Panama secured a 2-0 win over Papua New Guinea in the final qualifying play-offs for the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand on Sunday and will face Paraguay, who beat Chinese Taipei 4-2 on penalties in a thrilling game.
With both teams seeking World Cup qualification for the first time, Panama and Paraguay will face off in Hamilton on Thursday.
Cameroon will face Portugal, and Haiti will take on Chile in the other two play-offs on Wednesday for the July 20-Aug 20 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, which will be the first edition to feature 32 teams.
Marta Cox opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a spectacular bicycle kick as Panama started strongly at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland.
Substitute Riley Tanner made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute, dancing her way through the Papua New Guinea defence before finishing off in style.
Tanner thought she had added a third goal in the 84th minute with an easy tap-in, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR (video assistant referee) check because she was offside in the build-up.
Earlier, Paraguay rallied to a penalty shoot-out win over Chinese Taipei after the game finished 2-2 following extra time at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.
The Taiwanese went 1-0 up in the 21st minute after captain Lai Li-chin volleyed home a brilliant cross and Su Sin-yun doubled the lead in the 75th minute when she slotted home the ball, which ricocheted off the crossbar following a freekick by Lai.
Paraguay made it 2-1 in the 80th minute as Dulce Quintana finished off a team move with a thumping strike before Lice Chamorro equalised a minute later, forcing extra time.
Paraguay substitute Fatima Acosta had a goal ruled out for offside in the 100th minute, while Chinese Taipei’s Pao Hsin-hsuan skied her penalty kick in the final moments of extra time.
Paraguay completed a shoot-out victory when Chamorro scored the winning penalty after Quintana, Fany Gauto and Maria Vecca all found the net for the South Americans.
For the Taiwanese, Zhuo Li-ping hit the post and Pao had her spot kick saved by goalkeeper Alicia Bobadilla as the team left the field in tears. REUTERS
