Eight months retired from the commencement of the 2023 Women's World Cup, nationalist teams volition beryllium utilizing the past 4 remaining FIFA windows -- successful November, February, April and June -- to prep for the upcoming tournament, with each but 4 of the qualified teams successful enactment implicit the adjacent week.
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For most, the accent is connected pitting themselves against different teams who've punched their summons for adjacent summer's tournament. But with a raft of fixtures taking spot implicit specified a tiny magnitude of time, which are the ties to look retired for?
United States prime a stern test
The USA's double-header against Germany (7 p.m. ET Thursday, and 5 p.m. ET Sunday connected ESPN) should beryllium precocious connected astir people's agendas arsenic the World champions look to find immoderate stableness against a Germany squad that's gathering up a caput of steam into the World Cup.
Three years into Vlatko Andonovski's tenure arsenic USWNT brag and determination are perchance much questions than answers astir the squad. A pair of losses successful Europe (against England and Spain) past period has highlighted the fragility of the once-dominant side, arsenic uncertain wins passim the remainder of the twelvemonth that papered implicit the cracks that became the archetypal back-to-back losses endured by the squad since the 2017 SheBelieves Cup (where they mislaid to England and France.)
With a wealthiness of endowment coming done the pipelines arsenic always, the biggest situation for Andonovski isn't astir choosing the close XI to play, but astir getting those connected the transportation to find the harmony and content that has seen the U.S. triumph 4 World Cup titles.
- Women's World Cup bracket and fixtures schedule
Up against a Germany squad who lone conscionable reached the last of the Euros successful England this summertime -- a lucifer they mislaid successful other clip to hosts, England -- the No. 1 ranked squad successful the satellite volition person to out-play their opposition, thing they've struggled with implicit the past fewer years.
For Germany, who very astir added to their grounds 8 European titles but mislaid to England successful the last successful the summer, their travel crossed the pond is overmuch much astir producing performances that talk to the prime disposable successful their team. Much similar her other number, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg is spoiled for prime erstwhile it comes to selecting players, but wherever she differs from Andonovski, the Germany caput manager is simply a small much reticent astir making changes erstwhile needed during matches.
Up against a U.S. broadside that volition commencement with arsenic overmuch endowment connected the seat arsenic connected the pitch, absorption volition beryllium arsenic captious arsenic enactment for the Europeans and for Voss-Tecklenburg, who waited until the precise past 2nd to spell to her seat erstwhile she needed to astatine the Euros. This feisty double-header volition necessitate her to beryllium much proactive successful her management.
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Julie Foudy says England has the flimsy borderline implicit the United States close now.
North America clashes with South America
The U.S. and Germany are acold from the lone nations that person chosen to play each different doubly this month. For a start, Brazil vs. Canada (played connected Friday and Tuesday) should beryllium a bully trial for the teams representing some sides of the Americas.
From Canada's golden medal astatine the Olympics successful Japan past summer, the squad has yet to truly deed specified heights since and equilibrium their attacking prowess with a robust defence -- the cardinal to their Olympic success. But with main attacking options Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash), Jordyn Huitema (OL Reign), Cloe Lacasse (Benfica), Evelyne Viens (Kristianstad) and Adriana Leon (Manchester United) each successful good home form, the tendency is ever to spot much attacking panache from the Canucks.
The cardinal for manager Bev Priestman volition beryllium however flexible she makes her midfield, with her Brazil squad expected to onslaught astatine will. The Olympic golden medal-winning manager volition request to find a mode of keeping the squad beardown portion allowing a subordinate similar Jessie Fleming, who is successful plumb signifier for Chelsea, to lend to the onslaught successful transition.
As for that attacking Brazil team? Coach Pia Sundhage has yet recovered immoderate consistency successful their results since the status of Formiga (aged 43) and Marta's ACL teardrop earlier this year. The Swedish manager has discovered the close blend of older and younger players, of defence and attack, and of those who play successful the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino with those who play extracurricular of Brazil.
Threatening to amusement her champion for Brazil, Kerolin, who moved to the North Carolina Courage for the 2022 season, is yet coming bully connected her committedness arsenic her increasing concern with Debinha (the second-most capped subordinate successful the existent squad) continues to instrumentality signifier successful the NWSL, benefiting the Canarinhas. Their concern unsocial is ever worthy tuning successful for.
While the squad arsenic a azygous entity has recovered consistency, the individuals are yet to beryllium arsenic reliable arsenic their predecessors and the trial Canada volition connection volition beryllium a accidental for midfielders similar Duda (both Francelino and Sampaio) oregon Bayern Munich's 23-year-old defender, Tainara, to amusement their quality.
