Sweden Takes 3rd Place

Playing one player down for the last 22 minutes and stoppage, Sweden managed to pull out a 2-1 victory over France to give them third place in the 2011 World Cup. Marie Hammarstrom became the hero with a stunning strike in the 82nd minute.

Both teams entered this third place match minus one of their star players. Marie-Laure Delie for France and Caroline Seger for Sweden were both out of this match because of injuries. Sweden started Nilla Fischer in the midfield for Seger. France went with Eugenie LeSommer for Delie. And in yet another shuffling of the French back line, Bruno Bini started Corine Franco at right back and put Wendie Renard in at center back.

Sweden appeared to break through in just the fifth minute. Linda Forsberg hit a forceful header through with Lotta Schelin getting behind the defense and scoring, but offsides was the ruling in what was a very close call. Sweden again came close in the 14th minute, with Charlotte Rohlin heading a corner kick, but right at Berangere Sapowicz.

France's first real chance was in the 23rd minute, with LeSommer getting through with some room on the right side of the box, but her low shot was lacking pace and directly at Hedvig Lindahl.

Sweden did take the lead in the 29th minute. Sara Larsson sent a brilliant long ball out of the back, splitting the central defenders with Schelin running onto it. Schelin used the outside of her right foot to touch it past a charging Sapowicz and into the goal.

Sapowicz was injured on the play as her foot got tangled with Schelin's after the shot and she landed very awkwardly on her ankle. Celine Deville had to replace Sapowicz and Louisa Necib, who had received a knock in the knee earlier came off in favor of Elodie Thomis. France were down a goal and had lost two more players to injury.

France came back with a couple of chances. Gaetane Thiney shot high and wide to the right from 14 yards in the 33rd minute. France came very close in the 36th minute with Thiney touching the ball to Elise Bussaglia, whose drive from 22 yards hit the right post squarely and bounced away.

Sweden had a couple of chances of their own in the closing minutes of the half. Rohlin once again came close on a header off of a corner kick, with this one going just inches over the crossbar. As the final seconds ticked off, Therese Sjogran found Schelin open on the right side. She dribbled into the penalty area to within eight yards, but her shot was right at Deville's head and the French keeper pushed it away.

France did get the tying goal early in the 2nd half. In the 56th minute, Thiney turned on a defender and pushed the ball ahead to Thomis. Her right-footed shot from 20 yards was well placed inside the left post and it beat Lindahl to tie the score at one.

Sweden made their first substitution in the 62nd minute, sending in Marie Hammarstrom for Linda Forsberg. It would prove to be a fortuitous decision for Thomas Dennerby.

The action went end-to-end in the next few minutes. Lisa Dahlqvist sent Josefine Oqvist in alone on the left side. But with Deville coming out to cut off the angle, Oqvist's shot hooked just a bit and the ball bounced off the right post and away. At the other end, Thomis was able to get within six yards to take a shot from a bad angle, but Lindahl made the save on that shot. The ensuing corner kick saw Thomis putting the ball just wide of the post.

Things got very chippy in the 68th minute. With Oqvist approaching the penalty area from the right side, she and Sonia Bompastor collided. It appeared that Bompastor tried to kick Oqvist as both were falling to the ground. Oqvist retaliated by kicking Bompastor and as often happens, only the second offense was caught by the referee and Oqvist was sent off.

Sweden made another substitution as Nilla Fischer went down with an injury and Linda Sembrandt was sent in.

In the 82nd minute, Schelin and Laura Georges were chasing the ball on the side of the penalty area, with the ball appearing to go of Schelin last. However, Sweden was awarded a corner on the play and that decision proved important.

Sjogran took the corner and it was headed away by France, but Hammarstrom recovered the ball about 25 yards from the goal. She first volleyed the ball over LeSommer's head, then touched the ball back to the left to get by Bompastor. She then released a bullet of a strike that found the upper left corner of the goal, beating Deville and putting Sweden back ahead by a 2-1 margin. It was certainly one of the best goals of the tournament.

Now down a goal, France subbed in Caroline Pizzala for Franco in the 84th minute. France's best chance came as the game entered the fourth minute of stoppage time. LeSommer sent the ball behind the Swedish defense to Thomis, but Lindahl dove out and beat the French striker to the ball before she could get a shot off.

Sweden was able to finish the match with a 2-1 victory. Interestingly enough, it was the third time that a red card has been shown in this tournament, and in each case, the team playing a man down came back to score a goal. France's Laura Georges scored after Sapowicz had been redcarded against Germany to cut the lead to 3-2 in what proved to be a losing effort. Abby Wambach scored the game-tying goal against Brazil in the quarterfinals after Rachel Buehler had been sent off. Hammarstrom scored the winning goal in this match after Oqvist had been sent off.

For Sweden, it was second time they have finished third at the World Cup, the first being in 1991. Their highest finish was their second place effort in the 2003 World Cup. The fourth place finish was the highest ever by France.

3rd Place Match: France vs. Sweden

France (#7) vs. Sweden (#5)
Sinsheim (11:30 am eastern)

Last Meeting: Sweden 3, France 1 (March 14, 2007)

France
Coach: Bruno Bini
WC Matches: Defeated Nigeria 1-0; Defeated Canada 4-0, Lost to Germany 2-4, Defeated England 1-1 (4-3 PK); Lost to United States 1-3.

Roster:
Goalkeepers: Berangere Sapowicz (4 gms, 1.34 gaa, 2 shutouts); Celine Deville (2 gms, 1.90 gaa), Laetitia Philippe.
Defenders: Laura Georges (5 gms, 1 goal); Laure LePailleur (5 gms); Sonia Bompastor (4 gms, 1 goal); Sabrina Viguier (2 gms); Ophelie Meilleroux (2 gms); Wendie Renard (2 gms), Corine Franco.
Midfielders: Elise Bussaglia (5 gms, 1 goal); Gaetane Thiney (5 gms, 2 goals); Camille Abily (5 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist); Louisa Necib (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Soubeyrand (5 gms, 2 assists); Laure Boulleau (2 gms); Caroline Pizzala.
Forwards: Marie-Laure Delie (5 gms, 2 goals); Elodie Thomis (5 gms, 1 goal); Eugenie LeSommer (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Bretigny (1 gm).

Sweden
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
WC Matches: Defeated Colombia 1-0; Defeated Korea DPR 1-0; Defeated United States 2-1; Defeated Australia 3-1; Lost to Japan 1-3.

Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl (5 gms, 1.00 gaa, 2 shutouts); Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren.
Defenders: Charlotte Rohlin (5 gms); Sara Thunebro (5 gms); Sara Larsson (5 gms); Annica Svensson (5 gms); Linda Sembrandt (1 gm); Lina Nilsson (1 gm).
Midfielders: Lisa Dahlkvist (5 gms, 3 goals); Therese Sjogran (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Linda Forsberg (5 gms); Caroline Seger (3 gms); Nilla Fischer (4 gms, 1 goal); Marie Hammarstrom (2 gms); Sofia Jakobsson (2 gms); Antonia Goransson (2 gms).
Forwards: Lotta Schelin (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Josefine Oqvist (4 gms, 1 goal); Jessica Landstrom (3 gms, 1 goal); Madelaine Edlund (2 gms).

Both of these two teams have to be disappointed that they are not playing Sunday for the World Cup, instead of Saturday for 3rd place. Sweden grabbed the early lead against Japan and were tied until the 60th minute, but just didn't look to be the same team that won their first four matches in Germany.

France tied their match against the United States in the 2nd half and certainly looked to be outplaying them, before giving up two goals in the last 15 minutes. France can take heart in that their two defeats in this tournament were to the two top ranked teams in the world heading in. They can also be proud in that this will be their highest World Cup finish ever.

One never knows quite how coaches will approach a third place match. Certainly the pressure is now off for Bruno Bini and Thomas Dennerby. Caroline Seger has been nursing an injury and sadly missed Wednesday's semifinal match. Her presence was greatly missed by Sweden.

It will be interesting to see if the two coaches try to play some of their younger players or if they attempt to get everyone into the match that hasn't played yet. Of course, everyone has played in at least one match for Sweden, save for their two backup goalkeepers, Kristin Hammarstrom and Sofia Lundgren. For France, third keeper Laetitia Philippe, defender Corine Franco, and midfielder Caroline Pizzala have not yet seen action.

