The Philippines defeated New Zealand on Tuesday to keep their FIFA World Cup dreams alive
Only three Women’s World Cup debutants have reached the knockout stage in the 21st century
Switzerland, Cameroon, and the Netherlands accomplished that feat in the 2015 tournament

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It’s tough being a debutant in the Women’s World Cup.

Only three teams have advanced beyond the group stage at the first attempt out of the 17 sides who debuted in the World Cup in the 21st century.

The Philippines moved closer to joining that exclusive list after recording a stunning 1-0 upset victory over New Zealand on Tuesday.

Philippines, Women's World Cup, World Cup, Sarina Bolden, Olivia McDaniel, Switzerland, New Zealand, Cameroon, Netherlands, World Cup Debutants, FIFA — Players of the Philippines pose for a team photo before their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group A match against New Zealand. Image: Catherine Ivill
Source: Getty Images

As the Filipinas seek to create more history this coming Sunday against Norway, Sports Brief looks at the three sides who reached the knockout stage in their first World Cup appearance.

Switzerland (2015)

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Switzerland qualified for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history in 2015 after they topped their UEFA qualifying group.

The Swiss topped Group 3, which included the countries of Iceland, Denmark, Israel, Serbia, and Malta. They scored 28 points out of their 10 group matches to secure their passage to the World Cup in Canada.

La Nati continued to make waves once they reached the World Cup, advancing to the knockout stage as one of the four best third-placed teams from the six groups.

They scored three points in Group C after recording one win and two losses in their group matches. Their lone victory came against Ecuador, with the Swiss recording an emphatic 10-1 win, per The Guardian.

Fabienne Humm scored a hat-trick for Switzerland, who booked a round-of-16 matchup against the hosts Canada. Unfortunately for the Swiss, their run ended there as the North Americans nabbed a 1-0 win.

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Cameroon (2015)

Cameroon qualified for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history after finishing second in the 2014 African Women’s Championship.

They secured their passage to the 2015 edition in Canada after beating Ivory Coast 2-1 in the semifinals. The top three teams of the final tournament qualified.

Cameroon continued to impress once they reached the World Cup, advancing to the knockout stage as the second-placed team in Group C.

They scored six points after recording two wins and one loss in their group matches. Their victories came against Ecuador (6-0) and Switzerland (2-1).

Like Switzerland, Cameroon’s 2015 World Cup dream ended in the round of 16. They lost 1-0 to China, with W. Shanshan scoring the lone goal in the 12th minute.

Netherlands (2015)

The Netherlands secured a spot in the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history after emerging victorious in the UEFA play-offs.

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They booked a place in the playoff tournament after finishing as one of the best second-placed teams in the group stage. They finished Group 5 with 25 points.

The Dutch made the most of their second chance, beating Scotland in the two-leg semis by the score of 4-1 on aggregate.

The Netherlands then defeated Italy in the two-leg final 3-2 on aggregate. Vivianne Miedema starred in the second leg, scoring a first-half double to secure the victory.

They continued their dream run in the 2015 World Cup, advancing to the knockout round as one of the four best third-placed teams from the six groups.

They scored four points in Group A after recording one win, one draw, and one loss in their group matches. Their lone victory came against New Zealand, with the Dutchwomen recording a narrow 1-0 win.

Like Switzerland and Cameroon, the Netherlands’ World Cup dream ended in the round of 16 where they lost 2-1 to Japan.

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Philippines look to join list

The Philippines currently are in third place in Group A with three points following their win against New Zealand, per Yahoo Sports.

They can secure their passage to the knockout stage with a win over Norway in their final group match on Sunday.

A draw may also be enough for the Filipinas to book a spot in the round of 16. They will need Switzerland to beat New Zealand in the other group match for them to advance in such a scenario.