Why you should care about the Women’s World Cup this year
The 2015 Women’s World Cup kicks off on Saturday, and if you weren’t already aware, the United States has a good chance at taking home the trophy.
In fact, they’re one of the heavy favorites this time around.
And they’ve won it before, too. Twice actually.
The most memorable US victory might be the game involving Brandi Chastain ripping off her shirt and celebrating in her sports bra after scoring the winning penalty kick against China. That was in 1999.
The US was also victorious in 1991, the first year the FIFA Women’s World Cup was held.
But what about this year? There’s no Brandi Chastain. There’s no Mia Hamm. There’s no Kristine Lilly. But the US does have fan favorites Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Christie Rampone, Sydney Leroux, Carli Lloyd and goalkeeper Hope Solo sporting the crest this year to name just a few — all of which have played for the USWNT for quite a while and have been victorious together many, many times — including at the Olympics.
COMPETITION
This year the US will look to end its lengthy drought, now at 16 years, once and for all. But they’ve still got some stiff competition to get through.
The team’s two biggest challenges will likely be Japan and Germany.
Germany is currently ranked first in the world and will put up a fight not only to get a chance at the trophy again and to end its eight-year drought, but to get the pain endured four years ago on its home turf when it fell in the quarterfinal to Japan out of its mind once and for all.
Japan will also be a team the US could see trouble with. Four years ago, the US fell to Japan in the final on penalty kicks.
The US is in a fairly tough group this time around, with Australia, Nigeria and then Sweden, who’s coached by former US Women’s coach Pia Sundhage, who knows her stuff.
MORGAN OUT?
The US will be in a much better position to succeed, if Morgan, who’s been battling a left knee injury over the past couple months, is able to take the field with her teammates.
Her status now isn’t nailed down.
“In terms of Alex, we’re building here,” head coach Jill Ellis told SI.com. “Realistically, she’s been off for a while. So in terms of minutes, that’s something I think we’re going to have to build through the early games to be ready. We don’t want to blow her up too early in terms of physically being ready.”
According to her teammates, though, Morgan will be necessary if the US is going to bring home the World Cup title this year.
“I feel like a lot of us have been in that position, especially in these last couple months,” Leroux told SI.com. “And you have friends and teammates you can lean on. But we’re going to need everyone, and it’s going to take 23 players to win this tournament.”
Morgan, even without starting games, could be a very good weapon off the bench if necessary.
“Think about it from an opposite perspective: Alex Morgan hasn’t played a single minute, and she comes on fresh in some of these latter games, whether it’s the second, third or fourth game. If I’m the opposing team, I’m scared as heck for sure,” Wambach told SI.com.
SCHEDULE
Although the tournament kicks off on Saturday, the US won’t see the pitch until Monday when it begins its quest for the trophy. And buckle up, too, because the tournament will last for the next month.
The US will have to get through the first stage, then a round of 16, the quarter-finals and then the semi-finals to earn a berth into the final match.
To kick it off, the US will meet Australia on Monday, Sweden next Friday and Nigeria the following Tuesday as part of the first round.
Contact Kira Terry at kterry@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kiraterry
