Women's World Cup: Five best goals from competition's opening week

The opening week of the Women's World Cup is in the books. Here are the five best goals thus far.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 12, 2015

The opening week of the 2015 Women's World Cup is in the books, and there have been plenty of moments and results to remember.

From host Canada winning it's opener on a dramatic late penalty kick, to Germany putting up a 10-spot on Ivory Coast, to Thailand and the Netherlands winning their first Women's World Cup matches in their history to the USA's group-opening victory over Australia, fans have been treated to an entertaining seven days.

There have also been some moments of individual brilliance on women's soccer's grandest stage. Here are the five best goals of the opening week of the competition:

Lieke Martens (Netherlands) vs. New Zealand

The first Goal of the Tournament contender went to Martens, who scored the Dutch's first goal in a Women's World Cup with this tremendous blast.

#https://vine.co/v/eMIYn2EF5hu

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Veronica Perez (Mexico) vs. Colombia

Off a short corner, Perez bent in a shot from the left and from an incredibly tight angle, one that required the first use of goal-line technology in a Women's World Cup. The result: it was good.

#https://vine.co/v/eOOeFpMEQB2

Daniela Montoya (Colombia) vs. Mexico

James Rodriguez, move over. Montoya gave Colombia a draw to open its World Cup run, matching Perez's high-quality strike with a blast of her own, albeit from a more traditional place on the field. Like Martens's goal, Montoya's was her nation's first in a Women's World Cup.

#https://vine.co/v/eOOxJ3QmDaI

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Eugenie Le Sommer (France) vs. England

France's star attacker, one of the top overall players in the competition, laced this golazo from outside the area to give France a 1-0 win over England in its opening match.

#https://vine.co/v/eOh9Tq6gOKh

Maren Mjelde (Norway) vs. Germany

Bend it like Beckham? How about mold it like Mjelde? The Norwegian forced a 1-1 draw with Germany with this classy free kick, bending the ball up and over the wall and inside the upper 90.

#https://vine.co/v/eOUvtAOTVtJ

GALLERY: Images from WWC's opening day

2015 Women's World Cup: Defining images from the opening day

Shuéme, the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup official mascot, roams the sidelines at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Dancers take to the field with flags representing the different participating nations during the opening ceremony at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Children perform on the field at Commonwealth Stadium during the opening ceremony ahead of Canada's match vs. China.

Fireworks go off at one of the ends of Commonwealth Stadium during the Women's World Cup opening ceremony.

Canada captain Christine Sinclair's jersey and armband hang in her locker at Commonwealth Stadium.

Canada and China's starting lineups take to the field ahead of the national anthems.

A crowd of 53,058 was on hand for Canada-China, a Canadian record for any national team in any sport.

Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod makes a first-half save on Gu Yasha to keep the upstart visitors off the board.

Christine Sinclair takes the penalty kick in stoppage time, after Ukrainian referee Natalia Rachynska ruled that Adriana Leon was fouled by Rong Zhao.

Weng Fei watches as Christine Sinclair's penalty kick sneaks by her and just inside the post in stoppage time of a 1-0 Canada win over China.

Christine Sinclair celebrates her converted penalty, to the dismay of her Chinese counterparts.

Christine Sinclair runs over to the bench, led by manager John Herdman, after giving Canada a 1-0 lead over China.

Canada players run over to the corner to celebrate with their home fans after opening the Women's World Cup with a 1-0 win over China.

Canada players take a group bow in front of the home support.

It's thumbs up for Christine Sinclair, whose late penalty gave Canada the opening three points of the Women's World Cup.

Netherlands and New Zealand players walk through the tunnel out to the Commonwealth Stadium field for their Group A encounter in the Women's World Cup.

Lieke Martens is mobbed by her teammates after lacing a 20-yard rocket for the Netherlands' first Women's World Cup goal in the nation's debut match in the competition.