Women’s World Cup 2011 – Improving Americans can end German domination
Despite a near faultless preparation which included wins over the USA and Sweden, England women’s football coach Hope Powell has admitted her squad is entering unknown territory with regard to their fitness levels at the 2011 Women’s World Cup, which gets under way in Germany later this week.
All but five of Powell‘s 21-strong squad ply their trade in the newly-formed English Super League but the majority of her players have only played in a handful of fixtures this year. The WSL didn’t start until April and will be taking a break during the World Cup but there have been fears expressed that key players may lack match fitness in Germany, even though it’s generally agreed that the new league will improve standards and enhance England‘s chances of closing the gap on the traditional powerhouses of women’s world football like Germany and the USA.
England, the only team to shut out the Germans in China four years ago, kick off their campaign against Mexico before facing New Zealand and the group’s top seeds Japan and should be confident of making the knockout stages but bookmakers give Powell‘s team little chance of emerging as tournament winners, with Bet365 and Paddy Power both offering 20/1. Japan are the same price with Bet365 and bwin.
Unsurprisingly, hosts and defending champions Germany are strong favourites across the board at odds-on in some places, though Boylesports, Stan James and totesport will still lay you 6/5. The Germans kick off their campaign against CONCACAF champions Canada in Berlin before meeting Nigeria and France in Group A. Record-breaking top scorer Brigit Prinz will again lead their line and players like Nadine Angerer and Ariane Hingst are veterans of previous World Cup triumphs. But, all things considered, I’d rather have a bet on the USA at the current odds.
The Americans are still ranked number one in the world, despite a woeful qualifying campaign in which they needed a play-off to eventually see off the Italians. But there have been recent signs that Pia Sundhage‘s team is steadily getting its act together now and they beat the highly-regarded Japanese on the way to winning the Algarve Cup for the eighth time in Portugalrecently. William Hill are probably prepared to go as big as 13/2 against the Americans because of the fact that they’ve been drawn in the so-called ‘Group Of Death’ alongside Sweden (16/1 with William Hill), North Korea (a general 33/1) and Colombia (150/1 with Paddy Power). But that’s overlooking the amount of options available to Sundhage and the sheer professionalism of her squad.
If the trophy was awarded for style and panache Brazil, like their men, would probably win hands down and in Marta, who plays for FC Gold Pride in the States, they have arguably the most exciting talent on the world stage at present. The Brazilians (6/1 with Blue Square and 888sport) have the capability of blowing away group rivals Australia and Equitorial Guinea but Norway (22/1 with bwin) won’t roll over and the South Americans’ suspect stamina will come under increasing scrutiny as the tournament progresses. Take the USA to end Germany‘s domination.
See the FIFA 2011 Women’s World Cup Schedule with all the results and betting odds here
