U.S. women draw Sweden again
U.S. national coach Jill Ellis was asked before the Women’s World Cup draw whether she thought her team would be grouped with Sweden for the fifth straight time.
“Oh, we will,” Ellis laughed, recalling her reply.
Turned out she was right. The defending champion Americans were grouped again with Sweden for next summer’s showcase tournament in France. The draw to set the group stage for the 24 teams was held Saturday at a gala event in Paris amid a backdrop of unrest in the country.
Host France will open the World Cup on June 7 against South Korea in Paris.
The No. 1-ranked U.S. team landed in the same group with Sweden for the sixth time overall. Also in Group F are Thailand and Chile, which is making its World Cup debut. The U.S. will open the tournament against Thailand in Reims on June 11. Sweden, ranked No. 9, will face the U.S. on June 20 in Le Havre the final group match for both.
“I know about the history, tough games during many years,” said Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson, who took over the team after Pia Sundhage’s retirement in 2017. “We feel that we have a chance and that’s the most important thing,”
“It’s a good draw for us,” said Ellis, who attended the draw. “It pits us against a couple of teams we’re not that familiar with, which I like, and then obviously Sweden. I like having Sweden in the third game because it allows us to settle into the tournament.” USA-Sweden will be a rematch of the Olympic quarterfinal in Brazil, where Sweden advanced on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Afterward U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo called the Swedes “cowards” for focusing on defense. Solo was later suspended and U.S. Soccer terminated her contract.
The other groups are: Group A — France, South Korea, Norway and Nigeria. Group B — Germany, China, Spain and South Africa. Group C — Australia, Italy, Brazil and Jamaica. Group D — England, Scotland, Argentina and Japan. Group E — Canada, Cameroon, Netherlands and New Zealand.
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Josef Martinez and Franco Escobar >> Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez makes a play on the ball in front of Timbers defender Larrys Mabiala.
scored goals, Brad Guzan came up with a couple of clutch saves, and host Atlanta United gave the city its first title since 1995 with a 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup final. Cheered on by a crowd of 73,019, United captured the crown in just its second season.
Martinez, capping the greatest goal-scoring season in MLS history, put United ahead in 39th minute. Escobar added an insurance goal in the 54th, turning the final minutes into a raucous, flag-waving celebration and sending coach Tata Martino out with a title in his final game as coach. He’s reportedly headed to Mexico to take over as that country’s national coach. FANS OF BOCA JUNIORS, RIVER PLATE JAM MADRID >> Hundreds of Boca Juniors fans gathered outside their team’s hotel in Madrid, chanting “It doesn’t matter where you play, we will always follow you,” one day before Boca faces bitter Argentine rival River Plate in the Copa Libertadores final. Thousands of Boca and River fans are already in the Spanish capital for the “superclasico” at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium today.
Boxing
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Baseball
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