Women’s soccer kicks off chaotic group stage finale at Paris Olympics

The GIST: By the end of the day, we’ll know who’s joining No. 1 Spain and the No. 5 USWNT in the women’s soccer knockout round, with six spots left and six stellar group stage finale games on deck beginning today at 11 a.m. ET. Let’s kick it.

How it works: As a quick refresher, the 12 competing squads were drawn into three groups (A, B, and C) and will play every team in their group once to earn a spot in the eight-team quarter-finals.

• A win is worth three points, a draw earns you one point, and no points are awarded for losses.

• The top two teams from each group advance to the knockouts, along with the two best third-place squads. Simple as that.

No. 8 CanWNT awaiting appeal verdict, faces No. 22 Colombia at 3 p.m. ET: At the time of publishing, the red and white are still contending with a six-point spy drone deduction that could cost the defending Olympic champs a place in the knockouts. A verdict in their formal appeal is expected before kickoff.

• If the deduction stands, Canada needs to beat Colombia and needs No. 28 New Zealand to either draw or lose to No. 2 France to qualify for the quarter-finals as a top-two team in Group A. They also still have a shot of making it as a third-place team.

• The odds are against them, but this CanWNT squad has been tenacious in France. They’re certainly not giving up just yet.