Zambia’s Barbra Banda scored the 1,000th goal in Women’s World Cup history as her side signed off with a 3-1 win over Costa Rica.
Both teams had already been eliminated, but after Lushomo Mweemba scored Zambia’s first ever goal at a World Cup – men’s or women’s – star striker Banda tucked away a penalty to bring up another landmark.
Here, the PA news agency takes a statistical look at the first 1,000 goals.
Tournament totals
The 2015 and 2019 tournaments, having expanded to 24 teams, unsurprisingly hold the record for most goals overall with 146 apiece – a record that is almost certain to be broken this year after a further increase to 32 nations.
Three of the 16-team tournaments also racked up centuries, though, with 1999 being the highest-scoring edition on a goals-per-game basis with 123 in 32 matches, an average of 3.84.
There were 99 in 26 games at each of the first two stagings in 1991 and 1995, averaging 3.81 per match to sit just behind 1999 by that measure.
There were 107 goals in 2003 and 111 four years later, each in 32 games and averaging over three per match, with that average dipping to an all-time low of 2.69 in 2011 (86 in 32 games) and recovering only as far as 2.81 per game for the two 24-team events.
By the conclusion of Zambia’s game and Japan’s concurrent win over Spain, this summer’s tournament had seen 87 goals in 36 games for an average of 2.42 – meaning it is on track for the most goals (155) but the lowest average ever.
Top teams
The United States and Germany have been the two dominant teams in women’s football and have won six of the eight previous tournaments between them – four American wins and two for Germany.
The USA have scored 142 goals at the competition, including their four so far in Group E this year, while Germany’s 6-0 win over Morocco helped lift their all-time total to 128.
Norway, one of the remaining two champions along with Japan, beat the Philippines by the same scoreline to qualify from Group A and move within one of a century of their own.
Fellow Scandinavian side Sweden rank fourth with 78, hammering Italy 5-0 to open up a gap over Brazil (71).
China (54) were the only other side to contribute 50 or more of the 1,000 goals, with Japan on 48 at the time Banda’s landmark effort hit the net as they led Spain 2-0 before going on to complete their half-century in an eventual 4-0 win. England have 45, with Australia and Canada completing the top 10 even before their meeting in Group B on Monday.
Zambia were the 41st nation to score at a Women’s World Cup, with 44 having played and only 2023 debutants Haiti, Vietnam and Panama yet to find the net.
Record scorers
Brazil forward Marta is playing at her sixth World Cup, one short of compatriot Formiga’s record of seven, and is the competition’s record scorer with 17 goals.
That included winning the 2007 Golden Boot with seven, and leaves her three clear of Germany’s Birgit Prinz and American Abby Wambach at the top of the all-time charts.
Michelle Akers’ tally of 12 for the USA includes a record 10 at one tournament, in 1991, while China’s Sun Wen, Brazil’s Cristiane and Germany’s Bettina Wiegmann each scored 11.
Carli Lloyd (USA), Ann-Kristin Aarones (Norway), Heidi Mohr (Germany) and current Canada captain Christine Sinclair are the other players in double figures.
Banda pairs with former China defender Ma Li to book-end the scoring of the 1,000 goals. Ma headed in Wu Weiying’s free-kick against Norway in 1991 for the tournament’s first goal as China won the opening game 4-0 as hosts.
Guirassy matches Kiessling, Muller record with another opener
Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy matched a Bundesliga record previously shared by Stefan Kiessling, Ailton and Gert Muller with his opener against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Guirassy put high-flying Stuttgart ahead in the 23rd minute on Saturday, in their final game of the season.
That goal marked the 12th time the striker has scored the opener in a Bundesliga match this season, which equalled the record set by the great Muller in 1969-70, then matched by Ailton in 2003-04 and Kiessling in 2012-13.
It also brought up Guirassy's 27th goal of a stellar campaign.
Brighton confirm surprise departure of De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi will leave Brighton after the Seagulls' final game of the season against Manchester United on Sunday.
Brighton confirmed the surprising news on Saturday, revealing that the club and the Italian coach had mutually agreed to part company.
De Zerbi enjoyed great success in his first season with Brighton, guiding the club to Europe for the first time in their history after he took over from Graham Potter, who had left to join Chelsea.
