BERLIN — The United States survived its toughest test of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 so far, while China needed overtime to escape a determined Czech Republic side in a dramatic day of action in Berlin.
The defending champions narrowly defeated Italy 55-52 on Sunday, September 6, while China rallied past Czechia 74-70 in overtime.
The results kept both the United States and China in strong positions heading into the final day of group play, but Italy and Czechia showed that the tournament favorites are far from guaranteed an easy path to the knockout stages.
Italy Gives the United States a Huge Scare
The United States entered the game as the overwhelming favorite, but Italy turned the contest into one of the biggest tests the Americans have faced at a World Cup in years.
Team USA eventually prevailed 55-52, extending its World Cup winning streak to 32 games.
But the narrow three-point victory was anything but comfortable.
FIBA described Italy’s performance as a defensive masterclass, with the European side repeatedly frustrating the American offense and holding the reigning champions to their lowest World Cup score since the introduction of the three-point line in 1984.
The Americans struggled to find their rhythm from outside, missing their first 10 three-point attempts before Paige Bueckers finally connected.
Italy’s defensive rotations and discipline prevented the United States from building the kind of separation normally expected from the tournament favorite.
Jackie Young Saves the Day
With the game still in doubt late in the fourth quarter, Jackie Young became one of the key figures for the United States.
Young finished with 10 points, the only American player to reach double figures.
Her late contribution helped the United States regain control during the closing stages of a game in which Italy had repeatedly threatened to pull off a stunning upset.
The Americans ultimately did enough to preserve their perfect World Cup record.
But the manner of the victory could be just as important as the result.
After cruising past China in their opening game, the United States suddenly found itself in a one-possession battle against Italy — a warning that the knockout rounds could be far more difficult than expected.
Italy Nearly Forces Overtime
Italy had a final opportunity to send the game into overtime.
Cecilia Zandalasini, who led all scorers with 14 points, attempted a three-pointer in the closing seconds that would have tied the game.
The shot missed, allowing the United States to escape with the victory.
For Italy, however, the performance provided a major confidence boost.
The team had already opened its World Cup campaign with a 63-54 victory over Czechia, its first Women’s World Cup win in more than three decades.
Italy’s ability to challenge the United States after that strong opening suggests it could be a dangerous opponent when the tournament moves into the elimination rounds.
China Survives Czechia in Overtime
China faced its own major challenge later in the day.
The Chinese team eventually defeated the Czech Republic 74-70 in overtime, recovering from a slow start and turning the game around in the second half.
Czechia led 22-17 after the first quarter and held a 41-33 halftime advantage.
China responded after the break, outscoring Czechia in the third and fourth quarters to force overtime.
The Chinese then produced a 10-6 advantage in the extra period to complete the comeback.
Han Xu Leads China
China’s victory was powered by center Han Xu, who finished with a game-high 26 efficiency rating and was one of the biggest reasons China managed to survive the physical contest.
Czechia’s Veronika Vorackova also produced an impressive performance, recording a team-leading 21 points according to FIBA’s game data.
China’s shooting efficiency ultimately helped make the difference.
The Chinese shot 46 percent from the field, compared with 37 percent for Czechia, while also making 30.8 percent of their three-point attempts.
The victory was particularly important for China after the team opened the tournament with a heavy defeat against the United States.
China Still Has Plenty to Prove
China’s tournament began with a 94-61 loss to the United States, but the team has remained one of the most intriguing sides in Berlin.
Much of the attention has centered on 19-year-old center Zhang Ziyu, whose extraordinary 7-foot-3 frame has made her one of the most talked-about players at the tournament.
Zhang scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds against the United States, while her height created matchup problems despite China’s eventual loss.
China’s overtime win over Czechia showed that the team can respond under pressure.
But the road ahead remains challenging.
Group D Goes Down to the Wire
The United States entered the tournament in Group D alongside China, Italy and Czechia.
The Americans’ victory over Italy moved them to 2-0 and secured their place in the quarterfinals.
Italy moved to 1-1, while China’s overtime victory also strengthened its position heading into the final group games.
The final day of group play will determine the remaining positions and the matchups for the knockout phase.
The tournament features 16 teams, with the 2026 edition being played in Berlin from September 4 to 13.
A Warning for the Tournament Favorites
The biggest takeaway from Sunday’s action may not be the final scores.
It is the growing evidence that the gap between the world’s top women’s basketball teams is becoming increasingly difficult to predict on any given day.
The United States remains the team to beat, but its three-point victory over Italy exposed vulnerabilities that opponents could attempt to exploit.
China, meanwhile, showed resilience by recovering from a significant deficit against Czechia.
Italy’s performance may be even more significant.
The Italians did not simply keep the game close. They forced the reigning champions into one of their lowest-scoring World Cup performances in decades and came within one possession of forcing overtime.
For a tournament favorite accustomed to dominating opponents, that is a warning worth paying attention to.
The Knockout Stage Is Coming
With the group stage nearing its conclusion, the margin for error is shrinking.
The United States has already secured its place in the quarterfinals, but its narrow escape against Italy could provide valuable lessons before the elimination rounds begin.
China will also carry momentum after its overtime comeback, while Italy has emerged as one of the teams capable of causing problems for higher-ranked opponents.
And with the quarterfinals approaching, every possession, defensive stop and late-game decision could determine who continues the journey toward the World Cup title.
The United States survived Italy. China survived Czechia. But the real test is still coming — and the knockout stage may have just become a lot more unpredictable.
WWC OEN MEDIA J.M.D
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