Debutants come to World Cup with surprises up their sleeves

NEW YORK/MANCHESTER : Eight teams will play their first Women's World Cup when the expanded tournament kicks off next week and a couple of recent shock results indicate that they might not just be in Australia and New Zealand to make up the numbers.

Critics of the expansion from 24 to 32 teams raised concerns that inexperienced newcomers might be trampled beneath the feet of the traditional powerhouses from Europe and North America.

Zambia, however, showed that no team should be underestimated last week when the World Cup first-timers shocked twice world champions Germany 3-2 in a pre-tournament friendly.

Zambia striker Barbra Banda grabbed a brace, including the winner deep into stoppage time, after making a pre-match pledge that her 77th-ranked side could make inroads Down Under.

"It's a dream come true so I need to showcase my talent there," the captain told reporters.

"We have set a target of progressing to the next round and do well there and maybe go all the way to the finals."

Zambia, who open their campaign against 2011 winners Japan on July 22, will be joined at the tournament by fellow newcomers Haiti, Ireland, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Panama and Vietnam, compared to just four first-timers seen in 2019.

"There most likely will be some lopsided scorelines just given the fact that some of these teams have not been able to be on the world stage or be in an environment like this," said retired U.S. great Carli Lloyd.

The Fox Sports analyst nonetheless predicted the tournament would be "the biggest, best and most competitive World Cup to date".

"It's just amazing – a team like Ireland being able to come in and play in their first World Cup and Vietnam and Portugal even," she told Reuters. "The expanded field