Group A
The Big Match
England vs. Germany (Sept. 14 in Shanghai) – This is the game that will show whether England has the mettle to make it to the second round for the first time in World Cup history. The Three Lions’s match against Japan is also key.
Schedule
Sept. 10: Germany vs. Argentina in Shanghai
Sept. 11: Japan vs. England in Shanghai
Sept. 14: Argentina vs. Japan in Shanghai
Sept. 14: England vs. Germany in Shanghai
Sept. 17: Germany vs. Japan in Hangzhou
Sept. 17: England vs. Argentina in Chengdu
What The Experts Say
Helen Stoumbos, Analyst, CBC Sports:
You have to pick Germany for Group A. How can you not? They just have so much experience. Look at their roster - six players with 847 caps between them. But their goalkeeper is out now and when your goalkeeper is one of your most pivotal players, that's tough.
But at the same time, there are still that bulk of players that have been playing together for years. And Birgit Prinz, three-time FIFA world player, you can't deny her either.
I think this will be a pretty easy group for Germany and that's the general consensus.
Before this year, I probably would have said Japan [to go through]. They are such an organized team and just a great team to watch because of their style and their technique. They are so technically sound.
But England now, they've got nine players from the Arsenal women's team so you've got the bulk of the national team players that have been playing together for so long who have won the UEFA Cup, the FA Cup, the league title, the league cup. A big part of coming into a competition like this is confidence. You come from a team that's won that many championships this year, all playing together, how much confidence is that? And at the Four Nations tournament this year, they tied the United States.
Argentina just doesn't have enough international experience. Their first game is against Germany and what a team to play against your first game. I think they are going to get bullied. That game is going to be a huge wake-up call for Argentina, but it'll be a good experience for them.
One of Japan's biggest downfalls is they are slight. You can easily push them off the ball
Predicted finish: 1. Germany, 2. England, 3. Japan, 4. Argentina.
Craig Forrest, Analyst, CBC Sports:
I'm going to take Germany and Japan. England has really, really improved so it's a tough pick between them and Japan [for second place]. Maybe they're starting to hit their peak because they really struggled a few years ago. They play a lot of football over there with the clubs like Arsenal getting involved more and more, which gives the women a place to play. That has certainly helped the women's game in England. But it's a chauvinistic country as far as football goes.
You know I never saw a women's football game the entire time I was over there? The whole time I lived there, I didn't see a soccer game anywhere with women players. Ever.
You knew there were women playing, but it was rarely talked about. They showed the FA Cup on TV, but nobody really cared. Now it's good to see they're finally putting some more money into the women's game and it's getting more attention. That's helped, but it's still a third world country in women's soccer as far as that goes. They are getting there though.
Germany, the defending champions, is very experienced. Japan is technically gifted and quick.
Predicted finish: 1. Germany, 2. Japan, 3. England, 4. Argentina.
Signa Butler, Editor, 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, CBCSports.ca:
Aside from missing Silke Rottenberg in goal, it's hard to find a weakness in this German team. They have multiple players from their 2003 champion team back - their fullbacks are walls, [Renate] Lingor and [Kerstin Garefrekes] are amazing to watch in the midfield and everyone has seen what [Birgit] Prinz can do. Germany should sail through this group.
Second place is much tougher to call. Japan had been on a slide, losing 4-1 to the United States in late July, but then they went out and edged Brazil 2-1 just before the World Cup. They are capable of big results. But in this group, Japan's size is really going to hurt them. Their tallest player outside their goalies is five-foot-six. That's not a good situation when you're playing against bigger, more physical teams like Germany and England. You have to also factor in that most goals are score on set pieces and Japan will have an awful time defending against players like England's Faye White (five-foot-10).
England recently lost to China 1-0 in exhibition and looked like they held the bulk of play. Their finishing was awful though.
I think Germany is going to finish first followed by England.
Predicted finish: 1. Germany, 2. England, 3. Japan, 4. Argentina
