Portugal’s Telma Encarnacao scored one purpose and arrange the opposite in a 2-0 win over fellow Women’s World Cup debutants Vietnam, sending the Southeast Asian aspect out of the match at Waikato Stadium on Thursday.
Portugal are third in Group E with three factors and can face the U.S. of their remaining group sport in Auckland whereas Vietnam, but to attain or choose up a degree, tackle the Netherlands in Dunedin. Both matches will probably be performed on Tuesday.
The U.S. are degree on 4 factors with the Netherlands however prime the desk on purpose distinction after the groups drew 1-1 earlier on Thursday.
Portugal coach Francisco Neto made seven adjustments to the workforce that misplaced 1-0 to the Netherlands of their Group E opener and the choice paid off as first-half targets from Encarnacao and Francisca Nazareth earned them a primary ever World Cup win.
Neto will probably be thrilled with Thursday’s completed efficiency as Portugal dazzled below the floodlights – a stark distinction to their struggling first show – though the scoreline didn’t mirror their dominance.
Encarnacao swept Portugal in entrance after seven minutes with a sensible first-time end from Lucia Alves’ cross earlier than turning supplier for Nazareth, who fired the ball previous goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh within the twenty first minute.
Only 11 locations separate the 2 groups on the planet rankings, with Portugal sitting larger at 21, however the contest was one-sided and the Europeans had been firmly on prime all through with 5 makes an attempt heading in the right direction within the first half alone.
They couldn’t add extra gloss to the outcome, nonetheless, as Kim Thanh, who helped limit holders the United States to a few targets in Vietnam’s opening defeat, was as soon as once more key in making certain they didn’t concede greater than two.
However, regardless of Kim Thanh’s efforts, Vietnam struggled to create probabilities and managed just one shot heading in the right direction within the match when Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy drew a save from Patricia Morais simply earlier than the break
