WWC 2023: Group D Preview
European champions England enter the 2023 World Cup among the top betting favorites to take home their first ever World Cup title. Amidst unprecedented pressure and a plague of injuries, they will once again count on the shoulders of talismanic vet Lucy Bronze.
England
FIFA Rank: #4
Qualified as: Winners of UEFA Group D
The Skinny
After a decade-plus of "close but not quite," England's golden generation finally broke through with a European title last summer on home soil, their first major trophy. Now, the Lionesses come into the 2023 World Cup in uncharted waters: as one of the tournament favorites. It's a weighty expectation, to be sure, and made tougher by the fact that they have seen a slew of injuries over the last 6 months that has knocked out almost half their Euro Cup title-winning starting lineup out of the squad. Still, manager Sarina Wiegman is one of the best in the biz, and there is still enough talent on this teamsheet to put them in good standing against just about anyone. If you're a betting type, you could do far worse than backing the Brits.
Haiti
FIFA Rank: #53
Qualified as: 3rd place in 2022 CONCACAF W Championship Group A; defeated Senegal 4-0 and Chile 2-1 in inter-confederational playoffs
The Skinny
In what promises to be one of the most-- if not THE most --competitive Women's World Cup ever, not many sides can really claim they're "just happy to be here." You'd forgive Haiti, though, if that was their mantra. Les Grenadières are the third-lowest ranked team in the tournament, but given the tighter constraints CONCACAF have on qualification than Africa's confederation does, might be the most shocking qualifier of all. They managed to claw to the inter-confederation playoffs by upsetting hosts Mexico in the CONCACAF W Championship to claim 3rd place in their group. Then, in said playoff, dispatched slightly-favored Senegal with surprising ease and then stunned heavily-favored Chile to book their trip down under. All signs point to them being the clear weak link in this competitive group, but who knows? It's very evident this squad relish the underdog role.
Denmark
FIFA Rank: #13
Qualified as: Winners of UEFA Group E
The Skinny
After years of watching their Scandinavian neighbors Norway and Sweden dominate Europe and compete on the World stage in the women's game, Denmark gets their crack at forging their own impression with their first trip to the World Cup in 16 years. De rød-hvide haven't crashed the party in a long time, obviously, and were a minor disappointment in last summer's Euro Cup. But they positively breezed through qualifying, and before the 2022 edition, they actually tended to perform quite well in Europe, even making a startling run to the Final in 2017; they have also cultivated some real eye-popping talent in recent years. As the second-highest ranked team in their group, and a fairly open bracket should they qualify to the knockout stages, said Danish talent will be eager to make good on their opportunity.
China
FIFA Rank: #14
Qualified as: Champions of 2022 AFC Asian Cup
The Skinny
Two-time World Cup hosts and two-time finalists China used to be the toast of Asia in women's football, and firmly in the discussion amongst the global elite. That changed somewhat in the 2010s; at the same time regional rivals Japan were scaling the mountaintop, they were missing out on the 2011 World Cup altogether then failing to progress past the Round of 16 in the next two editions. They also failed to win four consecutive Asian Cups, including the 2010 edition on home soil. However, Kēngqiāng Méiguī (the Steel Roses) finally returned to winning ways in last year's Asian Cup in India, and enter the World Cup having lost only 3 matches in the last 2 years, all to teams that are seeded at this very tournament. Might it finally be time the Chinese return to the heights they reached in the 90s and early 2000s?
Group D Best XI
The fact that I spoke at length of England's injury problems, ranked this the 3rd-most difficult group of this tournament, and still have an almost entirely English 'Best XI' speaks to just how deep the Lionesses' talent pool is. Danish sensation Caroline Pernille Harder is the only player here preventing a full Anglo takeover in the squad. Rachel Daly has been Ms. Reliable for her country; the epitome of 'plug-and-play,' she's played forward, midfield, left-back and center-back. But with last year's retirement of the legendary Ellen White, and injuries to vaunted attackers Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, my guess is her forward role will take on more importance. Those huge absences are also mollified somewhat by the rise of Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), and Lauren James (Chelsea); those three dynamos can play in front of Barcelona's Keira Walsh, who took on a commanding defensive mid role for the Champions League winners. And at the back, veterans Alex Greenwood and Millie Bright can atone for the loss of Leah Williamson, and in right-back Lucy Bronze, England still have one of the best players on the planet.
Group Prediction
This group prediction is probably the easiest time I've had with 1st and 4th place...even a not-full-strength England side is head and neck above the rest here, and Haiti too far behind in quality. The only real question is who comes in 2nd place, between #13 Denmark and #14 China? On paper, the Danes are the better side, and in fact I think they're the more likely to trip England up if anyone is going to take a point off them. But I don't know....there's something about the momentum China's coming in with, and the fact that they catch an inexperienced Denmark in the first match that makes me think they'll just pip them to 2nd.
Comments