Women’s first-round foes to be unveiled

Canada, currently fifth, is in pot with Germany, defending U.S. champs

Canada coach Kenneth HeinerMoller learns his team’s road map at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Saturday at the tournament draw in Paris.

Heiner-Moller will carry the Canadian colours at the draw along with Ashley Lawrence, who plays her club soccer for Paris Saint- Germain. The World Cup, which unlike the 2015 tournament in Canada will be played on grass, runs June 7 to July 7 in nine French cities. Mia Hamm, Didier Deschamps, Kaka, Steffi Jones, Michael Essien, Alex Scott, Aya Miyama, Louis Saha and Carli Lloyd are among the stars who will take part in the draw at La Seine Musicale arts centre. Four years ago, the draw was held at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que.

The four pots for the draw were allocated based on world rankings released Friday.

“It’s good we’re finally in Pot1,” Heiner-Moller said with a chuckle prior to jumping on a plane to Paris.

The Canadians earned that elite status this time. Canada was ranked eighth in the world going into the 2015 tournament, but was slotted into Pot 1 for the draw as the host country.

The Canadian women, currently ranked fifth, join the topranked and defending champion Americans in Pot 1 along with No. 2 Germany, No. 3 France No. 4 England and No. 6 Australia. Those teams will avoid each other in the opening group phase. The Women’s World Cup has a generous structure with the winners and runners-up from each of the six groups, as well as the best four third-placed teams, advancing to the knockout round, The Canadian women are 84-0 this year, with losses to the U.S., Germany, France and Sweden.