While most of the eyes watching the Women’s World Cup will be on the United States and Canadian women’s teams, there’s another team that should be getting much more attention than they are: Germany. The giants of the women’s side of European football, Germany have won six consecutive European Championships and a stunning eight out of the last nine. They also had won two straight World Cups before falling to Japan in the quarterfinals in 2011, and will be itching to get back to their winning ways on the biggest stage.
Germany vs. Ivory Coast, World Cup 2015: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Juggernauts Germany start their quest for a third World Cup title against an intriguing up-and-coming side in women’s international football.
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
They start their campaign against the Ivory Coast, something of an up-and-comer in the women’s international football world. This will be their first World Cup, and they’ve only played in the Cup of African Nations twice, managing to win third place last year. Don’t take their inexperience for them being a pushover, though -- they’ve got a fairly good young side, with two potent strikers up top in Ines Nrehy and Josee Nahi. Germany can’t let their focus slip at all if they want to make sure to get all three points and get their World Cup ride off to a smooth start.
Key player - Nadine Angerer (Germany)
The Ivory Cast have a potent attack to bring to bear, and that could give Germany’s defense some trouble. Lucky for them they still have Angerer between the sticks. Still one of the top goalkeepers in the world at 36, this is almost certainly her last chance to win another World Cup, giving her three for her career among the other trophies she’s won throughout her career. Angerer is almost certainly going to want to go out with a bang, so she’s not going to want to let the Ivory Coast ruin her swan song by upsetting Germany.
Key Matchup - Célia Šašić (Germany) vs. Djelika Coulibaly (Ivory Coast)
The top scorer in this Germany squad, Šašić can and will look for every opportunity to single-handedly wreak havoc. She is incredibly talented and can take over matches on her own, which leaves the Ivory Coast in a position where they have to figure out how to stop her. Coulibaly is arguably their best defender, and the one probably most suited to slowing Šašić down. Whether or not she can pull it off is certainly up for debate.
Match Date/Time: Sunday, 4 p.m. ET
Venue: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, Canada
TV: FOX (U.S. - English), NBC Universo (U.S. - Spanish), TSN 1, RDS (Canada), BBC3, British Eurosport 1 (U.K.)
Online: Fox Soccer 2 Go (U.S. - English), NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra (U.S. - Spanish), TSN (Canada), Eurosport (U.K.)
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