Australia 2, Norway 1

In a winner take all battle for a quarterfinal berth, Australia defeated Norway 2-1 in a tense Group D match in Leverkusen. And it was the scoring touch of Kyah Simon that produced both goals for the Matildas.

Both teams made changes in their lineup for this match. Australia elected to get as much speed and offense into their lineup as possible, starting Caitlin Foord at right back, and the forward duo of Lisa De Vanna and Kyah Simon, with another forward, Samantha Kerr on the wing.

Norway moved Trine Ronning to the back line, starting Gry Tofte Ims and Lene Mykjaland in the midfield and Cecilie Pedersen at forward with Madeleine Giske, Nora Berge, and Isabell Herlovsen on the bench.

Norway held the early advantage in pressure and scoring chances, in fact for much of the first half. At the quarter hour mark, Norway were buzzing around the Australian penalty area, with Pedersen eventually blasting a shot from 12 yards. It appeared that Kim Carroll's cleat was the only thing that kept the ball from going into the net, as the Australian defender may just have gotten a piece of it.

Australia's first real effort was a long distance shot by Samantha Kerr which went harmlessly over the crossbar.

In the 26th minute, Norwegian keeper Ingrid Hjelmseth jumped to catch a high cross and landed awkwardly, apparently hurting her ankle. While she soldiered on for the remainder of the first half, she was replaced by Erika Skarbo at the intermission.

One of Norway's problems in the first two matches was putting shots on frame. Elise Thorsnes attempted to rectify that with three hard shots on goal within just a few minutes of the first half. But Matilda goalie Melissa Barbieri was able to stop and smother every shot. Thorsnes was certainly the most dangerous player on the pitch in the first half.

Australia took one other shot from distance by De Vanna at the end of the half, but Hjelmseth caught the ball easily. The game went to halftime scoreless. Norway made two changes at the half, the aforementioned Skarbo for Hjelmseth switch and Kristine Hegland came in for Emilie Haavi who had played well, but had been nursing an injury.

Norway pressured to start the second half in an attempt to get the lead. But their goal came on a very innocuous looking play. A long ball was played by Ingvild Stensland with the ball rolling toward the Australian penalty area. Barbieri, got to the edge of the box and decided to wait for the ball rather than going forward and kicking it clear. Thorsnes stepped around a defender, intercepted the ball directly in front of Barbieri and safely deposited it into the net. Norway had the lead they needed to advance in the 56th minute.

But the lead lasted less than a minute. Australia worked the ball up the left side where Ronning appeared to gain possession for Norway in the corner. But De Vanna deftly dispossessed the Norwegian defender, dribbled inside the box on the left side, and centered the ball to Kyah Simon who was just left of the penalty mark. Simon couldn't have been more accurate as she placed her shot in the lower right corner of the net with Skarbo having no chance. The game was now even again.

In the 67th minute, Australia threatened as Heather Garriock crossed from the left side. With both Kerr for Australia and Maren Mjelde for Norway charging toward the net, Skarbo was somehow able to make a sliding save to clear the ball out and preserve the tie.

Australia had another chance just three minutes later as De Vanna dispossessed another Norwegian defender, this time Guro Mienna. She passed the ball to the left of the box, but this time Simon's shot went wide of the right post.

Norway desperately tried to regain the lead. Ronning headed a Stensland corner kick over the bar in the 76th minute, followed by Pedersen's 16 yard shot going wide of the net just a minute later. But they came closest in the 84th minute, when it looked like they had retaken the lead.

Norway was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and Trine Ronning took the kick. Her shot from 22 yards hit the bottom of the crossbar almost in the upper left corner, but it did not go in and Australia was able to clear.

Australia put the game away in the 87th minute. Second half substitute Laura Alleway chased the ball down in the right corner and passed it to Kim Carroll who was about 28 yards out on the right wing. Carroll one-timed it into to the six-yard box dead center and Simon headed the ball home for her second goal of the match.

The match ended 2-1 for Australia and the Matildas were through to the quarterfinals, finishing in 2nd place in Group D. They will now face Sweden, who defeated the United States in Group C action today.

World Cup: Day 11

The two teams advancing from Group C have already been decided, with placement being the only thing left. The United States will meet Sweden to determine who wins Group C, with a tie going to the United States. Colombia and Korea DPR have been eliminated.

Group D is a bit more interesting. Brazil has qualified for the quarterfinals and will win the group unless they have a disaster against Equatorial Guinea. Australia and Norway will meet to decide the second team out of Group D. The winner advances to the quarterfinal, while the loser goes home. Australia would advance in case of a tie, based on goal differential.

Brazil vs. Equatorial Guinea (12 pm eastern)

Brazil has the luxury of only needing a tie to clinch the group and since they have a hefty edge in scoring differential, they would likely win the group even in the event of a loss. Equatorial Guinea is playing for pride at this point and they have made a good account of themselves in this tournament so far.

It will be interesting to see how many players Brazilian coach Kleiton Lima elects to rest, if any. They have clinched a quarterfinal berth and the chances of them not winning the group are very slim indeed.

There is no doubt that Marta was the dominant factor in Brazil's last match. She scored two goals and added an assist in leading Brazil to an easy 3-0 win over Norway. Rosana has two goals so far in the tournament and has looked very good to this point. Cristiane is the only one of the three forwards who hasn't scored yet and one would think she would be pushing to do so in this match.

Brazil has not surrendered a goal in two matches and Andreia has done a solid job in goal on the whole, posting both shutouts. The Brazilian three defender formation looked vulnerable at times, but as of yet, no team has been able to score against them. Brazil has dominated midfield play with Formiga, Fabiana, and Maurine.

For Equatorial Guinea, it has been Anonman, Anonman, Anonman. She single-handedly kept her team in the match against Australia, twice stripping a defender of the ball and scoring. She will take every opportunity to shoot and is always dangerous. Diala is another player that has shown flashes of strong play in the attack.

We are hoping that there are no more embarrassing moments from the back line, as when Bruna picked up the ball in the last match. Carolina has generally been the Guineans strongest defender. Miriam will start in goal for the African squad.

The Brazilians do not have a lot of pressure in this match and they should be able to handle Equatorial Guinea, if they do not let their guard down and take Anonman too lightly. She is world class. In spite of their two losses, Equatorial Guinea has had a respectable World Cup, but it is hard to see them winning this one.

My Prediction: Brazil 3, Equatorial Guinea 0

Australia vs. Norway (12 pm eastern)

This match has become a winner-take-all proposition for a quarterfinal berth. Norway dug themselves a deep hole on goal differential because of their three goal loss to Brazil. Now they must win to advance, while a tie would be good enough for the Matildas.

For Norway's offense, it has been a frustrating World Cup so far. Only Emilie Haavi has scored and she has probably also played the best of any of the forwards or attacking players from the midfield. Elise Thorsnes and Isabell Herlovsen have not been able to find the net.

Australia has been a bit more successful, owing mostly to Lisa De Vanna's speed and determination. Leena Khamis also played well in her start against Equatorial Guinea and she has a goal to her credit.

The midfield battle should be interesting. Certainly, Australia's midfield, particularly Collette McCallum, has been very active in the first two matches. Ingvild Stensland is the driving force behind Norway's midfield.

Both defenses struggled in their last match. Servet Uzunlar had a nightmare with Anonman of Equatorial Guinea. Will Tom Sermanni make changes on his back line for this all important match? They were respectable against Brazil holding them to one goal.

Norway simply had no answer for Marta. They are not the fastest defense in any sense of the word and Marta's was able to run around and by them. De Vanna will pose a problem for Norway as well, although she is more direct and less crafty than the great Brazilian.

It is hard to give a goalkeeper's edge one way or the other. Both Melissa Barbieri for Australia and Ingrid Hjelmseth are solid keepers, with experience.

