Women’s World Cup preview

The 16 teams for the sixth women’s World Cup in Germany have been divided into four groups of four for first-round play in the June 26-July 17 tournament. Here, in alphabetical order within each group, is a capsule look at the participants:

GROUP A

CANADA

Previous World Cups: Four

Best Finish: Fourth (2003)

Coach: Carolina Morace

Top players: Christine Sinclair, Karina LeBlanc, Jonelle Filigno.

Analysis: The Canadians come into the tournament as champions of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region for the first time. That will boost confidence, as will the knowledge that Sinclair is one of the world’s best strikers. Canada can advance from a problematic group, but it will take some work and some luck.

FRANCE

Previous World Cups: One

Best Finish: First round (2003)

Coach: Bruno Bini

Top players: Sandrine Soubeyrand, Camille Abily, Sonia Bompastor.

Analysis: The French rolled through qualifying, winning 11 of their 12 games and outscoring opponents, 53-2. It will be impossible to maintain that sort of form in group play. Les Bleus likely will be battling Canada for second place in order to advance, making their June 30 game in Bochum crucial to both teams.

GERMANY

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Winner (2003 and 2007)

Coach: Silvia Neid

Top players: Birgit Prinz, Inka Grings, Nadine Angerer.

Analysis: The defending champions are overwhelming favorites to make it three in a row. The team is solid from back to front and, playing at home in front of sellout crowds, is almost a lock to reach the final. It will then come down to the players holding their nerve amid huge expectations.

NIGERIA

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1999)

Coach: Ngozi Uche

Top players: Perpetua Nkwocha, Stella Mbachu.

Analysis: The reigning and six-time African champions have had the bad luck to be drawn into perhaps the most challenging of the four groups. Still, by the time they open the tournament against France in Sinsheim they will have had one month to acclimatize to Europe. The veteran team is capable of a surprise, but doubts exist.

GROUP B

ENGLAND

Previous World Cups: Two

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1995 and 2007)

Coach: Hope Powell

Top players: Kelly Smith, Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey.

Analysis: England says it wants to be the next Germany. Well, there are dues to pay before looking like world champions, but the English team is certainly strong enough to get to the knockout stages. It scored rare victories over the U.S. and Sweden this year in two friendly matches, which bodes well.

JAPAN

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1995)

Coach: Norio Sasaki

Top players: Homare Sawa, Aya Miyama, Kozue Ando.

Analysis: The Japanese have been rising in the world standings for several years but are not quite there yet, as two spring losses to the U.S. showed. Still, speed, skill and more technical savvy than ever before make them an interesting challenger in what should be a wide open group. Veteran Sawa pulls the strings.

MEXICO

Previous World Cups: One

Best Finish: First round

Coach: Leonardo Cuellar

Top player: Maribel Dominguez.

Analysis: As runner-up to Canada in its North American region, Mexico’s big moment might have been its watershed qualifying victory over the U.S. in Cancun. The team still boasts the irrepressible Dominguez, but it is difficult to imagine it locking horns successfully with England or even Japan. Cuellar is an inspirational figure, however, and Mexico might hold its own.

NEW ZEALAND

Previous World Cups: Two

Best Finish: First round

Coach: John Herdman

Top players: Hayley Moorwood, Ali Riley, Rosie White.

Analysis: The Kiwis have yet to earn as much as a point in six World Cup games, but have improved in recent years. They benefit from not having a true world power in their group, but chances are it will still be a hurdle too tall for them at this stage of their development.

GROUP C

COLOMBIA

Previous World Cups: Debut

Best Finish: Debut

Coach: Ricardo Rozo

Top players: Yorely Rincon, Paula Forero, Nathalie Arias.

Analysis: An uncomfortable moment of truth awaits the South Americans. They have never played at this level and have never faced the type of teams they will play in the first round. What confidence exists should be drained after the opener against Sweden and with the Cafeteras facing the daunting prospect of playing the U.S. next.

NORTH KOREA

Previous World Cups: Three

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (2007)

Coach: Kim Kwang Min

Top players: Jo Yun-Mi, Kim Kyong Hwa.

Analysis: Can the Koreans travel? That is the question being asked, because as far as technical skill, commitment and a tireless work ethic go, no one can fault them. Perennial contenders in the Asian championship, North Korea narrowly lost the final of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup to the U.S. in Chile in 2008.

