Algarve Cup 2017

Can we assume that the Shiba Leaves Cup will still limited to four teams?
Four of FIFA's top 10 are going to Portugal and four will be at the SBC.
The top 10 teams which are not included in either tournament are Brazil and Korea DPR?

 

I can see this year is going to be a "minor" Algarve Cup, compared to the past: no USA, no Germany.... I assume it's because of the competition of She Believes Cup in the same window.

It's a shame, because I always liked Algarve a lot as a sort of "unofficial" clash between the best women's teams in the world and because, since I am Europe-based, it was a potential chance for me to watch National Teams from other continents play quite near to me (and in fact I went to Algarve in 2012, to watch a memorable USA-Japan match).

I am happy that anyway at least Nadeshiko Japan will attend, although I am not sure if I am going to get a break from my job to go in Portugal in that month.
Who knows, without a lot of "big guns" it could be a chance for Japan to win the trophy, although it would be of course less worthy than our second-place vs Germany in the past.

 

Japan could win it, but they got stuck in a group with Spain.
Why always Spain?

 

I don't think Spain Senior Team is already "there". I fear much more Norway right now (although Hansen is currently injured and we don't know if she'll be fit again for Algarve).

 

I know, I was just kidding.

Algarve still 3 months away. Hansen won't be OK by then? What's her injury anyway?

 

I asked on the Norway thread, but it looks like it wasn't discosed exactly and we only know that she should play again in Frauen-Bundesliga "after the winter break". So what I meant is that I have no clue if she's going to be there or not.

 

North Korea's playing in the Cyprus Cup. maybe Brazil gets invited for the She Believes Cup and the tournament is expanded to 8 teams? They could have USA(1), Germany(2), France(3), England(5), Brazil(9), Colombia(24), Mexico(27), Costa Rica(29). Majority of teams in the top 25 are playing in one of the three tournaments:

1. USA (She Believes)
2. Germany (She Believes)
3. France (She Believes)
4. Canada (Algarve)
5. England (She Believes)
6. Sweden (Algarve)
7. Australia (Algarve)
8. Japan (Algarve)
9. North Korea (Cyprus)
10. Brazil
11. Norway (Algarve)
12. Netherlands (Algarve)
13. China (Algarve)
14. Spain (Algarve)
15. Switzerland (Cyprus)
16. Iceland (Algarve)
17. Italy (Cyprus)
18. New Zealand (Cyprus)
19. South Korea (Cyprus)
20. Denmark (Algarve)
21. Scotland (Cyprus)
22. Russia (Algarve)
23. Ukraine
24. Colombia
25. Austria (Cyprus)

 

You asked if there were any updates, there isn't, but we still know what the injury is (because we knew that the first time we posted about it): it's a cracked shinbone. She's scheduled to be back when the F-Bundesliga starts up again in February, which may or may not mean she's with the national squad in March.

 

Yes, I had forgot the exact nature of the incident, but it had been wrote on the thread, you're right.

Anyway, it remains true that the call for Algarve Cup will probably depend on how much complete the recovering process will be at that point and how fit Hansen will be. At best she'll have a few Frauen-Bundesliga's matches under her belt, but it will be up to Norway's coach to decide if it'll be enough.

By the way, I forgot the last updates: is there a new official coach for Norway, or is it a temporary one at the moment?

In all cases, I look forward for Norway-Japan clash in March. In 2013 it was a Norway's win with goals by then very young Hansen and Hegerberg. Now, let's see how the re-match will end.

 

There is no new full-time coach appointed yet, so Leif Gunnar Smerud will act as care-taker coach for the one remaining match we have left this year; against Germany later this month. I read in a paper today that NFF have narrowed it down to six names now of which my favourite choice, LSK Kvinner's coach Monica Knudsen, is unfortunately not one of those. I can't wait to see who gets the job. NFF doesn't have the best of times nowadays as an organization, so I fear the worst...

 

Since 2009 Brazil is a host country for annual Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino held every December. Question would be: is their FA really into women's game enough, to pay for overseas tickets and accommodation for yet another tourney just 2-3 months later?

With Algarve and Cyprus collecting top 10 and 20 of best teams, expanding this tourney now really would beat one of it's purposes. I mean - in ranking points wide it's a very "safe" tournament Lopsided victory against Mexico, Colombia or Costa Rica it's less and less sure nowadays and yields a small amount of ranking points while draw or defeat against those teams will cost any top 5 team quite a lot of ranking points.

 

Brazil should participate if invited. Their tournament is in December, the She Believes is in March, so why not? The three other countries in their tournament are: Italy, Russia & Costa Rica. Italy & Russia are both playing in one of the March tournaments. Costa Rica might be playing in the Istria Cup.

 

I'm going to have a short holiday from work on 3rd of March, that I could tie with subsequent week-end of 4th-5th of March to try to go to Portugal and watch at least one match from this year's Algarve. But I'd need to know the schedule of the matches in advance. Does anyone know when it will be available?

 

schedule was released today:

March 1
(A) Portugal vs. Russia
(A) Denmark vs. Canada
(B) Japan vs. Spain
(B) Norway vs. Iceland
(C) Netherlands vs. China
(C) Australia vs. Sweden

March 3
Russia vs. Canada
Denmark vs. Portugal
Japan vs. Iceland
Spain vs. Norway
Netherlands vs. Australia
Sweden vs. China

March 6
Portugal vs. Canada
Russia vs. Denmark
Japan vs. Norway
Iceland vs. Spain
Netherlands vs. Sweden
Australia vs. China

 

Thank you very much! Was waiting for that.

Are there info about the venues also? I could go in Portugal for the 3rd of March's matches, and I would likely be based in Faro, but I'd need to know where each match will be played.

 

Canada with a cakewalk into the playoff round.

 

I assume Algarve refer to Estádio Algarve the big one built for Euro 2000 about halfway between Faro and Loule?
Otherwise it says very little since all matches are played in the Algarve province

 

2004. And obviously men's Euros since they built new venues.

 

I would be interested in the games of 3rd of March in Parchal: does anyone know if Parchal is easy to reach from Faro?

 

About 50 min by car on the toll road, 1h15-1h30 with train from Faro about 12 trains/day, don't know about buslines. So not very easy.

 

Ok, it's been a bust , but I bought today my airplane tickets to be in Portugal for the matches of 3rd of March. I cross fingers for it being as good an experience as it was in 2012, when I was at Algarve last time.

 

Matilda's squad announced for Algarve Cup:

http://matildas.footballaustralia.c...ced-for-algarve-cup/wzw7q29tartq1l9w66rui52jl