For some of these players, it will be their last World Cup game. Certainly, that is the case for Sandrine Soubeyrand of France, who will be the oldest player for either team at age 37. She now has over 160 caps in her great career. Sweden's all-time cap leader, Therese Sjogran, will likely be playing in her last World Cup match as well. Probably the same could be said of defender Sara Larsson.

It is very surprising that these two European powers have not met since the 2007 Algarve Cup, over four years ago. Sweden won that meeting 3-1. Josefine Oqvist scored the first goal in that match.

Another prize up for grabs is the Adidas Golden Boot award. Heading into this weekend's matches, Marta and Homare Sawa are tied with four goals. Sawa has one game remaining. Just one goal behind them is Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist with three. Both Gaetane Thiney and Marie-Laure Delie have two for France and are certainly not out of the running.

While third place is the prize for this match, the two teams will really be playing more for pride than anything else. The winner will finish third and can claim to be the top finishing European team in the tournament.

Nadeshiko Japan Over Sweden 3-1 to the Finals

Japan played a dominating possession game to defeat Sweden 3-1 in the World Cup semifinal before a crowd of over 45,000 in Frankfurt. The victory set the Nadeshiko up for a finals match against the United States on Sunday. The US had advanced earlier after a 3-1 win over France.

Sweden's bad news started even before the semifinal match had begun. Caroline Seger aggravated a calf injury in warmups and was scratched from the lineup. With her normal replacement, Nilla Fischer, out because of yellow card accumulation, Thomas Dennerby went with Marie Hammarstrom at one central midfield position.

Norio Sasaki made the first change to his starting lineup since this World Cup began, opting for Nahomi Kawasumi at one forward position over Yuki Nagasato. Kawasumi would make her coach look like a genius before the day was done.

After a ten minute feeling out process between the two teams, Sweden struck first and once again, it was a matter of taking advantage of what was given to them. A Homare Sawa pass in the midfield may have been a bit too soft and Josefine Oqvist stepped in front of it and headed for the Japanese goal. She dribbled to the left side of the box, where she released a brilliant shot that beat Ayumi Kaihori and found the right side netting. Sweden led 1-0.

But for most of the game, Sweden looked listless on offense, apparently missing Seger, their captain. They just never could seem to get comfortable and with Japan controlling possession for most of the match, never really did get a chance to set up shop as they had in their four previous matches. Lotta Schelin was held well in check for the entire match.

Even though Japan had fallen behind early, they continued to do the things they are best at. Keep possession, pass the ball with accuracy, and be patient. They held possession for long periods of time, methodically working the ball up the field.

In the 18th minute, Aya Miyama sent in a cross from the left side to the back post. Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl started to come out to intercept the cross, then thought better of it, retreating to the goal. Kawasumi's and Oqvist's legs seemed to meet the ball almost simultaneously and the ball deflected through Lindahl's legs and into the net to tie the match. Kawasumi was credited with the goal.

Japan nearly scored again in the 28th minute as Kozue Ando got an uncontested shot from 12 yards, but it was right at Lindahl. In the 33rd minute, Miyama's free kick from 24 yards was heading toward the left post, with Lindahl deflecting it wide just to make sure. The half ended with the two teams tied at one.

Just a minute into the 2nd half, Shinobu Ohno nearly caught Lindahl off her line with her blast from 30 yards, but the ball skimmed the top of the crossbar and went over.

Lindahl had further problems in the 59th minute. Aya Sameshima sent a dangerous ball into the six from the left side. It appeared that Lindahl possibly could have caught the ball, but instead tried to push the ball away, doing so very awkwardly. The ball bounced into the air to Homare Sawa who nodded it over the head of defender Charlotte Rohlin and behind Lindahl who was out of the goal. It was Sawa's fourth goal of the World Cup and Nadeshiko had their first lead of the match.

Japan put the match out of reach just five minutes later. Miyama sent a long ball forward from the center line with Ando charging toward it. Lindahl came out nearly 25 yards to clear, kicking the ball away. Unfortunately for the Swedish keeper, the ball went right to Kawasumi, whose long lob from 32 yards went well over Lindahl's head and into the now vacant net to make it 3-1. It was Kawasumi's second goal of the match.

With Sweden having little of possession and not creating chances, it was too much of a hill for them to climb on this day. Dennerby attempted to insert new life into the match by sending in Sofia Jakobsson, Jessica Landstrom, and Antonia Goransson later in the match, but nothing much came of it. One can never truly measure how much missing personnel hurts a team, but Sweden certainly missed Caroline Seger.

Japan played out the final 25 minutes in typical fashion, maintaining possession and looking very good doing so. Kaihori and her back line never allowed Sweden to get chances in close. The Japanese keeper is visibly gaining in confidence with each match and she now has only one remaining for the championship.

So it will be the two teams of destiny in the finals and quite a contrast at that. The precision-minded, patient Nadeshiko of Japan against the never-say-die, gritty United States. It should make for quite a final on Sunday.

Preview: Semifinal Two

Sweden (#5) vs. Japan (#4)
Frankfurt (2:45 pm eastern)

Last Meeting: Sweden 1, Japan 1 (June 23, 2011)

Sweden
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
WC Matches: Defeated Colombia 1-0, Defeated Korea DPR 1-0, Defeated United States 2-1, Defeated Australia 3-1.

Lineup:
GK-Hedvig Lindahl (4 gms, 0.50 gaa, 2 shutouts)
DF-Annica Svensson (4 gms)
DF-Sara Larsson (4 gms)
DF-Charlotte Rohlin (4 gms)
DF-Sara Thunebro (4 gms)
MF-Linda Forsberg (4 gms)
MF-Caroline Seger (3 gms)
MF-Lisa Dahlkvist (4 gms, 3 goals)
MF-Therese Sjogran (4 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists)
FW-Lotta Schelin (4 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists)
FW-Josefine Oqvist (3 gms)

Substitutes:
GK-Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren.
DF-Linda Sembrandt (1 gm), Lina Nilsson (1 gm).
MF-Nilla Fischer (4 gms, 1 goal), Sofia Jakobsson (1 gm), Antonia Goransson (1 gm), Marie Hammarstrom (1 gm).
FW-Jessica Landstrom (2 gms, 1 goal), Madelaine Edlund (2 gms).

Japan
Coach: Norio Sasaki
WC Matches: Defeated New Zealand 2-1, Defeated Mexico 4-0, Lost to England 0-2, Defeated Germany 1-0 (ot).

Lineup:
GK-Ayumi Kaihori (4 gms, 0.69 gaa, 2 shutouts)
DF-Yukari Kinga (4 gms, 1 assist)
DF-Azusa Iwashimizu (4 gms)
DF-Saki Kumagai (4 gms)
DF-Aya Sameshima (4 gms)
MF-Shinobu Ohno (4 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist)
MF-Mizuho Sakaguchi (4 gms)
MF-Homare Sawa (4 gms, 3 goals, 1 assist)
MF-Aya Miyama (4 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists)
FW-Yuki Nagasato (4 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist)
FW-Kozue Ando (4 gms)

Substitutes:
GK-Nozomi Yamago, Miho Fukumoto.
DF-Kyoko Yano.
MF-Nahomi Kawasumi (2 gms), Rumi Utsugi (2 gms), Asuna Tanaka (1 gm), Megumi Kamionobe.
FW-Karina Maruyama (3 gms, 1 goal), Mana Iwabuchi (4 gms).

Preview
These two teams have already met twice this year with Japan winning 2-1 at the Algarve Cup in March and the teams playing to a 1-1 draw in a friendly right before the World Cup. They have met twice before at the World Cup, with Sweden winning 2-0 in 1995 group stage action and 8-0 in a 1991 group stage match. Amazingly, Homare Sawa started in that 1995 match against Sweden at the age of 16.

The Japanese are coming off a very draining match, going into overtime to defeat the tournament favorites, Germany. Japan's only loss in this tournament was in their final group stage match against England, by a 2-0 margin.

Sweden is the only semifinalist to have won their group. They squeaked through three one-goal victories at the group stage, before making fairly easy work of Australia, defeating the Matildas 3-1 in the only quarterfinal match not to go into overtime.

