The Women's World Cup is gearing up as teams arrive in France for their pre-tournament camps following the last round of prep friendlies. The US are still the betting favorites, but of course the gap between them and the field at the top end of the pecking order has pretty much evened out. The US, France, Germany and England are the betting favorites with Spain, Sweden, Japan, Brazil and Australia making up a strong 2nd tier. The depth of the women's game has never been better and there are no more walkovers to be found.
Here are the groups:
Group A: France, Norway, So Korea, Nigeria
Group B: Germany, Spain, China, So Africa
Group C: Italy, Brazil, Australia, Jamaica
Group D: England, Scotland, Argentina, Japan
Group E: Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Cameroon
Group F: Sweden, United States, Chile, Thailand
The deepest group is probably C, with three very equally matched sides ... but don't sleep on group D since the two "weaker" sides in Scotland and Argentina have the ability to score, which always makes things interesting. Drawing the Scots AND Argentina against England didn't do the English any favors either. Those are emotionally charged slug-fests ... men, women, whatever. The US had some bobbles in qualifying and probably aren't happy to see old nemesis Sweden in their group. US Coach Jill Ellis went with a VERY conservative, very veteran roster that leans heavily on her winning group from 4 years ago. That's been criticized in some corners as playing it too safe, and honestly ... if Julie Johnston Ertz gets hurt or suspended they don't have a single like for like backup plan at defensive mid in their 4-3-3 shape that throws both fullbacks forward along with both wide midfielders leaving Ertz to patrol HUGE chunks of territory in the middle. She is absolutely critical for the Americans' chances. They also are carrying exactly ONE left back in Crystal Dunn ... who isn't even really a left back. Oh, and generational keeper Hope Solo is long gone as well. With as many as 8 attacking players on the roster, the US seems set up to win games with overwhelming attacking firepower and while that's certainly fun to watch, it's dangerous in these kinds of competitions. Again, the Americans are the favorites ... but not as much as the old days and many betting sites consider the French hosts to be co-favorites.
Host venues across France include bigger League 1 sites in Lyon, , Paris, Nice and Montpellier along with more mid-sized stadia in Grenoble and Riems. Notably absent as a host site is Marseille, with the French federation deciding that the risk of trouble there wasn't worth it. France has been roiled with worker protests and social unrest for several summers now, and there almost certainly will be some planned demonstrations in the streets. And as always, France is a risk for a transportation strike pretty much every time the tourist season heats up. The tournament kicks off June 7th in Paris with the host nation taking on Nigeria in the traditional wolves vs lambs opening match. The Us won't play their first match until June 11 against Thailand. Festivities run through the Final in Lyon on July 7. Lyon is home to the dominant French club in the women's game, which is why they get the final over the more traditional Parisian setting.
Bon chance Yanks.
Here are the groups:
Group A: France, Norway, So Korea, Nigeria
Group B: Germany, Spain, China, So Africa
Group C: Italy, Brazil, Australia, Jamaica
Group D: England, Scotland, Argentina, Japan
Group E: Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Cameroon
Group F: Sweden, United States, Chile, Thailand
The deepest group is probably C, with three very equally matched sides ... but don't sleep on group D since the two "weaker" sides in Scotland and Argentina have the ability to score, which always makes things interesting. Drawing the Scots AND Argentina against England didn't do the English any favors either. Those are emotionally charged slug-fests ... men, women, whatever. The US had some bobbles in qualifying and probably aren't happy to see old nemesis Sweden in their group. US Coach Jill Ellis went with a VERY conservative, very veteran roster that leans heavily on her winning group from 4 years ago. That's been criticized in some corners as playing it too safe, and honestly ... if Julie Johnston Ertz gets hurt or suspended they don't have a single like for like backup plan at defensive mid in their 4-3-3 shape that throws both fullbacks forward along with both wide midfielders leaving Ertz to patrol HUGE chunks of territory in the middle. She is absolutely critical for the Americans' chances. They also are carrying exactly ONE left back in Crystal Dunn ... who isn't even really a left back. Oh, and generational keeper Hope Solo is long gone as well. With as many as 8 attacking players on the roster, the US seems set up to win games with overwhelming attacking firepower and while that's certainly fun to watch, it's dangerous in these kinds of competitions. Again, the Americans are the favorites ... but not as much as the old days and many betting sites consider the French hosts to be co-favorites.
Host venues across France include bigger League 1 sites in Lyon, , Paris, Nice and Montpellier along with more mid-sized stadia in Grenoble and Riems. Notably absent as a host site is Marseille, with the French federation deciding that the risk of trouble there wasn't worth it. France has been roiled with worker protests and social unrest for several summers now, and there almost certainly will be some planned demonstrations in the streets. And as always, France is a risk for a transportation strike pretty much every time the tourist season heats up. The tournament kicks off June 7th in Paris with the host nation taking on Nigeria in the traditional wolves vs lambs opening match. The Us won't play their first match until June 11 against Thailand. Festivities run through the Final in Lyon on July 7. Lyon is home to the dominant French club in the women's game, which is why they get the final over the more traditional Parisian setting.
Bon chance Yanks.
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