Australia is known for playing balls over the top of the defense and may try to do that here, leaving De Vanna and her speed to chase them down. I'm not sure if the middle is the best place to attack Norway, however, and the flanks might be a better option for Australia, using McCallum and Heather Garriock to serve balls into scoring position. De Vanna will need support from her fellow Matildas as well. Australia can simply not afford the mistakes that they made against Equatorial Guinea.

Norway needs to keep Australia's best weapons in front of them or to the outside. De Vanna can be prone to offsides, so they might be able to catch her a few times, but they must be careful. Set pieces are likely to be physical affairs in this match, with neither team backing down. Herlovsen, Thorsnes, and Pedersen need to put more shots on frame.

This is probably the most compelling match out of all of the final group stage games, with so much at stake.

My Prediction: Norway 2, Australia 1

United States vs. Sweden (2:45 pm eastern)

This match will decide first and second place in Group C, as both have already qualified for the quarterfinals. The United States has the edge in goal differential and will therefore win the group with a tie.

Key players for both teams are likely to miss this match. Sweden will definitely be without their star midfielder Caroline Seger, who will miss this match because of yellow card accumulation. She is the motor in the middle that makes Sweden run.

The United States will almost certainly be without wing midfielder Heather O'Reilly, who suffered a groin injury in the last match against Colombia. Abby Wambach continues to have nagging problems with her Achilles tendon and heel. Neither practiced on Monday.

The injuries will certainly hurt the American attack if neither can play. Lauren Cheney might ordinarily replace Wambach, since both are target forwards, but Cheney has been starting as an outside midfielder for the two previous games. Megan Rapinoe, who Cheney replaced in the starting lineup, will now have to take O'Reilly's place, leaving two forwards, Alex Morgan and Amy Rodriguez. One other possible option is Kelley O'Hara, a late addition to the team after Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury.

The United States, after a slow start in the first half against Korea DPR, has played very well for the last game and a half. They have scored five goals in those two matches and their defense has shut out two opponents. Truth be told, Hope Solo hasn't had to make all that many saves to this point. But the back line is still the most suspect part of the United States' team and Sweden will likely be a tougher foe than either Colombia or Korea.

Meanwhile, Sweden has struggled through their first two games, deservedly winning both matches, but being less than impressive in doing so. One would guess that Lotta Schelin would give the American back line problems with her combination of speed and strength. It should be an interesting battle in the penalty area between Solo and the tall attacking players on Sweden, including Schelin and Jessica Landstrom. There should be some fierce battles on set pieces.

Sweden's defense has been solid to this point and they too have posted two shutous. Lindahl is very tested and experienced in goal for Sweden. One would suspect the United States might want to attack on their left, the right side of the Swedish defense. Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro generally don't make a lot of mistakes on Sweden's left side.

With Seger sidelined, one would think we would see more touches for Forsberg and Sjogran in the midfield. Lisa Dahlqvist has played well to this point in the tournament and has a goal to her credit.

I believe this game is about as even as it gets. It's probably going to come down to who can best compensate for their missing players. Wambach draws so many defenders to her and is so devastating on head balls, that her loss would hurt the American attack considerably. Without the active O'Reilly up the right flank, my guess is we will see more attacking up the middle from the US.

Sweden has a number of quality midfielders, so while the loss of Seger will hurt them, I believe they have experienced options at their disposal. Schelin has been largely frustrated to this point, but she seems to relish in facing the US.

My Prediction: Sweden 2, United States 1

Korea DPR vs. Colombia (2:45 pm eastern)

This match features the two youngest teams in this year's World Cup. Both of these teams have been eliminated as far as advancing to the quarterfinals. Both teams will look to this game to build toward the future.

Korea is known for their strong technical abilities and they will try to break down Colombia with a methodical attack using short passes to work their way up the field. Colombia is more likely to be impatient. They will look to target their young attacking players where they can go one-on-one against Korean defenders.

Colombia will likely start Yoreli Rincon in this match after starting her on the bench against the United States. Their young star will likely try to find space in the middle of the field and look for shooting opportunities whenever possible. Look also for Cataline Usme and Carmen Rodallega, a dangerous player on the left wing, to also cause Korea problems. Orianica Velasquez looked very good in limited minutes against the US and she might get more opportunity in this match.

Defensively, Natalia Gaitan has probably been Colombia's best player. Sandra Sepulveda started both of the first two matches in goal, but injured her hand against the United States and looked shaky on one of the goals scored after that.

Korea's Jo Yun Mi will be the focus of their attack. She is an extremely talented player and this may be a game that she will have a breakout performance. Ra Un Sim is also dangerous on the attack for Korea. Also beware of defender Song Jong Sun, one of Korea's most experienced player and one that likes to jump into the attack. Hong Myong Hui will probably be in goal for Korea.

Not only are these two teams the youngest, but they are also two of the shortest teams in the tournament. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see who wins the battles on set pieces in this match.

It is hard to judge what will happen when two very young teams meet each other in what is essentially a meaningless match. But while this match has little meaning as far as standings or advancement are concerned, I'm sure both teams will fight hard to win this one.

My Prediction: Korea DPR 1, Colombia 0

Brazil 3, Norway 0

Brazil may have started slow in their match against Norway, but they finished strong in defeating the European squad 3-0 in Group D play on Sunday. Brazil clinched a spot in the quarterfinals and although it is not 100% assured it will be the number one spot, it most likely will be.

It was a doubly bad day for Norway. Not only did they lose the match to Brazil, but they did irreparable harm to their goal differential. Because they lost by three goals to Brazil, they will now have to defeat Australia in their final group stage match to advance to the quarterfinals.

It was definitely Marta's day today. She scored two goals and added an assist on the third. She was the dominant factor in the match and most certainly in the second half. Norway just could not keep up with her pace for the majority of the match.

However, Brazil started very slowly and it appeared that Norway had the initiative for the first 20 minutes of the match. It certainly looked like Norway could give Brazil's three back formation some problems. But what Norway failed to do was create many quality chances. They always seemed on the verge, but never quite got there.

The first goal was just a bit controversial, as Brazil may have gotten away with a foul or possibly two. Emilie Haavi received the ball on the left side about 3o yards out and dribbled toward the Brazilian penalty area. As she did, she was upended by Erika, losing the ball with the Brazilian gaining possession.

Erika started a counterattack with a long ball up the right side. Norwegian defender Nora Holstad Berge had a stride or two lead on Marta, but the great striker reached out and gave Berge a bit of a shove which knocked her to the ground. Marta gained possession deep in Norway's end cut to the center, moving around Maren Mjelde who was faked out and struck a low shot inside the right post to put Brazil up by 1-0.

It was not conclusive how hard the shove was that Marta had given, but it definitely knocked Berge off balance. Some of sold out crowd jeered Marta for the remainder of the first half.

Brazil nearly scored a second on Rosana's long-range shot in the 42nd minute, but Ingrid Hjelmseth pushed the ball over the crossbar.

Norway appeared to have a chance to draw even in the 44th minute as a long free kick was sent into the box. Madeleine Giske first gained control of the ball pushing it toward the goal, but as the ball came loose in front of Andreia, Isabell Herlovsen was ruled offsides.

Things fell apart quickly for the Norwegians in the second half. In startling quickness, Brazil struck for two goals in the opening four minutes to put the game away.

Not even a minute into the 2nd half, Marta took the ball from the center line and dribbled all the way into the left side of the penalty area, drawing several defenders toward her. She then released a pass across to Rosana who finished into the lower left side of the goal. It was Rosana's second goal of this World Cup.

