2023 Women’s World Cup: Italy, Argentina, and South Africa will battle to join Sweden in knockouts out of Group G

We’re one day closer to the 2023 Edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicking off which means we’ve got another Group preview for you, and this one is looking to be one of the most wide-open and intriguing groups at this year’s tournament. While Sweden is surely the favorite to top the group, and potentially even win the whole tournament, second place in the group and a spot in the knockout rounds is up for grabs between Italy, Argentina, and South Africa.

Sweden: FIFA Rank: 3

Group Stage Games: 7/23 vs South Africa, 7/29 vs Italy, 8/2 vs Argentina

Sweden comes into the 2023 edition of the World Cup as one of the true favorites to lift the trophy when all is said and done. They’ve qualified for the previous 8 editions of the Tournament, with their best finish coming in 2003 as they lost in the finals to Germany in extra time.

Sweden’s tournament experience will be of benefit to them in taking care of business in the group stage. No nation has played more games at the Women’s World Cup without winning it than Sweden. But Sweden has a genuine belief that 2023 could be the year they finally get over the hump.

Manager Peter Gerhardsson has Sweden hitting their stride heading into the World Cup with hopes of this being the year they see themselves push all the way to the top on the World’s biggest stage. He’s got a team full of players that compete at the highest levels in club football which should give his team an upper hand in feeling comfortable with such high stakes.

Gerhardsson has Sweden playing in a 4-3-3, with the likes of Barcelona’s Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius in the attack, and Magdalena Eriksson, close to reaching 100 caps, holding down the backline.

When looking at Sweden’s roster, it’s easy to see both the experience and quality up and down the roster that could make Sweden one of this year’s true contenders, but it’s the depth outside the Starting XI that really sets Sweden apart from most other teams in this tournament, and especially in Group G.

It’s pretty easy to argue that this might be the best team Sweden has ever brought to the World Cup. They’ve got a real shot at winning it, especially if they can breeze through the Group stage.

Italy: FIFA Ranking: 16

Group Stage Games: 7/24 vs Argentina, 7/29 vs Sweden, 8/2 vs South Africa

Italy comes into this World Cup feeling good about the prospect of them clinching the second spot in Group G and advancing through to the knockout stage, and they probably should. On paper, Italy is the second-best team in the group coming into the Tournament, hoping to make their 4th time on the World’s biggest stage the best yet, with Quarter Final exits being their best outcome to date in both 1991 and 2019.

Italy is led by manager Milena Bertolini, and like to line up in a 3-5-2, which allows for a solid defensive structure, with wings that get far up the pitch to keep the play wide when in attack. While Italy does look pretty solid at the back, I wouldn’t expect Italy to be a team to bunker down hoping to scrape out 1-0 wins. Italy score goals, and loads of them.

In World Cup Qualifiers, Italy were victorious in 9 of 10 games and outscored their opponents by a score of 40-2, and both goals were conceded in the same game in a 2-1 loss to Switzerland. Cristina Girelli will lead Italy in the attack, scoring 8 goals in 10 games through Qualifiers. In addition to Girelli, Milena Bertolini has called up Manuela Giugliani, Valentina Giavinti, Giada Greggi, and Annamaria Serturini from AS Roma, who scored a second-best in Serie A 68 goals in the 2023 season, which should add quality reinforcement and cohesion amongst the attack.

Likewise to adding additional Roma players to add to the understanding and comfortability among a strong core of players, Bertonlini has also called upon a number of Juventus players, which should allow Bertonlini’s squad to find some chemistry quickly.

Italy’s opening game against Argentina is going to be massive in deciding which team will eventually clinch the 2nd spot in the group and advance through to the knock-out stage. Winning match 1 is extremely important in deciding who goes through, and more often or not, a match 1 victory often means you’re well on your way to the knockouts. This feels like a game in that Italy will stick to its guns and try to outscore Argentina, a team they probably should beat. match 2 lines up probably the most exciting matchup in Group G between Italy and Sweden.

While Sweden is surely the favorite to win this game, Italy could still give Sweden a run for their money, especially if they stroll through match 1 against Argentina without issue. Italy will hope that their standings in Group G benefit them heading into the 3rd and final match, but if not, things might be on their side. While Sweden will be playing their final match against Argentina, the team most likely to be chasing the second spot in the group away from Italy, Italy will be taking on South Africa, the nation least likely to make a splash in Group G.

If things in Group G are still up in the air come matchday 3, Italy will feel good about the matchups being in their favor to advance through to the knockout stage, but it’s hard to tell how far Italy could go after that if they are able to make it through.

