Women's World Cup Kicks Off Sunday, China Faces Canada In Opening Game

Though you may be all up in arms about FIFA scandals these days, its time for you to put your focus back on the game itself: On Sunday morning Beijing time, China will play host Canada in the opening game of the 2015 Women’s World Cup. 

The event will stretch for a whole month from June 7 to July 6, with the final set for BC Place in Vancouver on Saturday, July 6 at 7am Beijing Time.

Germany and USA, two of the most successful teams in the history of the Women's World Cup, and ranked #1 and #2 in the world, are expected to contend for the title. Both of them have won the title twice. Japan, the current title holder; Brazil, the most flamboyant team on the planet, and Canada, host of the event, are also among pre-tournament favorites.

As for China, they've seen better days. Nicknamed the Steel Roses, the China squad peaked in 1999 at the Women’s World Cup, where they lost the final to the US in a penalty shootout at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Steel Roses courageously held to a draw for 120 minutes on America's home soil, against the American players on the field as well as the swelling roars of more than 92,000 fans in the stands.

The scoreless two-hour match was brutal and ruthless under Southern California's notorious scorching mid-summer sun, and both teams showed a toughness that rivaled and even exceeded many men's games.

The iconic image of Brandi Chastain celebrating the clinching penalty was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and became one of the most defining images of women’s athletics.

After having been a powerhouse in women’s soccer from the early 1990s to the mid 2000s, the Steel Roses have declined sharply in recent years, and even missed a place at the last World Cup in 2011, for the first time in recent history.

However, the Asian Qualifiers for the 2015 Games proved to be a redemptive campaign for them. They started with a 7-0 rout of Thailand, which was followed by a 3-0 defeat of Myanmar, and finally managed to held a draw against South Korea in an away game.

“The average age of our players is under 23 and we are one of the youngest sides of the tournament,” Hao Wei, head coach of the team, told FIFA. "With that, we would expect the young Steel Roses to be one of the most energetic and athletic teams of all."

Talking about the opening game against the host, an advantage that the away team has is the psychological edge. The two teams have played 28 games against each other, and China has 15 victories. China’s most lethal weapons will be its strikers Ma Jun and Yang Li. Both are quick, and both can score.

On the other hand, Canada will rely on several experienced players to carry the team. Canadian captain Christine Sinclair will have the support from a formidable midfield consisted of Diana Matheson, Kaylyn Kyle, Sophie Schmidt, and Brittany Baxter, four versatile and experienced midfielders.

Currently ranked 16th in the world, the China squad is in a World Cup division with 8th-ranked Canada, 12th-ranked the Netherlands, and 17th-ranked New Zealand.

All of China’s group-stage games will be played in the afternoon Canada local time, which will be early in the morning in Beijing Time. The opening ceremony and opening game will be played between the host Canada and China on June 6 at 6am Beijing Time.

Following is the full group-stage game schedule for Team China (Beijing times):

China vs. Canada, June 7, 6am
China vs. Holland, June 12, 6am
China vs. New Zealand, June 16, 7.30am

A full schedule of the World Cup can be found here at fifa.com and Deadspin has a nice preview of the China squad on their site here.

Other group stage games that might be worthwhile watching include:

USA vs. Australia, June 9, 7.30am
France vs. England, June 10, 1am
USA vs. Sweden, June 13, 8am

All China's games will be live broadcast by CCTV sports.
 

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Photos: worldsoccertalk, FIFA, nextimpulsesports