Loading...Women's World Cup 2007 Schedule on Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Group C
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Group D
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Group D
Women's World Cup 2007: Nigeria 1-1 Sweden: Uwak saves Super Falcons
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Uwak pounced on a failed clearing attempt and her shot from 20 yards out beat Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.
Victoria Svensson's goal in the 50th minute gave Sweden a 1-0 lead, which seemed it would be enough for the victory. Taking a pass, Svensson broke in alone on goalie Precious Dede and scored from 10 yards out.
The draw in Group B leaves all four teams with one point. The United States and North Korea drew 2-2 in the other Group B game Tuesday.
Sweden dominated the first half and came close to scoring twice. In the second minute, top striker Hanna Ljungberg hit the crossbar. In the 34th, Svensson also hit the bar. The rebound came down on the goal line, with TV replays showing it failed to cross the line.
The Nigerians posed little threat for most of the game with the Swedes dominating possession and overall shots, but pressed forward more in the last 10 minutes and came up with the tying goal.
Group B is regarded as the toughest in the 16-team World Cup, with the top two teams advancing to meet the qualifiers from Group A, where Germany is the favorite.
Source: Soccernet.com
Women's World Cup 2007: O'Reilly's goal rallies U.S. against North Korea
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The United States rallied for a 2-2 draw Tuesday, with Heather O'Reilly scoring in the 69th minute in the Group B opener for both teams.
It was end-to-end action in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 35,000. It was counterattacking. And it was the two quickest teams in the world facing each other: the top-ranked Americans against the best team in Asia.
"I hope you enjoyed the game as much as I did," U.S. coach Greg Ryan said. "It was two great teams. North Korea is a fantastic team.
"There were chances for the U.S. to win and for North Korea to win," Ryan added. "We knew what a difficult group this would be -- and it is proving to be very difficult."
The Koreans scored twice while the U.S. was a player short for several minutes in the second half, before O'Reilly tied the match with a shot from about 10 yards into the top corner of the net.
The United States extended its unbeaten streak to 47 games spanning 2½ years under Ryan.
Played in a light rain at Chengdu Sports Center Stadium, the match had the feel of a final rather than a group-play opener. The final of the 16-team tournament is Sept. 30 in Shanghai.
Abby Wambach gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute with a long-range shot that goalkeeper Jon Myong-hui got her gloves to but was only able to deflect into the net.
Minutes later, Wambach knocked heads with another player in a scramble around the goal and left the field with blood pouring from her face, leaving the Americans with 10 players.
North Korea scored twice in her absence. Ryan made a decision not to replace her, which he almost regretted.
"It was a very tough call," he said. "The doctor said they could get her back within just a few minutes. Abby is such an important player to this team. I thought we could withstand playing 11 against 10.
"I'm just glad we got that last one after giving up the two."
Kil Son-hui benefited from a goalkeeping error, as Hope Solo let a long shot slip through her hands in the wet conditions in the 58th minute. In the 62nd, Kim Yong-ae pounced on a rebound and shot it past Solo.
Wambach returned in the 65th minute, and her return seemed to calm things for the Americans. O'Reilly scored minutes later with a clever shot using the outside of her boot.
"The U.S. is the best in the world, but today they didn't perform to their maximum," North Korean coach Kim Kwang-min said. "This gave us a chance to see our level, and if we meet the Americans a next time we will have the tactics to beat the Americans. We are marching toward the target of a world title."
Group B is the toughest in the World Cup with third-ranked Sweden and African champions Nigeria also playing for a spot in the quarterfinals. The Americans face Sweden on Friday and North Korea plays Nigeria.
Despite its poise, the U.S. looked unnerved at times. North Korea pressed the Americans in the first half like few teams have.
Keeping the ball on the slick turf, Ri Kum-suk lashed several shots just wide of Solo. Kim Yong-ae and Kim Kyong-hwa joined Ri, putting a half dozen more shots on goal that required saves.
North Korea always counterattacked, seldom waiting for a slow buildup. The Americans had trouble keeping possession, but still managed threats in spurts. They looked dangerous on several corners and free kicks. In open play, Lori Chalupny and O'Reilly tested Jon twice early in the game, and long crosses in from Cat Whitehill tensed up the Korean defense.
The best chance for the United States -- maybe the best for either team in the first half -- came in the 40th minute. Off a corner kick from Stephanie Lopez, Wambach's header went off the crossbar behind Jon and dropped inches in front of the goal before it was cleared.
Source: Soccernet.com
Women's World Cup 2007: England 2-2 Japan: Last-minute equaliser
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Having gone behind to Aya Miyama's free-kick early in the second half, Kelly Smith looked to have won the game for England when she struck in the 81st and 83rd minutes.
But Japan won another free-kick in a dangerous position in the final seconds of the game and Miyama struck a superb shot into the back of the net to rescue a point.
England, who were making an appearance in the global tournament for the first time in 12 years, had put in a promising display throughout which should bode well for the rest of their tournament.
The game got off to lively start as both sides attacked and Japan went close in the third minute when Eriko Arakawa fired just wide of England goalkeeper Rachel Brown's post.
