🌏 🏆 Women's World Cup: Best XI of Matchday One | OneFootball

The opening round of matches at the Women’s World Cup is officially done and dusted. Here’s a look back on the first set of fixtures and an XI of the most impressive players.

GK: Rebecca Spencer (Jamaica)

Jamaica came through their opening Group F encounter with France unscathed thanks in no small part to Spencer’s exploits between the sticks.

The Tottenham goalkeeper faced down one of the tournament’s early favourites in fine form to claim a famous point for the Reggae Girlz.

RB: CJ Bott (New Zealand)

Jitka Klimková’s side have the Leicester City full-back to thank for instigating their surprise World Cup lift-off against Norway.

Not only did Bott spark the move for Hannah Wilkinson’s historic opener, she also provided the cross that won a spurned penalty just minutes later.

CB: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)

Ilestedt headed into her third World Cup finals on the back of a best-ever return of three goals in 12 international outings last year.

Arsenal’s new recruit picked the ideal time to build on that scoring streak, rising in the 90th minute to power home a winner against South Africa.

CB: Saki Kumagai (Japan)

A 5-0 hammering tells only half the story of Japan’s comfortable win over Panama as captain Kumagai continued to lead by example.

Operating at the heart of a back three, Roma’s one-time World Cup winner kept things tight as her country pipped Spain to Group C’s top spot.

LB: Steph Catley (Australia)

Catley did not simply step up as captain in place of a sidelined Sam Kerr for the Matilda’s win over Ireland – she fully owned it.

Her rifled second-half penalty settled matters in Sydney while she also proved a relentless threat through set pieces and open-play deliveries.

CM: Melanie Leupolz (Germany)

Lena Oberdorf’s absence with a hamstring issue thrust Leupolz into the limelight for Germany’s ultimately comfortable victory over Morocco.

Stepping into that void, the Chelsea enforcer demonstrated her wealth of experience with a seamless midfield partnership alongside Sara Däbritz.

CM: Keira Walsh (England)

A ground-out win over Haiti forced Walsh to prioritise breaking up the play over her usual role as the Lionesses’ midfield conductor.

The 26-year-old was still influential with a series of timely interceptions as Sarina Wiegman’s European champions held off several threats.

CM: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain)

One of Europe’s standout midfielders last season, Bonmatí continued her imperious form as La Roja got up and running in Wellington.

A curling strike midway through the first half capped off another stellar display to put Costa Rica to the sword inside the opening 45 minutes.

RW: Ary Borges (Brazil)

The Seleção saved the best for last as Borges capped off a final day of first-round fixtures by scoring the tournament’s maiden hat-trick.

Her selflessness in front of goal also allowed Beatriz Zaneratto to extend their country’s lead in a comfortable four-goal dismantling of Panama.

CF: Alexandra Popp (Germany)

Germany’s defeat in last summer’s European Championship final was widely attributed to Popp’s absence through injury, the striker netting six times as Germany made their way to Wembley only to miss the final.

The Wolfsburg striker has picked up where she left off on the international stage, netting a first-half brace that set the wheels in motion for a 6-0 rout over Morocco.

LW: Sophia Smith (United States)

Leaving your mark in a team that is reigning world champions and still boasting household names in Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe is no mean feat.

But Smith etched her name into USA history as the youngest player to score two goals on a debut at the World Cup in their routine win over Vietnam.