Brighton had a strong start to 2023-24, but a series of injuries to key players left them depleted and, though they made it through their Europa League group, which also included heavyweights Ajax and Marseille, they were subsequently knocked out by Roma.
Their form in the Premier League has also dropped off, with Brighton managing just four wins since the turn of the year, and ahead of Sunday's meeting with United, the highest they can finish is 10th.
In fact, across their first 19 Premier League matches this season, Brighton were the fifth-highest scorers in the Premier League (38 goals) and had a conversion rate of 13.3 per cent.
However, in their last 18 games since the turn of the year, only Everton (15) have scored fewer goals than the Seagulls (17), with their conversion rate of 6.6 per cent the worst of any side in this time.
De Zerbi was linked with taking over at Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp's departure, but the Reds have instead turned to Feyenoord's Arne Slot.
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said: "Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans.
"We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future.
"I am sure our fans will give Roberto and his staff a wonderful and fully deserved send-off. In the meantime, I'd like to thank Roberto and his staff for all their hard work in the past two seasons. They all leave our club on good terms and with our very best wishes for the future."
De Zerbi said: "I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons.
"We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values.
"I have really enjoyed an intense and challenging two years working in the Premier League, not least competing in four major competitions this season. Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans."
Edwards urges Luton to 'reward' supporters on final day
Rob Edwards wants Luton Town’s players to "reward" the fans for their support throughout the season when they welcome Fulham on the final day.
The 18th-place Hatters' survival hopes are still mathematically alive, but they require an ambitious 12-goal swing to leapfrog Nottingham Forest, who are away at already relegated Burnley, in 17th.
Despite their immediate return to the Championship being all but confirmed, Luton have earned many admirers this season, scoring 50 goals along the way.
In a 20-team Premier League season, only Blackpool (55, 2010-11), Middlesbrough (51, 1996-97) and Leicester City (51, 2022-23) have netted more times during a campaign in which they were relegated.
Edwards has urged his players to give the supporters plenty to cheer about and, regardless of the end result on Sunday, is optimistic about the club's future.
"We want to reward them with a good performance and want to win the game," he said. "I think it will be really good atmosphere.
"Everything I have had from fans has been really positive. Everyone has been proud of players and club and what they have shown. We want to make it a really positive day with the performance as well.
"We have given everything and given a really good account of ourselves. We have shown Luton to the world in a really good light.
"I'm really proud of what we have done the past 18 months. The club is in a really healthy position. We have been saying since we arrived, this club is only going one way."
With Fulham safe in 14th and looking forward to a third successive season back in the Premier League, Cottagers boss Marco Silva also paid tribute to the spirit shown by the Hatters during their maiden campaign.
"It will be a really tough game for us," he said. “Even if they don't achieve [safety], they are going to fight to the maximum – and this reflects Rob and his staff.
"For them to fight until the end to stay up, shows how much they have improved. Their fans are proud of their team and you can see it every time they play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Luton Town - Alfie Doughty
With 42, Doughty has created the most chances from set-plays in the Premier League this season.
Meanwhile, only West Ham's James Ward-Prowse has registered more such assists (six) than the Luton full-back (five).
Fulham - Andreas Pereira
Pereira has created 84 chances in the Premier League this season, the most by a Fulham player in a single campaign (since 2003-04).
Meanwhile, his tally of seven assists is the highest by a Cottagers player in a single term since Simon Davies in 2007-08 (eight).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Both sides are on winless streaks; Luton failing to win any of their last five matches, and Fulham without victory in four attempts.
The Hatters have failed to win any of their last six league games against the Cottagers (drawn two, lost four), though both those draws have come in the two most recent meetings at Kenilworth Road.
Luton have only kept two clean sheets this season and conceded 81 goals – only letting more in during a top-flight campaign in 1982-83 (84).
While Fulham have kept two successive away clean sheets – after 12 straight games without one – they have not registered three in a row since a run of four in late 2008.
The Cottagers have not won their final league game in any of the last six seasons (drawing one, losing five), with a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in 2016-17 representing their most recent such success.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Luton Town: 33.9%
Fulham: 37.7%
Draw: 28.4%
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