In the 48th minute, a Norwegian clearance was blocked by Brazil, but the ball came to Mjelde and she appeared to have the situation under control. But Mjelde hit a very weak ball back toward her keeper with Cristiane gaining control. Cristiane's shot was blocked, but the ball came to Marta, who calmly moved to her right to place herself directly in front of the keeper and she then punched the ball past Hjelmseth into the goal. Marta showed great patience on the play, putting herself in better position for her shot.

For all intents and purposes, the day was done for Norway. It became apparent that coach Eli Landsem had arrived at the same conclusion when she took Ingvild Stensland out of the match in the 67th minute in order to rest her. Norway did create a few chances in the 2nd half, but none amounted to anything in the end.

Marta nearly had another goal in the 68th minute. She raced past Berge, gained control of the ball in the penalty area, but hesitated a bit long while deciding whether to shoot or pass the ball to Cristiane and she was unable to get a good shot off. It was definitely not a good day for defenders on Sunday.

In the 82nd minute, Elise Thorsnes beat a couple of defenders, weaving her way into the penalty area, but her driven shot was blocked by Daiane before it could get to the goal.

Norway was most dangerous on corner kicks. On two occasions in the last ten minutes, Norway threatened to get one goal back. In the 83rd minute, Cecilie Pedersen was able to get her head on a corner and the ball eventually came to Giske, who put it just over the goal. In the 87th minute, Thorsnes' had her shot blocked over the net off of a corner.

With two wins in hand and a healthy edge in goal differential, it would be very hard to see Brazil finishing anywhere but first in this group. They will face Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday in their last group stage match.

Norway has made things hard on themselves indeed. The loss by three goals now forces them to defeat Australia in a Wednesday showdown, if they are to advance to the quarterfinals.

World Cup: Day 8

Australia vs. Equatorial Guinea (8 am eastern)

While it is mathematically possible that the loser of this match will still have a chance to advance to the quarterfinals, it's not very likely. Both teams lost close low scoring matches in their first game and both teams are still looking for their first goal in the 2011 World Cup. Both teams pushed their first game opponents to the limit.

In spite of Australia and Equatorial Guinea going scoreless in their first match, this one could very well be wide open. Certainly neither has any reason to hold anything back.

Australia certainly had their chances against Brazil and it took one heck of a goal to beat them. Maybe this not exactly a do or die game, but very close to it. It will be interesting to see if Tom Sermanni makes any changes to his lineup. He surprised a lot of people by starting young Caitlin Foord in the first game and on the back line at that.

Lisa De Vanna had a fairly frustrating day, but she certainly wasn't the only forward that's had a problem putting the ball on frame in this World Cup. De Vanna is almost essential to Australian attack, because opposing defenses simply must respect her blazing speed.

One wonders if veterans Clare Polkinghorne or Lauren Colthorpe might get a start in match two. Lisa Barbieri will probably again be the keeper for Australia. She really had no chance on the goal scored against her.

For Equatorial Guinea, Anonman certainly kept Norway busy. She launched over 10 shots for the match and she will likely be a thorn in Australia's side on Sunday as well. Like De Vanna, Anonman had trouble getting shots on frame. Diala is another player that could give Australia some problems.

Equatorial Guinea gave up 13 corner kicks in their first match and they will not want to repeat that against the Aussies. Carolina had a solid match against Norway on the back line. Miriam will be the starting goalkeeper and she gave up just one to Norway in the opener.

Equatorial Guinea surprised a lot of people in the first match, playing Norway to a one-goal match, especially considering they were missing several players that helped them qualify for the World Cup. Now the question is can they get their first victory in the World Cup.

Look for Australia to play the ball into space for their speedy forwards, particularly De Vanna, to run onto. Kyah Simon was very effective at times against Brazil. Australia will want to mark Anonman closely. If they can force her to take long shots, it may frustrate her. Equatorial Guinea needs to have a lot of energy and continue high pressure on the Australian back line, hopefully forcing a mistake.

This should be an entertaining match to watch and a very hard match to predict.

My Prediction: Australia 2, Equatorial Guinea 2.

Brazil vs. Norway (12:15 pm eastern)

This one is unique in that it is the only game where two teams that won their first match are meeting in the second match. Brazil and Norway will do battle with the winner being in the driver's seat to advance to the quarterfinals. The loser will do a lot more sweating in anticipation of their third match.

This will be a match of contrasting styles, South American vs. European if you will, and contrasting formations as well. That alone would make this an interesting match. But because of what may be on the line and the fact that they are meeting early enough in the tournament where neither has clinched a quarterfinal bid makes this compelling soccer.

Marta has played in 11 World Cup games and scored in seven of them, but has been shut out in the last two, Wednesday's match against Australia and the 2007 World Cup championship against Germany. One would think it highly unlikely for her to be blanked again. While Marta had her moments in Brazil's opening match, it was Cristiane and Rosana that provided the magic.

Formiga will be a pivotal factor in the midfield. One thing to look for in this match is to see how many touches she is getting and how well she is distributing the ball. If she is effective, Norway could be in for a long day.

Will Brazil play a true 3-4-3 against Norway? That could be another interesting aspect of this match, because the Brazilian back line did appear to be vulnerable at times against Australia and Norway has some skilled young attacking players in Elise Thorsnes and Isabell Herlovsen that could exploit any weakness.

Even without her goal, I thought Emilie Haavi had an excellent match against Equatorial Guinea. She will have to play a big role in this match as well if Norway is going to win.

Norway's back line against Brazil's three forwards will be another thing to watch closely. The Norwegians are sound on the back line and they have a great defensive-minded midfielder in Ingvild Stensland to help them out.

I would call the matchup between goalkeepers, Andreia for Brazil and Ingrid Hjelmseth for Norway to be fairly even. Both are veteran keepers that have seen a lot of action.

This game may be one of the more fun matches to watch in the World Cup. Brazil has to be the favorites, but the Norwegians could certainly pull an upset. However, I think this will be Marta's match and it's hard to bet against her.

My Prediction: Brazil 2, Norway 1.

Norway 1, Equatorial Guinea 0

Emilie Haavi's goal in the 84th minute sent Norway past Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in the opening match of Group D on Wednesday. This game was in doubt from the opening moment to the very end.

If anyone expected Equatorial Guinea to be overmatched, they were certainly mistaken. They traded blow for blow with Norway, but in the end, they could not score. EG's star Anonman attempted shot after shot, double figures in all, but to no avail.

Norway came close to taking an early lead. Haavi hit a low shot off the left post from the right side of the box and Isabell Herlovsen put the rebound well over the net. A few minutes later, it was again Herlovsen sending one over the crossbar from 10 yards out.

Equatorial Guinea had their first good chance in the 20th minute as Diala sent Dulcia through, but Haavi made up ground and slid to block the shot just in the nick of time. A couple minutes later, Dorine came around the left edge clear, but her shot went right to Ingrid Hjelmseth.

Throughout the first half, both teams tried several shots from distance with very few being even remotely dangerous. The African squad was especially guilty of attempting long shots, instead of holding the ball to allow teammates to join in the attack where they could use their speed and skill.

Later in the half, Norway had two more chances as Elise Thorsnes' shot went just wide, with EG's goalkeeper Miriam getting a hand on it and later Herlovsen put yet another over the crossbar.

Just seconds before the intermission, Anonman beat the defense to get in alone against Hjelmseth, but Norwegian keeper made a nice save on the shot from 9 yards out.

Herlovsen continued to have problems with accuracy into the second half. Thorsnes forced a turnover and sent the ball to Herlovsen who hit it well wide of the net.

Anonman continued to impress with her ability, if not her accuracy, in the 53rd minute. She spun on her defender and put on a burst of speed into the penalty area, but touched the ball wide of the right post.

The game seemed to be opening up as a couple minutes later, Herlovsen dropped a pass back to Lene Mykjaland, whose shot glanced off a defender and then went off the outside of the right post.

