Anthony DiCicco is the CEO of SoccerPlus Companies, which includes one of the most successful soccer camp organizations in the United States as well as SoccerPlus Connecticut, an accomplished premier club.
The Women's World Cup in 2011 has the greatest parity since the events inception in 1991 but there are clear favorites, the USA, Germany and Brazil but what's different this year is that there are some sleeper teams; teams that if they hit the event in stride they could be very difficult to knock off.
Group A: Germany, Canada
Germany will not take anything for granted and will win all 3 group matches. Canada has been playing very well in the last year and has been through some tumultuous times that have caused the team to become closer. They have certainly been a different team under Caroline Morace than under Evan Pellerud. The culture is better and the Canadians expect to compete deep into the tournament. France and Nigeria won't go down easy and the Nigerians' athleticism should scare Canada a bit but in the end Germany goes through easy and Canada battles on.
Group B: England, Japan
England is coming together at just the right time and although it was just a friendly, defeated the mighty United States 2-1 earlier this year. They are playing with as much confidence as they've ever had including an appearance in the 2009 European Championship Final (which they lost 6-2 to Germany). This will be Kelly Smith's last World Cup and if she can find the scoring touch England will be very difficult to play against. Japan will be the other popular choice to win the group or certainly advance. Anyone who follows the women's game regularly knows that Japan is doing special things developing technical players. But all evidence is that they have not yet learned how to win in these types of events. Despite having qualified for every Women's World Cup their best finish is 10th place. I wouldn't be too surprised to see Japan falter and leave the door open for Mexico to slip through. Mexico will benefit tremendously from their repeatedly demanding games against Canada and the United States, having played Japan twice in 2010 as well as Australia, but are hurt by the schedule having to face England first while Japan will beat up on New Zealand. This group will come down to the Mexico-Japan match in the second group game, but it is an uphill battle for our CONCACAF neighbors.
The Women's World Cup in 2011 has the greatest parity since the events inception in 1991 but there are clear favorites, the USA, Germany and Brazil but what's different this year is that there are some sleeper teams; teams that if they hit the event in stride they could be very difficult to knock off.
Group A: Germany, Canada
Germany will not take anything for granted and will win all 3 group matches. Canada has been playing very well in the last year and has been through some tumultuous times that have caused the team to become closer. They have certainly been a different team under Caroline Morace than under Evan Pellerud. The culture is better and the Canadians expect to compete deep into the tournament. France and Nigeria won't go down easy and the Nigerians' athleticism should scare Canada a bit but in the end Germany goes through easy and Canada battles on.
Group B: England, Japan
England is coming together at just the right time and although it was just a friendly, defeated the mighty United States 2-1 earlier this year. They are playing with as much confidence as they've ever had including an appearance in the 2009 European Championship Final (which they lost 6-2 to Germany). This will be Kelly Smith's last World Cup and if she can find the scoring touch England will be very difficult to play against. Japan will be the other popular choice to win the group or certainly advance. Anyone who follows the women's game regularly knows that Japan is doing special things developing technical players. But all evidence is that they have not yet learned how to win in these types of events. Despite having qualified for every Women's World Cup their best finish is 10th place. I wouldn't be too surprised to see Japan falter and leave the door open for Mexico to slip through. Mexico will benefit tremendously from their repeatedly demanding games against Canada and the United States, having played Japan twice in 2010 as well as Australia, but are hurt by the schedule having to face England first while Japan will beat up on New Zealand. This group will come down to the Mexico-Japan match in the second group game, but it is an uphill battle for our CONCACAF neighbors.
Group C: United States, North Korea
Nothing has come easy for the American women in the last couple of years. Following Greg Ryan's implosion in '07 the US opened the '08 Olympics with a loss to Norway and then rebounded to win the Gold Medal. Qualifying took a home and away series against Italy. They lost to England during a UK training camp and in their send off game June 5th, Lauren Cheney finally put one away in stoppage time (in spite of dominating the game). The USA will advance out of their group but they will have to scratch and claw to do so. The USWNT will tie North Korea in the opening game. They'll beat up on first-time World Cup participants Columbia (as will North Korea and Sweden) and the US will have to find a way to win against the Swedes, something that they have shown maybe the greatest quality in American soccer (think about Landon Donovan vs. Algeria in South Africa). This difficult group stage will pull the team together BUT the already tired legs of the US won't get the rest they'd like in that final group match and it could be a factor as the tournament wears on. No one knows much about North Korea. We never do because they are such a closed group. I did get a chance to see them play in the 2008 U20 World Cup in Chile while my father coached the US U20s to the World Championship. The US defeated North Korea in that final but the North Koreans are fit, hard and are motivated by factors that I think all of us westerners struggle to understand. North Korea should be considered a dark horse in this tournament.
Group D: Brazil, Norway
Brazil is a world-class team led by the most dynamic player in the world in Marta. And they have something to prove having come up just short so many times. They won't have any issues advancing out of the group and they will do it with some flair (look for double digits against Equatorial Guinea). So the battle in Group D is for second place and the matchup between Norway and Australia on the last day of group play (July 6th) should determine it. Norway is banged up and has a lot of question marks. The once great women's soccer nation has fallen on tough times in recent years. but everything hasn't been rosy in the Australian camp either and questions still linger for Tom Sermanni's side. I think this is a coin flip but with the World Cup being in Germany and with Norway having a tradition of expectation to draw from, the Vikings will send the Matildas home early which will be a massive disappointment to a sporting nation that has made significant strides in the past decade. This July 6th game could be a cracker and is certainly one to circle on the schedule.
Nothing has come easy for the American women in the last couple of years. Following Greg Ryan's implosion in '07 the US opened the '08 Olympics with a loss to Norway and then rebounded to win the Gold Medal. Qualifying took a home and away series against Italy. They lost to England during a UK training camp and in their send off game June 5th, Lauren Cheney finally put one away in stoppage time (in spite of dominating the game). The USA will advance out of their group but they will have to scratch and claw to do so. The USWNT will tie North Korea in the opening game. They'll beat up on first-time World Cup participants Columbia (as will North Korea and Sweden) and the US will have to find a way to win against the Swedes, something that they have shown maybe the greatest quality in American soccer (think about Landon Donovan vs. Algeria in South Africa). This difficult group stage will pull the team together BUT the already tired legs of the US won't get the rest they'd like in that final group match and it could be a factor as the tournament wears on. No one knows much about North Korea. We never do because they are such a closed group. I did get a chance to see them play in the 2008 U20 World Cup in Chile while my father coached the US U20s to the World Championship. The US defeated North Korea in that final but the North Koreans are fit, hard and are motivated by factors that I think all of us westerners struggle to understand. North Korea should be considered a dark horse in this tournament.
Group D: Brazil, Norway
Brazil is a world-class team led by the most dynamic player in the world in Marta. And they have something to prove having come up just short so many times. They won't have any issues advancing out of the group and they will do it with some flair (look for double digits against Equatorial Guinea). So the battle in Group D is for second place and the matchup between Norway and Australia on the last day of group play (July 6th) should determine it. Norway is banged up and has a lot of question marks. The once great women's soccer nation has fallen on tough times in recent years. but everything hasn't been rosy in the Australian camp either and questions still linger for Tom Sermanni's side. I think this is a coin flip but with the World Cup being in Germany and with Norway having a tradition of expectation to draw from, the Vikings will send the Matildas home early which will be a massive disappointment to a sporting nation that has made significant strides in the past decade. This July 6th game could be a cracker and is certainly one to circle on the schedule.
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