Women’s World Cup Group E Preview

There is no denying that the USA enters the competition as an overwhelming favorite. Vlatko Andonovski was named USA Head Coach on October 2019, guiding his side in 60 matches to a record of 49 wins, five draws, and just six games lost, an amazing winning rate.

In 2023 they have been in excellent form with seven wins from seven matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just one. The USWNT qualified for the 2023 World Cup by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Championship.

The biggest boost going into the tournament was the return of long-standing defensive midfielder Julie Ertz, who returned to action earlier this year after some injury troubles and maternity leave. On top of that, Vlatko Andonovski will have forwards Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe at his disposal, as well as defender Kelley O’Hara, all playing in their fourth World Cup.

There is no question that the other teams are narrowing the gap to catch up to the talented Americans, but we still expect them to go all the way and lift the trophy, so we will include them in our soccer picks and parlays.

Netherlands Has Never Beaten USA

The Netherlands arrive at the FIFA Women’s World Cup looking to regain the momentum they have been building and perhaps spring a major upset in the group stage. Four years ago, they lost the World Cup final to the USA and will seek revenge.

On Aug. 24, Andries Jonker was appointed the new Netherlands team boss, replacing Mark Parsons, who was sacked after the team’s poor performance at Euro 2022. Jonker’s contract is set to run until 2025. In 2023 their record is three wins and two defeats, and they will be looking for more consistency. If you’re betting online, you should expect the Netherlands to enjoy a deep tournament and score many goals.

They are fully packed with big talents and experienced players, like captain Sherida Spitse, Jackie Groenen, and Lieke Martens. Star striker Vivianne Miedema will be sidelined, having suffered a long-term knee injury while playing for Arsenal.

#FIFAWWC kicks off a week from tomorrow!

Today’s countdown features #8 of the Netherlands – a veteran with a name known around the world.

Could this be Sherida Spitse’s final World Cup at the age of 33? pic.twitter.com/g4VeYi0LVU

— The Women’s Soccer Show (@TheWOSOshow) July 12, 2023

Portugal Eager to Make Impact

Portugal will be making their Women’s World Cup debut in Group E at the 2023 tournament. The Portuguese side qualified by defeating Cameroon in an Inter-Confederation playoff final, beating them 2-1 courtesy of a dramatic injury-time penalty by Carole Costa.

Their best player is Jessica Silva, a talented winger with excellent dribbling skills. The 28-year-old has also appeared in 100 caps for Portugal, which is a testament to her experience at the international level and overall talent. It will be hard for Portugal to qualify further, simply because the main contenders have more top players and longer benches, but you never know. They should beat Vietnam in their direct game and try to pull off the upset against the Netherlands.

Vietnam Doesn’t Stand a Chance

Along with Portugal, Vietnam will be making its Women’s World Cup debut. The Vietnamese side qualified thanks to a victory over Chinese Taipei in the 2022 Asian Cup playoff round. They followed that up with a fourth consecutive triumph at the Southeast Asian Games, defeating Myanmar 2-0 in the gold medal game.

The gap between them and the rest of the teams in this group is too big, so the Asians will be hoping for an honorable performance, nothing more. The team’s confidence is big after winning the two Asian trophies, so they might score a goal or two. However, we don’t expect them to earn more than one point in this group, so you should fade them in each match.