Japan will be facing one of the most physical teams at the World Cup in Sweden. Sweden has outfouled their opponents by the stunning margin of 65-22. Japan is a team not exactly known for their physical play. This will be the third straight match in which Japan will have to face a much bigger and more physical team.

Goalkeepers
One had to wonder coming into the World Cup if Ayumi Kaihori had the stuff to be a top notch World Cup goalkeeper. But she played her strongest match of the tournament when Japan needed it the most, shutting out mighty Germany 1-0. The amazing thing was that Kaihori actually seemed to get more calm as the game wore on and withstood the pressure in the closing minutes of the match like a Sunday walk in the park.

As impressive as Kaihori was in that match, Japan still has to worry about Kaihori's size when facing the tall Swedish team. At 5-7, she is one of the tallest Japanese players, but she will be amongst giants in players like Schelin, Landstrom, Seger, and Forsberg. Set pieces are likely to be a problem for Japan and Kaihori will have to be at her best in making good decisions and no errors.

Meanwhile, Hedvig Lindahl was considered to be the steady veteran heading into this World Cup. She has posted two shutouts and has played well overall, but she has been a bit adventurous, and occasionally a bit lucky as well, when she got caught out of the goal by Lisa De Vanna in the quarterfinals and Amy Rodriguez in a group stage match. Neither turned into goals.

Lindahl has good agility and can handle the ball in traffic if need be. Her experience will be a huge advantage in this match, but she needs to keep from roaming too much. She has a sturdy defense in front of her, which should make her job a lot easier.

Advantage: Sweden slightly.

Defenders
Sweden's left side defense ranks among the best in this tournament. Sara Thunebro and Charlotte Rohlin are dependable defenders and will not make mistakes. Thunebro will also get forward to harass opponents on the flank. Japan will find attacking this side to be a formidable task and would probably do better attacking the Swedish right.

Veteran Sara Larsson and outside back Annica Svensson start on the right side. Larsson is a dependable veteran, but doesn't have the speed she once had. Svensson is the least experienced of the Swedish back line and considered the most vulnerable, although to be fair, most defenders would be when compared to Thunebro and Rohlin.

Japan's defense put in one of the most incredible performances of this tournament on Saturday, shutting out Germany over 120 minutes. The two central defenders, Saki Kumagai and Azusa Iwashimizu had brilliant games. The pressure will be on them again in this match. Kumagai is the only Japanese defender with any size at all and defending against set pieces will be a problem against Sweden. But if they can come up with another match like Saturday, they will give Japan a chance.

The outside backs are Yukari Kinga on the right and Aya Sameshima on the left. Kinga is experienced and a very good two-way player. She loves to get involved in the offense, crossing the ball, attacking the flanks, working give-and-go plays. Sameshima sometimes looks as though a strong wind would blow her over. She almost seems a bit too relaxed at times, which can be a worry against competition as strong as this. Look for Sweden to attack her side early and often.

The Japanese back line will have to guard against Schelin's and Oqvist's speed on through balls, something that caused the US trouble in the group stage match.

Advantage: Sweden slightly again.

Midfielders
What a battle this should be in the midfield, with some of the best on the field in this match. Homare Sawa and Aya Miyama give Japan two of the most creative and technically skilled midfielders that you'll see. Sawa has now experienced five World Cups and is one of the most respected players in the world. She had a scary moment in Saturday's match when she got kicked in the groin area, but was right back on the field in just a few minutes.

Aya Miyama is the best at set pieces and she can pinpoint free kicks from 40 yards in. Not only that, but she just good enough to score a few of her own. With Miyama and Sawa distributing in the midfield, Sweden will be spending a lot of time chasing and not as much with possession of their own. Fouls in this match could be costly, giving Miyama a chance to use her skills.

The other two midfielders are Mizuho Sakaguchi and Shinobu Ohno. Ohno has speed to burn and will sometimes change positions with Kozue Ando to play as a striker. She might be Japan's most dangerous attacking weapon in their starting lineup. Sakaguchi has been steady so far in the tournament from her central midfield position.

Caroline Seger heads up the Swedish midfield. She is a very tough, physical player, who has already had to sit out one match due to yellow card accumulation. But make no mistake, she is also very skilled with a strong shot and she can thread passes through to her forwards as good as any midfielder in the game.

Perhaps the surprise of this World Cup for Sweden has been Lisa Dahlkvist. Not really known as a scorer for the national team, she has scored in three consecutive matches, although one was a penalty kick against the US. She has a powerful shot if she can get it on frame and can be dangerous on strikes from midrange.

Therese Sjogran, the great Swedish veteran who is their all-time caps leader, starts at one outside position. She scored the opening goal against Australia and has assisted on two other goals as well. Fundamentally solid and technically strong, she provides yet another link to the speedy Swedish forwards. Filling out the midfield is Linda Forsberg, another tall, physical presence in the midfield. She is experienced and very good at crossing the ball from the wing.

Also look for Nilla Fischer to make her presence known in a substitute's role. She scored a goal and played a very good match against the United States, subbing in for Seger during her suspension.

Advantage: Even

Forwards
Sweden's forwards are going to be a handful for Japan's defense in this match. While Lotta Schelin has had trouble finding the net, she is always dangerous, with good pace and size. She is adept at runs up the middle and she can beat the best of defenses when she times it well. Now that she has finally got a goal, look for more to follow.

My guess is that Thomas Dennerby will again go with speedy Josefine Oqvist over Jessica Landstrom at the other starting forward spot. Oqvist has had a better touch in the attacking third so far, although she has yet to score a goal. Landstrom's height is a problem for pretty much every defense, but especially for one as short as Japan's. If Landstrom starts, that would most likely be the reason why. Landstrom scored against Colombia in Sweden's first match of this World Cup.

Japan usually starts Kozue Ando and Yuki Nagasato up front. Both are long-time veterans of this team. Nagasato has over 30 career goals and scored in Japan's opener against New Zealand. Ando has yet to dent the scoreboard in this tournament and sometimes drops back to midfield, with Ohno moving forward into the attacking role.

The most attention in this tournament has gone to Japan's substitute forwards. Karina Maruyama has never scored a bigger goal than she did against Germany on Saturday. It was a well-placed shot to the far post that had Nadine Angerer guessing the wrong way. Maruyama has a knack for finding seams in opposing defenses and exploiting them. The most technically skilled of the forwards might be teenager Mana Iwabuchi, who is very creative and appears to have a bright future. Her biggest problem is that she can be knocked off the ball by bigger defenders.

Advantage: Sweden.

Summary
Japan has faced two strong, physical opponents so far in the tournament, playing a great match against Germany in their 1-0 victory, but faring not so well against England in a 2-0 loss. The 120 minutes against Germany had to take something out of them and they substitute very infrequently, leaving one to believe that they could wear down before this tournament is over.

Still, they are so strong technically and they can make the other team have to work to get possession. That works in their favor against a team like Sweden. Japan needs to keep the ball at their feet, string together passes and be patient.

Sweden has been very opportunistic to this point in the tournament, taking advantage of mistakes by both the US and Australia to win important matches. The Japanese are less likely to make those kind of errors, but my guess is that Sameshima will be pressured throughout the match in hopes of forcing a mistake.

Set pieces will be very important to both sides in this match. Sweden will look to target their tall players in the penalty area and create traffic in front of Kaihori. Japan will look for Miyama's brilliance on set pieces to lead to a goal.

Sweden has been very good at playing through balls and letting Schelin and Oqvist run onto them. They will also switch points of attack often to keep Japan from settling in on defense. This should be an interesting match for contrasting styles and a close match as well.

My Prediction: Sweden 1, Japan 0.

Sweden Gains Semifinals with 3-1 Win over Matildas

Sweden scored two early goals and cruised to a 3-1 victory over Australia on Sunday. And it's fair to say that they were very opportunistic, taking advantage of every opening that their opponent gave them.

Miscues in the back once again cost Australia, a recurring theme over the past two weeks. Lotta Schelin pounced on one such opportunity and finally got her first goal of this World Cup.

