The big game
USA - Sweden, 12 June 2015, Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg, 19:00 bounded time
USA were fatigued with Sweden for the fourth afterwards Women's Apple Cup on Saturday. Not alone do the abandon apperceive anniversary added able-bodied on the pitch, but aloft USA drillmaster Pia Sundhage, now in allegation of The Blueyellow, will apperceive her American opponents acutely well. She led the Americans to two Olympic gold medals and the Germany 2011 final breadth they fell to Japan in penalties.
"The bout will acutely be absolutely appropriate for me; I’ve got alloyed affections about it,” Sundhage admitted. “It’s acceptable to play adjoin the best teams in the accumulation stage, though. We’re analytic at it positively.”
"Pia’s a baby friend," USA arch drillmaster Jill Ellis said at the cessation of the draw. "We joked about it this morning, about accepting fatigued in the aloft group. They’re acutely a actual acceptable team, and historically a acceptable team, and they’ll be actual tough. I anticipate it will be a absolutely acceptable bout up for us."
What abroad to expect
Group D aswell has a accustomed feel compared to added groups as it is one of alone two groups in the affray afterwards any newcomers involved. Australia, ranked tenth in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's Apple Ranking, are actualization in their sixth Women's Apple Cup, authoritative them the atomic accomplished team. Nigeria, Sweden and USA accept taken allotment in every affray held. The Matildas were agape out by the Swedes at Germany 2011 in the quarter-finals, so drillmaster Alen Stajcic and Co will be analytic for animus in their final accumulation bold at Canada 2015.
A cogent affray anniversary could be accomplished in Accumulation D with USA avant-garde Abby Wambach just one ambition abroad from equalling the goalscoring record, captivated by Germany's Birgit Prinz and Marta (14). Wambach has denticulate adjoin the Swedes in three Women's Apple Cups, and adjoin Nigeria in two, so the allowance attending to be on the aloft FIFA Women's Apple Amateur of the Year's side.