Women's World Cup Group B: Newcomers look to shock the world
2015 Women's World Cup Group B Schedule:
June 7
June 11
June 15
Cote d'Ivoire is one of two teams from Africa making its World Cup debut, a testament to its resilience and ability to play spoiler. The West African nation eliminated defending African champion Equatorial Guinea for a spot in the Championships in October. Once there, they withstood an attacking barrage by favorite South Africa in the third place match, then scored six minutes from time for a 1-0 win to claim Africa's final qualifying spot in Canada. Head coach Clémentine Touré, just one of a handful of women head coaches leading teams in Canada, builds her team around Russia based Estelle Nahi. The 25-year-old striker missed the opening game loss to Nigeria, but she flew to Namibia in time for the second game, and her presence throughout was invaluable, providing assists as well as scoring goals. She plays atop a 4-4-2 alongside Tia Ines who plays in Serbia. Ines was Cote d'Ivoire's leading scorer with 5 goals in qualifying, including 3 goals in the finals in Namibia. Nahi and Ines were a nuisance to opposing defenders at the African Championship with their tendency to play wide and switch sides repeatedly during the match. Core d'Ivoire may not make much headway given their inexperience, but that's exactly what's been said of them right through qualifying.
Tall, powerful, deep on the bench and with the ability to play a high-pressing game, Germany will be one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Heading into the 2011 World Cup, as host nation and two-time defending champion Germany was heavily favored to win a third title. That didn't happen -- in one of the biggest upsets in women's soccer, Germany was beaten 1-0 by Japan in the quarterfinals. Silvia Neid, who led the team to its 2007 World Cup title, stayed on as head coach after the shock 2011 loss and has been rebuilding toward Canada 2015 ever since. Led by strikers Anja Mittag and Celia Sasic, midfielders Nadine Kessler and Lena Goessling, defender Annike Krahn and goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, Germany won Euro 2013, and those players are all sure to be key players in Canada, except for Kessler, who has been ruled out with injury. In addition, 22-year-old striker Dzsenifer Marozsan made a big impression at Euro 2013 and emerged as the rising star of German soccer during World Cup qualifying, where Neid's team went a perfect 10 for 10 while scoring 62 goals and conceding just four.
A dominant force in the 1990s, Norway fell off the pace of the elite powers for most of the past decade, but following the return of Even Pellerud as head coach in December 2012, the Grasshoppers have returned to winning ways -- including a surprise runners-up finish at Euro2013. Pellerud led Norway to its 1995 World Cup title during his first stint at the Norway helm, and also led Canada to its best ever fourth-place finish at the 2003 World Cup. He is in charge of a team with a mix of experience and young talent. Norway's new generation is led by 19-year-old winger Caroline Graham Hansen, who scored eight goals in qualifying to lead the team, while another 19-year-old, Lyon striker Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg scored five goals. There is also plenty of experience on the team. 2011 World Cup veteran, 25-year-old Maren Mjelde can anchor either the defense or the midfield and also chipped in five goals during qualifying. Striker Isabell Herlovsen (six goals in qualifying) and midfielder Lene Mykjaland are both expected to play in their third World Cups, while 34-year-old Ingrid Hjelmseth provides a solid, reliable presence in goal.
Cote d'Ivoire is one of two teams from Africa making its Women's World Cup debut this summer.
Widely regarded as the weakest team in the field, Thailand is the first Southeast Asian team to qualify for the Women's World Cup. They lost their first two games in the Asian Cup, 7-0 to China and 4-0 to South Korea. A 2-1 win over Myanmar sent Thailand to the fifth-place game, where they beat host nation Vietnam, 2-1 in front of 18,000 fans, to claim the fifth and final Asian World Cup berth. The squad's average age at the Asian Cup was 22 -- making them one of the youngest teams to qualify for Canada -- and many players have obligations with university and provincial youth teams. It was from these teams that coach Nuengrueth Sathongwien picked her squad for the Asian Cup. Sathongwien took over as head coach just prior to the Asian Cup, and she will be one of a handful of women coaching in Canada next summer. The team's standout in the preferred 5-3-2 formation is Kanjana Sung-Ngoen. She plays in Japan and scored both of the goals in the crucial 2-1 win over host Vietnam to book Thailand's place in Canada.
Germany are ranked No. 1 in the world, but can they win the Women's World Cup?
Norway are Women's World Cup regulars but they've been out of the top 10 for a while.
Widely regarded as the weakest team in the field, Thailand is the first Southeast Asian team to qualify for the Women's World Cup.
