Holders Japan and Olympic champions the United States both kept their title challenges on track as they advanced to the last-16 at the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday as group leaders.
The United States, beaten in the 2011 final by Japan, eliminated Nigeria 1-0 in front of their passionate fans in Vancouver’s BC Stadium to lead Group D, after the Japanese had earlier beaten Ecuador 1-0 to top Group C.
Surprise African newcomers Cameroon are the only side from the continent left as they beat Switzerland 2-1 to advance second in Group C as Australia finished second in Group D after holding Sweden 1-1 in Edmonton.
“I think the crowd was amazing and that had a big part in our game tonight,” said USA coach Jill Ellis of the capacity crowd of nearly 53,000 at BC Place Stadium.
“I’m pleased with how we played and pleased to be moving out of a tough, tough group,” she added of a Group D dubbed the ‘Group of Death’.
Captain Abby Wambach scored her 183rd international just before half time off a Megan Rapinoe corner to set the side on their way.
The 35-year-old now has 14 World Cup goals just one shy of Brazil star Marta’s record 15, achieved earlier in the tournament.
Nigeria’s defence had been hit by Ugo Njoku’s suspension and the African champions were down to ten women for the final 20 minutes after defender Sarah Nnodim was sent off for second yellow card.
The result means the USA advance to the knockout round as Group D leaders with seven points, with Australia on four and Sweden three.
Nigeria are eliminated with just one point.
“I don’t think they (USA) were very good it was a lack of concentration on our part,” said Nigeria coach Edwin Okon who refused to shake Ellis’s hand after the game.
“They were just lucky to win today. She (Wambach) only got that goal because of a lack of concentration from our defence.”
As first in Group D the USA next meet one of the four best third-placed finishers from another group in Edmonton next Monday.
A draw was good enough to see Australia through for their third consecutive tournament, and they next play Brazil in Moncton on Sunday.
Captain Lisa De Vanna scored after five minutes for the Matildas but ten minutes later 2003 runners-up Sweden levelled thanks to Sofia Jakobsson at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
Japan’s Yuki Ogimi scored after just five minutes in Winnipeg for Japan against 48th-ranked Ecuador.
Japan top Group C with nine points, with Cameroon on six. Switzerland have three points with Ecuador on the way home with none.
Coach Norio Sasaki’s side will also next face one of the four third-place finishers to advance in Vancouver next Tuesday.
“It was good to score early tonight, we should have scored more but we weren’t able to. They were very persistent in their defence,” said Sasaki.
In Edmonton, Cameroon came from behind to beat Switzerland, who had taken the lead when Ana Maria Crnogorcevic scored after 24 minutes.
But Cameroon were transformed after the break.
Goals from Gabrielle Onguene after 47 minutes and a powerful header from substitute Madeleine Ngono Mani on 62 sealed all three points for the 53rd-ranked side.
It is only the second time that an African side have made it out of the group stage after Nigeria in 1999.
“Compared to Nigeria, Cameroon are a small team, we’re not just representing Cameroon but carrying the colours of Africa,” said coach Enow Ngachu.
As second-placed finishers in Group C Cameroon next play Group A runners-up China in Edmonton on Saturday.
Sweden and Switzerland must now wait to see if they finish as one of the four best third-placed finishers across the six groups.
The tournament continues on Wednesday with the final round of group games.
In Group E Brazil play Costa Rica and Spain are up against South Korea, while in Group F France take on Mexico and England up against Colombia looking to seal a place in the knockout rounds.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
more from Janine di Giovanni
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20TV%204K%20(THIRD%20GENERATION)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECPU%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2064GB%2C%20Wi-Fi%20only%3B%20128GB%2C%20Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%2C%20ethernet%20(Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%20model%20only)%2C%20IR%20receiver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HDMI%2C%20ethernet%20(128GB%20model%20only)%3B%20Siri%20remote%20(charging%20via%20USB-C)%3B%20accessibility%20features%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SDR%2FDolby%20Vision%2FHDR10%2B%20up%20to%202160p%20%40%2060fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPeripherals%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Compatible%20with%20HD%2FUHD%20TVs%20via%20HDMI%2C%20Bluetooth%20keyboards%2C%20AirPods%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPhoto%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GIF%2C%20HEIF%2C%20JPEG%2C%20TIFF%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColour%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20TV%204K%2C%20Siri%20remote%2C%20power%20cord%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh529%2C%20Wi-Fi%20only%3B%20Dh599%2C%20Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
