Norway
World champion is formidable threat
The defending world champion is the only team with a legitimate chance of knocking out the host U.S. Since the World Championship, the Scandinavians have lost two of three to Americans, but even in its losses Norway has shown it can disrupt the U.S. game.
Norway is solid from front to back. Ann Kristin Aarones, Linda Medalen and Marianne Petersen form a formidable frontline, though Aarones is coming back from a minor knee injury. Petersen, normally a reserve, filled in admirably for Aarones during European Championship qualifying.
Norway has arguably the best player in the world in midfielder Hege Riise and arguably the best defender in Gro Espeseth. Aging star Heidi Store is a key. Many of the Norwegian attacks start after the defensive midfielder wins balls all over the field.
Norway’s high pressure, long-ball style gives everyone problems. If goalkeeper Bente Nordby can repeat the performance she had last summer, Norway will be tough for anyone to beat.
Germany
Key injuries hurt contender
If anyone can challenge the U.S. and Norway, it might be Germany. The 1995 Women’s World Championship runner-up has historically had success against its European rival. It held Norway to a scoreless tie in European Championship qualifying the last time the two played.
The loss of midfielder Maren Meinert and, to a lesser extent, defender Anouschka Bernhard will hurt, though. The return of sweeper Doris Fitschen, who was injured during Sweden ’95, should make up for the loss of Bernhard. And Manuela Goller is solid in goal.
The German attack, led by striker Heidi Mohr and midfield general Silvia Neid, won’t be too shabby, even without Meinert. This will be the swansong for Neid, who will retire and become an assistant coach for the national team after the Olympics.
China
Asia’s best
China plays perhaps the most attractive style in the world. Its quick, skillful players and hard-working defenders make the Chinese a threat to earn a medal, even the gold.
Most players are good on the ball and can start an attack. Wen Sun is the marquee player, an attacking midfielder/forward whose moves and speed make her a tough mark.
While they can be successful with their speed and skill, the Chinese at times can be muscled out of the game. That wasn’t the case against the U.S. in the first game of the World Championship last year, when they recovered from a 3-1 deficit to tie the defending champion 3-3. China does have problems when they playing the bigger, more physical European teams, and they’ll face Sweden and Denmark, in addition to the United States in Group E.
Sweden
Will they rise to the occasion?
This is a tough team to figure out. Sweden has lots of talent, a high-level domestic league and a good pedigree, yet it never seems to challenge the world’s elite.
After a third-place finish in the ’91 World Championship Sweden had a disappointing finish last summer, not making the semifinals despite hosting the tournament. The Swedes were upset by Brazil in the tournament opener, had to come from a 2-0 deficit to beat Germany 3-2 and then only beat the Japanese 2-0 despite dominating them. Defender Pia Sundhage, 36, is still a mainstay of the team. Strikers Ulrika Kalte and Malin Andersson give the Scandinavians a potent frontline. All that talent could mean good things, like getting to the third-place game.
Denmark
Still a darkhorse
Like Brazil, the Danes are a definite darkhorse team, though they were in the 1995 Women’s World Championship and didn’t surprise anyone there.
Like Scandinavian neighbor Norway, Denmark has had success against the U.S., including a 2-0 win in last year’s Algarve Cup. It’s not quite the boot-the-ball-out-of-the-back team that Norway is, but Denmark occasionally goes over the top.
Most of the time, though, the Danes keep the ball on the ground and try to get it to Helle Jensen, who is the team’s best player. When she’s taking charge of the midfield and carving up opposing defenses with incisive passes, watch out. Jensen often gets the ball Lene Madsen, Denmark’s top striker.
On a given day, Denmark is a better team than Sweden. A third-place appearance is possible.
Brazil
Sissi leads South American longshot
While they don’t play the typically attractive Brazilian game, the Brazilian women have also risen to the level of a world power.
Their physical, occasionally skillful play makes Brazil a dark horse. It stunned Women’s World Championship host Sweden last summer in the opener and played the U.S. tough in two close games at the Brazil Cup this past January.
Sissi, Michael Jackson and Roseli pull the strings of an opportunistic attack, while Suzy and Elane anchor a rugged defense. Forty-year-old Meg does a decent job in goal.
Prior to the Olympics the South Americans trained in the U.S., ostensibly to get used to conditions here, but … South Dakota? A semifinal berth would be surprising.
Japan
Sweden’s surprise may disappoint
A composed, skillful team, Japan should be a team on the rise. It has a domestic professional league and qualified for the Olympics. But Asia’s No. 2 team seems to be treading water since its surprising quarterfinal appearance at the ’95 World Championship.
The older players are slowing down, while the next generation — from Yumi Obe to Nami Otake and Tamaki Uchiyama — has produced mixed results. Japan some talent, especially in Akemi Noda, Obe and Futaba Kioka, but no major star. Noda is the best striker, but gets inconsistent support from Uchiyama up front.
Most of Japan’s attacks originate from the central midfield tandem of Kioka and Asako Takakura, though the latter doesn’t always play big on the world stage.
Japan plays a nice little game but shouldn’t make too much noise.