WOMEN’S group set
It’s deja vu for Canada’s women’s soccer team after learning its group at the 2019 World Cup in France
It will be deja-vu for Canada at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France after drawing two teams — the Netherlands and New Zealand — that it faced at the 2015 tournament on home soil.
The Canadians will also play Cameroon, a team they have never faced before, in Group E round-robin play next summer.
Canada tied the Dutch 1-1 and New Zealand 0-0 in the 2015 World Cup, when it went on finish sixth after losing 2-1 to England in the quarterfinals. Canada’s best showing at the tournament was fourth place in 2003.
While Canada’s combined record against its three opening-round opponents is 15-1-7, tougher foes wait. If the rankings hold, Canada could meet No. 8 Japan or No. 9 Sweden in the round of 16. No. 6 Australia is a potential quarterfinal foe with No. 2 Germany a possible semifinal matchup.
“It’s hard to say if it’s good or bad,” Canada coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller said of the opening-round draw. “The best thing is now it’s done. Now we know exactly who we’re going to play.
“I think the Netherlands will be a tough match, a real tough match. I watched them a few times on the way to winning the European title and they looked very good ... It’s a country that’s definitely improving but also a team I think we can beat.”
The World Cup runs June 7 to July 7 in nine French cities.
Canada will open June 10 against Cameroon in Montpellier before facing New Zealand in Grenoble on June 15 and the Netherlands in Reims on June 20.
Coaches, players and celebrities converged on Paris for Saturday’s draw at La Seine Musicale arts centre.
Mia Hamm, Didier Deschamps, Kaka, Steffi Jones, Michael Essien, Alex Scott, Aya Miyama, Louis Saha and Carli Lloyd took part in the draw, which four years ago, the draw was held at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que.
Heiner-Moller and Canadian Soccer Association president Steven Reed were among those carrying the Canadian colours along with Ashley Lawrence, who plays her club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain.
The six groups, headed by the topranked defending champion U.S., No. 2 Germany, No. 3 France, No. 4 England, No. 5 Canada and No. 6 Australia are pretty even.
The winners and runners-up from each groups plus the four best thirdplaced teams advance to the knockout round.
Add up the ranking of the top three teams in each group and the totals range from 29 (Group B) to 39 (Group F). Canada’s Group E totals 31.
The Canadians are 9-0-3 against the Dutch, winning 2-1 in the most recent meeting — in 2016 prior to the Rio Olympics. The Dutch made it to the round of 16 at the 2015 tournament, losing 2-1 to Japan.
The Dutch, the top-ranked team in Pot B at the draw, shared 2018 Algarve Cup honours with Sweden after the final was called off due to poor weather. Canada was fifth at the tournament.
The Netherlands defeated England 30 in the European championship semifinals before dispatching Denmark 4-2 in the final. Coach Sarina Wiegman, who won more than 100 caps as a player, was named FIFA women’s coach of the year as a result and HeinerMoller notes Dutch players are now playing for some of the top club teams in Europe.
Canada is 6-1-4 against New Zealand. The teams haven’t played since the 0-0 draw at the 2015 tournament in Edmonton. Canada’s only loss to New Zealand was in 2000.
“A team we should beat,” said HeinerMoller, while praising a physical New Zealand side for its “huge heartbeat.”
“It’s about finding the right medicine for that. I think we’ve got it.”