In the 58th minute, an Ingvild Stensland corner found the head of Thorsnes who headed the ball toward the goal. Miriam made the save, but the ball came loose in traffic. Herlovsen was able to hit a soft shot that hit the left post, but Equatorial Guinean defender Carolina was able to fend off Herlovsen's quest for the rebound and get the ball out of trouble.

Next, it was Equatorial Guinea that would have a couple of chances. Anonman's shot from distance in the 66th minute went over the crossbar. A corner kick caused Hjelmseth all kinds of trouble as she got caught out, but the ball was deflected out of traffic just wide of the post. Anonman again tested the defense in the 75th minute, but her weak shot went well wide of the left post.

Back came Norway. Haavi put one just over the crossbar in the 78th minute, followed by Cecilie Pedersen's left-footed drive from 20 yards which forced Miriam to push the ball over the bar with both hands.

Norway continued to increase the pressure and it finally paid off in the 84th minute. Maren Mjelde took possession and dribbled in from 45 yards out to just short of the penalty area. She deftly pushed the ball through to Leni Kaurin on the right side who took the ball to the end line and hit a low cross. Miriam was only able to get a hand on the ball as it came across, just enough to push behind Stensland who was making a run down the center. However, Haavi was making a run toward the back post and she finished into the center of the net as Miriam was unable to recover in time.

Equatorial Guinea was unable to get an equalizer in the remaining time and Norway got the three points, which clearly had to be a relief for Norwegian coach Eli Landsem.

It will be interesting to watch Equatorial Guinea for the rest of the tournament. They showed good skills and played very well at times. If they could be just a bit more patient, instead of trying 25-30 yard shots, they could be a force to be reckoned with. They could give their next opponent, Australia, quite a bit of trouble.

Meanwhile, one would think that Norway will have to be just a little bit better than this when they face Brazil on Sunday. While some players, especially Haavi, had very strong matches, the team's performance was uneven. Anonman nearly split their defense on several occasions and that's something that they will have to fix before they meet Marta and company.

World Cup: Day 4

Norway vs. Equatorial Guinea (9am eastern)

It some ways, Norway is in an enviable position. On Wednesday, they will face the lowest ranked team at this year's World Cup and that team is missing a few of the top players that got them there. But there is also the unknown to deal with and Equatorial Guinea certainly represents a bit of a mystery at this point.

Of course, to be fair, Norway is missing many of the players that got through qualifying as well. Lise Klaveness, Toril Akerhaugen, and Lisa Marie Woods were an integral part of Norwegian qualification for the 2011 FIFA World Cup and none of them will be playing for Norway in Germany. Nor will Solveig Gulbrandsen who has since retired.

Norway has had some trouble scoring goals this year. Their best options are a trio of young forwards Isabell Herlovsen, Elise Thorsnes, and Cecilie Pedersen. Herlovsen scored six goals in a qualification match against Macedonia. Thorsnes and Pedersen recently scored five goals between them in a friendly against Finland.

Norway looks to their midfield for experience, particularly the great Ingvild Stensland, who is among the best defensive midfielders in the world. Lene Mykjaland is another talented midfielder that Equatorial Guinea must deal with. It's more experience in goal for Norway with Ingrid Hjelmseth. Maren Mjelde is a very good young defender.

With Jade Boho out, the player to watch for Equatorial Guinea will be Genoveva Anonman. There will be a lot on the shoulders of Anonman in this match. She is one of the few players on the team with a generous amount of international and club experience.

Hjelmseth should have the advantage in goal over Miriam, both in experience and ability. It is likely that Miriam will be subjected to more pressure than Hjelmseth as well.

Look to see how Equatorial Guinea comes out. If they appear nervous early on, this could be a very long day for them. Their lack of international experience and match play leading up to this World Cup could be telling. However, if they can string some passes together and get into a rhythm, perhaps they can give Norway a run for their money.

Norway is usually built on defense. If they can keep their defensive shape and keep mistakes at a minimum, they should be able to keep EG at bay. As in most matches, the midfield will be the key battleground. Anonman has a lot of experience in the Frauen Bundesliga, so she is used to European soccer.

Heat may also be a factor in this match. One would think that Equatorial Guinea would be more used to hot conditions than Norway. But Norway has played more soccer and may be more match fit at this point. We saw how conditions seem to bother the Nigerians more than France on Sunday.

One doesn't know quite what to expect from Equatorial Guinea in this match, but Norway has the edge in several categories, so it would hard to see them losing this match.

My Prediction: Norway 3, Equatorial Guinea 0.

Brazil vs. Australia (12:15 pm eastern)

This is a rematch of a 2007 quarterfinal match that Brazil won 3-2. In that match, Brazil jumped out to an early two goal lead. Brazil dominated for most of the match, but Australia stormed back and tied the match, before Cristiane scored the game winner in the 75th minute. Brazil has eight starters from that match back for 2011 and Australia has six, so you can bet there will be plenty of players that well remember that match.

This match features three of the top scorers from the 2007 World Cup, all of whom scored in that match, Marta, Cristiane, and Lisa De Vanna. Both teams are known for their offense more than their defense, so we might see a bit of scoring in this match as well.

The Brazilians are now a mature soccer team. Many of their players have been through at least one World Cup and an Olympics. They will certainly be one of the favorites in Germany. Australia has a young team by comparison and defense is one area where that youth is underscored.

The young Australian defense will have to play solid against the skilled Brazilians. They will have to withstand a lot of pressure and keep from being mesmerized by the superior technical skills of their opponent. At age 23, Kim Carroll is the senior member of that back line and the most experienced. Veteran keeper Melissa Barbieri will have to keep her young defense organized in front of her.

The Aussies certainly have attacking weapons and a pretty experienced group in the midfield led by Heather Garriock and Collette McCallum. They will need to shut down Brazilian passing lanes and hopefully, start counterattacks.

Lisa De Vanna is no doubt the most dangerous offensive player for the Aussies. In the absence of Kate Gill, her striking partner is likely to be Kyah Simon or possibly, Samantha Kerr. The Matildas will have to take advantage of their scoring opportunities which are likely to be far fewer than their Brazilian counterparts.

Brazil can methodically break down opposing defenses or they can strike lightning quick. Marta will undoubtedly draw numerous defenders toward her, leaving more room for Cristiane to attack. Formiga is a great organizer in the midfield and unless the Aussies can shut her down, they are in for a very long day.

Brazil's outside defenders, particularly Rosana, could pose problems as well. Again, Australia will have to look for good opportunities for the counter if Brazil's outside defenders get caught upfield.

The goalkeeping matchup should be interesting with both being very experienced, Andreia for Brazil and Barbieri for Australia. Neither can afford to make mistakes, but it is almost a given that Barbieri will see more action at her end of the field.

Look early in the match to see how sharp Brazil's passing game is. They haven't played very many matches lately and they might be a bit rusty early on. Australia will have to avoid 1 v. 1 situations as much as possible and it's a must when Marta is involved. The trick is to frustrate Marta, as we have seen happen on very rare occasion in WPS.

Australia is always a game squad. They won a very tough AFC qualification tournament without De Vanna, which is a laudable effort indeed. Once again, they will be without one of their best scorers in Gill. It may be too much for them to overcome against a team like Brazil, which has so many weapons and the world's best player. Brazil will likely have the possession edge and might be able to wear the Matildas down, although you'll never see them quit.

My Prediction: Brazil 3, Australia 1

Group D Preview: Norway

Norway (#9)
Region: UEFA
Coach: Eli Landsem
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Ukraine in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: 4th Place
2003: Lost in Quarterfinals
1999: 4th Place
1995: Champions
1991: 2nd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Skarbo, Mienna, Ronning, Mykjaland, Stensland, Giske, Herlovsen, Kaurin.

