This Group A match sees powerhouse Germany come off a 2-1 victory over Canada face off against Nigeria at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany who were defeated 1-0 in their opening match at the hands of France.

Germany were fairly convincing in large portions of their opening match but failed to “kill the game” when they had the chance and gave Canada a life line in the last ten minutes of the match, conceding a fantastic free kick goal to Christine Sinclair and were actually up against in the final moments. German superstar and captain Birgit Prinz didn’t have her best match but teammates Kerstin Garefrekes and Célia Okoyino da Mbabi picked up the slack with not only their goals but also with their general positive play. However the strength of this team might be what they bring off the bench, especially in Forward Alexandra Popp. Playing the final thirty minutes of the match she showed how dangerous she could be with both the size and skill advantage she showed over the Canadian defense. It wouldn’t be surprising if Coach Silvia Neid started her along side the aforementioned Garefrekes to match the physicality of the Nigerians, but the main aspect the Germans need to show as they have many times in the past is the killer instinct to finish off an opponent.

As for Nigeria, their narrow 1-0 defeat to France more spoke to the their ineffectiveness when attacking then anything else. The only player that showed any threat was Desire Oparanozie, with star player Perpetua Nkwocha a complete non-factor. Their one advantage they have over most teams in this tournament is their physicality and endurance, but France proved that with a strong midfield combined with the extremely hot conditions the Africans could be worn down. Coach Ngozi Uche will need her team to finish the few chances they get and close up any gaps that are between the defensive midfield and the backline, the Germans are an experienced team that will use their size and soccer intelligence to exploit any spaces.

I expect the Germans to go from strength to strength in this match and think they learned a few things about themselves from their opening match. I’m going with the over in this one even with it being set at 3.5 instead of the customary 2.5, as I think the Germans are just that much better.

Pick

Over 3.5

The FIFA Women’s World Cup continues with a crucial Group A showdown, Canada tries to rebound from their 2-1 defeat to Germany when they take on France in Bochum, Germany who themselves are one step away from qualifying for the Quarterfinals.

Canada was beaten by a very strong German side but weren’t completely dominated as most were expecting, they showed skill on the ball and actually had the advantage in possession but were exposed defensively. However the one aspect that was taken away from this game is the toughness and class of captain Christine Sinclair, taking an elbow to the face and subsequently breaking her nose she refused medical attention to get back on the pitch and scored a fantastic goal from a free kick. Now Canada turn their attention to France in a match they must get a result from, scoring the goal against Germany made it a respectable goal differential but getting a win would relieve the massive pressure the team is under. Coach Carolina Morace will need her defense to have much better communication, especially the wingbacks Emily Zurrer and Marie-Eve Nault who were caught up field too often and failed when executing the offside trap. All signs point to Christine Sinclair playing in Canada’s final two matches, however she will most likely be donning a protective mask.

As for France, they came away with a narrow 1-0 victory against Nigeria in a match that they arguably should have dominated, especially in the latter stages. The stand out players for Les Bleues were the midfield combination of Louisa Necib and Camille Abily, both contributed to the goal and their speed, skill on the ball and overall play was very impressive. France are now in a position to seal qualification for the Quarterfinals if they defeat Canada and Germany don’t drop three points against Nigeria, Coach Bruno Bini will like how his team stacks up in this match with the strength in midfield and speed up front. He will be looking for Necib, Abily and goal scorer Marie-Laure Delie to continue linking up and get a spark off the bench from the likes of Eugénie Le Sommer.

This is a tough match to call, Canada showed that they won’t back down even when they losing 2-0 and actually made Germany a little nervous in the last ten minutes of the match while France are in a good position with their midfield displaying how creative they can be. I like the over in this match, both teams will get their chances and with a game under their belts the finishing ability will be much better.

