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[ad_1] AUSTRALIA: Germany are set to start their Women's World Cup campaign on Monday without key players Marina Hegering and Lena Oberdorf through injury, as they chase a third title. The 2003 and 2007 champions open their World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, against Morocco in Melbourne. Germany also face Colombia and South Korea in Group H. Hegering is the cornerstone of the German defence but is struggling with an ankle injury, while midfield dynamo Oberdorf has a thigh strain. "It looks like we won't be able to rely on either of them in the first match," said Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Hegering and Oberdorf, who both play for Champions League finalists Wolfsburg, were key members of the Germany team beaten by England in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley. They are likely to be replaced by Chelsea players Sjoeke Nuesken and Melanie Leupolz against World Cup debutants Morocco. Germany lost 3-2 at home to Zambia in a warm-up f...

[ad_1] WELLINGTON: Rampant Spain issued a Women's World Cup warning on Friday with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica while Switzerland ensured there would be no fairytale debut for the Philippines. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was meanwhile the hero for Nigeria by saving a penalty to earn them a 0-0 draw with Olympic champions Canada. Spain's build-up to the tournament in Australia and New Zealand was clouded by a simmering row involving a group of 15 players who refused to feature under coach Jorge Vilda. Three eventually returned to the squad for the World Cup and one of them, Aitana Bonmati, was on the scoresheet in Wellington as La Roja launched wave after wave of attacks at the overwhelmed Costa Rican defence. An own goal put Spain on their way and after Bonmati netted, Esther Gonzalez made it three in a ruthless six-minute first-half spell to kill off Costa Rica in double-quick time. In truth Spain should have won by many more -- Jennifer Hermoso fluffed a first-hal...

[ad_1] MIAMI: Jamaica must put rows with their federation behind them and get star striker Khadija Shaw firing if they are to win a match at the Women's World Cup for the first time. The disputes, which became very public, emerged after frustration over a lack of friendly games in the build-up to the tournament that begins next week in Australia and New Zealand. The team did though go to a training camp in Amsterdam as they prepare for their second straight World Cup appearance and have received some late assistance from corporate backers. The Reggae Girlz made their tournament debut in France four years ago and, placed in a tough group, returned home after three defeats. The losses to Brazil, Italy and Australia, all with longer histories in the women's game and greater resources, were no disgrace and there are signs that the Caribbean team could do better this time despite the turbulence. Jamaica face Brazil, France and CONCACAF rivals Panama in another demandi...

[ad_1] The United States believes that young talent combined with the savvy of veterans such as Megan Rapinoe will make a lethal combination as they seek an unprecedented third straight Women's World Cup title. Coach Vlatko Andonovski named 14 World Cup newcomers in his 23-player squad for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, which kicks off on July 20. The holders and favourites still also have the likes of Rapinoe and Alex Morgan -- both headed for a fourth World Cup -- and Andonovski is doing nothing to dampen expectations. "I'm excited about the energy and the enthusiasm that the young players bring, the intensity and the drive as well," the 46-year-old said before their arrival this week in Auckland. "I think that will be one of our advantages." Injuries to captain Becky Sauerbrunn, striker Mallory Swanson and the talented Catarina Macario have been a blow to the Americans, but the stage is set for their youngsters to shine. They incl...

[ad_1] MELBOURNE: Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said Thursday his team plan to use big home crowds as extra "fuel" to amplify their high-octane game as they look to stamp their mark on the Women's World Cup . The Matildas meet world number five France in Melbourne on Friday in their final warm-up game in front of a sell-out 50,000-strong crowd -- the largest ever on home soil for the women's team. The record won't last, with more than 80,000 expected for their clash with Ireland in Sydney on July 20 to open the month-long tournament they are co-hosting with New Zealand . Gustavsson said his side would fully harness the support of home fans. "I think we look at it as fuel and we look at it as belief," the Swedish coach said. "(The big crowds) are a source of strength that this team will embrace, and I think also use when we play this high-octane, pressing, attacking-minded game." Star defender Ellie Carpenter, who will have an in...