Argentina: FIFA Ranking: 28

Group Stage Games: 7/24 vs Italy, 7/28 vs South Africa, 8/2 vs Sweden

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat – We shouldn’t expect the Women’s Argentina team to replicate what the Men did in last year’s Men’s World Cup. Argentina will be playing on the World’s biggest stage for the 4th time, having failed to advance past the group stage in all 3 previous attempts (2003, 2007, 2019).

Argentina is led by Manager German Portanova, and based on previous World Cup appearances, expectations are probably pretty low coming into 2023. Argentina has been outscored by a total of 37-5 in its previous 9 World Cup Group stage matches, having been shutout in 6 of the 9.

Yet, Argentina probably still have a pretty decent chance at advancing through to the knockout round for the first time in history if they’re able to scrape a couple of results out. With conceding so many goals in years past, the double pivot of Daiana Falfan and Lorena Benitez will be relied on heavily to keep things locked down in the mid-field and to keep pressure off the backline.

As mentioned previously, match 1 between Italy and Argentina is going to be huge in deciding which team claims the 2nd spot in the group. While it’s expected that Italy will take all 3 points in that one with a high-powered offense against a team that’s leaked goals in the past, Argentina will be hopeful they can catch Italy off guard and grind out a result that could change the whole outlook of Group G.

Match 2 for Argentina is going to be one they have to win if they want to have any chance of qualifying for the knock-out round come match 3, and they should have a pretty good opportunity to do so against South Africa. If Argentina can manage to beat South Africa, and somehow manage to get any sort of result against Italy, their chances of going through will rise exponentially.

Unfortunately, match 3 sees them against group favorites Sweden, who could already have first place wrapped up come matchday 3. It’s hard to tell what situation Argentina could be in come matchday 3, but for the sake of entertainment’s sake, let’s hope Argentina is still playing for the 2nd spot in Group G.

South Africa: FIFA Ranking: 54

Group Stage Games: 7/23 vs Sweden, 7/28 vs Argentina, 8/2 vs Italy

South Africa comes into the 2023 Women’s World Cup having appeared in the competition just once in their history, which saw Jamaica lose all 3 games in the group stage of the 2019 tournament. This time around, Jamaica are hoping to earn their first point in World Cup History, and if they could manage to grind out a win, who knows what that means in terms of the Group as a whole. But unfortunately for South Africa, they’ve been having to focus on lots of things off of the pitch leading up to the tournament.

While preparing for the World Cup, the 23-player squad boycotted the send-off match organized by the South African Football Association against Botswana, a team 96 places below them in the FIFA World Rankings, and over 100 rankings away from Argentina, Italy, and Sweden, their opponents in the World Cup Group stage. In addition to the lack of adequate competition in order to prepare for South Africa’s second appearance in the World Cup, the playing surface on which the match was to be held on was not up to player’s standards either, having previously been rejected twice as a venue for South Africa’s Premier League due to poor field conditions.

Unfortunately, that’s the least of South Africa’s issues off the pitch, with reports of numerous players raising concerns over unequal pay, salary disputes, and bonus agreements between them and the South African Football Association.

With all of the commotion off the pitch and the fact that South Africa comes into this tournament as severe underdogs, It’s hard to envision South Africa making a splash at all. Manager Desiree Ellis lines South Africa up in a 4-4-1-1, a very defensive-minded team. South Africa did win last year’s African Cup, relying largely on their defensive structure to grind out close games, and only conceded 3 goals throughout the tournament.

Andile Dlamini was named the competition’s best goalkeeper, while defender Bambanani Mbane was named to the tournament’s best XI, so South Africa does have some talent in defense. South Africa’s first match against Group favorites Sweden is going to be tough. This is probably a game that South Africa will do well to just keep as close as possible without their hopes and dreams being smashed right away. If they can keep things relatively close, maybe they can take that into match 2 with some confidence against Argentina, their most likely match to salvage some points from.

This could be a huge game in deciding if Argentina can swipe the 2nd spot in the group, but if South Africa can keep them from earning 3 points, it might be enough for South Africa to play spoiler.

Match 3 against Italy could arrive with a multitude of different possible outcomes, but once again, I think South Africa would be happy with just playing spoiler and having a say in one of the teams not making it through to the knockout stage. I don’t think many people should expect to see South Africa with a lifeline to the knockouts come match 3, but for entertainment’s sake, let’s hope that’s the case. Who doesn’t love an underdog story?