England, Scotland, Japan to meet at 2019 women’s World Cup as Paris stages draw
BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, France: England and Scotland will meet each other in their opening game at the 2019 women’s World Cup in France after being placed in the same group in Saturday’s draw alongside former winners Japan as well as Argentina.
The ceremony at La Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, just outside Paris, also set reigning champions the United States up for a clash with Thailand to begin their defence of the title.
Meanwhile, hosts France were given a meeting with South Korea in the opening game of the 24team tournament at the Parc des Princes in Paris on June 7 as Les Bleues hope to match their male counterparts, who won this year’s World Cup in Russia.
The final will be played on July 7 in Lyon, the 58,000-seat stadium in the city that is home to the women’s Champions League holders.
For England, the draw cohosted by their former star Alex Scott handed them the tantalising prospect of an opening game in Group D against old rivals Scotland in Nice on June 9.
They also met in their opening group game at Euro 2017 in the Netherlands, with England romping to a 6- 0 victory on their way to a semi-final defeat against the hosts.
“I think it’s a great group,” said England manager Phil Neville, who labelled the Scotland clash as a standout but also highlighted the matches that will follow.
“England against Argentina is historically always a feisty occasion and then England against Japan is two of the top five or six teams in the world, so we could not have asked for a better group.”
Phil Neville’s side were also semi- finalists at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, losing to Japan, while Scotland will be making their tournament debut.
Japan lost 5-2 to the United States in the 2015 final, and the reigning champions were drawn in Group F with Sweden, Thailand and tournament newcomers Chile.
The USA have won three of the previous seven tournaments and will fancy their chances of going all the way again, although they could meet France in the last eight. — AFP