Women’s World Cup on TV: Netherlands and Canada square off for first place
What to watch for in the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament on Thursday:
GROUP E
CAMEROON VS. NEW ZEALAND
Where: Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
Time: 9 a.m. PDT
TV: FS1
The buzz: New Zealand is playing in its fifth Women’s World Cup and is still looking for its first win. In France, it’s also looking for its first goal; the Ferns went winless and goalless in the 2007 World Cup as well. So while it goes into its group play final with a mathematical chance to advance, New Zealand would undoubtedly be happy with a score and a win. New Zealand’s Tom Sermanni, a former U.S. and Australia manager, will be coaching his 14th Women’s World Cup match, tying him for third-most all-time. Cameroon is also winless in this tournament after making the round of 16 in its debut four years ago. In two tournaments, the Africans have never settled for a tie. Only Russia, with eight, has played more Women’s Cup matches without a draw.
NETHERLANDS VS. CANADA
Where: Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims.
Time: 9 a.m. PDT
TV: Channel 11, Universo
The buzz: Both teams are perfect after two matches and share the same goal differential. But the Netherlands, the reigning European champion, has scored one more goal, which could be significant since that would be the tiebreaker if the teams finish even. And though both teams are already on to the second round, winning the group will be important since the winner gets Japan in the second round while the loser will meet the loser of Thursday’s Sweden-U.S. match. These teams faced the same scenario four years ago when they played in the same group, with Canada finishing first and the Dutch second after a 1-1 draw in the final group-stage match. Neither team has trailed in the tournament and Canada, ranked fifth in the world, hasn’t even allowed a goal. Canada is 9-0-3 all-time vs. the Netherlands, having outscored them 22-7.
GROUP F
THAILAND VS. CHILE
Where: Stade Oceane, Le Havre
Time: noon, PDT
TV: FS1, Universo
The buzz: With a decisive win, Chile still has a chance to advance; Thailand is playing primarily to avoid making history it would rather avoid. After allowing 18 goals — 13 to the U.S. — and scoring once in a pair of losses, Thailand has a chance to break records for most goals allowed (18) and worst differential (-17), marks currently held by Argentina from 2007. It’s certainly not the way the Thais want to be remembered after winning a game in their tournament debut four years ago. Chile, in its Women’s World Cup debut, is still looking for its first win and first goal, but goalkeeper Christiane Endler has been fantastic, facing 51 shots and making 11 saves. That’s kept her team in the tournament and if Chile beat Thailand and erased its -5 goal differential in the process, it could advance a third-place team.
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kevin.baxter@latimes.com | Twitter: @kbaxter11
