Women's World Cup Du Jour: VAR drama defines France-Nigeria, South Korea finally scores

Liz Roscher
·Staff writer
Updated
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France's Wendie Renard whiffed on a penalty kick against Nigeria, but found a tiny bit of redemption when she nailed it on a do-over. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
France's Wendie Renard whiffed on a penalty kick against Nigeria, but found a tiny bit of redemption when she nailed it on a do-over. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

This is Yahoo Soccer’s daily Women’s World Cup recap. From the best performances to the buzziest moments, we’ll make sure you don’t miss a thing from France.

Key result

France 1-0 Nigeria

France’s fate was already decided before either team took the field on Monday (they’re advancing to the knockout round), but some bonkers VAR drama turned Nigeria-France into the most interesting match of the day.

It started when Ngozi Ebere took down Viviane Asseyi in the box, which sent the referee to VAR to check it out. Ebere was given her second yellow card and sent off after her foul was deemed illegal, which set up Wendie Renard to take a penalty kick and break the 0-0 deadlock. But Renard, who had an own goal against Norway, couldn’t find the net — the ball clunked off the post.

But in a mad twist, the positioning of Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie on the penalty kick sent the referee to VAR again. Replay showed that Nnadozie had come off the line, so Renard got a do-over on her penalty kick. This time, she didn’t miss.

Standout player

Shimeng Peng, China

Fate and VAR interceded on Wendie Renard’s behalf to give her some kind of redemption after two key disasters in two different games, which is why she just can’t be Monday’s standout player. Instead, that honor goes to China’s goalkeeper Shimeng Peng, who blocked shot after shot to preserve both the draw against Spain and her team’s opportunity to advance.

Peng helped keep the game at 0-0, and the draw advanced China to the knockout round. Anytime your performance causes your coach to cry tears of joy, you get to be the standout player.

Best goal

Yeo Min-ji, South Korea

South Korea hadn’t scored a single goal in their entire World Cup. Staring at the end of their tournament, Yeo Min-ji managed to find the net to deliver South Korea a symbolic yet important goal.

Headlines from the touchlines

After two breezy wins, the USWNT's World Cup is about to get a whole lot tougher

Tuesday’s games

Italy vs. Brazil, Group C, 3 p.m. ET

Jamaica vs. Australia, Group C, 3 p.m. ET

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