FIFA Women's World Cup - Final - USA retain title for the first time

USA won a record fourth World Cup title as they overpowered the Netherlands in Lyon.

USA 2-0 Netherlands
Megan Rapinoe opened the scoring with a penalty before Rose Lavelle completed a good run with a low powerful finish.
The Dutch were resilient in defending in the first half, but when VAR showed Stefanie van der Gragt had fouled Alex Morgan, veteran winger Rapinoe calmly slotted the spot-kick home.
In the final in only their second World Cup, the European champions kept the defending champions at bay thanks mostly to Sari van Veenendaal in the Dutch goal with four great saves before the break.
Tobin Heath spurned many chances and could have had a hat-trick late on, but for the former Arsenal keeper who is now a free agent.

Photo from BBC Sport

But in their third consecutive final, USA continued to dominate the tournament, adding to their titles of 1991, 1999 and 2015.
Rapinoe finished with six goals and three assists to win the golden boot, and Jill Ellis became the first coach to lift the trophy twice.
The Stars and Stripes are only the second team to defend the title after Germany in 2007, and it was their first title won in Europe, after triumphs in China, on home soil and in Canada.
With 26 goals in their seven matches - helped by 13 against Thailand - they set a new scoring record for a single World Cup campaign, while at 34, Rapinoe became the oldest scorer in a final.

England 1-2 Sweden
England suffered a frustrating loss to Sweden in the third-place play-off on Saturday.
Four years after their first medal at the competition, the Lionesses miss out on a podium position.
It was a sloppy first half display from Phil Neville's side, with Kosovare Asllani opening the scoring after Alex Greenwood failed to clear Fridolina Rolfo's cross.
Sofia Jakobsson got in behind Greenwood and struck the post, before curling in from the left for 2-0.

Photo from BBC Sport

From then on, England look the more likely to go on and win the match, but their breakthrough didn't come until the second half, with Fran Kirby striking well off the post to halve the deficit.
Ellen White thought she had equalised, before VAR showed she had handled the ball before her strike.
The 31-year-old had further chances to score, with two shots saved and blocked either side of the break.
Nilla Fischer blocked a Lucy Bronze goal-bound effort on the line to preserve Sweden's lead.
There were many positives for the Lionesses - including the fact that their results secured Great Britain a qualification spot for next summer's Olympics.
There is reason for England to be optimistic for their next major tournament - the 2021 European Championship, which will be held in England.

Final Group Standings

Group A
France 4-0 South Korea
Norway 3-0 Nigeria
Nigeria 2-0 South Korea
France 2-1 Norway
Nigeria 0-1 France
South Korea 1-2 Norway

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	France	3	3	0	0	7	1	6	9
Q	Norway	3	2	0	1	6	3	3	6
Q	Nigeria	3	1	0	2	2	4	-2	3
4	Korea Republic	3	0	0	3	1	8	-7	0

Group B
Germany 1-0 China PR
Spain 3-1 South Africa
Germany 1-0 Spain
South Africa 0-1 China PR
South Africa 0-4 Germany
China PR 0-0 Spain

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	Germany	3	3	0	0	6	0	6	9
Q	Spain	3	1	1	1	3	2	1	4
Q	China PR	3	1	1	1	1	1	0	4
4	South Africa	3	0	0	3	1	8	-7	0

Group C
Australia 1-2 Italy
Brazil 3-0 Jamaica
Australia 3-2 Brazil
Jamaica 0-5 Italy
Jamaica 1-4 Australia
Italy 0-1 Brazil

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	Italy	3	2	0	1	7	2	5	6
Q	Australia	3	2	0	1	8	5	3	6
Q	Brazil	3	2	0	1	6	3	3	6
4	Jamaica	3	0	0	3	1	12	-11	0

Group D 
England 2-1 Scotland
Argentina 0-0 Japan
Japan 2-1 Scotland
England 1-0 Argentina
Japan 0-2 England
Scotland 3-3 Argentina

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	England	3	3	0	0	5	1	4	9
Q	Japan	3	1	1	1	2	3	-1	4
3	Argentina	3	0	2	1	3	4	-1	2
4	Scotland	3	0	1	2	5	7	-2	1

Group E
Canada 1-0 Cameroon
New Zealand 0-1 Netherlands
Netherland 3-1 Cameroon
Canada 2-0 New Zealand
Netherlands 2-1 Canada
Cameroon 2-1 New Zealand

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	Netherlands	3	3	0	0	6	2	4	9
Q	Canada	3	2	0	1	4	2	2	6
3	Cameroon	3	1	0	2	3	5	-2	3
4	New Zealand	3	0	0	3	1	5	-4	0

Group F
Chile 0-2 Sweden
United States 13-0 Thailand
Sweden 5-1 Thailand
United States 3-0 Chile
Sweden 0-2 United States
Thailand 0-2 Chile

#	Team	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Q	USA	3	3	0	0	18	0	18	9
Q	Sweden	3	2	0	1	7	3	4	6
Q	Chile	3	1	0	2	2	5	-3	3
4	Thailand	3	0	0	3	1	20	-19	0

Tie-breakers:
1) Points obtained in all group matches (three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a defeat)
2) Goal difference in all group matches
3) Number of goals scored in all group matches
4) Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question
5) Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question
6) Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question
7) Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction could be applied to a player in a single match):
- Yellow card: -1 point
- Indirect red card (second yellow card): -3 points
- Direct red card: -4 points
- Yellow card and direct red card: -5 points
8) Drawing of lots

Knockout Draw

Norway 1-1 (1-1 AET) 4-1p Australia
England 3-0 Cameroon

France 2-1 (AET) Brazil

Spain 1-2 United States

Italy 2-0 China PR

Netherlands 2-1 Japan

Germany 3-0 Nigeria

Sweden 1-0 Canada

=
Norway 0-3 England 

France 1-2 United States

Italy 0-2 Netherlands

Germany 1-2 Sweden

=

England 1-2 United States

Netherlands 0-0 (1-0 AET) Sweden

=

(Third-place play-off) England 1-2 Sweden

United States 2-0 Netherlands

Tournament Stats

Most goals

Player, Team: Goals (Penalties)

Alex Morgan, USA: 6 (0)
Ellen White, England: 6 (0)
Megan Rapinoe, USA: 6 (3)
Sam Kerr, Australia: 5 (0)
Cristiane, Brazil: 4 (0)
Wendie Renard, France: 4 (1)
Kosovare Asllani, Sweden: 3 (0)
Aurora Galli, Italy: 3 (0)
Sara Dabritz, Germany: 3 (1)
Cristiana Girelli, Italy: 3 (1)

Most assists

Player, Team: Assists

Samantha Mewis, USA: 4
Sherida Spitse, Netherlands: 4
Manuela Giugliano, Italy: 3
Amel Majri, France: 3
Beth Mead, England: 3
Alex Morgan, USA: 3
Andressa Alves, Brazil: 2
Lucy Bronze, England: 2
Tierna Davidson, USA: 2
Toni Duggan, England: 2

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