the top-ranked U.S., No. 3 Sweden, fifth-ranked North Korea. Nigeria is No. 23.
It seems that everyone is projecting the United States as champions. It is difficult to pick against the Americans considering the firepower they have -- Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly up front, Carli Lloyd in the midfield and a stubborn defense directed by Kate Markgraf and goalkeeper Hope Solo.
North Korea has been touted as a potential final four side, although it has failed to move past the opening round in the past two cups. With the Cup in Asia, this is a perfect time for the Koreans to show the world how good they really are. Coach Kim Kwang-min has a young team as 27-year-old midfielder Ho Sun-hui is the key to the side's attack thanks to her passing ability.
Sweden, which finished second to defending world champion Germany in 2003, is powered by Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson. However, injuries have slowed Ljungberg down the past year. Playmaker Malin Mostrom has retired and the midfield still is a question mark. The backline could be the team's Achilles heel.
Nigeria has the potential to pull off an upset or two, but its rough, physical tactics usually catches up to the Africans in key confrontations. Veterans such as Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha, Florence Omagbemi and Kikolomo Ajayi, a five-time African women's championship winner, are expected to fuel this team's engine.
Group C
Once a power and the U.S.'s biggest headache and rival, inexperienced Norway must recapture the magic that made them one of the great teams of the '90s. Under coach Bjarne Berntsen, the Norwegians reached the Euro 2005 final. He also added some much needed youth in 16-year-old Isabell Herlovsen and Stine Frantzen from the under-19 team,
Australia boasts its best team in a dozen years. The Matildas are guided by former New York Power coach Tom Sermani, in his second stint at national coach. Former Power midfielder Joanne Peters is a key Aussie player.
Canada, the surprise team of USA '03 behind its fourth-place finish, could struggle this time around. The scuttlebutt is that coach Even Pellerud, who guided Norway to the 1995 title, has over-prepared the team. The Canadians can do some damage behind the likes of striker Christine Sinclair, Kara Lang and Melissa Tancredi.
Ghana would consider it a major accomplishment if it makes it out of the group as it plays in its third consecutive time. Midfielder Adjoa Bayor, who performed at Robert Morris College, is the African side's best player.
Group D
Brazil probably is the most enigmatic team. In a 2-0 loss to the U.S. in June, the Brazilians hardly looked like the side that forced the USA into extra time in the 2004 Olympic gold medal match. Yet, the Brazilians have the skills and too much talent -- Marta, Katia, Macion and Daniela, to name a few, to make them a side with which to be reckoned.
Most likely the best women's team never to win a world championship or gold medal, China is trying to put the pieces together. While it doesn't have the same talented players as in years past, the addition of Swedish coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors, should make the Chinese respectable. With the Beijing Olympics less than a year away, China must be competitive or it will be considered a great embarrassment. Key players include striker Jan Duan and Ma Xiaoxu and goalkeeper Zhang Yanru.
Denmark, which failed to reach the 2003 competition, is made up of players from the 1999 team that could not get out of the opening round, including captain and defender Katrine Pederson. Playmaking midfielder Anne Dot Eggers Nielsen and forward Meret Pedersen, 33, must continue their excellent performances if the Danes don't want to repeat history of eight years ago. Here's an interesting stat: The Danes are led by 36-year-old Kenneth Heiner-Moller, one of the youngest coaches in the tournament and the same age as U.S. star forward Kristine Lilly.
New Zealand qualified for its first WWC since the very first one in 1991 because Australia bolted Oceania to play in Asia. The Kiwis are led by captain Rebecca Smith, who developed her skills while growing up in the U.S. If they are to do something, several players from their Under-20 team, including Abby Erceg, Ria Percival and Ali Riley, must make an impact.
Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