Thomas Dennerby went with nearly the same eleven as the last match, except for the returning Caroline Seger who was back in the lineup after her suspension for yellow card accumulation. Tom Sermanni elected to move Caitlin Foord into a midfield position and inserted Ellyse Perry at right back.

Australia nearly handed Sweden a goal in the opening minutes. They played the ball back from the midfield to the back line with Kim Carroll getting there first. Carroll meekly hit the ball back toward Melissa Barbieri in goal, but didn't get anything on the pass and Lotta Schelin intercepted, but her first touch was a bit heavy and Barbieri came sliding out to cover it up.

Australia had their first chance with a Perry cross from the right side being sent into the box, with Charlotte Rohlin redirecting the ball wide with a header in the 7th minute.

Sweden opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Lotta Schelin beat Perry around the left side and dribbled toward the box along the endline. She sent a cross back toward the center, where veteran Therese Sjogran was waiting unmarked. Sjogran hit her 12 yard shot low inside the left post. Barbieri dived and might have gotten a hand on it, but it got through and Sweden were on top 1-0.

Just six minutes later, it was Sjogran in possession on the left wing. She cut back on Perry and hit a right-footed cross to a totally unmarked Lisa Dahlqvist at the six yard box, centered perfectly in front of the goal. Dahlkvist put her uncontested header into the right side of the net and Australia was down 2-0 just 16 minutes into the match.

Schelin almost had her first goal in the 26th minute, but her drive from a steep angle on the left side went high and wide to the right.

Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made an adventure of a few plays today. In the 38th minute, Collette McCallum sent in a free kick from 35 yards that Lindahl appeared to misjudge, running up as the ball sailed over her head...and luckily for her, just wide of the right post.

But Perry, who had been somewhat victimized earlier in the match, gave the Matildas life in the 40th minute. McCallum played a short corner from the right side to Perry, who touched the ball toward the corner of the penalty area. Her left-footed shot from 22 yards couldn't have been more perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the goal, beating Lindahl and bringing Australia to within one. The halftime score was Sweden 2, Australia 1.

The Aussies looked dangerous to start the second half, as they tried to target the Swedish right side defense. However, a couple of half chances didn't quite come to fruitition and they were unable to tie the match.

Australia gift-wrapped a goal for the Swedes in the 52nd minute and once again, it was a defensive miscue that led to it. Carroll had possession near the center line and under some pressure, elected to play the ball back, apparently to Barbieri, although that is somewhat unclear. As it turned out, Carroll's pass hit Schelin perfectly in stride and she walked in alone on Barbieri. Schelin touched the ball to the right of Barbieri, while she went to the left. The two met behind the Australian keeper and it was just a matter of touching it into the goal. Schelin finally had her goal and Sweden had a safe two goal lead once again.

Tom Sermanni used his first two subs in the 58th minute, sending in Tameka Butt and Clare Polkinghorne for Perry and Emily Van Egmond.

Australia certainly did not give up and probably created more chances than Sweden in the last 45 minutes, but they just couldn't get back in the match. Butt, made her presence known in the 63rd minute, crossing the ball to the back post to Kyah Simon, but the striker put her header wide of the left post.

Lindahl once again made things interesting in the 66th minute as Lisa De Vanna broke into the left side of the penalty area. She tried to slide out, but the ball eluded her and De Vanna was able to get off an unmolested cross from the left side. Unfortunately for her, nobody was making a run to the goal and the ball harmlessly flew through to the other side and was cleared.

Sweden made their first change in the 67th minute sending in Nilla Fischer, who had had such a strong game against the US a few days ago, to replace Linda Forsberg.

The teams traded chances over the next 15 minutes. A Heather Garriock shot was partially blocked going right into the hands of Lindahl in the 71st minute. Later, Tameka Butt hit a blast from distance, with Lindahl tipping the ball wide just to be safe.

Meanwhile, Sweden had opportunities as well. Josefine Oqvist had back-to-back chances in the 78th minute, with her first shot being blocked by Barbieri and then her rebound shot was blocked by Servet Uzunlar. A minute later, Caroline Seger hit a shot from the right corner, which forced Barbieri to make a leaping save at the near post. She nearly lost her balance and reached backwards, holding the ball even with the goal line before bracing herself against the post and not allowing the ball to cross.

Sweden was able to play through the last few minutes without much pressure and they held on for the 3-1 victory, which by quarterfinal standards in this World Cup, was relatively easy. They have done a very good job of taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes in the last couple of games. Sweden appears to be on a roll right now and will now face Japan on Wednesday in the semifinals in what should be a very good matchup.

As for the Matildas, they must be given a lot of credit for a good run in this tournament. They are one of the younger squads at this World Cup and as they gain more experience and if they can address their defensive problems, should be a force to contend with in the future.

Quarterfinals - Game Three

Sweden (#5) vs. Australia (#11)
Augsburg (7 am eastern)

Last Meeting: Sweden 2, Australia 1 (August 20, 2004)

Sweden
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
Matches: Defeated Colombia 1-0, Defeated Korea DPR 1-0, Defeated United States 2-1.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl (3 gms, 0.33 gaa, 2 shutouts), Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren.
Defenders: Annica Svensson (3 gms), Sara Larsson (3 gms), Charlotte Rohlin (3 gms), Sara Thunebro (3 gms), Linda Sembrandt (1 gm), Lina Nilsson.
Midfielders: Lisa Dahlkvist (3 gms, 2 goals), Caroline Seger (2 gms), Therese Sjogran (3 gms, 1 ast), Linda Forsberg (3 gms), Nilla Fischer (3 gms, 1 goal), Sofia Jakobsson (1 gm), Antonia Goransson (1 gm), Marie Hammarstrom (1 gm).
Forwards: Lotta Schelin (3 gms, 1 ast), Josefine Oqvist (2 gms), Jessica Landstrom (2 gms, 1 goal), Madelaine Edlund (1 gm).

Australia
Coach: Tom Sermanni
Matches: Lost to Brazil 0-1, Defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-2, Defeated Norway 2-1.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Melissa Barbieri (2 gms, 1.00 gaa), Lydia Williams (1 gm, 2.00 gaa), Casey Dumont.
Defenders: Elise Kellond-Knight (3 gms), Kim Carroll (3 gms, 1 ast), Servet Uzunlar (3 gms), Caitlin Foord (2 gms), Teigen Allen (1 gm), Laura Alleway (1 gm), Ellyse Perry (1 gm).
Midfielders: Collette McCallum (3 gms, 1 ast), Heather Garriock (3 gms), Emily Van Egmond (2 gms, 1 goal), Clare Polkinghorne (3 gms), Lauren Colthorpe (1 gm), Tameka Butt (1 gm), Sally Shipard (1 gm).
Forwards: Kyah Simon (2 gms, 2 goals), Lisa De Vanna (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Samantha Kerr (3 gms), Leena Khamis (1 goal, 1 ast).

Goalkeepers
Both teams have veteran keepers, Hedvig Lindahl for Sweden and Melissa Barbieri for Australia. Lindahl is having a very good World Cup so far, giving up just one goal to the United States. She is experienced, agile, and has a very good defense in front of her. Australia is a very dangerous attacking team and could pose Sweden and Lindahl problems that they haven't faced yet. She will have to be aware and alert for Australia's varying set piece array throughout the match.

Barbieri played a solid match against Brazil. But in the match against Norway, she appeared to wait for the ball to come to her rather than clearing with a kick, allowing Elise Thorsnes to cut in front of her, which led to a goal. Whether the mistake was on the defense or on herself, she will need to take charge against Sweden and not allow that to happen again.

Advantage: Sweden

Defenders
Sweden has one of the most veteran back lines at the World Cup. The left side of their defense is almost impenetrable with Sara Thunebro and Charlotte Rohlin. Sara Larssen starts as a central defender on the right side and is a solid veteran, but can have problems with pace against fast forwards. Annica Svensson is the least experienced of the group internationally and probably the most vulnerable. Lauren Cheney had some success attacking that side of the Swedish defense, although nothing came of it.

Sweden did give some chances in that match and were a little lucky that they weren't taken advantage of by the United States. Australia showed that they are willing to attack on the flanks and Sweden must be wary of this. They must also be aware of Lisa De Vanna's position at all times and must be careful that balls struck back to Lindahl have enough pace to get there in front of the speedy attacking Australians.

