Colombia eye upset over superpowers US

NORWAY FACE ENGLAND IN LAST 16 OF WORLD CUP

Colombia will be bidding to create more upsets when they take on footballing giants the United States as former winners Norway play England in the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup today.

Colombia achieved one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament when they shocked third-ranked France 2-0 in their group match and now have a mammoth task of two-time winners the United States ahead of them.

Colombia coach Fabian Taborda said that his 28th-ranked side feared no one, even the secondranked Americans, as they play outside the group stages for the first time.

They lost 2-1 to England and were held 1-1 by Mexico in their other Group F games from which they advanced as one of the best third-placed finishers.

“We faced France, a power, and then England, a power and then if we have to face the United States we will be ready to play them,” said Taborda ahead of the tie where the winner will take on 1999 runners-up China who beat Cameroon 1-0 in Edmonton on Saturday.

“In this World Cup nothing is easy, everything is difficult.”

The Cafeteras, lead by Yoreli Rincsn and Lady Andrade, have nothing to lose knowing that they have already surpassed expectations.

Goalkeeper out

The South Americans will however be without goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda, who drew her second yellow card on Wednesday. It will be a match between unequals as in Colombia there are no professional leagues and the majority of players have day jobs while the Americans are all full-time players.

Colombia lost 3-0 to the Americans, winners in 1991 and 1999, at the last World Cup in Germany.

US star Abby Wambach, with 14 World Cup goals, could match the record 15 of Brazil star Marta during the game in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

“We’re battle tested and feeling confident coming out of that Group,” warned US coach Jill Ellis of their tough Group D from which they emerged as leaders with two wins and a draw against Sweden.

In today’s second game in Ottawa, Mark Sampson’s England take on 1995 winners Norway.

England came back from their opening-day defeat by France by beating Mexico and Colombia.

The Norwegians, ranked 11th in the world, finished second in Group B and held Germany, twotime champions, to a 1-1 draw last week.

“We are going to face a really good Norwegian side. They have drawn with the best team in the tournament in Germany,” said Sampson.