SWEDEN

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Second (2003)

Coach: Thomas Dennerby

Top players: Rut Hedvig Lindahl, Lotta Schelin, Charlotte Rohlin.

Analysis: Labeled the most deserving team never to have won the Women’s World Cup, the Swedes were third in 1991, second in 2003 and quarterfinalists on two other occasions. This time around, they are a legitimate candidate as one of the leading second-tier teams behind the big three of Germany, Brazil and the U.S.

UNITED STATES

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Winner (1991 and 1999)

Coach: Pia Sundhage

Top players: Abby Wambach, Christie Pierce, Shannon Boxx.

Analysis: The story line is simple, Germany is at home and the U.S. is on the road. Both are two-time champions trying to become the first to win it all three times. The problem for the Americans could come in the quarterfinals, where either Brazil or Norway should be lying in wait.

GROUP D

AUSTRALIA

Previous World Cups: Four

Best Finish: First round

Coach: Tom Sermanni

Top players: Sarah Walsh, Collette McCallum, Heather Garriock.

Analysis: Youth is the Aussies’ byword in this tournament. Eleven of the 21 players on the roster are 21 or younger, including seven teenagers. So what the team lacks in experience it should make up for in enthusiasm and drive. Much will depend on how it is able to bounce back after opening against Brazil.

BRAZIL

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Third (1999)

Coach: Kleiton Lima

Top players: Marta, Cristiane.

Analysis: In terms of firepower, the Brazilians are virtually unmatched. They were an unbeaten 10-0 in the South American qualifying tournament, outscoring opponents, 37-3. In Marta, they have a four-time FIFA world player of the year. Sidekick Cristiane is an equally lethal striker. The defense, especially at goalkeeper, could be Brazil’s Achilles heel, however, but a medal is still likely.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Previous World Cups: Debut

Best Finish: Debut

Coach: Marcelo Frigerio

Top player: Miriam Paxio Silva.

Analysis: This will be a learning experience for the African team, which is likely to be overwhelmed by each of its three first-round opponents. Goalkeeper Silva is going to find out just how good she is. The rest of the team will discover how big the gap is between being second-best in Africa and being a world beater.

NORWAY

Previous World Cups: Five

Best Finish: Winner (1995)

Coach: Eli Landsem

Top players: Ane Stangeland, Lene Mykjaland, Isabell Lehn Herlovsen.

Analysis: A consistent top-three team in the 1990s, Norway slipped just a little after that but is still one of the top five or six teams in the world. Its experience should see it grab second place in the group behind Brazil, unless Australia’s youngsters spring a surprise. Defense is the Norwegians’ strong point.

SCHEDULE

June 26

Nigeria vs France in Sinsheim

Germany vs Canada in Berlin

June 27

Japan vs New Zealand in Bochum

Mexico vs England in Wolfsburg

June 28

United States vs North Korea in Dresden

Colombia vs Sweden in Leverkusen

June 29

Brazil vs Australia in Moenchengladbach

Norway vs Equatorial Guinea in Augsburg

June 30

Germany vs Nigeria in Frankfurt

Canada vs France in Bochum

July 1

Japan vs Mexico in Leverkusen

New Zealand vs England in Dresden

July 2

United States vs Colombia in Sinsheim

North Korea vs Sweden in Augsburg

July 3

Brazil vs Norway in Wolfsburg

Australia vs Equatorial Guinea in Bochum

July 4

Rest Day

July 5

France vs Germany in Moenchengladbach

Canada vs Nigeria in Dresden

England vs Japan in Augsburg

New Zealand vs Mexico in Sinsheim

July 6

Sweden vs United States in Wolfsburg

North Korea vs Colombia in Bochum

Equatorial Guinea vs Brazil in Frankfurt

Australia vs Norway in Leverkusen

July 7 and 8

Rest Days

July 9

1A vs 2B in Wolfsburg

1B vs 2A in Leverkusen

July 10

1C vs 2D in Augsburg

1D vs 2C in Dresden

July 11 and 12

Rest Days

July 13

Semifinals in Frankfurt and Moenchengladbach

July 14 and 15

Rest Days

July 16

Third-place match in Sinsheim

July 17

Final in Frankfurt