Roster (Average Age: 24.89)

Name	Pos	Club	Age	Caps/Goals
Ingrid Hjelmseth	GK	Stabaek	31	45/0
Caroline Knutsen	GK	Roa	27	4/0
Erika Skarbo	GK	Arna-Bjornar	24	16/0
Hedda Gardsjord	DF	Roa	28	22/0
Nora Holdstad Berge	DF	Linkoping	24	6/0
Marita Skammelsrud Lund	DF	LSK Kvinner	22	20/0
Guro Knutsen Mienna	DF	Roa	26	30/3
Maren Mjelde	DF	Arna-Bjornar	21	32/1
Trine Ronning	DF	Stabaek	29	113/20
Ingrid Ryland	DF	Arna-Bjornar	22	7/0
Runa Vikestad	DF	Kolbotn	26	15/1
Emilie Bosshard Haavi	MF	Roa	19	8/4
Gry Tofte Ims	MF	Klepp	25	8/0
Lene Mykjaland	MF	Roa	24	36/8
Ingvild Stensland	MF	FCF Lyon	29	102/5
Kristine Wigdahl Hegland	MF	Arna-Bjornar	18	0/0
Madeleine Giske	FW	Arna-Bjornar	23	17/1
Isabell Herlovsen	FW	LSK Kvinner	23	64/19
Leni Larsen Kaurin	FW	Wolfsburg	30	81/4
Cecilie Pedersen	FW	Avaldsnes	20	21/8
Elise Thorsnes	FW	Roa	22	40/6

Recent Matches:

Date	Opponent	Competition	Result
6/16/11	Germany	Friendly	L 0-3
5/19/11	Finland	Friendly	W 5-1
3/9/11	Denmark	Algarve	W 0-0 (5-4 pk)
3/7/11	Japan	Algarve	L 0-1
3/4/10	United States	Algarve	L 0-2
3/2/10	Finland	Algarve	W 2-1
10/26/10	Sweden	Friendly	L 1-3
9/15/10	Ukraine	UEFA Playoff	W 2-0
9/11/10	Ukraine	UEFA Playoff	W 1-0
8/25/10	FYR Macedonia	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 7-0
8/21/10	Slovakia	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 4-0
6/23/10	Belarus	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 3-0
6/19/10	Holland	UEFA WC Qualifier	T 2-2
6/3/10	Canada	Friendly	T 1-1

Certainly Norway has one of the most storied histories in women’s soccer. It is probably their misfortune that the first Women’s World Cup wasn’t played until 1991, as they fielded a strong team for years before that. They have made it to the quarterfinals in all five previous World Cups and they are the only team outside of the United States and Germany to have won the Cup.

Norway made it through the group stage of UEFA qualifying with relative ease and then shutout Ukraine twice to punch their ticket to the World Cup. Outside of the 2011 Algarve Cup, they have played only three friendlies since qualifying. Their record since qualifying is very lackluster 3-4, although they did recently defeat the United States in an unofficial match.

One thing that Norway hasn’t been lately is lucky. Injuries have hit them pretty hard, with Lise Klaveness and Melissa Wiik being out of the World Cup with injuries. Now, Lisa Marie Woods has also been ruled out because of a hip injury and she will be replaced on the team by Kristine Wigdahl Hegland.

While injuries have been plentiful for this Norwegian squad, goals have not so far this year. They have scored seven goals in six matches, which wouldn’t be so bad, except that all seven came in two games against the same team, Finland. Norway has been blanked by Germany, Denmark, Japan and the USA, although they did win the match against Denmark on penalty kicks.

As for those players that will be making the trip to Germany, Norway has an experienced squad. Only eight players return from the 2007 World Cup team, but there is certainly enough of a nucleus to call this team a veteran side. They appear to have a nice mixture of youth and experience and in spite of all the injuries, should be a team to be reckoned with in Germany.

That experience starts with the midfield. Ingvild Stensland has long been one of the most respected players in the world. She is an exceptional defender and her work rate is consistently top notch. She is Norway’s captain and rightfully so. She is joined in the midfield by Lene Mykjaland, who is a talented offensive player and passer.

On the attack, Norway has a number of young strikers that will give opposing defenses problems. The best of these is probably Isabell Herlovsen, who has scored 19 national team goals, nine of those in qualifying matches. She scored six goals in one match against Macedonia. Next, there is Elise Thorsnes, who recently scored a hat trick against Finland. Young Cecilie Pedersen might be the scorer of the future for Norway and she put two in that same match against Finland.

The defense is led by Maren Mjelde. The central defender is rock solid on the back line and it’s easy to forget that she is just 21 years old. For experience on the back line, there is Trine Ronning, who has well over 100 caps for Norway. I’m sure Ronning would like to atone for her own goal in the 2007 semifinal match against Germany.

Ingrid Hjelmseth will be in goal for Norway. She posted nine shutouts in ten matches during qualification, giving up just two goals to Holland. One can almost count on Norway’s matches being low scoring, as they are a strong defensive team and Hjelmseth is a big part of that.

For Norway, it may well come down to their match against Australia for the second spot in Group D to the quarterfinals. Both teams have suffered key injuries. It will be an interesting contrast with the offensive minded Aussies against the always tough defense of Norway.

Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com, www.fotball.no, and www.uefa.com.

US Wins Algarve Cup Championship

The USWNT won its eighth Algarve Cup title with a 4-2 triumph over Iceland. However, for the first time in the tournament, they had to come from behind to do so.

Carli Lloyd opened the scoring just eight minutes in, dribbling to her left and then hitting a laser of a shot back across to the upper right hand part of the net from over 20 yards out.

But just when it appeared that the United States might be settling in, Iceland struck for two quick goals just past the midway point of the first half. Nearly back-to-back, Katrin Omarsdóttir and Hallbera Gisladóttir scored and the United States found themselves down 2-1.

The United States was able to draw even in the closing seconds of the half. Megan Rapinoe got the ball outside right and hit a low cross that Lauren Cheney volleyed into the net from just inside the six-yard box.

Ten minutes into the second half, it was again Rapinoe, this time down the left side that sent the ball into the middle. After Amy Rodriguez dummied it, Shannon Boxx got off a hard shot that Icelandic goalkeeper Gudbjorg Gunnarsdóttir was able to stop. However, Heather O'Reilly pounced on the rebound and knocked it home for a 3-2 lead.

Alex Morgan finished the scoring in the late stages of the match, outbattling two Icelandic defenders for the ball and hitting a sliding shot into the net for the final margin of 4-2.

The United States outshot Iceland by a 24-8 margin for the match. Next up for the USWNT will be England in an international friendly scheduled to be played on April 2 at Leyton Orient.

3rd Place: Japan 2, Sweden 1

Japan completed a fairly successful run, defeating Sweden 2-1 in the 3rd place match. Japan's only blemish in the tournament was a 2-1 loss to eventual champions, the United States.

Things looked promising early on for the Swedes, as Therese Sjögran scored the game's first goal in the 14th minute of play. But just as in the match against Iceland, Sweden was unable to hold their lead.

Megumi Kamionobe and Nahomi Kawasumi scored in the 21st and 32nd minutes respectively, giving Japan a 2-1 lead before intermission, a score that would stand up as the final.

The game wasn't without milestones for Sweden, as Therese Sjögran played in her 167th match for the national team, which now stands as the all-time best for Sweden. Sara Larsson competed in her 100th match for Sweden.

5th Place: Norway 0, Denmark 0 (Norway 5-4 in penalty kicks)

Norway took 5th place over Denmark at Algarve. After playing to a scoreless draw, Norway took the penalty kick decison by a margin of 5-4, with Lindy Wiik getting the deciding goal.