Double-headers are the flavour of the month
Chile vs. Philippines, Colombia vs. Zambia, Jamaica vs. Paraguay, Senegal vs. Cameroon and New Zealand vs. South Korea each connected the slate for 2 head-to-head games implicit the coming week arsenic well. Although they're possibly not the matches that would person you traditionally wanting to watch, with six of the 8 nations already qualified and the different 2 of Chile and Paraguay successful the playoffs, determination should beryllium plentifulness of excitement astir the 4 clashes.
The lowest-ranked federation astatine the tourney adjacent summertime -- unless Cameroon, ranked 84th by FIFA, suffice done their playoff radical -- Zambia (No. 81) delighted novice audiences with their fearless play astatine the Olympics past year, though they request acquisition against teams extracurricular Africa arsenic they acceptable themselves for their archetypal World Cup. Opting to look Colombia (No. 27), who featured astatine 2 of the past 3 World Cups, should supply a stern trial and should assistance the Copper Queens erstwhile it comes to playing teams from Latin America arsenic Costa Rica were drawn successful their World Cup group. The aforesaid ought to beryllium existent for Colombia, who volition beryllium fixed a boost playing a CAF team, with chap African debutantes Morocco (No. 76) successful their radical adjacent summer.
A increasing squad and different of the adjacent summer's World Cup debutantes, Philippines are looking not conscionable for 2 beardown performances against La Roja, but immoderate much-needed acquisition arsenic they bask a resurgence nether caller manager, Alen Stajcic, pursuing a sizable play of dormancy. With Chile gearing up for their intercontinental playoff lucifer successful February against the victor of Senegal vs. Haiti, the squad from South America volition beryllium favourites careless of who they clash with successful the playoff Group B final, but staying caller and making definite everyone understands their roles connected the transportation volition beryllium paramount for José Letelier.
With Paraguay (No. 51) besides successful playoff enactment astatine the commencement of adjacent twelvemonth (in Group C), Las Guaraníes volition person to flooded Chinese Taipei (No. 40) to marque it to the last of the group, against the victor of Papua New Guinea (No. 50) vs. Panama (No. 57). With this situation ahead, the Reggae Girlz -- led by charismatic striker, Khadija "Bunny" Shaw -- ought to springiness Paraguay much than a bully tally for their wealth and could supply an aboriginal look into however the South American squad volition fare successful their playoff group.
In the 3rd playoff group, Portugal (No. 23) await the victor of Cameroon (No. 58) vs. Thailand (No. 41), which gives much value to the affable brace of matches Senegal and Cameroon volition play successful Dakar -- some African nations are 2 matches from a spot astatine the World Cup, but neither are considered favourites. This model is the past accidental for nations similar Senegal and Cameroon to enactment connected their shortcomings earlier they effort to articulation the amusive adjacent summertime successful Australia and New Zealand.
Other teams looking for tests successful Europe
Still looking for their feet nether manager Futoshi Ikeda, Japan are erstwhile again successful Europe this period arsenic they look England (Friday) and Spain (Tuesday), the second the past squad they'll conscionable successful their World Cup radical astatine the extremity of July.
Not rather the squad they were since winning the 2011 World Cup, the departure of manager Asako Takakura aft 5 fruitless years has fixed Nadeshiko the accidental to deed reset erstwhile more. However, they've yet to look similar the existent woody nether Ikeda. With the manager trying to integrate younger players similar striker Riko Ueki, midfielders Nanami Kitamura and Hinata Miyazawa into the fold portion experimenting with antithetic formations, determination is simply a deficiency of a wide overarching picture.
With clip ticking down to the World Cup, the question isn't truthful overmuch whether Japan volition beryllium acceptable successful time, but alternatively if Ikeda knows what helium wants from this team. Facing 2 teams who similar to support the shot arsenic overmuch arsenic they do, determination is nary amended clip to spot if the manager has answers to the bigger questions astir their playing style.
For Spain, who volition spar with Argentina earlier facing Japan, determination are ample distractions disconnected the transportation with the bulk of the Barcelona and Basque contingent inactive missing from the squad owed to the quality with the federation and nary wide extremity successful sight. As such, the squad Jorge Vilda has called successful has a distinctly young consciousness to it, with 13 of the 23 calved successful the 2000s.
The manager and his charges would person taken large bosom from beating the USA past clip out, but Japan volition beryllium a antithetic occupation for them. A triumph wouldn't needfully beryllium gathering confidence, but with Spain known for struggling to enactment their champion attacking shot connected show astatine large tournaments, it could beryllium a roadworthy representation for their trickiest World Cup radical crippled adjacent summer.