[ad_1] MIAMI: When Haiti play England in Brisbane on their Women's World Cup debut this month it will mark the culmination of a long and arduous journey against adversity. While many teams in women's football fight for recognition and resources, the Haitians have had to overcome the additional challenges that have afflicted the Caribbean nation. Haiti is the Western Hemisphere's poorest country and for years been mired in a vicious cycle of chronic political, humanitarian, economic and health crises. Add in brutal gang violence, and the United Nations' top human rights official earlier this year described Haiti's multiple problems as a "living nightmare". Against such a backdrop, the team were forced to hold their training camps and home games in neighbouring Dominican Republic. And yet, amidst all this, Haiti beat Chile in a playoff in New Zealand in February to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. "We just put our head down a...

[ad_1] MANCHESTER: Injuries to key players and a dip in form have left England coach Sarina Wiegman with plenty to ponder if the European champions are to win the Women's World Cup for the first time. Barring a massive shock when the tournament begins on July 20, England should cruise through a group featuring China, Denmark and debutants Haiti. But their path through the knockout stages is loaded with danger, with co-hosts Australia or Olympic champions Canada likely opponents in the last 16. Preparations have not been ideal, a year on from England winning the Euros at a packed Wembley for their first major trophy in women's football. In April, England were held 1-1 by Brazil before winning the first-ever women's Finalissima – a clash between the champions of Europe and South America – on penalties. Their 30-game unbeaten run was then ended by the Australians and Wiegman's team failed to break down Portugal in a 0-0 draw in their only warm-up friendly ear...

[ad_1] PARIS: The timely return of Alexia Putellas means the best player on the planet will feature at the Women's World Cup but a host of leading names will miss the party in Australia and New Zealand due to an ongoing plague of serious knee injuries. Spain's Putellas, 29, missed last year's European Championship in England after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. She spent over nine months out but retained the Women's Ballon d'Or and The Best FIFA Women's Player award while absent before returning in April. Putellas then played a part in Barcelona's recent UEFA Champions League triumph and has since come back into the Spain team in time for their World Cup campaign. She is one of the lucky ones. Holders the United States are diminished by the loss of Mallory Swanson to a torn patella tendon in her left knee, while midfielder Catarina Macario did not overcome a torn ACL in time. European champions England are without s...

[ad_1] LONDON: France captain and defender Wendie Renard says her side "can achieve something great" this time at the Women's World Cup having not been effective enough in past tournaments. France will take part in their fifth Women's World Cup this month but they have been eliminated in the quarter-finals at the last two and their best result was fourth back in 2011. "We haven't got past the quarter-finals because we weren't quite effective enough at critical moments," Renard, 32, said in an interview on the FIFA website. "As long as everyone has the same vision and a willingness to pull in the same direction, then we can achieve something great." Herve Renard, 54, took over the job as France women's coach in March when former manager Corinne Diacre's position had become untenable after Wendie Renard said she would not play at the World Cup to preserve her mental health. Olympique Lyon's Renard, widely considered ...

[ad_1] SYDNEY: Japan have fallen on harder times since the golden age when they won the 2011 Women's World Cup and reached the final four years later but the Nadeshiko remain Asia's best hope of success in Australia and New Zealand. They will have to do it without Mana Iwabuchi, however, after the 30-year-old playmaker was left out of Futoshi Ikeda's squad for the tournament, where Japan will play Spain, Costa Rica and Zambia in the opening round. That leaves skipper Saki Kumagai as the only survivor of the 2011 triumph in Germany, where the defensive midfielder converted the winning penalty in the shootout against the United States that decided the title. That team captured the hearts of a nation still coming to terms with the tragedy of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people along the country's northeast coast earlier the same year. The ambition to inspire a nation remains, even if FIFA's hardline stance on the price ...

[ad_1] MELBOURNE: Riding momentum and the support of a sports-mad nation, co-hosts Australia head into the Women's World Cup dreaming of a first global title after battling for years to be counted among the heavyweights of the game. The Matildas have travelled a rocky road since being bundled out of the round of 16 at the 2019 World Cup in France. There were calls for coach Tony Gustavsson's head last year as they crashed out of the Asian Cup quarter-finals, and again when they slumped to a 7-0 defeat by Spain. However, they have since turned a corner, winning eight of their last nine matches, including a 2-0 defeat of England in London that snapped the European champions' unbeaten run of 30 games. Swede Gustavsson said he hoped his players could remain humble after the England upset but that has not stopped fans' expectations from soaring into the stratosphere. Australian Rules football and rugby league have long been the country's favourite winter spor...