Certainly the world is all caught up in the happenings in South Africa right now.but I thought I'd pass on a friendly reminder that today is one year until the kickoff of WWC 2011 in Berlin.
Yep. Here are the groups, with my predictions on who finishes at the top of each group. Group Stages: Group A Germany (9 points) Australia (4 points) Denmark (4 points) Ghana (0 points) Group B Brazil (7 points) Norway (5 points) Nigeria (3 point) France (1 points) Group C United States (7 points) England (6 points) North Korea (4 points) Argentina (0 points) Group D Sweden (5 points) Canada (5 points) Japan (3 points) New Zealand (1 point) *upset of the group round* - Nigeria beats France 1-0 *key match of the group round* - Japan ties New Zealand (knocking Japan out, as Japan goes unbeaten, but ties all 3 matches) Knock-out round Quarterfinal 1: Brazil vs. Australia (Brazil wins in extra time: 2-1) Quarterfinal 2: Germany vs. Norway (Norway wins in penalty kicks: 3-2) Quarterfinal 3: Sweden vs. England (Sweden wins in extra time: 1-0) Quarterfinal 4: USA vs. Canada (USA wins: 3-1) Semifinal 1: Brazil vs. Norway (Norway wins in penalty kicks: 2-1) Semifinal 2: USA vs. Sweden (USA wins in shutout slaughter: 4-0) 3rd place match: Brazil vs. Sweden (Brazil wins 6-2, Marta hat trick) World Cup Final: USA vs. Norway (0-0 going into extra time. USA wins 1-0 in extra time. Norway takes lead 1-0 in extra time, but gets whistled for being offsides. Two minutes later - USA scores in dramatic America fashion) Best match of group stage: USA vs. North Korea (The Americans fall behind 2-0, and come back to score 2 goals in the final 15 minutes to tie North Korea) Best match of the knock out round: Norway takes down Germany in penalty kicks: 3-2, greatest Quarterfinal ever played in women's world cup history) Congrats to USA: 2011 FIFA World Cup Champions. 2011 World Cup sets a women's world cup record for most yellow cards and most red cards in a single women's world cup. The 2011 women's world cup demonstrates high TV ratings and strong aggressive physical play throughout the tournament. Controversial calls are made, but the drama has never been better.
Norway claws back twice from 1-0 and 2-1 down against Germany, to take the game into extra time 2-2 in the Quarterfinal, after a dramatic game-tying goal in the 91st minute. Both teams go scoreless in extra time. Norway strikes 4 out of 5 goals in penalty kicks, while Germany only makes 3. Norway wins the Quarterfinal 3-2 on German soil, to put an end to Germany's world cup dynasty on the women's side.
The USA celebrate after taking a 1-0 lead in extra time against Norway in the World Cup final. Norway throws the kitchen sink against the Americans in the final few minutes, and Hope Solo saves 2 incredible scoring chances, while the Norwegians also hit the crossbar in the final minute of the match. After the match, it is determined that Norway outplayed the Americans in the extra time, but the Americans seemed to be destined and got the goal that counted. The USA women now have 3 World Cup titles and 3 Olympic Gold medal victories, to become the first nation to have a hat trick in each one.
What? The US isn't going to play Sweden or Nigeria in the group phase this time, I thought that was tradition I do hope we see some new nations breaking through and qualifying this time. Equatorial Guinea is the defending African champ, can't wait to see if they repeat with a WC berth on the line.
@WPS_Movement: you got the semis wrong. Those are A1/B2 vs C1/D2 and B1/A2 vs D1/C2. Norway vs USA and Brazil vs Sweden in your fantasy.
No big deal. Just trying to help promote and hype up the Women's World Cup already. The earlier the better, now that the U.S. men choked against Ghana and are waiting for an old and gray Landon Donovan in his 30's to take them to a 1st round knock-out round loss again 4 years from now. Still no progress since 2002. Sorry, but it isn't. Quarterfinals against Germany, outplaying Germany for much of that match in 2002. This team has not progressed since then at all. The only team they beat in this year's World Cup was "Algeria". And it took after 90th minute magic to do it. Mehhhh... Big deal. So .... Go Ladies in 2011. You represent us well, always. The U.S. women have made the semifinals (or better) in every major tournament they have ever played in. World Cup, Olympics, you name it.
I don't think this group will be possible. From what we know of how FIFA has done the draw for previous competitions, all of the non-seeded UEFA teams (all except Germany and Sweden in this scenario) will be in the same pot.
Sweden are in danger of losing their seed status to Japan though. Drawing against the Czechs (world #24) at home will hurt.
Sweden will need to win a playoff against a pretty highly ranked UEFA side to make it to the World Cup. That will be worth some positive ranking points. So it is hard to imagine that they can make it to the World Cup while losing their place in the FIFA ranking.
If the USA draws any of Nigeria, North Korea, or Sweden in the group stage, I will throw something at my TV. Something tells me that Mexico will qualify over Canada this time around. Just a hunch. Mexico have a good group of young attacking players, and of course Maribel Dominguez. I liked what some of their U-20s brought to the table. Outside of Sinclair, Canada is rather ordinary.
Just for the record, I see that FIFA's web site now lists the date of the final draw as Monday, November 29th. I don't know when most the qualifying tournaments are, but presumably they will be between now and then.
The Gold Cup draw is the extremely interesting part because one of the three (USA, Canada, Mexico) will get a free World Cup ticket with an easy semi-final while the other two will go head-to-head to see who goes to Germany and who goes to the CONCACAF Bronze medal and then the UEFA5 playoff. The logic usually is two of the three will be in one of the groups, and whoever comes first in that group gets the weak semi-finalist. So if the two tie their group game it comes down to who thrashes the underlings better.
Group Stages: Group A Germany (9 points) Australia (4 points) Denmark (4 points) Ghana (0 points) Group B Brazil (7 points) Norway (5 points) Nigeria (3 point) France (1 points) Group C United States (7 points) England (6 points) North Korea (4 points) Argentina (0 points) Group D Sweden (5 points) Canada (5 points) Japan (3 points) New Zealand (1 point) Knock-out round Quarterfinal 1: Brazil vs. Australia 4:0 Quarterfinal 2: Germany vs. Norway 3:1 Quarterfinal 3: Sweden vs. England 0:2 Quarterfinal 4: USA vs. Canada 2:0 Semifinal 1: Brazil vs. Germany 0:1 Semifinal 2: USA vs. England 5:3 Penalty 3rd place match: Brazil vs. England (4:3) World Cup Final: USA vs. Germany 1:3
Germany winning vs USA would be great, but how possible is that? I think other teams have to eliminate our nightmare opponent.
Well, Germany did beat USA 3-0 in the 2003 world cup semi. Both teams are better than they were in 2003. Germany continues to get better in the world. The 2011 USA team is better and faster than an old-aging 2003 USA team. Here is how the groups will look ............ Group A Germany Australia France Ghana Group B Brazil Norway Japan Switzerland (Bachmann leads the Swiss to the UEFA #5 spot, and beats Mexico in the playoff game to get to World Cup) Group C (Group of Death) USA Sweden North Korea Nigeria Group D (Group of Life - for Canada and England) Canada England Argentina New Zealand