The Australians generally start steady veteran Kim Carroll and Servet Uzunlar in the middle, with Elise Kellond-Knight at the left back position. Tom Sermanni has inserted 16-year old forward Caitlin Foord at the right back position for two of their three matches. It will be interesting to see if he uses the inexperienced Foord in that position against Sweden.

Strangely enough, Australia's best defensive match so far was against probably the most dangerous attacking team they will face, Brazil. Uzunlar had a nightmare game against Equatorial Guinea, getting her pocket picked twice by Anonman. She was better in the last match against Norway, but Australia cannot afford to give away goals now. They will have Lotta Schelin to deal with in this match and she showed just how opportunistic she could be against the US. Look for Sweden to test the right side of the Aussie defense often.

Advantage: Sweden

Midfielders
With Caroline Seger back from her suspension for yellow card accumulation, Sweden will field a formidable midfield for this match. Lisa Dahlqvist had a great match against the United States. She is a strong defensive player. Therese Sjogran is the one of the most experienced midfielders in the world. Linda Forsberg can provide problems with her service into the penalty area. Nilla Fischer also had an outstanding match against the US and is also a possible starter.

Sweden played very well against the United States, passing accurately, working the ball up the field methodically, and waiting for their forwards to make runs in behind the defense. They are also a very physical group, which could make for quite a battle with Australia. Seger is one of the best all-around midfielders in the world and she is Sweden's quarterback.

Australia will counter with veterans Collette McCallum and Heather Garriock, along with Emily Van Egmond. Tom Sermanni used his third forward, Samantha Kerr, as an attacking midfielder in the match against Norway and it worked out rather well. Garriock is a very physical player and she will not back down from anyone. McCallum is the field general, setting up her speedy forwards, controlling the tempo, and taking most of Australia's set pieces. Van Egmond is also a tall, physical player and she has a goal to show for efforts in this tournament.

Australia will want to bottle up Seger as much as possible and keep the space between their midfield and their back line as small as possible. The fact that both team's midfields are experienced and physical means we might see quite a battle and every ball will be contested by both teams.

Advantage: Sweden

Forwards
Lotta Schelin is considered one of the most dangerous strikers in the world, but she has yet to score a goal in this World Cup. She did set one up in forcing Amy LePeilbet to take her down, which led to a penalty. She can be a handful for any defender, because she has both size and speed.

It will be interesting to see if Thomas Dennerby elects to go with tall Jessica Landstrom or pace with Josefine Oqvist at the other forward position. Landstrom has the only goal of Sweden's forwards, but Oqvist did cause the US back line some problems with her speed. Sweden did a good job at targeting the US weaknesses. But one problem they have had is putting shots on frame. They have been very inaccurate with their shots to this point in the tournament.

For Australia, speed is the name of the game and Lisa De Vanna lives it to its fullest. De Vanna is having one heck of a World Cup. She must be accounted for by whatever back line she is facing and when they have the ball, she will harass them into mistakes, as she did against Norway. Kyah Simon had a bit of a coming out party against Norway, getting both goals in what has been the key match for the Matildas to this point. Samantha Kerr can play forward or attacking mid and she has good speed as well.

Australia is known for it's direct play with long balls over the top, however, they showed the ability to attack from the wings in the last match, beating outside defenders on occasion in that match. Before this World Cup started, I would have given the advantage to Sweden if these two teams had met. However, Australia has raised their play.

Advantage: Even

Summary
While Sweden held the advantage in play against the United States, they were also a bit fortunate, especially on the second goal, which in all honesty has to be considered a bit of a fluke. They are a strong enough side, though, not to rely on luck. They are one of the oldest and most experienced sides at this World Cup, while Australia is one of the youngest teams there.

Sweden exploited the United States' high line on defense, sending several balls through and may have been a bit unlucky on an offsides call or two. One would think that Sermanni might have learned a lesson or two from that match. Australia has already played Brazil and they withstood their speed rather well considering. But as already stated, they can't win this match making the mistakes they have made in the last two matches.

Australia will look to take advantage of their speed and play balls into space allowing their forwards to run on to them. De Vanna could be key and she will run at defenders to force them into mistakes. It would be advantage for Australia to attack up the left side (the Swedish defensive right side) and try to find opportunities there.

The battle in the midfield could be epic. I think Sweden has the advantage there, but the Matildas will not give in easily.

My Prediction: Sweden 2, Australia 1

Sweden 2, United States 1

Sweden scored first half goals on a penalty kick and a free kick to defeat the United States by a 2-1 margin. They played their best match of the tournament so far and the victory earns them first place in Group C. The United States have to settle for second place in Group C, losing their first group stage match ever.

Both teams had a key player out of the lineup. Caroline Seger did not play because of yellow card accumulation, while Heather O'Reilly was forced to sit out because of an injured groin. US striker Abby Wambach did start in spite of her Achilles heel injury.

For the opening six minutes of the match, it looked like the United States were going to take the initiative. Play was almost entirely in Sweden's end, but the US produced only one scoring chance, a shot from 16 yards from Lauren Cheney which was handled easily by Hedvig Lindahl.

However, as the match settled into a rhythm, Sweden took control and had the better of play, as the United States seemed quite out of sync at times.

Sweden had the first great scoring opportunity on the first of many US mistakes on the day. Lindahl's goal kick in the 7th minute was mistakenly headed backwards by midfielder Carli Lloyd and it became quite a good through ball for Lotta Schelin. Schelin dribbled to the penalty spot and released her shot, but Hope Solo made a great kick save to keep Sweden off the board.

The United States had another chance in the 13th minute as the they worked the ball to Amy Rodriguez 25 yards out. She touched a nice pass to Wambach, who was cutting to her left, but her low shot went right to Lindahl.

Disaster struck the United States in the 14th minute. A harmless Lisa Dahlqvist shot from 30 yards was slowed by a deflection off of US defender Christie Rampone. Schelin seized on the opportunity gathering the ball at the 18 and was pulled down by Amy LePeilbet just inside the penalty area. Sweden was correctly awarded a penalty kick and LePeilbet received a yellow card for her challenge.

Dahlqvist stepped up to take the penalty. She went left with her shot and it had to be perfect, because Solo guessed correctly and just missed getting her fingertips on the ball. Sweden led 1-0.

The US almost equalized in the 20th minute. Abby Wambach was able to touch the ball over to Lauren Cheney who had a clear chance from 16 yards. Her blast had Lindahl beat, but flew just wide of the left post. Another Cheney shot from 18 yards dipped just over the crossbar a minute later.

The United States came close again in the 32nd minute as Rodriguez was able to fend off Charlotte Rohlin and chip the ball over the head of Lindahl, but the Swedish goalkeeper had to feel quite relieved as the ball hit the top of the crossbar and went barely over.

The US couldn't have been much more unlucky in the 35th minute, although a bit of sloppy play in back led to the bad luck. Rachel Buehler seemed to be perfectly positioned to intercept a long ball out of the Swedish back, but the ball skipped by her and she then fouled Schelin in the process of trying to get the ball back.

Once again, a deflection on a harmless shot was the culprit. Nilla Fischer's free kick from 28 yards was well struck, but should have been no trouble at all, with Solo moving over to cover the post in case the ball might be on target. Instead, the ball struck LePeilbet and deflected well behind the American keeper into the left side of the net. Two shots from distance, two deflections off American defenders, one setting up a Swedish goal and one directly resulting in a Swedish goal.

Carli Lloyd nearly poked the ball into the net on a Rampone free kick in the 41st minute, but Lindahl made a nice save in traffic to keep the ball in front of her and out of the net.

The half ended with Sweden holding a 2-0 edge. They had played their best half of soccer in the tournament and they clearly had the edge in play in the first half. They also hadn't made near the mistakes that the Americans had. Yet the US had several opportunities and just didn't cash in. However, the United States had too often settled for hopeless long attempts when other options might have been better.

Nilla Fischer tried to make it three in the 57th minute, but her shot from 20 yards went wide of the right post. Josefine Oqvist crossed the ball into the box a minute later, but no one from Sweden was running at the back post and the ball rolled harmlessly through the box.

