australia v France

Saturday, 8am

One team will defy their poor quarter-final record, with Australia losing on their three previous outings at this stage from 2007 to 2015 while France have won only one out of three, in 2011.

Indeed, Australia’s most recent goal in a quarter-final, against Sweden in 2011, was scored by current cricket international Ellyse Perry.

They will have to improve on their shooting accuracy of 32 per cent, with only 19 attempts on target out of 60 – though France have conceded four goals, most of them in a madcap 6-3 win over Panama.

Nine Australia players have started every game so far and six have played every minute, while France have only three constant starters and goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin is their only ever-present.

England v Colombia

Saturday, 11.30am

The two lowest-scoring quarter-finalists – despite England’s 6-1 win over China – meet in Saturday’s last game. The Lionesses have just eight goals overall and Colombia five.

England, semi-finalists at the last two World Cups, will face a team playing in the last eight for the first time.

England have completed over twice as many passes as their opponents, 2,248 to 1,073, with Alex Greenwood’s 389 leading all players in the tournament.

Lauren James’ red card against Nigeria is the only one for any quarter-finalist this summer.

Related items

  • Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters

    Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday. 

    After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight. 

    Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.

    In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal. 

    Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out. 

    However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining. 

    Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena. 

    The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.

    Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range. 

    Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt. 

    There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner. 

    Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition. 

  • Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City

    Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.

    The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.

    The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.

    There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.

    Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.

    “Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.  

    “That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.

    “Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.  

    “I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.  

    “Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”

     

    Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.

    That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.

    He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.

  • Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League

    Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.

    Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.

    Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.

    Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.

    The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick. 

    That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.

    In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.

    Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.

    Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.