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Women's World Cup recap: What US, Canada, and Germany need to advance

The U.S. team's final match of the group stage comes on Tuesday against Nigeria. Canada plays the Netherlands on Monday night, after Germany faces Thailand.

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Michael Chow-USA TODAY
United States forward Christen Press (23) and defender Meghan Klingenberg (22) lead the team onto the field for warmups before the game against Sweden in a Group D soccer match in the 2015 FIFA women's World Cup at Winnipeg Stadium.
  • By Anne M. Peterson Associated Press

| Winnipeg, Manitoba

The United States, Canada, and Germany are all considered among the favorites in their groups at the Women's World Cup.

Each won its first match and could have secured a place in the knockout stage with a victory in its second. But all three played to draws.

Defending champion Japan became the first to earn a spot in the next round, after defeating Switzerland 1-0 in the opener and Cameroon 2-1 on Friday in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Top-ranked Germany crushed Ivory Coast 10-0 in the opener, but played Norway to a 1-all tie on Thursday in Group B. Maren Mjelde scored the equalizer for Norway on a free kick in the second half.

"We lost track of our plan and when you're up against strong opponents the score can very quickly become 1-1, and that's what happened," German coach Silvia Neid said about the match in Ottawa, Ontario.

Canada, favored in Group A as the hosts, played later that night to a storm-delayed scoreless draw against New Zealand — Canada coach John Herdman's former team. That came after a 1-0 victory over China in the opening match in Edmonton, Alberta.

And the United States on Friday night played to a 0-0 tie with Sweden, led by former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage. The U.S. women had opened with a 3-1 victory over Australia in Group D, the so-called "Group of Death."

"It was like two heavyweights going at it," Ellis said of the match with Sweden.

The U.S. team's final match of the group stage comes on Tuesday against Nigeria in Vancouver. Canada heads to Montreal to play the Netherlands on Monday night, after Germany faces Thailand in Winnipeg earlier in the day.

With four points apiece, all three teams look like they'll get to the knockout stage — it just isn't official.

On Saturday, two teams could also be assured spots in the next round. Brazil, which beat South Korea in the opener, faces Spain in Montreal, while France, a 1-0 winner over England, plays Colombia in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Canada's far eastern coast.

Some other happenings at the World Cup:

BIG IN CANADA: The Canadian women are breaking records when it comes to viewers on Canadian television.

Preliminary data showed that the 2.3 million people watched Canada play New Zealand to a scoreless draw Thursday night on CTV, TSN and RDS. It broke the record for the most-watched Women'sWorld Cup match — breaking the record set just days before when Canada opened the World Cup with a 1-0 victory over China.

The U.S. women's 3-1 victory over Australia was the most-watched non-Canadian group stage game ever with 526,000 viewers on TSN and RDS.

RECAPPING FRIDAY: In addition to the U.S. team's scoreless tie with Sweden, Australia defeated Nigeria 2-0 in the earlier match in Group D in Winnipeg. Japan defeated Cameroon 2-1 in Group C in Vancouver, while Switzerland beat Ecuador 10-1.

UP NEXT: Brazil plays Spain in Montreal followed by South Korea's match against Costa Rica. Third-ranked France plays Columbia in Moncton, followed by England's match against Mexico.

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