Matchday 5 – Player of the Match

Members of our Technical Study Group (TSG) are attending every game of the tournament and are tasked with awarding the Player of the Match accolades. When choosing the recipient of the accolade, our experts consider the player's tactical, physical and mental contribution to their team's performance.

Player of the Match: (18) Gabi Berchon (BRA)

Brazil’s passage to the knockout phase was secured by means of a comprehensive 5-0 victory over hosts India, who will grow hugely as a result of their experiences in this tournament. Brazil dominated possession and the performance of midfielder Gabi Berchon earned her the Player of the Match award from FIFA’s TSG.

This match was observed for the TSG by Anna Signeul, and she commented, “This was an impressive and energetic performance from central midfielder Berchon. She was so involved in Brazil’s attacking play and was extremely influential in how they progressed the ball in their build-up play. She was always available to receive the ball and her distribution was excellent.”

“She could play the simple pass to the player nearest to her, and she could switch the play to change the focus of the attack. She could also break lines with penetrating forward passes and was always looking to link with her forward players. I also liked how eager she was to drive into space by stepping in with the ball,” she added.

“Her appetite to get forward and support the attack was clearly evident in how she scored her goal, being in a great position to receive [the ball] and take her attempt at goal from Aline’s cutback cross. She also worked tirelessly in defence. It was an excellent performance,” concluded Signeul.

Player of the Match: (8) Charlotte Kohler (USA) 

Two goals from Charlotte Kohler capped a fine performance as her side were 4-0 winners over Morocco, and earned the USA midfielder the Player of the Match award.

She always wanted the ball and made an outstanding 106 offers to receive, 72 more than the average in this match, and scored from two of her three attempts at goal. Tom Sermanni was observing this game and explained what stood out about Kohler’s performance: 

“She displayed a wonderful midfield proficiency on the ball and a genuine willingness to make dynamic runs into the penalty area with great success. She was heavily involved in the USA’s build-up play, providing support for her winger or full-back when they had the ball. She was able to receive in tight spaces, looking to play forward or to switch the point of attack.”

“She also displayed a commitment and desire to make aggressive runs into the opposition penalty area, which resulted in her scoring two really important goals. She worked very hard for team in this match and was very effective,” Sermanni said. 

Player of the Match: (19) Loreen Bender (GER)  

It was winger Loreen Bender who caught the eye in this final match of Group B, scoring two of Germany’s three goals. 

She was particularly effective between the lines, receiving the ball no fewer than 28 times, and recording a distribution success rate of 72%. 

According to TSG observer Tom Sermanni, “Loreen Bender is a dynamic wide attacker who is strong in possession and creates danger when she has the ball at her feet. She is a good dribbler, a powerful runner with the ball, and has the ability to play penetrating passes into the final third.” 

“She was also defensively tenacious with her willingness to chase down the opposition, get pressure on the ball and win back possession. All these attributes were on show when scoring her two goals in the game. These goals highlighted her ability to use her strength to win possession, run with the ball, pass incisively, and finish,” he explained.

Player of the Match: (17) Opeyemi Ajakaye (NGA) 

Nigeria booked their spot in the last eight of the tournament after a 2-1 victory over a competitive Chile side.

Nigeria forward Opeyemi Ajakaye impressed technical expert Anna Signeul with her performance, and was named Player of the Match for the second time this tournament. Her consistent offers to receive the ball in between (20) and in behind (20) the lines made her a particularly awkward customer for the opposition defenders. 

“This was another great performance, and again her work rate for her team made a very big difference. She is a fast and explosive player who is constantly moving and offering to receive [the ball]. She consistently wants the ball and engages to create passing lanes from her defenders, midfielders, and wide players,” explained Signeul.

“She has a really good first touch and uses her body very well when receiving. This allows her to turn, switch the play or link up with teammates. She can also open the space to facilitate an attempt at goal. I also like how hard she works when her team does not have the ball. She is willing to defend, press and screen and is very sharp in her reactions on transitions to attack, making sure she is available as an outlet for her team,” Signeul added.