With the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup only six days away, final warm-up matches took place with several Hammers involved.
The tournament begins on Thursday 20 July in Australia and New Zealand and six West Ham United players are set to represent their respective nations.
Ahead of the action getting underway, Mackenzie Arnold, Honoka Hayashi and Risa Shimizu all played a part in final warm-up matches on Friday 14 July.
Arnold started between the posts for the Matildas as they took on France at Marvel Stadium. The hosts played in their usual counter-attacking style that has brought them success in recent fixtures, as they frustrated Les Bleues in the first 45 minutes.
Mary Fowler opened the scoring on 66 minutes with quick counter attack that was finished off well by the Manchester City forward as she calmly slotted the ball first time beyond Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to secure the win in front of a record crowd. Asseyi was an unused substitute for France in the defeat.
Hosts Australia begin their World Cup campaign against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday 20 July, whilst France will face Jamaica in their opening fixture on Sunday 23 July.
𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟓𝟎,𝟔𝟐𝟗.
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 14, 2023
The biggest-ever crowd for a standalone #Matildas game in Australia! 👏#AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/lK4kB966L9
Shimizu scored for Japan in their dominant 5-0 victory over Panama at Yurtec Stadium Sendai. The defender lined up at wing-back for Nadeshiko and opened the scoring on 33 minutes with a delightful chip from outside the area.
Two goals from former Hammer Yui Hasegawa helped extend the lead, whilst Aoba Fujino and Moeka Minami added goals of their own to complete the rout.
Hayashi came off the bench for the final 20 minutes of the match. Japan take on Zambia in their opening game of the tournament on Saturday 22nd July.
Republic of Ireland were due to face Colombia in their final warm-up fixture ahead of their first ever World Cup, but the behind-closed-doors game was ended after only 20 minutes of play.
The match ‘became overly physical, and it was decided, following consultation with the match officials, to end the game’, read a statement released by the FIA.
Izzy Atkinson is in Vera Pauw’s 23-player squad for the tournament.
For all the latest news on Hammers in action at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, stay up to date with whufc.com!