Goalkeepers Ingrid Hjelmseth for Norway and Tina Viskær for Denmark kept the opponent off the scoreboard.

An injury forced Norway to play the last 20 minutes a player down after coach Eli Landsem had used up all of his substitutions.

7th Place: China 2, Wales 1

China got out to a 2-0 lead with a goal in each half and held on for the 2-1 win over Wales. Chinese striker You Jia scored just three minutes into the match. Gu Yasha tallied a goal in the 53rd minute.

Wales bounced back with a goal by Helen Lander in the 57th minute and had a chance to tie the match in the closing minutes, but Emma Jones' penalty attempt was stopped by Zhang Yanru, which preserved the victory for the Chinese.

9th Place: Portugal 2, Finland 1

The host team won the 9th place match by a 2-1 margin over Finland. Portugal took a 1-0 first half lead on another goal by Edite Fernandes. Fernandes deftly dribbled past a defender a hit a low shot that Finnish goalkeeper Minna Meriluoto attempted to kick save, only to have the ball deflect behind her into the net.

It stayed that way until Essi Sainio tied the match in the 75th minute on a deflection. The tie lasted only a moment as Carla Couto notched the game winner in the 76th minute.

11th Place: Chile 1, Romania 1 (Chile 6-5 in penalty kicks)

Chile avenged an earlier loss to Romania, winning by 6-5 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

After a scoreless first half, Chile struck first on a goal by Rocio Soto in the 68th minute. 15-year old Alexandra Lunca scored the tying goal in the 87th minute. But Chile was able to take the match on penalties for the victory.

US Defeats Finland; Will Meet Iceland in Algarve Final

The USWNT made it three straight in group play, shutting out Finland by a 4-0 margin. The US, which already had Group A clinched, will now meet Group B winner Iceland in Wednesday's final.

Coach Pia Sundhage showed little tendency for change, sending eight starters out for the third straight match. Tobin Heath got her first start at Algarve in the midfield and Sundhage went with the forward tandem of Alex Morgan and Lauren Cheney for the first time in the tournament.

The US opened the scoring in just the eighth minute. A Carli Lloyd corner kick found Shannon Boxx, who was just able to get over the Finnish defender to head it solidly on frame. Goalkeeper Minna Meriluoto couldn't quite react quick enough and it was 1-0.

Just a few minutes later, it was Lloyd scoring one herself. After a turnover in the midfield by Finland, Tobin Heath was able to outmanoeuvre two defenders in the box and send the ball square to Lloyd, who buried it in the left side of the net from 15 yards out.

Alex Morgan got on the board right before intermission. She did a wonderful job of chesting down Ali Krieger's long distance serve into the penalty area and then finished with the outside of her left foot from six yards out, just beyond Meriluoto's reach. Morgan added another in the second half, knocking in her own rebound following a Meriluoto save and some shabby clearing by the Finnish defense.

The US outshot Finland by 24-1 margin and goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart was rarely tested. They will return to the Algarve Cup final, which they won last year over Germany. This year's opponent will be Iceland.

Iceland 1, Denmark 0

Iceland made it a perfect run through Group B with a 1-0 shutout victory over Denmark. It marks the first time that Iceland has reached the championship match of the event.

After a scoreless first half, it looked as though Denmark would strike first. They were awarded a penalty, but Line Røddik Hansen's shot was stopped by Iceland's keeper, Thóra Helgadóttir. After that, Denmark hit the bar off of a corner kick, but still could not score. Iceland's counterattack produced a goal by Dóra Larúsdóttir.

Japan 1, Norway 0

Yuki Nagasato's second half goal led Japan to a 1-0 win over Norway. Ayumi Kaihori got the shutout for Japan.

Japan's victory in the battle for 2nd place in Group A means they will play Sweden in the match for 3rd/4th place on Wednesday. Norway will meet Denmark in the 5th/6th place match.

Sweden 1, China 0

Lotta Schelin's goal pushed Sweden into second place in Group C, as Sweden defeated China 1-0. There was some dispute as to whether Schelin was offside for the goal, but the goal was not called back. Schelin had come in as a second half substitution for Jessica Landström.

For Sweden, the victory avenged a loss to China earlier this year at the Four Nations Tournament. Hedvig Lindahl posted the shutout for Sweden.

Portugal 1, Romania 1

A late goal thwarted Portugal's chances to win Group C, as they played to a 1-1 tie with Romania.

Edite Fernandes put Portugal in front 1-0 late in the first half. But Stefania Vatafu evened the match in the final 10 minutes, forcing the draw. Andreea Corduneanu received a second yellow card late in the proceedings, but it was too late for Portugal to take advantage. Plaudits were given to Neide Simões for her play in goal for the Portuguese.

Portugal finished Group C play with a win and two draws, but were nosed out in the standings by Wales, a team they defeated on the tournament's opening day.

Wales 2, Chile 1

Wales won their second straight match and captured Group C with a 2-1 win over Chile. Jessica Fishlock's brace, one goal in each half, sparked Wales to the victory. Chile got a goal from Daniela Zamora in the 74th minute to pull to within one goal, but were unable to score further.

Final Standings
Group A: USA 3-0-0, 9 pts; Japan 2-1-0, 6 pts; Norway 1-2-0, 3 pts; Finland 0-3-0, 0 pts.
Group B: Iceland 3-0-0, 9 pts; Sweden 2-1-0, 6 pts; Denmark 1-2-0, 3 pts; China 0-3-0, o pts.
Group C: Wales 2-1-0, 6 pts; Portugal 1-0-2, 5 pts; Romania 1-1-1, 4 pts; Chile 0-2-1, 1 pts.

Wednesday's Final Round:
Championship: USA vs. Iceland
3rd/4th Place: Japan vs. Sweden
5th/6th Place: Norway vs. Denmark
7th/8th Place: Wales vs. China
9th/10th Place: Finland vs. Portugal
11th/12th Place: Romania vs. Chile

US Gains Final after 2-0 Win over Norway

The United States has secured a berth in the Algarve Cup final by defeating Norway 2-0 on Friday. Lindsay Tarpley and Carli Lloyd scored the goals for the United States. The United States have clinched Group A because they have defeated both teams that could catch them in the standings.

Pia Sundhage started virtually the same lineup on Friday as she did two days ago, with the exception being Tarpley at forward instead of Lauren Cheney.

Tarpley opened the scoring in the 33rd minute as Rachel Buehler started the play with a long pass over the Norwegian defense from the back. Amy Rodriguez, who timed her run perfectly, got behind two defenders. With Nora Berge bearing down from behind and goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth coming out, Rodriguez was able to win the ball and tap it back to Tarpley. Tarpley was able to left-foot the ball into the open net while falling backwards from nine yards out.

Lloyd's goal came after the break in the 63rd minute. Megan Rapinoe was able to get the ball to Lloyd in the middle, about 40 yards from the net. Lloyd dribbled first right and then back left to give herself space. She then released a low shot along the ground from 25 yards out that appeared to catch Hjelmseth leaning the wrong way. The ball went just inside the right post to make it 2-0.

The United States outshot Norway 17-5 and held the edge in shots on goal by a 7-2 margin. Nicole Barnhart gained the shutout in goal.

The US will face Finland on Monday in the final group stage match, but it will have little meaning on the final standings. They will then face the Group B winner on Wednesday. Iceland leads Group B with two wins and will be the opponent if they win or tie. They will face Denmark, who could also win Group B with a win, as could Sweden depending on goal differential.

Japan 5, Finland 0

Japan scorched Finland with five goals on Friday, easily winning their second match of the Algarve Cup. They evened their record after losing their opener to the United States.