The United States finally scored in the 67th minute. Cheney took the corner kick from the right side and hit it to the far post. Wambach leaped above everyone and managed to get the top of her shoulder on the ball and it snuck just inside the left post to cut the lead in half.

Meanwhile, Sweden had one chance for Schelin called back on what appeared to be an errant offsides call.

The United States continued to pressure over the last 25 minutes, but could never get the tying goal. Their best chance came in the 86th minute when Cheney beat defender Annica Svensson on the left side and crossed the ball to the middle. Kelley O'Hara's wide open volley went wide of the right post from 14 yards out.

Nilla Fischer had an outstanding game for Sweden, while Schelin and Oqvist gave American defenders problems throughout. Sweden effectively sealed off any threats on their left flank from becoming dangerous, particularly late in the match. Lindahl was solid overall, but a bit fortunate that the United States could not find the goal for much of the match.

For the United States, Ali Krieger continues to impress at right back, while Lauren Cheney continues to be an offensive threat for the US. The United States obviously missed Heather O'Reilly's speed up the right side.

Sweden comes out of Group C play unbeaten and will face Australia on Sunday. The loss for the United States sets up a heavyweight contest between the US and Brazil on Sunday, a rematch of the 2008 Olympic final and the 2007 World Cup semifinal.

While some may call this an upset, it is certainly not a surprise. Sweden had beaten the United States by the identical score in January and the two teams play close matches nearly every time they meet. Sweden were on their game in the first half and their speed gave the US back line trouble, something that the United States will have to rectify before Sunday's match with Brazil.

Perhaps the biggest winner here is Germany for now they know they will at most have to face only one team between the United States and Brazil in the tournament, and then not until the final.

The bracket sets up like this:

Germany vs. Japan
Sweden vs. Australia

England vs. France
Brazil vs. United States

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

Sweden 1, Korea DPR 0

In almost a carbon copy of the first match for Sweden, they defeated Korea DPR 1-0, putting themselves in good position to advance to the quarterfinals. A tie or win by the United States will clinch a quarterfinal berth for Sweden.

Once again, Sweden had trouble putting away their chances. Once again, they were not dominant. And once again, they were able to get a second half goal to win the match. Korea, while they did well with possession at stretches throughout the match, really had very few threatening chances.

Like Tuesday, Sweden had an early chance to jump out on top. Lotta Schelin was open on the left side of the box, running onto a long ball out of the back, but her shot went just high and just wide left from 15 yards away. Like Jessica Landstrom in the match against Colombia, Schelin has a frustrating first half, missing out on golden opportunities.

There were few Korean chances in the opening 45 minutes and then from distance, like Kim Su Gyong's attempt from 28 yards in the sixth minute that went harmlessly wide. Their best chance of the first half was a cross from Song Jong Sun from the right side in the 19th minute. Kim was able to get a cleaner header on it, but the shot went well wide of the right post.

In the 30th minute, Caroline Seger sent Schelin in on the right side of the box, but Schelin did not get over the ball properly and her shot sailed high and wide to the right. Sweden's last chance of the half was Jessica Landstrom's attempt from 25 yards that sailed over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.

Sweden continued to press in the second half. Schelin sent the ball to Lisa Dahlqvist in the box, but Hong Myong Hui came out to deflect the ball wide. Five minutes later, a corner kick resulted in a scramble in the box after Hong was unable to get to the ball. Dahlqvist's shot from 15 yards was blocked by the defense and the ball was cleared.

Seger picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute, which was about the last thing Sweden needed. It was her second yellow of the tournament and she will now be forced to miss the upcoming match against the United States.

Swedish pressure finally paid off in the 64th minute. The Swedes reversed the ball from the right to the left with the ball coming to the feet of Linda Forsberg. She hit a right-footed inswinging cross to the far post. Therese Sjogran headed the ball back to the middle to an unmarked Dahlkvist, who blasted the ball into the net from only four yards out.

Korea's best chances seemed to come off of corner kicks, in spite of Sweden's height. In the 73rd minute, a Korean corner came into the six yard box. Both Ri Ye Gyong and Ri Un Hyang went up for the header, with it appearing that Ri U. H. making contact. The ball was headed toward the net, but Sara Thunebro was waiting on the line to clear it with her head.

In the 75th minute, Seger forced a turnover and sent the ball down the middle to Schelin. This time Schelin forced Hong to make a diving save on her low shot from 15 yards.

Korea tried to get an equalizer in the 80th minute as Ri Ye Gyong placed a cross into the box from the right side, but Lindahl anticipated nicely and grabbed the ball in front of Ra Un Sim.

Sweden was able to keep Korea from getting the ball up the field for most of the last ten minutes as time ticked away on the Koreans. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but Sweden had once again gotten the job done. Hedvig Lindahl earned the shutout for Sweden and Thunebro saved the day off the line late in the match. Meanwhile, Swedish forwards continued to struggle with their finishing touch.

The upside is Sweden will almost surely go through to the quarterfinals. The bad news is that Seger will miss the match against the United States, which could be very important for placement into the quarters.

Sweden will meet the United States on Wednesday, while Korea DPR, who are now virtually eliminated will meet Colombia.

World Cup: Day 7

Sweden vs. North Korea (8 am eastern)

This could well be a very important match in determining the final order of finish in Group C. A Swedish victory would probably eliminate Korea DPR. A Korean victory, however, could well make for tense moments all around come next Wednesday, the final day of group play in Group C.

Sweden would appear to have the advantage heading into this match. Even though they struggled to get past Colombia, their size, strength, and experience is head and shoulders above Korea DPR.

One was beginning to wonder if Jessica Landstrom could find more ways to miss the net last Tuesday. She was going high or wide on nearly every attempt, but she finally found the goal in the 57th minute against Colombia and she might be a good deal more accurate on Saturday. Her striking partner, Lotta Schelin will surely have her opportunities as well and both will give Korea's defense as much or more than they can handle.

When Sweden defeated Colombia earlier in the week, they were able to get numbers forward which forced Colombian star Yoreli Rincon to do far more defending than attacking. They will try to do the same to Jo Yun Mi, Korea's most talented player. Caroline Seger was strong in the center midfield and won many a 50-50 ball in the match against Colombia.

While Sweden gave up virtually nothing up the middle to Colombia, they did look vulnerable on their right flank a few times. Korea might well attack that side of the Swedish defense, although the Koreans' technical abilities may enable them to loosen up the Swedish defense better than Colombia. Sara Thunebro and Charlotte Rohlin form a solid wall on Sweden's left. Hedvig Lindahl's experience gives her an edge for Sweden.

While Korea DPR played the United States even or maybe better for one half on Tuesday, they faded badly in the second half and were pretty much dominated in the final 45 minutes. They will need to get a better 90 minute effort on Saturday.

The Korean attack really does depend very much on Jo, the MVP of the Asian Cup last year. She wasn't as big a factor against the US as she might have been and the Koreans will try to get her more involved in the attack in this match. Most of the Korean strikers are very young, but Ra Un Sim provides the most experience and is probably the best scorer of the group.

Korea DPR will have to be patient when attacking and keep long attempts to a minimum, as they would likely not faze Lindahl in the least. They will want to play the ball to the feet because of Sweden's overwhelming advantage in the air.

On the back line, we saw Song Jong Sun make occasional runs up the right side against the US. However, it might be difficult to crack the Swedish defense on that side of the field. Ri Un Hyang and Jong Pok Sim started in the central defense against the US. They will be under heavy pressure against Schelin and Landstrom, who will tower over over them.

One probably couldn't fault Hong Myong Hui on either goal on Tuesday. She will face another difficult day, with an aerial attack and set pieces being Korea's biggest fear.

If Korea DPR could play like they did in the first half against the United States, they could give Sweden a run for their money. Certainly, the longer they keep Sweden off the board, the more frustrated Sweden's attack will become. But Sweden showed that they will turn the pressure up when they have to. Seger's physical presence in the midfield will be a problem for Korea.

My Prediction: Sweden 2, Korea DPR 1

United States vs. Colombia (12 pm eastern)

A victory in this match will put the United States in very good shape in Group C and pending the outcome of the Sweden/Korea DPR match, could give them a quarterfinal berth. Colombia, on the other hand, desperately needs at least a tie in this match just to stay alive.

