The final round of group games in the 2023 Women's World Cup sees some of the favoured nations looking to secure their last 16 places. Our football expert previews key games featuring England, Germany and France - offering betting tips and insights.

 

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China vs England (Tuesday 12:00 UTC)

Coppers Stadium in Adelaide, Australia hosts the first game of our World Cup preview. England will be seeking to assert dominance against their final Group D opponents after the sides beat each other 2-1 when meeting in 2015. Although the English sit comfortably atop the table after two wins, progression is still not guaranteed. As China and Denmark could still progress over them, with goal difference being the keystone if they cannot secure at least one point in this game. China ranks 14th in the FIFA women’s rankings and is the current AFC Women’s Asian Cup champion, a competition they’ve now won a record nine times. While England ranks 4th and is the current UEFA Euro champions, having won last year. This match will truly be a battle of the continents.

In comparison to their Western counterparts, China only managed a 1-0 victory over newcomers Haiti. Though they can be commended for their efforts, as they managed most of the game with only ten players after Zhang Rui was sent off after twenty-nine minutes. Wang Shuang scored the solitary goal from the penalty spot late into the second half, providing the glimmer of hope of progression into the final sixteen.

 

In an all too familiar story with all other current Group D matches thus far, England won their second game of the tournament 1-0 over a lacklustre Danish team. The Lionesses dominated proceedings with 71% of ball possession and sat comfortably after Lauren James scored an early goal in the seventh minute. All the Anglos need is one point to progress, however, with all the group's teams seemingly having a stoic defence as proven by the slim scorelines, the English must press their attack and prove why they’ve garnered recent accolades.

It’s all or nothing this match, with everything still to play for. 1x2 7.630 4.690 1.427 unsurprisingly favours the English, though China cannot be ruled out and maybe we will see more than one goal in a Group D bout. China 1 - 2 England 10.33.

 

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Panama vs France (Wednesday 11:00 UTC)

The Sydney Football Stadium, known commercially as Allianz Stadium, is where this Group F fixture will kick off. The Europeans will be looking to achieve their second win of the tournament and continue their unbeaten run after their initial draw against Jamaica. On the flip side of the coin stand Panama, who will be looking to return home with any goals or points they can after being officially knocked out of the tournament.

Panama's inaugural World Cup has been a punishing one. With their first match against stalwarts Brazil ending 4-0 and the second being a lost opportunity against Caribbean rivals Jamaica 1-0. Things can only go up from here however and with nothing to lose, maybe they can provide some surprises at their tournament runs sunset. Not likely, though a clean sheet and a point on the table will be a victory for the Central Americans to take home.

The French unsurprisingly sit astride the top of the table with four points, secured recently by a 2-1 victory over Brazil. It seemed as though the match would finish with a point each until Lyon’s Wendie Renard found the net in the eighty-third minute. Renards impact is unequivocal, being one of the most decorated players in modern women's club football, having won a record 14 French league titles and eight European Cups. Seventeen minutes in fellow Lyon teammate Eugénie Le Sommer provided the opener with an accurate header. It is doubtful that Panama can upset French ambitions to progress into the knockout rounds now. Match handicap +3.5 at 1.729.

South Korea vs Germany (Thursday 11:00 UTC)

Nicknamed ‘The Cauldron’, Lang Park, Brisbane hosts our final match preview. In a familiar story, one side is one foot in the knockout rounds while the other is knocked out already. Germany is poised to move into the last sixteen joint in the points tally with Morocco. The Europeans led for most goals in a single World Cup 2023 game after thumping the North Africans 6-0 early in the competition proceedings. Though they now share this record after Norway did the same to the Philippines last weekend. 

Regular attendees of the tournament since 2015, South Korean ambitions have been dashed once more. Losing 2-0 to Columbia and 1-0 to Morocco, garnering a single goal or point will be bonus enough. However, the best they can do is stem the tide with the odds stacked against them for a rout - total Goals in ordinary time over 3.5 is 2.63 It’ll be up to players such as BK Häcken's Yoon Young-geul and Tottenham Hotspurs Cho So-hyun to hold the team together.

Germany comes into this game fairly secure of qualification to the last sixteen. Last game's solitary goal for Deutschland came from VFL Wolfsburg forward Alexandra Popp, who put one in from the penalty spot in the eighty-ninth minute. Although they were denied a point by Manuela Vanegas, who scored in the ninety-seventh minute, allowing the Columbians a 2-1 win. Joint on points, it will be doubtful Morocco will be able to outclass the South Americans this week. A German Group H 2nd place finish seems assured - 1x2 12.9 6.19 1.19.

**Odds are subject to change. Odds accurate as of 11:00 UTC Thursday 1st August**

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