REIMS, France -- For all the goals, celebrations and wins of the past two weeks, the World Cup in some ways began Monday for the United States with a mistake.

Not a cataclysmic error or a failure of character. Just a mistake.

But World Cups can turn on one mistake. This one, resulting in the U.S. allowing its first goal in 674 minutes, didn't. Not yet.

With the ball at her feet, the place where she has the best claim to being among the best goalkeepers in the world, Alyssa Naeher picked the wrong...

REIMS, France -- The United States will need to overcome both Spain and scheduling disadvantages when it plays its first knockout-round game Monday in the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The U.S. was the tournament's most dominant team in winning all three of its games in the group stage. The Americans set a World Cup group-stage record by scoring 18 goals while not allowing any in wins against Thailand, Chile and Sweden. But in addition to being one of only two group winners that plays a second-place finisher...

REIMS, France -- It is a country with a passion for soccer, a history of success in the men's game and globally revered club teams that are finally investing resources in the women's game. It is a country with one of the largest populations in Europe and an ample potential talent pool.

And it is a country that now stands in the way of American hegemony in the sport and American success in this Women's World Cup.

But we're not talking France, not yet anyway. On Monday (6 p.m. local, noon ET), the...

Sixteen teams remain in the Women's World Cup. But before Germany-Nigeria and Norway-Australia kick off the Round of 16 on Saturday, ESPN's experts debate what we've seen so far in France and weigh in on the biggest storylines -- VAR, anyone? -- that have impacted the games. ESPN FC's Tom Hamilton and Julien Laurens, ESPN Brasil's Natalie Gedra and ESPN's Graham Hays, Julie Foudy and Alyssa Roenigk -- all of whom are on the ground in France -- tackle the tough questions.

Which team that did not...