These two teams have never met on the field. In fact, outside of Brazil, the US has rarely played a team from South America.

There is talk going around that Lori Lindsey might possibly start in the central midfield for the Americans. If that is true, it would be a rare instance indeed where both Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd were both healthy and didn't start together. Boxx did take a bit of a knock in the match against Korea DPR and the 33-year old is not as young as she used to be (none of us are), so Sundhage may try to rest her veteran midfielder in favor of matches further into the tournament.

On the attack, Abby Wambach is likely to give Colombia's back line fits. And it doesn't help that Sundhage's decision to start Lauren Cheney gives the US another strong, powerful offensive presence to deal with. Truth be told, for an outside midfielder, Cheney ended up in the middle of the field an awful lot, taking shots against Korea DPR. If I didn't know better, I could have swore that the US was playing three forwards in their first match.

The US defense showed some weaknesses in the first half against Korea, but they were more solid later in the match. Ali Krieger may have had one of her best matches for the national team against Korea and she has definitely nailed down the right back position on this team. And it always helps when you have Hope Solo behind you in goal. Her World Cup record now stands at five matches played and four consecutive shutouts.

Colombia will want to get Yoreli Rincon more involved in the attacking end in this match. Against Sweden, she appeared to drop back further and further as the match wore on and she spent most of her day either defending or trying harmless shots from distance. Catalina Usme is Colombia's one experienced forward and she will likely be the biggest threat in the middle against central defenders Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler.

The player that was most dangerous for Colombia against Sweden was Carmen Rodallega, who attacked very well up the left side of the field in that match. If Colombia can catch Krieger upfield on an overlapping run, a quick, effective counterattack on that side could pose a problem for the US.

On the Colombian back line, only Kelis Peduzine has much height so Colombia will need to keep the ball on the side, forcing throw-ins instead of free kicks and corners. Captain Natalia Gaitan had a very strong game against Sweden on Tuesday. Defender Nataly Arias is from the United States and played college soccer at the University of Maryland.

Solo will have the goalkeeping advantage over Sandra Sepulveda for Colombia. Sepulveda will have to fight for every ball in the air or she is in for a very long day.

If you are a US fan, there are three things to worry about in this match...Columbia's speed, counterattacks, and overconfidence. Remember that it took nearly sixty minutes for Sweden to get their goal, so the Americans will have to work for this one. Colombia needs to get numbers forward when counterattacking opportunities arise and hope for a lot of 1 v. 1 soccer on the offensive end. In the end, I see the United States' size advantage as being too imposing on the offensive end.

My Prediction: United States 2, Colombia 0.

Sweden 1, Colombia 0

Sweden opened their quest for the 2011 World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Colombia in Group C action on Tuesday. It was convincing performance by the Swedes on the field, if not on the scoreboard.

Sweden had multiple scoring opportunities in the opening minutes against the young Colombian team. Lotta Schelin got in on the keeper in the 3rd minute and slid the ball by Sandra Sepulveda, but Natalia Gaitan was there to clear it off the line for Colombia. In the 10th minute, Sepulveda did get a good piece of Schelin's shot from 12 yards, but the ball rolled behind her only to be saved and cleared by the combination of Gaitan and Andrea Peralta.

Perhaps the best opportunity came two minutes later as Lotta Schelin was able to touch the ball across to Jessica Landstrom just outside the six yard box. Landstrom promptly skied the ball over the net, for what should have been a sure goal. Colombia had managed to survive the opening onslaught by the Swedes with the game still tied.

Then the game seemed to settle in for a bit. Midfielder Caroline Seger earned a yellow card in the 29th minute. Sweden was clearly the bigger and far more physical side, outfouling Colombia by a 17-4 margin for the match.

Sweden had one more good opportunity in the 35th minute as Landstrom nearly sent Schelin through on goal, but Sepulveda anticipated nicely and came out to clear before the Swedish striker could get to it.

The second half started much the same, with Sweden again missing a golden opportunity. Schelin was able to touch the ball around Sepulveda at the 18, but her shot from the left side of the penalty area rolled just wide of the right post. A few minutes later, Landstrom tried to chip Sepulveda, but the ball went well over the net.

Finally, in the 57th minute, Schelin was able to make a run from the right side, drive to the end line and cross to Landstrom, who this time slid the ball low and into the net to give Sweden a 1-0 lead.

Carmen Rodallega gave Colombia some hope in the 66th minute, but her shot went over the bar and it appeared that goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl had it covered in any case. Rodallega was the most dangerous player for Colombia most of the day, making nice runs up the left side and menacing the Swedish right flank at times.

Sweden continued to attack. Therese Sjogran bent one just outside the upper right corner in the 78th minute. Two minutes later, a Sofia Jakobsson shot heading inside the left post was parried away by Sepulveda.

Colombia had one last chance in the 92nd minute, but Rodallega's shot went just over the bar and any dreams of a draw went out the window. Lindahl earned the shutout and Sweden took the three points.

While they won the match, Sweden had to be a bit disappointed with the result in a game they dominated. In a group where goal differential could make or break a quarterfinal bid, they are just a +1.

Colombia might have been a bit lucky at times, but they did manage to hang in there in their first ever appearance in the World Cup against a very tough Swedish team. Perhaps their biggest disappointment is that Yoreli Rincon really didn't get much chance to get into the offense, often dropping deep into her own half of the field to defend.

Sweden will now play Korea DPR on Saturday in a very important match that could well determine a quarterfinal berth. After facing a physical Swedish side today, Colombia gets to face an equally physical United States on Saturday.

World Cup: Day 3

Sweden vs. Colombia (8 am eastern)

The first match in Group C will feature perennial power Sweden against newcomer Colombia. There is certainly a contrast in age here, with Sweden being the second oldest team at the World Cup and Colombia being one of the youngest.

Sweden is always a force to be reckoned with in women's soccer and this team is no different. They return 12 players from their 2007 team which was eliminated for the first time in the group stage.

Their midfield features veteran Therese Sjogran and captain Caroline Seger, both of whom play in WPS. It will be up to these two to control the match and set up always dangerous forward Lotta Schelin. Schelin has 37 international goals and will pose a huge problem for Colombia's back line.

In fact, Sweden's size in general will give Colombia fits. Colombia has only one player listed as over 5-7 and they will have to deal with a much bigger Swedish team that includes Schelin and fellow striker Jessica Landstrom. Therefore, Colombia will need to stay away from set pieces, where they are at a huge disadvantage.

Sweden will miss defender Stina Segerstrom who is out with injury, but their back line is experienced and solid, led by Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro.

Colombia will rely on Catalina Usme and Yoreli Rincon on the offensive end of the field. 17-year old Rincon may prove to be one of the best young players in this tournament. Colombia must keep possesion as long as possible and make the taller Swedish team chase.

Hedvig Lindahl is one of the most experienced keepers in the world and she will give Sweden an edge in that department. Paula Forero led Colombia through qualifying, but Sandra Sepulveda is getting quite a few starts lately in goal for Colombia.

On defense, Colombia will count on Kelis Peduzine, their tallest and one of their most experienced players to keep Sweden in check.

It will be a study in contrasts, with Sweden having a huge advantage in size, experience, and depth. I believe that will be too much for the young Colombian team to overcome.

My Prediction: Sweden 4, Colombia 0

United States vs Korea DPR (12:15 pm eastern)

In an equally interesting study in contrasts, the United States will take on Korea DPR in the other Group C match. The bigger, stronger, and more experienced US team might have a little more problem with the technically strong team from Korea.

One problem for the United States is that, until recently, they probably haven't had much of chance to scout the Koreans. Korea had a huge tournament on their roster since they qualified last May and now boast nine players from their U-20 team. Korea DPR is the youngest team in the field.

The midfield battle will be paramount in this match. The United States two central midfielders, Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, will need to be on top of their game. A turnover against the Koreans and you are likely to not get possession back for some time.

Their counterpart is Jo Yun Mi, who was the MVP of the Asian Cup last year. She is hugely talented and very dangerous on the offensive end. Another player to watch is Ra Un Sim, a forward that will test the American back line, one that has been plagued by injuries and has been exposed at times in recent losses.