Shinobu Ohno and Nahomi Kawasumi scored first half goals to give Japan a 2-0 lead at the half. FFC Turbine Potsdam forward Yuki Nagasato pushed the lead to 3-0 in the opening minutes of the 2nd half. Second half substitution, Mami Yamaguchi, completed the scoring with a late brace. Ayumi Kaihori earned the shutout.

Japan will now face off against Norway on Monday, in a match that will decide second position in Group A. Finland will finish in fourth place in Group A.

Iceland 2, China 1

For the second straight match, Iceland was able to earn a 2-1 victory, this time over China. And for the second time, it was a come-from-behind victory. Margrét Vidarsdóttir was again one of the heroes, scoring both goals for Iceland.

China was able to take the early lead on a goal by Ma Jun in the 21st minute of the match. But Vidarsdóttir was able to tie the match just six minutes later, as she was able to get the ball past Chinese keeper Huang Luna, who was making her debut. Vidarsdóttir gave Iceland the lead early in the second half with her second goal.

Iceland will now face Denmark on Monday, with a chance to secure a place in Wednesday's final with a tie or win.

Sweden 3, Denmark 1

Sweden was once again able to get the best of Denmark with a 3-1 victory on Friday. Jessica Landstróm scored twice and Josefine Oqvist was able to score her second goal in as many games.

Landstróm opened the scoring in the eighth minute of the match, with the ball apparently going off of her hip into the goal. Kristine Pedersen answered for Denmark just two minutes later. The match went into halftime tied.

Oqvist scored in the 53rd minute, followed by Landstróm's second of the match in the 60th minute as Sweden played a strong second half to earn the victory. Sweden will now face China on Monday, a team they lost to earlier this year at the Four Nations Tournament.

Portugal 0, Chile 0

The host team, Portugal, played to a scoreless draw against Chile. Neide Simões posted the shutout for Portugal, while Christiane Endler had a stellar match in earning the shutout for Chile.

Portugal can now win Group C with a victory against Romania on Monday or a tie combined with a Welsh tie or loss to Chile.

Wales 2, Romania 1

Wales was able to come from behind to defeat Romania 2-1 on Friday. They were able to bounce back after an opening match loss to the host team.

Cosmina Dusa once again scored giving Romania a 1-0 lead in the opening half. Wales came back strong as Jessica Fishlock tied the match and then assisted on Helen Lander's game winner a few minutes later.

Wales now has a chance to win Group C with a victory over Chile and a Portugal tie or loss against Romania.

USWNT Open Algarve Cup with Victory

The United States started the 2011 Algarve Cup on a high note, defeating Japan by a 2-1 margin. The US scored two early goals and made them stand up. The match between two of the world's top five teams was one of six matches played at the Algarve Cup in Portugal on Wednesday.

The US opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match. Nicole Barnhart sent a long free kick from the back which Lauren Cheney headed forward to Amy Rodriguez. From about 20 yards out and with her back to the goal, Rodriguez turned left (her right) and drilled a perfect shot into the right side of the goal.

Just a few minutes later, the US struck again. Cheney laid the ball off to Rodriguez about 40 yards from the goal. Rodriguez sent the ball wide to Heather O'Reilly on the right side. O'Reilly dribbled at the defender into the box, then cut wide. She then sent a low cross from just inside the right side of the penalty to area to Megan Rapinoe, who touched the ball into the net from about eight yards out amid several Japanese defenders.

Aya Miyama got Japan on the board in the 29th minute. After O'Reilly had taken down Yuki Nagasato, the Japanese were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area. Miyama struck it perfectly into the corner of the goal, cutting the lead in half.

Both teams had several other first half chances, but there was no more scoring in the match. Japan pressed hard for the tie late in the match, but were unable to solve the US defense.

Norway 2, Finland 1

The 2-1 score seemed to be the order of the day as Norway won the other Group A match over Finland by the same score.

Laura Kalmari opened the scoring in the 28th minute of the match, assisted by Tuija Hyyrynen. The lead lasted just a minute, as Norway answered quickly. Elise Thorsnes tied the match at one and then ten minutes later set up Isabell Hervlovsen for what proved to be the game winning goal. As in the US/Japan match, there was no second half scoring.

Iceland 2, Sweden 1

In yet another 2-1 match, Sweden was upset by Iceland, making it three losses already this year for the world's fourth ranked team.

Sweden seemed to be on track, scoring the game's first goal in just the 2nd minute of the match. Josefine Öqvist did the honors and the Swedes looked to be on their way to victory. But, in spite of several chances, they were unable to increase their lead, leaving the door open for Iceland.

Iceland tied the match in the 38th minute as an uncharacteristic error by Sweden's back line handed Margret Lara Vidarsdóttir a great opportunity. She took advantage of the mistake to tie the match at one, which was the halftime score.

Iceland took the lead just 10 minutes into the second half. Hedvig Lindahl stopped a free kick from 30 yards out, but was unable to control the rebound and Iceland's captain, Katrín Jónsdóttir knocked it home. Iceland was able to hold off Sweden for the rest of the match to seal the victory. It marks the first time that Iceland have ever defeated Sweden in international competition.

Denmark 1, China 0

Denmark took advantage of a deflected own goal to defeat China 1-0 in their Algarve Cup opener. The lone goal was scored when Zhang Yanru appeared to have Theresa Nielsen's shot covered, but the ball deflected off of Wang Dongni and rolled past the Chinese goalkeeper to put Denmark up 1-0 in the 20th minute.

Portugal 3, Wales 1

The host Portuguese opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Wales. Carla Couto's brace led Portugal to the victory.

Couto and Edita Fernandes gave Portugal an early 2-0 lead, before Loren Dykes scored late in the first half to cut the lead to one. Couto scored her second of the match in the 56th minute to finish the scoring.

Romania 2, Chile 0

Cosmina Dusa's brace sparked Romania to a 2-0 victory over Chile. The 20-year old striker continues to impress after she scored five goals in UEFA World Cup qualifying. Mirela Ganea posted the shutout for the victors.

Algarve Cup - Group A Preview

The Algarve Cup has been an annual stop for the United States, Sweden, and several other northern European countries. The tournament generally offers top competition in a somewhat relaxed setting. Missing from this year's tournament is the 2010 runner-up, Germany. Taking their place in the first two groups is Japan.

Of course, the importance of this year's competition is that it is a World Cup year, meaning that some roster spots for June may be won or lost based on play at Algarve. This year's field features four World Cup teams, the United States, Sweden, Norway, and Japan. Also in Portugal are four other teams that came close, but fell just short of qualifying. They are Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and China.

On paper, Group A is the toughest, with three of the world's top seven teams, plus a strong side from Finland. Here is a preview of Group A:

Finland
Coach: Andrée Jeglertz
World Rank: #16
World Cup: Failed to qualify after finishing 2nd in UEFA Group 7 behind Italy.

Latest Results:
Friendies: Defeated Russia 5-4.
UEFA WC Qualifying (Since July, 2010): Lost to Italy 1-3, Defeated Slovenia 4-1.

Algarve Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Minna Meriluoto, Tinja-Riikka Korpela, Katja Kankaanpää.
Defenders: Tuija Hyyrynen, Susanna Lehtinen, Maija Saari, Tiina Salmén, Petra Vaelma, Katri Nokso-Koivisto, Elina Syrjälä.
Midfielders & Forwards: Laura Österberg Kalmari, Pernilla Nordlund, Essi Sainio, Jaana Lyytikäinen, Emmi Alanen, Annika Kukkonen, Annika Sjölund, Marianna Tolvanen, Linda Sällström, Leena Puranen, Anna-Kaisa Rantanen.

The Finnish team certainly had to be disappointed at missing the World Cup. They were in good position to advance out of the group stage, but lost an important match to Italy at home by a 3-1 margin.