Pick

Over 2.5

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This match from Group D sees South American giants Brazil take on Asian representatives Australia at Borussia-Park in Mönchengladbach, Germany. 
   Brazil comes into the tournament as a massive favorite to finally shed their “bridesmaid” tag and win the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The South Americans have been dominant within their region winning the South American Women’s Championship on five of six occasions in 1991, 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2010 with their only hiccup coming in 2006 when they finished runners up. Coach Kleiton Lima has been in charge of the side since January 2009 and will be looking to get this team over the hump. The key players for the Samba Queens are the “Big 3” of Marta, Cristiane and Formiga, Marta is widely considered the best female player in the world and is well decorated winning five FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Awards in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 as well as winning four Championships in Sweden with club side Umeå IK in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 amongst other honors. Cristiane is her “partner in crime” in the Brazilian attack and can be a major threat if not properly defended, however contrary to popular belief the most important player may just be Formiga. She is the midfield enforcer and adds toughness where the team needs it most; she will be responsible for marking the opposition’s best player. All three of these players ply their trade in the WPS, something that makes them even more familiar with each other.

As for Australia, they qualified for this tournament as champions of the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and are one of the main reasons why powerhouse China isn’t in this year’s competition. This team finally broke their streak of Group Stage exits in 2007 when they reached the Quarterfinals, they will be looking to build on that this time around and possibly go one step further. Since Australia moved from the Oceania region to the Asian region it has helped both the male and female sides, giving them stronger competition and forcing them to improve their quality of players. Coach Tom Sermanni has a wealth of experience to draw on and has been in charge of Australia since 2004, the Scotsman is well respected by the both the players and Australian Soccer Association. Key players for the Aussies are Lisa De Vanna, Kyah Simon and Melissa Barbieri, De Vanna and Simon will be leading the line up front, adding pace and finishing ability while captain and goalkeeper Barbieri will be in charge of organization.

This might just be a closer match them many are expecting, I still like the Brazilians to open their account with a victory but the Aussies won’t roll over by any means. I think there will be goals in this match so I will go for the over.

Pick

Over 2.5

The FIFA Women’s World Cup continues with action from Group C, this match sees tournament debutants Colombia face off against Scandinavian giants Sweden at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany.

Colombia’s performances at women’s youth level has finally paid off, as the core group of this squad comes from the U17 side won the 2008 South American Women’s Championships, qualified for the 2008 U17 World Cup and took 4 th place in the 2010 U20 Women’s World Cup that also took place in Germany. This team qualified by beating the likes of Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela in the 2010 South American Women’s Championships, eventually ending up as runners up behind Brazil and knocking out Argentina in the process. The main reason for all this success comes down to Coach Ricardo Rozo, the Colombian Soccer Association picked the right man for the job having nurtured and fostered all the young raw talent the women’s game has to offer and piggybacked off the success of the men’s side. The key players for Las Cafeteras are Yoreli Rincon, Andrea Peralta, and Carmen Rodallega; Peralta is a defender with an ability to score goals while Carmen Rodallega will act as the “elder statesmen” of the squad at only age 27, this just outlines they youth that Colombia boast. However the star of this team is Rincon, even though she is only 17 years old she has plenty of tournament experience and is the main source of both goals and positive play.

As for Sweden, they are FIFA Women’s World Cup veterans having qualified for every tournament since its inception back in 1991; their best tournament finish was in 2003 when they finished as runners up to Germany. This team is always a danger and has one of the most consistent programs in the women’s side of the game, with the rise of the Swedish league many of these players are very familiar with each other and have developed a very effective style. Coach Thomas Dennerby will have the responsibility of finally getting this team over the hump and win the World Cup; he is very familiar with the Swedish philosophy playing for the countries at U21, U-19 and U-17 national teams and is looking to now add something to his coaching resume. The key player for Sweden is Lotta Schelin; she is a prolific goal scorer at club level but hasn’t made the same transition at national team level. Other players to keep an eye on are Therese Sjögran and Sara Larsson; these are the two most experienced players on the squad and will be relied upon for their leadership and organization.

This is a tough first match for Colombia, however this is probably the best time to take on an experienced side like Sweden. The Swedes should win this match convincingly, but all the pressure will be on them with this being the South Americans debut.

Pick

Sweden -200