The Americans will want to exploit their size advantage as they did against Japan in two recent friendlies. Abby Wambach poses a big problem for the Korean defense and she is one of the best in the world in the air. The US will need to make the most of their set pieces in this match.

The goalkeeping edge goes to the United States and Hope Solo. After missing much of the last year with a shoulder injury, she is back and looking strong as ever. Solo will keep the United States in most games, no matter how well they are playing in front of her.

Korea will probably go with Hong Myong Hui, who posted three shutouts in the Asian Cup and another two in the Asian Games last fall. She was the starting keeper for Korea in the U-20 World Cup last year and the U-17 World Cup before that.

The United States has huge advantage in size and experience. But they can have problems against technically superior squads like Korea DPR is likely to be. They can ill-afford to fall behind such a team. Korea will need to limit the US opportunities on set pieces and will be at their best with the ball on the ground and at their feet.

The US is also facing a lot of pressure in this World Cup. Their outward appearance is one of confidence, but there has been heavy criticism thrown their way in recent months and they will no doubt be under more pressure than Korea in this match. They have a history of starting slowly and Korea DPR might be able to take advantage of that.

This will be a close match. I think the US might have a slight edge overall, but worry about their inconsistency over the past few months, as well as their back line's injuries and speed.

My Prediction: United States 1, Korea DPR 1

Group C Preview: Sweden

Sweden (#5)
Region: UEFA
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Denmark in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: 2nd Place
1999: Lost in Quarterfinals
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: 3rd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) K. Hammerstrom, Lindahl, Lundgren, Larsson, Rohlin, Thunebro, Fischer, Seger, Sjogran, Forsberg, Edlund, Schelin.

Roster (Average Age: 27.33)

Name	Pos	Club	Age	Caps/Goals
Kristin Hammarstrom	GK	Kopparberg/Goteborg	29	12/0
Hedvig Lindahl	GK	Kristianstad DFF	28	69/0
Sofia Lundgren	GK	Linkoping FC	28	23/0
Sara Larsson	DF	Orebro DFF	32	102/8
Lina Nilsson	DF	LdB FC Malmo	24	26/0
Charlotte Rohlin	DF	Linkoping FC	31	44/6
Linda Sembrant	DF	Kopparberg/Goteborg	24	22/1
Annica Svensson	DF	Tyreso	28	12/0
Sara Thunebro	DF	FFC Frankfurt	32	72/3
Lisa Dahlkvist	MF	Kopparberg/Goteborg	24	35/3
Nilla Fischer	MF	LdB FC Malmo	26	70/10
Linda Forsberg	MF	LdB FC Malmo	26	25/4
Antonia Goransson	MF	Hamburger SV	20	9/0
Marie Hammarstrom	MF	Orebro DFF	29	9/0
Sofia Jakobsson	MF	Umea IK	21	1/0
Caroline Seger	MF	WNY Flash	26	78/12
Therese Sjogran	MF	Sky Blue FC	34	168/17
Madelaine Edlund	FW	Tyreso	25	19/1
Jessica Landstrom	FW	FFC Frankfurt	26	50/16
Josefine Oqvist	FW	Tyreso	27	64/17
Lotta Schelin	FW	FCF Lyon	27	88/37

Recent Matches:

Date	Opponent	Competition	Result
6/23/11	Japan	Friendly	T 1-1
6/16/11	Mexico	Friendly	W 2-0
5/17/11	England	Friendly	L 0-2
4/2/11	Canada	Friendly	W 1-0
3/9/11	Japan	Algarve	L 1-2
3/7/11	China	Algarve	W 1-0
3/4/11	Denmark	Algarve	W 3-1
3/2/11	Iceland	Algarve	L 1-2
1/25/11	Canada	Four Nations	L 0-1
1/23/11	China	Four Nations	L 1-2
1/21/11	United States	Four Nations	W 2-1
10/26/10	Norway	Friendly	W 3-1
9/16/10	Denmark	UEFA Playoff	T 2-2(a.e.t)
9/11/10	Denmark	UEFA Playoff	W 2-1
8/25/10	Wales	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 5-1
8/21/10	Czech Republic	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 1-0
7/17/10	United States	Friendly	L 0-3
7/13/10	United States	Friendly	T 1-1
6/23/10	Azerbaijan	UEFA WC Qualifier	W 17-0
6/19/10	Czech Republic	UEFA WC Qualifier	T 0-0

Sweden has appeared in every Women’s World Cup, finishing as high as second place in 2003, when they lost to Germany by a 2-1 score in the final. In 2007, they failed to get out of the group stage in spite of a 1-1-1 record, the only time that has happened in their history. They return 12 players from 2007.

The soccer gods have deemed it so that Sweden be grouped with the United States and North Korea for the third consecutive World Cup. Sweden plays the United States frequently. Both teams are usually at the Algarve Cup and earlier this year, they were both at the Four Nations, where Sweden won 2-1. And like the United States, Sweden will field a veteran team in Germany, the second oldest to their Group C opponent.

It has been a rollercoaster year for Sweden. Their victory over the US at the Four Nations was followed by defeats to Canada and China. They lost to both Iceland and Japan at the Algarve Cup. They recently lost a friendly to England. Their record for the year stands at just 5-5-1. They had to go into extra time to defeat Denmark in order to qualify for the World Cup. If there is one thing Sweden has been over the past year, it is consistently inconsistent.

On the player front, Sweden lost defensive starter Stina Segerstrom to injury. Another defender, Sara Larsson, has been bothered by injuries as well, but she did appear in the team’s last two friendlies.

One never knows quite what to expect from Sweden, a team that always appears on the doorstep of breaking through, but never quite seem to get there. Sweden is currently ranked fifth, but have been as high as third during stretches of 2007-08.

Veteran midfielder Therese Sjogran is the all-time leader in caps for Sweden. This will be her third World Cup. Sjogran and fellow midfielder Caroline Seger form the heart of this Swedish team. Both are familiar to American fans from their WPS play.

As far as scoring goes, Sweden’s two biggest scorers over the past year have been Lotta Schelin and Josefine Oqvist. Schelin, who plays for Lyon, is considered one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the world. She will challenge defenses with her size, speed, and well-timed runs.

After a long scoring drought, Oqvist scored a hat trick against Wales in qualifying and followed that up with goals against China, Iceland, and Denmark in 2011. Jessica Landstrom, who scored six goals in Sweden’s qualifying group stage, has cooled off considerably, although she did score a pair of goals against Denmark earlier this year.

Sweden has a veteran back line with Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro, and Larsson. They will miss Segerstrom’s presence in back, but they are still a solid group. Hedvig Lindahl is Sweden’s top goalkeeper and was their starter for all three matches in China four years ago.

Most of Sweden’s players are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. This has to be the time for them to shine on the world’s stage. If they don’t, one would suspect a large turnover on the roster before Canada 2015. The group stage will not be easy with the United States and North Korea. They can ill-afford to give up many goals in this competition, so Lindahl and her defense will need to be at their best. Is this the year Sweden finally goes to the top?

Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com and www.svenskfotboll.se.

England Wins World Cup Warm-Up Over Sweden

Hope Powell's England squad has knocked off another high ranking team in defeating Sweden by a 2-0 margin. Jill Scott scored early in the second half and Karen Carney later added a penalty to boost England to the victory.

Both teams were playing without key players. For England, Fara Williams and Faye White were both sidelined with injuries. Meanwhile, Sweden was without Stina Segerstrom, who suffered a severe injury and will miss the World Cup, as well as Sara Larsson and Nilla Fischer, who were also nursing injuries.

USWNT Adds Engen and Farrelly to Roster

Pia Sundhage has called Whitney Engen and Sinead Farrelly up for the final friendly against Japan. Engen was added to provide much needed depth for the US back line, with Heather Mitts, Christie Rampone, and Amy LePeilbet all trying to heal from injuries. Farrelly was added after the devastating injury to Lindsay Tarpley in Saturday's match against Japan.

A former star at North Carolina, Engen is now a starter for the Western New York Flash after playing her rookie season for the Chicago Red Stars. Engen has missed just four minutes of action in 29 WPS matches.

Farrelly is a rookie midfielder for the Philadelphia Independence, starting in her first WPS season for coach Paul Riley. The former Virginia star was the second overall pick in the January draft.

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.