Some good play between Smith and Eniola Aluko almost opened the Japan defence as Aluko won possession 30 yards from goal and played the ball to Smith but the Arsenal forward was unable to find her strike partner with the return ball.
Smith then flashed a shot wide of the post in the 15th minute after she had skilfully worked her way into the Japan area.
England were enjoying most of the possession as the half wore on and should have taken the lead in the 38th minute.
Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto raced out of goal to try to clear the ball only to miss it completely and the onrushing Aluko pounced on the mistake, only to send her shot wide of the open goal from the edge of the box.
England came out strong after the break and Katie Chapman saw her goalbound shot cleared by the Japan defence in the 50th minute.
But it was the east Asians who took the lead in the 55th minute when they won a free-kick just outside the box and Miyama stepped up to rifle a shot beyond Brown and into the back of the net.
The goal saw Japan grow in confidence and the England defence was called upon on a number of occasions to stem the attacks.
But the Three Lions roared forward and the ever-dangerous Smith came close to pulling England level though just after the hour mark when her powerful rising shot went just wide of the post.
Aluko was denied soon after as England searched for an equaliser when her effort was cleared on the line by Japan defender Hiromi Isozaki.
And in the 81st minute England were rewarded for their domination as Smith grabbed the equaliser.
With the defence failing to clear, Smith picked up the ball in the box and turned towards goal before cooling slotting beyond the hapless Fukumoto.
And just two minutes later the 28-year-old put England ahead when she broke down the left before firing a powerful drive at Fukumoto, who could only deflect the ball back into the path of Smith who made no mistake from close range.
It appeared as though England would hold on for a deserved victory but Japan rescued a point at the death through another Miyama free-kick as the midfielder flighted a ball perfectly over the wall and into the back of the net.
Source: Soccernet.com
Women's World Cup 2007: Germany 11-0 Argentina: Record-breaking victory
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Germany trounced Argentina 11-0 with a record-setting victory in the opening game of the women's World Cup on Monday, sending a message it is a serious about defending its title.
The margin of victory was the largest in the women's World Cup, and the goals were the most by a single team.
Veteran forwards Birgit Prinz and Sandra Smisek combined for six goals -- three each -- as the Germans dominated every part of the game over their smaller opponents.
Prinz, playing in her 165th game for Germany, scored with a thumping header, knocked in a loose ball at the far post, and then slipped a glancing header past Argentine goalkeeper Vanina Correa.
The last was Prinz's 12th overall in the World Cup finals, surpassing the previous German record of 11 by Bettina Wiegmann.
Smisek, who has played nearly 120 matches for Germany, scored a second-half hat trick.
With the midfield in complete control, the Germans knocked balls over the Argentine back wall and attacked down the wings for a 5-0 lead at halftime.
Prinz scored twice in the first half for Germany, which also got a lucky first goal in the 12th minute when Correa punched a corner kick from Melanie Behringer into her own goal.
The other first half goals for Germany, which beat Sweden in extra time of the final four years ago, came from forward Kerstin Garefrekes and midfielder Melanie Behringer.
The second half started the same way for Germany, with veteran midfielder Renate Lingor jumping on a poor clearance at the edge of the area to loop it over Correa into the far corner.
Smisek then took over, seizing on errors in the Argentine defense. Her partner up front, Prinz, also scored once in the second half. Correa mishandled another corner kick in the last minute of play for Germany's 11 goal.
The huge win was a strong message to the other favored teams in the tournament, especially United States, which is ranked No. 1 in the world, one spot ahead of the Germans. The Americans were to open on Tuesday in Group B against North Korea.
The other Group A opener in Tuesday with Japan playing England.
The 16-team tournament is spread around five cities in China with the final in Shanghai on Sept. 30.
Argentina played without suspended Catalina Perez and lost the services of midfielder Mariela Coronel on the eve of the tournament because of a knee injury.
Source: Soccernet.com
FIFA makes 2007 Women's World Cup a test case
There will be more than national pride on the line at the Women's World Cup in China. At stake will be the direction of the sport.
FIFA is using this year's tournament a test case. It has put off until late November decisions about which nation will host the 2011 Women's World Cup and how many teams that tournament will include.
Sixteen nations -- including such perennial powers as the United States, Norway, Germany, Sweden and Brazil -- will head to five Chinese cities for the Sept. 10-30 tournament.
"We hope to see some really close matches in China, then we can think about expanding the 2011 tournament from 16 teams to 24," FIFA communications chief Markus Siegler said. "Certainly, 7-0 matches are not good for the sport."
The International Olympic Committee has raised the number of women's soccer teams eligible for the 2008 Beijing Games from 10 to 12.
"The future of our sport lies with women," FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said. "And it's not just in Western countries. Right now, there is no single country in the world in which women do not play."
The U.S. women are ranked No. 1, reclaiming the top spot this spring from Germany.
This year is the fifth time the Women's World Cup has been held since the tournament began in 1991. The United States won in 1991 and 1999, Norway won in 1995 and Germany in 2003.
Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Peru are bidding for the 2011 World Cup in a tough competition in which the Swiss already have withdrawn.
On the men's side, only one nation -- Brazil -- is in the running for the 2014 World Cup. The announcement of the host country is Nov. 25.
While FIFA has a continental rotation system in place to chose hosts for the men's World Cups, no such system guides the women. The only general policy is that the tournament cannot return to the same continent four years later, a guideline broken in 2003 when the Asian SARS epidemic prompted FIFA to switch the tournament from China to the United States.
France and Canada appear to have the strongest bids for 2011.
"Most people think of Canada as a hockey nation, but we have more girls playing soccer in Canada than we have boys playing hockey," said Colin Linford, president of the Canadian soccer federation.
More than 350,000 Canadian girls play soccer and the number grows each year as top Canadian players seek college scholarships in the United States, he said. Canada already has sold 750,000 tickets, a record number, for the men's under-20 World Cup tournament this July, and its women are ranked 10th in the world.
Germany has a powerhouse women's team and held a successful men's World Cup last year. But for that reason, it may be too soon to give the country another World Cup.
That could open the door for France, whose women are seventh in the world and whose men were runners-up in the 2006 World Cup. France also is a key member of European soccer's governing body.
Australia has excellent facilities from the 2000 Olympics and a 14th-ranked team, but it just joined the same regional group as China, this year's host and the host for the 2008 Olympics.
Peru would appear to be a long shot. Its women are ranked 42nd and its infrastructure and fan support for women's soccer are less developed. It's also in a spat with FIFA over the world body's ban on holding international matches in stadiums at high altitude.
So 2011 depends on 2007. Today's stars hope to generate even more opportunities for women in the world's most popular sport.
"We want to show the world the high quality of soccer that women can play -- not just winning soccer, but attractive, attacking, goal-scoring soccer," U.S. player Heather O'Reilly said. "We can put on a show that is worthy of world attention."
Source: Soccernet.com
Anelka expecting tough test from Scotland
Nicolas Anelka admits France will have to meet Scotland's physical challenge at the Parc des Princes tomorrow.
The Bolton striker realises Alex McLeish's men will get stronger the longer they resist the French in the Euro 2008 qualifying Group B clash.
Anelka, 28, will lead the French attack in the absence of the suspended Thierry Henry.
And he said: 'Even without Henry in the side, we can be very dangerous.
'We need that against Scotland because a win could be crucial for us.
'The key is going to be matching them up physically. They won't come and have a go at us but they still have to be respected.
'We also have to score early as one thing we know about Scotland is they can defend well.
'If we haven't scored by the half-hour mark it will frustrate us and then it becomes dangerous.'
Source: Soccernet.com
Arsenal don't need a billionaire backer - Hill-Wood
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists suggestions the club need a billionaire backer are 'lunacy'.
There has been much speculation the Gunners are ripe for a takeover, with the likes of Alisher Usmanov and Stan Kroenke having already taken a considerable stakeholding in Arsenal's parent company.
Former Gunners vice-chairman David Dein - who controversially left the club in April - long held the opinion that the Gunners needed major foreign investment in order to compete with their Premier League rivals like Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, who all have international backing.
But Hill-Wood insists Arsenal's sensible financial policy will work in their favour.
He said: 'We have always run Arsenal as a business and kept within reasonable bounds.
'All this nonsense about needing a billionaire to put a whole lot of money in to help shore up the annual deficit is not going to happen - it is lunacy.'
Hill-Wood told BBC Sport: 'I have no objection to foreign investors coming into the Premier League, it's going to be beneficial.
'Most of them are investment people and they are not buying into clubs because they have the passion for the local team they have supported since they were two years old.
'They think that football and the Premier League is an attractive investment and they want a return on that.
'That will work in our favour. There will be a more sensible attitude in transfer fees at silly levels and all this sort of thing.
'People putting £100million in are going to want to see how they can make a profit. To go on paying more to players is not justified or sensible.'
Hill-Wood maintains the board have no intention of selling any more shares in the club - but would listen to any 'sensible proposals' from the likes of Usmanov and Kroenke.
There has been uncertainty surrounding the direction of the club following the high-profile departure of Dein and sale of captain Thierry Henry to Barcelona, although speculation surrounding Arsene Wenger's future was finally concluded last week when the Frenchman signed a new three-year deal with the club.
Dein left the Gunners board following a disagreement over plans to bring investment from Kroenke - who owns a 12.2% stake in the club - to the Emirates Stadium.
Last week Dein sold his 14.58% stake for £75million to Red and White Holdings Ltd - a company co-owned by Russian tycoon Usmanov and business partner Farhad Moshiri that has pledged to buy shares in the club - and was then appointed its chairman, fuelling talk of a forthcoming takeover.
But while Hill-Wood admits Arsenal, who release their financial figures for the year later this month, would be prepared to listen to what interested parties may have to say, he insists the board have no plans to sell.
'The major shareholders have no intention of selling and wouldn't welcome an offer,' he said.
'We will have a dialogue with any principal or major shareholder. If they have got some sensible proposals we will listen to them.'
Source: Soccernet.com
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