A group full of teams who competed at the 2015 World Cup. Interestingly enough Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands were all in the same group in 2015. Cameroon shocked everyone when they made the knockout round last time. But that World Cup has come and gone and it’s time to look ahead at how Group E will do.
Click on the country names below to see all the players on each team
Cameroon, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand
CAMEROON
Overview
Currently ranked 46th, the lowest in the group, Cameroon is looking to match their success in 2015 if not do even better. They bring back the core of their group from the last World Cup, but since then they have played limited matches. Just this year they have only played in three matches not to mention they got a new head coach in January. They will be going up against top teams and their lack of game experience and simply playing together will not fare well. Cameroon will need to shock everyone again to get out of this group.
Key Players
If we’re going to keep looking at 2015 then there was no bigger star for Cameroon then, Gabrielle Onguéné who scored the equalizer against Switzerland that led to them defeating the Swiss and then making the knockout round. She is one of the top goal scorers in Africa and she scored the game winner against Mali that guaranteed qualification for Cameroon. Another star forward for Cameroon is 21 year old Michaela Abam. She plays in France’s top division with Paris FC. She has scored just one goal but has done so in just ten games with Paris. Abam is playing with and against the best in the world and that will only benefit Cameroon at the World Cup.
Prediction
Cameroon will have a tough time in this group. All three of their opponents could make the knockout round, but that relies heavily on their games against Cameroon. Teams may look past them and that is when Cameroon can use their counter attack and take a game they shouldn’t. We will have to see if 2019 can be similar to 2015.
CANADA
Overview
Canada comes into this World Cup ranked 5th and holding high expectations. They have had an impressive start to 2019 recording zero losses with six wins and two ties. They have wins over England and Sweden, two of the top teams in the world. By all accounts Canada is ready for the World Cup this year, but the same could have been said about 2015. They bowed out in the quarterfinals on home soil, a disappointing finish. They then went on to win bronze at the Olympics the following year showing they are more than their 2015 finish. Without the pressure of performing well at home and their recent success could be the perfect formula for a stellar 2019 World Cup.
Key Players
Canada starts and ends with Christine Sinclair. She is their star forward who has tallied 181 goals and needs just four more to have the most all time for the world record. It’s not a far prediction to say she will break the record this summer or that if she does not perform well this World Cup, Canada will not go as far. Canada’s biggest accolade in 2015 was Kadeisha Buchanan’s performances that won her the World Cup’s best young player award. She is a tall, strong defender who has been playing with the European club powerhouse, Olympique Lyon, gaining more experience. She won’t win the best young player of the year award this year, but she may turn into Canada’s best player this year.
Prediction
Canada is the top team in this group on paper, but they have stiff competition in their midst. The Netherlands have been labeled a dark horse for the tournament meaning they can go further than people initially thought. Canada will have its hands full trying to beat them and have the pressure of being the team that is supposed to win. Canada and pressure have not really mixed in big tournaments. The Netherlands can and probably will take the top spot in the group. This means second place for Canada and thus a date with the second place team of Group F which will most likely be Sweden or could be the United States. If it is Sweden, Canada will use the motivation of being the two seed to propel them in the quarterfinals. That could match them with the always dangerous German team. Germany would be too much for Canada due to their experience and Canada’s inability to rise above pressure will continue.
To see the schedule of the World Cup click: Matches
NETHERLANDS
Overview
Holland or the Netherlands however you prefer to call them are coming into this tournament ranked 8th in the world. The Netherlands had a shaky start to 2019 losing both of their group matches and placing 11/12 for the Algarve Cup and they had barely qualified for the World Cup. So it seemed the 2017 European Champions had peaked too soon. But they have won their last four games, three of which have been against World Cup opponents. The Netherlands seem to be getting their footing and climbing back up to the peak of being one of Europe's and arguably the world’s top teams.
Key Players
Their offense is the key for the Netherlands starting with Vivianne Miedema, Lieke Martens, and Shanice van de Sanden. Those three make up one of the best group of forwards at this tournament. Want to talk about top club teams and top leagues Miedema plays for Arsenal, Martens plays for Barcelona, and van de Sanden plays for Lyon. They have experience playing the best and even beating the best. They were all key to the Netherlands winning the 2017 European Championship scoring goals when the team needed them most. Defenses will have a hard time stopping this potent offense.
Prediction
The Netherlands are riding high from their recent results but they still know that it was a hard battle to get here. They will use their recent confidence and previous struggles to excel at the World Cup. Canada will be tough, but the Netherlands will have too much offensive power. That same offensive power could guide them all the way to the final. If they get first they would most likely have to play Japan first, who is not the same team from 2011. Then they could be facing Australia who they beat just a few weeks ago. Their semifinal opponent could be Germany a team at times who is very direct in their play and lacks the flare the Netherlands possess. Their finals foe might be France, the host. France would have all the pressure, but who knows if the Netherlands will be able to defeat France and a stadium full of fans cheering against them.
NEW ZEALAND
Overview
The 19th ranked team will look to get out of the group stage for the first time in history. They have a record of 4-4 so far in 2019. Every time they won a game it was followed by a loss and every loss was followed with a win. This is the very definition of inconsistent, something that is not helpful if they want to get out of the group stage. If anything their last game was a loss so they’re on course to then win two in the group stage and lose in the knockout round.
Key Players
New Zealand has players with plenty of experience and quality performances to go along with their experience. The top scorer on the team is Sarah Gregorius who has 35 goals in 95 matches. She is 31 but still has incredible pace and the ability to get behind defenses. Gregorius can play out wide or linger in the middle. However New Zealand decide to use her they will have high expectation for her to score goals. While she is up top Ali Riley will be commanding the defense. She is the captain for New Zealand and has played in 127 games. She predominantly plays left back and has no problem getting forward. Riley has gained even more experience since joining English team Chelsea in 2018.
Prediction
New Zealand quite honestly just wants to get out of group play. They want to finally know what it feels like to play in the knockout round. And this World Cup could just be the time they do it. If they are able to keep games close or even tie the Netherlands or Canada then New Zealand can get themselves into uncharted territory. But third place would put them up against England and could make next World Cup the time they win a knockout game.