The Netherlands and Sweden share Algarve Cup title
Well, there's something you don't see every day. The trophy has been awarded to both teams! Wonder who'll take it home? ??#AlgarveCup2018 pic.twitter.com/RsF2ZE5SA5
— Algarve Cup (@Algarve_Cup) March 7, 2018
In a definite Algarve Cup first, the anticipated final between the Netherlands and Sweden was completely called off due to inclement weather, and was not rescheduled due to the upcoming end of the FIFA international window. Both teams were awarded first place in the tournament.
Third Place: Portugal 2-1 Australia: Portugal took down the Matildas to claim third place despite some late dramatics. Diana Gomes opened the scoring for Portugal late in the 38th minute, but Caitlin Cooper equalized not much longer in first half stoppage time. Early in the second half Vanessa Marques put Portugal up 2-1 from just outside the penalty box, and while Emily Van Egmond had a chance to tie it up late from the penalty spot, Portugal held on to take the bronze.
Fifth Place: Canada 2-0 Japan: Canada contained Japan with relative ease to take fifth in the tournament. Janine Beckie got the first strike in the 25th minute, and Ashley Lawrence got the second just after the halftime break in the 50th. Japan had a chance to pull one back from the penalty spot late in stoppage, but Stephanie Labbe posted the shutout in the win.
Seventh Place: South Korea 0-0 Norway (Suspended): The same weather front that shuttered the cup final resulted in the seventh place match being suspended after the first half of play, with the game still goalless.
Ninth Place: Iceland 1-1 Denmark (5-4): After a scoreless first half, Sanne Troelsgarrad-Nielsen put Denmark ahead in the 63rd minute, but Iceland soon responded with a goal from Hlin Eiriksdotir. The match ended 1-1, but Iceland took ninth as the result of a 5-4 penalty shootout win.
Eleventh Place: China 2-1 Russia: China avoided last place in the tournament behind efforts from Liu Shanshan and Song Duan, after going down 1-0 from an opening goal by Sofia Shishkina.
Spain downs Italy to win Cyprus Cup
Spain defeated Italy 2-0 on Wednesday to claim the Cyprus Cup. It is the second straight year Spain has won a Spring tournament. They won the Algarve in 2017 and join Canada as the only countries to win both trophies. Spain becomes the first to win one and then the other in consecutive years.
Spain celebrate winning the 2018 Cyprus Women's Cup Final 2018, #CyprusCup #womensfootball #WSUlive #CyprusCup2018 #soccer #football #ITAESPnd Video courtesy of: AlfaSports TV pic.twitter.com/jKzctBkbAw
— WomensSoccerUnited (@WSUasa) March 7, 2018
Amanda Sampedro put Spain on top in the 50th minute of the match. Patricia Guijarro put it away in the 85th. The Spanish finished the tournament undefeated and unscored on. Sampedro and Guijarro marked the fifth and sixth different scorers. No Spanish player scored more than once in the tournament.
In other Cyprus Cup placement action Wednesday:
Third Place: North Korea 2-1 Switzerland: North Korea took the bronze in a match that saw two stoppage time goals. The North Koreans led from the 22nd minute on a Yu Jong-hui goal and doubled it through Kim Yun-mi in the 91st minute. The Swiss then avoided the clean sheet when Rachel Rinast scored in the 93rd.
Fifth Place: Belgium 2-1 South Africa: After not conceding a goal through group play and taking an early lead here, South Africa went down to goals by Tessa Wullaert in the 33rd minute and then a late game-winner from Nicky Van Den Abbeele in the 87th. Noko Matlou put South Africa ahead in the 18th.
Seventh Place: Austria 1-1 Wales (3-2 pens): Kayleigh Green scored the equalizer in the 86th minute but Wales’s joy was short lived as Austria prevailed on penalties to take seventh. Wales went ahead 2-0 in the shootout before Nina Burger, Jennifer Klein, and Carina Wenninger converted while Wales missed their final three spot kicks. Sarah Puntigam accounted for Austria’s goal on the day.
Ninth Place: Czech Republic 5-2 Slovakia: The Czechs scored four times after halftime to make a gaudy scoreline against their neighbors. Tereza Kozarova opened the scoring in the 6th minute and broke a 1-1 tie in the 64th. Aneta Dedinova, Tereza Szewieczkova, and Katerina Svitkova added Czech Republic. For Slovakia, Patricia Hmirova and Ludmila Matavkova had goals. Kozarova’s brace gave her three for the tournament and a share of the Golden Boot with Italy’s Cristiana Girelli and Finland’s Emmi Alanen.
Eleventh Place: Finland 2-0 Hungary: Alanen’s third of the week was the backbreaker following Olga Ahtinen’s opener to give Finland 11th place and relegate Hungary to the bottom of the classification table. Hungary finished alongside Slovakia as the countries leaving the Cyprus Cup without a single victory.