An all-European affair
Elsewhere connected the continent, Norway volition clash with France (Friday) earlier taking connected England (Tuesday), which volition supply caller manager Hege Riise immoderate overmuch needed answers arsenic she attempts to rebuild the squad after humiliation astatine the Euros. Still caller to the team, Riise is not conscionable without the champion 2 players successful the Norwegian endowment excavation close present -- Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen -- but is trying to bring successful caller talent.
Norway whitethorn good travel distant with 2 losses from their 2 matches, but the important happening for Riise volition beryllium the performances.
Opting for conscionable the 1 lucifer this window, against Norway, France are inactive looking for answers successful onslaught since the nonaccomplishment of Marie Antoinette-Katoto to an ACL wounded during the Euros. It's a akin occupation to Katoto's nine team, PSG, and conscionable similar the French giants, determination whitethorn good beryllium nary casual reply for manager Corinne Diacre.
On an unprecedented unbeaten run, European champions England volition beryllium sparring with Japan connected Friday and Norway connected Tuesday. Having beaten the U.S. past month, the Lionesses volition consciousness bully astir claiming 2 wins from two, but trying to support their people from their Euros triumph into the World Cup volition beryllium a tricky task for Sarina Wiegman.
Still without skipper Leah Williamson, the Lionesses are trying to navigate caller terrain without Ellen White and Jill Scott pursuing their retirements. Although this opens up chances for peripheral and seat players, we cognize that erstwhile Wiegman picks her favoured 11, it's hard for others to involvement their claim.
Elsewhere successful Europe
Another squad travelling acold this period are Costa Rica (No. 37 per FIFA), who volition beryllium returning to the World Cup aft missing retired connected the tourney successful France successful 2019. They person friendlies against Netherlands (Friday) and Portugal (Tuesday).
Portugal volition beryllium looking for games to support them lukewarm and well-oiled heading into their playoff successful February, portion the Dutch are inactive fumbling astir for an individuality since losing the mercurial Wiegman to England. Having parted ways with Wiegman's replacement, Mark Parsons, shortly aft a disappointing and disjointed Euros campaign, the Dutch narrowly qualified for the World Cup and person been searching for however they privation to play nether caller boss, Andries Jonker.
The occupation for Jonker isn't conscionable that helium can't telephone upon talismanic striker, Vivianne Miedema, who is taking clip disconnected to remainder and rehab aft a agelong year, but his fondness to thin connected the older players who, by now, should beryllium making mode for the younger ones.
The Republic of Ireland's gathering with Morocco successful Southern Spain connected Monday day should supply thing antithetic for fans, with some teams successful the agelong database of debutantes for the upcoming World Cup. For Morocco, who person impressed since rebooting their women's shot team, matches against non-African absorption person been fewer and acold betwixt -- though they did suffer 4-0 to some Poland and Canada past period -- and clashes with European nations are captious arsenic they turn connected the satellite stage.
As for Vera Pauw's Republic of Ireland, who astatine agelong past person yet qualified for a large tournament, gathering content wrong the squad volition beryllium key. The Dutch manager is 1 who revels successful tactical battles, and she'll beryllium pleased her charges are coming up against a antithetic benignant of absorption arsenic they acceptable themselves for the biggest trial adjacent summer.
And yet ... the World Cup hosts
Finally to the tourney hosts, with Australia playing Sweden (Saturday) and Thailand (Tuesday), portion New Zealand descend their teeth into their double-header with South Korea connected the aforesaid days. The Ferns past clashed with Korea successful November 2021 erstwhile they played doubly successful Goyang, losing 1 and winning one, the marker of the 2 games the tactical conflict betwixt managers Colin Bell and Jitka Klimková, soon aft the second had taken implicit arsenic New Zealand boss.
A small each implicit the spot astatine times, the Ferns person 1 of the smaller endowment pools to telephone upon and Klimková has struggled to get accordant performances from a squad that remains polarised betwixt younker and experience. With 2 matches against the U.S. slated for the commencement of 2023, Klimková volition beryllium looking for performances her squad tin physique connected against South Korea.
Although Thailand mightiness beryllium a much regular crippled for the Matildas connected Tuesday, this clash with Sweden should beryllium 1 of the highlights of the planetary window. Having squared disconnected 3 times past year, the Matildas had mixed fortunes against Sweden, drafting their June affable earlier being connected the losing extremity of a 4-2 radical signifier people and a 1-0 semifinal loss.
By this point, Matildas manager Tony Gustavsson and his chap Swede, Peter Gerhardsson, are utilized to going head-to-head, but the brace ever negociate to travel to the array (or pitch) with thing different. With Sweden having suffered a gentle dip successful form, Gerhardsson volition beryllium looking to close wherever connections are fraying arsenic Gustavsson continues to springiness captious minutes to his youthful defence that is apt to beryllium nether the cosh against Sweden erstwhile again.
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