France, Germany toil in women’s World Cup

The hosts are now top of Group A

Opportunistic strike: Sara Daebritz pounces on the ball, beating Spain defender Marta Torrejon and slotting home the winner.

Eugenie Le Sommer fired Women’s World Cup host France to the top of Group A after scoring the winning penalty to see off a determined Norway on Wednesday, while Germany virtually assured itself of missing the rampant United States in the last 16 after squeezing past Spain and taking control of Group B.

Lyon star Le Sommer fired home from the spot with 18 minutes left after referee Bibiana Steinhaus decided after a VAR review that Norway defender Ingrid Syrstad Engen had kicked Marion Torrent on the knee after making a hash of a clearance.

The 30-year-old’s second goal of the tournament put France on a perfect six points after two games and saved the blushes of her club teammate Wendie Renard, who had cancelled out Valerie Gauvin’s 46th-minute opener for ‘Les Bleues’ with a barely-believable own goal.

Earlier Germany brushed off the absence of injured star player Dzsenifer Marozsan as Sara Daebritz downed Spain to move her side top of their group.

The results: Group B: Germany 1 (Daebritz 42) bt Spain 0.

Group A: Nigeria 2 (D.Y. Kim 29-og, Oshoala 75) bt South Korea 0.

France 2 (Gauvin 46, Le Sommer 72-pen) bt Norway 1 (Renard 54-og) .