Women's soccer matches too close to call

By Zhang Feng (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-15 08:23

QINHUANGDAO: The best of psychics would find it hard to predict the outcome of today's four women's soccer quarterfinal matches.

Three games - US vs Canada in Shanghai, Sweden vs Germany in Shenyang, and China vs Japan in Qinhuangdao - will be played by teams from the same continent with similar styles. The fourth, between Brazil and Norway in Tianjin, will pit two very different teams: Brazil's individual skills against Norway's strength.

The Japanese hammered the Norwegians 5-1 to take a bye as the section's third-place team. China topped its pool and has improved form to go with standout strikers Han Duan, Xu Yuan and Lou Jiahui. Japan has only beat China three times in 23 matches.

The US will meet Canada at the tail end of a long line of heated contests in Shanghai. The Canadians will be keen to get the better of the US for the first time at a major world final.

The game between Germany and Sweden will be a re-match of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup final won by Germany.

Brazil and Norway will meet up in a clash of styles. The Brazilians are known for their improvisational approach, while the Norwegians rely on a coherent team game.

(China Daily 08/15/2008 page22)