2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

[gettlemanjack]

NBC:

-Pia Sundhage, the affable and highly successful coach of the U.S. women from 2008-2012, is now the coach of her native Sweden. ... Sweden has been grouped with the U.S. now at three consecutive World Cups (Sweden is the only team to have defeated the USWNT in World Cup group play, in 2011)

...

Tom Sermanni, the man who was unceremoniously fired last year as U.S. coach, is now an assistant coach for Canada.

http://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/womens-soccer/womens-world-cup-100-things-know

Yahoo Sports Alex Baker @ baker_alex

May 17

Pia Sundhage remains a tough act to follow, but Jill Ellis has

this team looking pretty good.

Womens Football Comp @ Jigsawwill

May 15

"I usually say that eight nations can win the World Cup, Sweden

is one of them." - Pia Sundhage

[gettlemanjack]

"in this Summer’s Group of Death, Sweden (currently ranked 5th in the world) are the co-favorites, along with the US, to make it out of the group, deadly as it may be.

...

Sweden is the real deal: they have never been ranked lower than 6th since FIFA’s Women’s World Rankings were released in 2003; they have qualified for every single World Cup and European Championship, and in both competitions they have finished outside of the top 6 only once.

...

Sweden won their World Cup qualifying group in resounding fashion, conceding only 1 goal and dropping a grand total of zero points throughout

...

Their team has the perfect mix of youth and experience. Marija Banusic, 19, and Therese Sjorgan, 37, bookend a squad whose average age is a shade under 27. This pleasant spectrum of ages is complimented by domestic familiarity: most of the squad hails from Sweden’s Damallsvenskan, with only 8 of its 23 players based in the English, French, or German leagues."

note: Swedish clubs are the 2nd-most successful after German clubs in the Women's Champions League. Swedish clubs are #2 in most appearances in the Women's CL Final (their last was in 2014) and #2 in most Women's CL Championships (German clubs are #1 in both)

http://the18.com/news/canada-2015-preview-sweden-other-team-group-death

[gettlemanjack]

"Sweden's Charlotta "Lotta" Schelin represents arguably the biggest goal threat in the entire Group of Death. ... she is an absolute dynamo. She moved to Olympique Lyon in in 2008, and has since cemented herself as a keystone in the most dangerous attack in club sports. She has scored 129 goals in 120 appearances with Lyon (for the 2014-15 season: 41 goals in 31 appearances), helping the club to 7 straight league titles — Lyon has won the league every single year since she arrived — and the past 4 straight French domestic cups — and went to 4 straight Champions League Finals (2010-2013), winning two. She is the highest-paid women's player in France

...

If Lotta Schelin and one or two of her teammates can find their scoring touch and a modicum of chemistry, look for Sweden to make it to the semifinals, at least."

http://the18.com/news/canada-2015-preview-sweden-other-team-group-death

Women's Football @ WoSoWorld

May 9

Lotta Schelin has scored a goal every 44 mins in the league this

seson. #D1F (Division 1 Féminine)