Group F
France 1–0 England
Colombia 1–1 Mexico

Goal of the day
Colombia 1–1 Mexico, Daniela Montoya (82’)
Three of the day’s seven goals were eye-catching long-range strikes, but Daniela Montoya’s was the pick of the bunch. Tatiana Ariza was on the edge of the penalty area when she controlled a lofted pass with her back to goal. Shielding the ball from two defenders, she laid it back to Montoya, who unleashed a first-time effort from 25 yards that flew in off the underside of the crossbar.

Memorable moments
There in spirit
Montoya’s goal to level the score at 1-1 for Colombia was remarkable in itself, but the team’s subsequent celebration was even better. No sooner had the ball rippled the net than the Cafeteras held up a shirt with Melissa Ortiz’s name and number, showing it to the crowd and television cameras by way of a dedication to her. An achilles injury may have forced Ortiz, one of the side’s key players, to withdraw from the squad shortly before the tournament kicked off, but she nevertheless remains very much a part of the ensemble in Canada.

All square between master and apprentice
The fact that Costa Rica are participating at these finals is down in large part to coaching duo Ignacio Quereda and Pedro Lopez. The pair, currently in charge of Spain’s women’s national team, worked for the Costa Rican Football Federation five years ago and actively helped in women’s football development programmes there. They appear to have done a good job, as their former charges were La Roja’s equals here. Come the final whistle the Spaniards were left disappointed with the draw, while Las Ticas celebrated as if they had won.

Weather-proof arena
The heavens opened in Canada on Tuesday, with rain falling almost non-stop at both host venues. Yet while the four teams in Moncton battled the weather, the players in Montreal remained dry: once the roof of the Olympic Stadium was closed they enjoyed perfect playing conditions.

Deja vu for Marta
Marta’s strike against Korea Republic was her 15th goal at a Women’s World Cup, meaning she pulled away from Germany’s Birgit Prinz to become the outright all-time record goalscorer at the tournament. Curiously enough, her first goal at the finals, in 2003, was also a penalty against the Koreans.

The stat
6 – Formiga’s outing for Brazil against Korea means she has now participated at six of the seven Women’s World Cups to date, having only missed out on the inaugural edition in 1991. The 37-year-old, who has played in 22 games – of which she has won 14 and lost just five – has therefore appeared at more tournaments than anyone else apart from Homare Sawa, who has likewise taken part in six finals after playing her 19^th Women’s World Cup match for Japan on Monday. Furthermore, Formiga’s goal set another new best mark, as she became the oldest player to have found the net in tournament history. Incidentally, Kristine Lilly holds the competition’s all-time appearance record after playing 30 matches for USA across five finals.

The words
“They probably won’t want to see that poster much anymore.” France striker Eugenie Le Sommer, whose face adorns numerous adverts for the Women’s World Cup in Moncton, after scoring the winner against England.  

Next matchday
Thursday 11 June
Group A
China PR – Netherlands (Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, 16:00)
Canada – New Zealand (Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, 19:00)

Group B
Germany – Norway (Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa, 16:00)
Côte d’Ivoire – Thailand (Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa, 19:00)

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It will be Cairo v the host city Alexandria in the surprise all-Egyptian final of the Women’s Alexandria International after No.7 seed Omneya Abdel Kawy and second seed Raneem El Welily prevailed in dramatic five-game semi-finals of the WSA International 100 squash event before a packed crowd surrounding the all-glass court at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Abdel Kawy, the 29-year-old world No.9 from Cairo, went into her match with top seed Nicol David having lost 24 times in a row to the world number from Malaysia since March 2002. The Giza-born underdog took the opening two games – but, spurred on by a significant Malaysian contingent in the crowd, David struck back to draw level, taking the fourth for the loss of just a single point.

The pair traded point for point in the decider with Abdel Kawy (pictured below after clinching victory) reaching match-ball first at 10-9 – but losing it on a stroke. The former world No.4 clinched the second to record her shock 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 1-11, 12-10 victory after 65 minutes.

