Clean sheet victories
The FIFA Women’s World Cup final has been decided by both a penalty shootout (USA 1999, see 3 September story) and a golden goal (USA 2003, see 4 September story). At Sverige 1995, the Deutschland-Norge final was decided after a clean sheet in regulation time. Norge won the Sverige 1995 final 2:0 ov…
The FIFA Women’s World Cup final has been decided by both a penalty shootout (USA 1999, see 3 September story) and a golden goal (USA 2003, see 4 September story). At Sverige 1995, the Deutschland-Norge final was decided after a clean sheet in regulation time.
Norge won the Sverige 1995 final 2:0 over Deutschland, thus fully vindicating a 1:2 loss in the final four years earlier to the United States. Coach Even Pellerud got the victory while goalkeeper Bente Nordby posted the shutout.
There have been 63 shutouts in the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. There were 17 shutouts in 1991, 14 shutouts in 1995, 15 shutouts in 1999 and 17 shutouts in 1999. Seventeen of the 63 shutouts were recorded in the elimination rounds, including the Sverige 1995 final.
At China 1991, there were three clean sheets in the elimination rounds. Two of the four quarter-final matches ended with a shutout, as did the Sverige 4:0 Deutschland match for third place. The United States’ Mary Harvey, meanwhile, played 323 minutes without conceding a goal.
At Sverige 1995, there were six shutouts in the elimination rounds (six shutouts in eight matches). The last four matches of the tournament (both semi-finals, the match for third place, and the final) all featured clean sheets. Norge’s Nordby played 356 minutes without conceding a goal.
At USA 1999, there were five clean sheets in the elimination rounds, including both the match for third place and final which each went to penalty shots. Both semi-final matches at USA 1999 were decided with a clean sheet. PR China’s Hong Gao, meanwhile, played 324 minutes without conceding a goal (second-best all-time after Nordby’s 1995 string).
At USA 2003, there were three shutouts in the elimination rounds – two in the quarter-final and one in the semi-final.
As for Canada, they have posted two shutouts, both at USA 2003 by Taryn Swiatek (3:0 win over Argentina in Group C and then 1:0 win over PR China in the quarter-final). On the receiving end, they have been shutout just oncce: an 0:7 loss in Group B at Sverige 1995 to Norge, coach Pellerud, and goalkeeper Nordby.