Set pieces are the lifeblood of the Group of Death

Most goals in elite soccer are scored on set pieces (free kicks, corner kicks). Just watch any highlight reel on TV. One reason for this is teams practice these situations over and over and over again in training (and people wonder how soccer players get those great quads and hamstrings!). But another less obvious reason is because stoppages in play can affect a team's psyche.

Coaches remind their players that almost all goals in soccer are scored in the opening and final minutes of each half (when adrenaline is high or when players are tired), after an injury (when players may emotionally lose their focus) and on the aforementioned set pieces.

Case in point: Tuesday's Group B match between North Korea and the United States. Sitting on a 1-0 lead, American workhorse Abby Wambach suffered a cut to the back of her head during a challenge and had to go to the dressing room for stitches.

North Korea battled back and scored a pair of goals during the 10 minutes the U.S. star was getting treatment.

American coach Greg Ryan chose to wait for Wambach's return rather than put in a sub (why wouldn't you wait for one of the most dominant players in the game). Being down to 10 women didn't hurt the U.S., their focus did.

Lucky for the Americans, Heather O'Reilly put away a beauty to even the match 2-2 and escape with a draw in their tournament opener.

Odd choices

And while we're talking about the Group of Death, what on earth was Sweden coach Thomas Dennerby thinking taking star striker Hanna Ljungberg out of Tuesday's game against Nigeria when the score was only 1-0 with 30 minutes left to play?

Almost immediately after Ljungberg left the pitch, Sweden unraveled. The West Africans turned on the jets with relentless pressure, Sweden panicked and before you knew it - boom - the game finished 1-1.

Making matters worse for the 2003 runners up, they lost their next match 2-0 to a clinical U.S. side.

Sweden now finds itself in a desperate situation. The Nigeria match was winnable and that result may have lost them a run at the World Cup.

The U.S. has assured itself of a spot in the next round with a win and a draw with a game with Nigeria remaining. Sweden has a draw and a loss with North Korea (one win and one draw) left to play.

Getting a win against disciplined North Korea will be extremely difficult and in all likelihood, Dennerby's squad will find themselves watching from the stands when the second round comes along.

Heartbreak

Poor Argentina! And I'm not talking about the 11-0 drubbing at the hands of Germany in the tournament opener. They defended so well against Japan Friday only to lose on an injury-time goal.

Curious tunes

Now, I realize the Chinese organizers are trying to get the fans psyched up and entertained in the stands, but playing an instrumental version of Jingle Bells? C'mon. There has to be something else on their playlist... Ole Ole Ole Ole, Roll out the Barrell, When the Saints Go Marching In, or perhaps, some Ricky Martin?

I hate to admit this - especially having rolled my eyes when I first heard it - but the tournament's official song, "You Are the Most Beautiful in the Whole World," by China's Justin Timberlake, Gang Chen, is kind of catchy.

Canada is back on track after a fantastic 4-0 showing over Ghana Saturday... more on that shortly.