Finland's best play in several top leagues around the world, including Sweden and Germany. One name on the roster will stand out to American soccer fans. Laura Kalmari played the 2010 season with Sky Blue FC, scoring five goals. She was also Finland's leading scorer in World Cup qualifying matches with seven goals. She has 40 career goals as a national team player.

While Kalmari is probably Finland's biggest scoring threat, they have other offensive options. Linda Sällstrom, who plays club soccer in Sweden for Linköpings, scored five goals in qualifying. She is just 22 years old. Annica Sjölund also notched five goals in qualifying matches. Midfielder Anna-Kaisa Rantanen is nearing 100 career caps.

Defensively, the Finns are led by Tiina Salmén, Maija Saari, and Susanna Lehtinen, who can play both defender and midfielder. The goalkeeping duties are shared by Tinja-Riikka Korpela and Minna Meriluoto.

Finland has the misfortune of being place with three World Cup qualified teams in this group, but they can certainly hold their own against any of them.

Japan
Coach: Norio Sasaki
World Rank: #5
World Cup: Qualified by finishing 3rd in the Asian Cup, defeating China by a 2-0 margin.

Latest Results:
Asian Games: Defeated Thailand 4-0, Tied Korea DPR 0-0, Defeated China 1-0, Defeated North Korea 1-0.

Algarve Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Nozomi Yamago, Miho Fukumoto, Ayumi Kaihori.
Defenders: Yukari Kinga, Kyoko Yano, Azusa Iwashimizu, Aya Sameshima, Yuki Sakai, Saki Kumagai, Akane Saito.
Midfielders: Homare Sawa, Aya Miyama, Nahomi Kawasumi, Megumi Kamionobe, Mizuho Sakaguchi, Asuna Tanaka, Rumi Utsugi.
Forwards: Eriko Arakawa, Kozue Ando, Shinobu Ohno, Mami Yamaguchi, Yuki Nagasato, Megumi Takase.

Japan, always regarded as one of the best technical teams in the world, is ranked 5th in the world. They survived a mild upset at the hands of Australia and still managed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.

Several Japanese players have graced the WPS including Homare Sawa, Aya Miyama, Eriko Arakawa, and Mami Yamaguchi. Sawa and Arakawa are the veterans of the squad, along with goalkeeper Nozomi Yamago. Sawa is nearing 80 international goals, quite a record for the former Washington Freedom midfielder. Arakawa, probably unfairly known more for her flamboyant hairstyle, is a very skilled player that can run at defenders or feed teammates.

Meanwhile, Miyama might be one of the best in the world at placing free kicks and corners. She was the WPS assist leader in 2009. Yamaguchi, who has played professionally in both Sweden and the US, has a world of potential. Shinobu Ohno is a top notch forward and has over 30 international goals to her credit. Kozue Ando is another top veteran for the offense.

With many of their top players reaching their prime, will this be the year that Japan breaks through and wins the World Cup? A good tournament at Algarve would be a step in the right direction.

Norway
Coach: Eli Landsem
World Rank: #7
World Cup: Qualified by winning UEFA Group 2 and then defeating Ukraine by 3-0 aggregate.

Latest Results:
UEFA WC Playoff Round: Defeated Ukraine 1-0, Defeated Ukraine 2-0.
UEFA WC Qualifying (since July, 2010): Defeated Slovakia 4-0, Defeated FYROM (Macedonia) 7-0.

Algarve Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Ingrid Hjelmseth, Erika Espeseth Skarbø, Caroline Knutsen.
Defenders: Maren Mjelde, Hedda Strand Gardsjord, Runa Vikestad, Nora Holstad Berge.
Midfielders: Lisa-Marie Woods, Lene Mykjåland, Guro Knutsen Mienna, Gry Tofte Ims, Trine Rønning, Lene Storløkken, Madeleine Giske.
Forwards: Leni Larsen Kaurin, Lise Klaveness, Isabell Herlovsen, Elise Thorsnes, Cecilie Pedersen, Lindy Melissa Wiik, Ingrid Ryland.

Norway has made it to at least the quarterfinals in every World Cup played. They are trying to build back to the level of the 1995 Championship team. They had a relatively easy time winning Group 2 of UEFA World Cup qualifying, beating out Holland by five points. They then won both matches against Ukraine to earn their berth in the World Cup.

Absent will be two long-time stars for the team. Solveig Gulbrandsen retired last year after a wonderful career and Ingvild Stensland is nursing a back injury. That leaves midfielder Trine Rønning as the most capped player for Norway at Algarve.

Isabell Herlovsen was Norway's leading scorer in WC qualifying with nine goals. At age 22, she already has 18 in her career for Norway's national team. WPS midfielder Lene Mykjåland is one if the top players in the tournament. Young Cecilie Pedersen could be a player to watch for the future.

The defense is a relatively young group, but there is a veteran at goalkeeper in Ingrid Hjelmseth. Hjelmseth gave up just two goals in qualifying matches, both to Holland. It will be interesting to see how Norway fares at Algarve, especially since they are missing one of their top players.

United States
Coach: Pia Sundhage
World Rank: #1
World Cup: Qualified by finishing 3rd in the CONCACAF region, then defeating Italy in a playoff by 2-0 aggregate.

Latest Results:
Four Nations Tournament: Lost to Sweden 1-2, Defeated Canada 2-1, Defeated China 2-0.
WC Qualifying Playoff: Defeated Italy 1-0, Defeated Italy 1-0.
CONCACAF WC Qualifiers: Defeated Haiti 5-0, Defeated Guatemala 9-0, Defeated Costa Rica 4-0, Lost to Mexico 1-2, Defeated Costa Rica 3-0.
Friendlies: Tied Sweden 1-1, Defeated Sweden 3-0, Defeated China 2-1, Tied China 1-1.

Algarve Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Nicole Barnhart, Ashlyn Harris, Alyssa Naeher, Hope Solo (not active).
Defenders: Rachel Buehler, Stephanie Cox, Whitney Engen, Ali Krieger, Amy LePeilbet, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn.
Midfielders: Yael Averbuch, Shannon Boxx, Tobin Heath, Lori Lindsey, Carli Lloyd, Kelley O'Hara, Heather O'Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, Lindsay Tarpley.
Forwards: Lauren Cheney, Alex Morgan, Amy Rodriguez, Abby Wambach.

The United States appeared to be in top form last May, easily defeating the world's number two team, Germany, by a 4-0 margin. Since then, there have been some bumps in the road. They nearly lost to China on their home turf, pulling out a 1-1 tie in the final 10 minutes. They then lost to Mexico at CONCACAF. They managed to squeak by Italy twice by 1-0 margins, with the first being a goal well into stoppage. They then lost the opener at the Four Nations Tournament to Sweden. They did manage to rebound with wins over Canada and China.

Judging by her selections for this tournament, Pia Sundhage just about has her mind made up about the 21 players that will head to Germany in June. There are probably only three or four positions up for grabs, with one of them being the third keeper. Speaking of keepers, Hope Solo will be making the trip, but it will be strictly for training purposes as she is still recovering from shoulder surgery. Nicole Barnhart has the number two spot nailed down, leaving it to Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher to battle for the final spot.

There is very little new with this roster, except Whitney Engen on defense. The young defender who played her rookie season with the Chicago Red Stars, should see some action in this tournament. The rest of the back line is made up of experienced players like Christie Rampone and Amy LePeilbet.

The midfield should see the biggest competition for WC positions. Tobin Heath, just returning from her injury, is looking to make her mark on this team. Lindsay Tarpley has played well since her reemergence on the national scene.

At forward, it's power and speed. Abby Wambach and Lauren Cheney provide the power, while Alex Morgan and Amy Rodriguez provide the speed. Morgan has been especially prominent lately, scoring very big goals against China and Italy.

The US team got a wake-up call at Cancun. We'll see if they can rebound and be a major force at this year's World Cup.