Reigning champions Japan are the stand out team in Group C, and are joined by three World Cup debutants Switzerland, Cameroon and Ecuador. Cameroon and Ecuador face off in the group’s first match on the 8th June while Japan begin the defence of their title against Switzerland on the same day.
Although unlikely given Japan’s pedigree, Group C has the potential to spring a famous World Cup shock. However, one way or another, history will be made in this group as the three debutants battle it out to reach the last 16. Switzerland, ranked 19th in the world, will be favourites to finish behind Japan in the group having come through qualifying unbeaten.
Japan
World ranking: 4
Nickname: The Nadeshiko
Previous best: Winners (2011)
The 2011 champions will be expected to ease through the group stages after being drawn with three countries who have never made it to the finals before. That said, Japan know all about springing a surprise and therefore will not take any of their opponents lightly.
Japan followed up their success at the 2011 World Cup with a silver medal at the London Olympics the following year, and then became Asian champions for the first time in 2014. The Nadeshiko have also welcomed back the player of the tournament in 2011 Homare Sawa, who retired following the 2012 Olympics. Sawa, 36, scored 5 goals at the last world cup, including a 117th minute equaliser in extra time of the final.
Sawa will be supported by a number of technically gifted forwards. Aya Miyama and Nahomi Kawasumi were both nominated for the 2014 FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award. Kawasumi is currently on loan at Seattle Reign FC, where she has scored 9 goals in 18 appearances. Despite standing at only 5’2”, the little winger has plenty of skill and pace to trouble the world’s best defenders.
Head coach Norio Sasaki has instilled a winning mentality into Japan’s national team and the 2015 squad, unsurprisingly, features most of the faces who lifted the trophy four years ago. The average age of the squad is now 28, which might be considered a tad old, but the likes of 22-year-old Mana Iwabuchi have been included to integrate with the veterans.
Switzerland
World ranking: 19
Nickname: N/A
Previous best: N/A
Despite this being Switzerland’s first ever appearance at the World Cup finals, they will be expected to reach the knockout stages having breezed through qualifying. The Swiss scored an incredible 53 goals, conceding just once as they topped a credible group which included Denmark and Iceland.
Attacking duo Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic and Ramona Bachmann have 68 international goals between them and ply their trade at two of Europe’s biggest club sides. Crnogorcevic plays in Germany for Champions League winners Frankfurt, meanwhile Bachmann leads the line for Swedish club Rosengard. Behind them is the experienced Lara Dickenmann who boasts almost a 100 international caps. The midfielder has also competed amongst Europe’s finest since 2009, when she signed for Lyon.
The Swiss also now have a head coach with World Cup experience. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg featured at three tournaments in the 1990s, playing for her native Germany. The German has instilled a typically strong work ethic and organisation into the Swiss national team, which could make them very hard to beat.
Cameroon
World ranking: 53
Nickname: The Lionesses
Previous best: N/A
Little will be expected from the African contingent at the Women’s World Cup, but having qualified for the London 2012 Olympics and more recently finishing runners up at the African Women’s Championship, Cameroon may well spring a surprise in Group C.
Cameroon’s standout player is 22-year-old Gaelle Enganamouit, who plays her domestic football in Sweden. The forward scored 3 of the teams 5 goals on their way to the final of the Africa Women’s Championship, and, at the same competition, Cameroon’s goalkeeper Annette Ngo Ndom received the Golden Glove award.
Head coach Enow Ngatchou has selected a very young squad, with an average age of only 24. That said most of the Cameroon squad now have tournament experience from the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 AFC Women’s Championships. Ngatchou will be hopeful that the combination of youth and experience will bring success as they enter the World Cup stage for the first time.
Ecuador
World ranking: 48
Nickname: La Tricolores
Previous best: N/A
Ecuador’s qualifying campaign produced more than it’s fair share of dramatics, but one would fear the story of their finals maybe a bit more straight forward. The squad are highly unexposed against teams from outside of South America and will face a stern test against the strength of Japan and Switzerland.
La Tricolores came from 2 down to beat Argentina 3-2 and finish third in the Copa America, earning a place in the playoff with Trinidad and Tobago. Having drawn 0-0 at home, Ecuador then needed an injury time winner in the away leg to seal their first ever appearance at the finals of the Women’s World Cup. Ecuador’s frontline is led by Giannina Lattanzio and Monica Quinteros who, scored the two dramatic winners against Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago respectively.
Ecuador’s squad is all about youth. With an average age of little over 23, there is bound to be enough fresh legs to last the 90 minutes. Amazingly, even their coach has youth on her side. At just 26 years old, Vanessa Arauz is comfortably the tournament’s youngest manager, but surprisingly not the most inexperienced, having been in the job since 2013.