The triumph set up the 32nd WSA World Tour final of Abdel Kawy’s career – and her first this year – but denied eight-time world champion David a place in her 100th Tour final.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am,” Abdel Kawy told the event website www.alexandriainternationalsquash.com later. “I only beat her once a long time ago and since then she always beat me. “I am flattered with the way I played today. I thought that I really played very well. After that fourth, I told myself, now is the time, you give it all what you have.”

In the second semi, Alexandria-born El Welily lined up against England’s Laura Massaro, the player she succeeded as world No.2 in January this year.

El Welily (pictured above, foreground, with Massaro) twice led and fourth seed Massaro twice levelled. But from 3-5 down in the decider, the now Cairo-based El Welily rattled off eight points in a row to ensure an all-Egyptian climax.

“It was a long match, a very tough match, mentally and physically,” said 26-year-old El Welily after her 70-minute 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 victory. “I didn’t think I was as fast as yesterday and I think we were both feeling the effects of yesterday’s matches.

“It was all about the end of the match and I was glad I was able to concentrate and push through then. Obviously I’m delighted to be in an all-Egyptian final, especially with Omneya!” added El Welily, now in her 25th Tour final.

Abdel Kawy was equally delighted with the outcome: “I’m so happy Raneem won. She is my best friend, she won most of our matches but tomorrow I’m going to make her life very difficult, she is going to have a bad experience, and the best player will win!”

It is exactly nine years since the two Egyptians (both pictured above) first met on the WSA Tour. Their distinctive head-to-head record is currently poised on seven wins apiece – Abdel Kawy winning the first seven in a row until May 2011, since when El Welily has prevailed unbeaten.

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Women’s Preview:
Lisa Perterer (AUT) tops the women’s start list. She earned the silver medal in Huatulco in 2013 and has had three top-five finishes this season including a bronze medal in the Chengdu World Cup last month.

USA’s Renee Tomlin has been having her best season to date. A newcomer in the sport, she will be making her debut in Huatulco after finishing in second in New Plymouth and first in Chengdu this season—her first World Cup title.

Despite some unfamiliar placing this season, Erin Densham (AUS) enters the Mexican sprint with seasoned experience and results. Two years of injury and illness has given the Aussie some troubles, but despite battling a slightly torn hamstring, she put up a phenomenal run in WTS London and has been able to get in a solid block of training this year and continues to improve each race. The veteran and 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist has yet to race in Huatulco and is sure to impress on Sunday.

Also marking the start list is Mateja Simic (SLO), who podiumed last year in Huatulco with her third-place finish. Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS) is a duathlon World Champion, while she has spent more time focusing on triathlon the last few years, she is sure to be among the leaderboard in the bike and run legs.

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Olympic silver medallists Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark did enjoy a consistent day, picking up two second places in the 470 Women’s fleet to see them end their opening day in overall second.

“We had a really good day today. It was really tricky, so to come off the water with two seconds is a really solid day and we will take that any day,” Clark reflected.

“The wind was right off the cliffs,” Mills continued.  “Our windward mark was right up under the cliffs. So the top of the beat was very shifty – there were people capsizing upwind just on a shift that hit their boat.”

Mills and Clark are hoping their strong start will continue this week, so they can add to their podium finishes at the Miami World Cup and the Princess Sofia Trophy earlier this year.

“This is the first big event in Weymouth since the Olympics, which is cool in itself,” said Mills.

“Every event is important but to perform on home waters is a biggie. We have come here to try and up our game and get on the top of the podium.”

Alison Young is fourth after two races in the Laser Radial event, John Gimson-Hannah Diamond are fourth in the Nacra 17 with Lucy Macgregor-Dave Evans ninth, and Podium Potential sailors Vicky Payne-Steph Orton are 16th in the 49erFX event.

Helena Lucas and the Sonar trio of John Robertson lead their respective 2.4mR and Sonar Paralympic classes after two races apiece on day one, while Alexandra Rickham-Niki Birrell are in second, on equal points with the Italian series leaders, after two races in the SKUD.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup Weymouth and Portland is part of UK Sport’s #EveryRoadtoRio events series, which will feature over 30 world class sports events the length and breadth of the UK, with over 900,000 tickets available to the British public to support their athletes.

Racing continues on Thursday 11 June, with the Paralympic Classes concluding on Saturday 13 June and the final ten boat medal races for the Olympic Classes on Sunday 14 June.

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