Women's Football Day 1 Preview: Mouthwatering matches expected

(BEIJING, August 5) -- On August 6, two days before the opening ceremony of Beijing 2008, the preliminary rounds of the Women's Olympic Football Tournament will kick off. Fans can expect mouthwatering clashes because the world's top players have come out to play.

The highlights of the first day's matches will be Brazil vs. Germany, and Norway vs. the United States, which will unfold at 5:00 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. local time (UTC/GMT+8) respectively.

Germany, the reigning champion in Europe (winner of the UEFA Women's Championships in 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2005) and defending World Cup winner (2003 and 2007), is regarded as the heaviest medal favorite this year with its iconic striker Birgit Prinz.

As for Brazil, it has never failed to qualify for the semifinals of the Olympic competition. It has a star-studded line-up including key striker Marta Vieira da Silva, the FIFA World Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007, and her forward partner Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva, the top scorer at Athens 2004.

To make the game even more intriguing, both teams will be desperate to win the opening match since they are grouped in what can be described as "the Group of Death", together with Nigeria, the reigning champion in Africa, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the dominant force in Asia. A win on the first day will help secure a place in the next stage of the tournament.

The two teams' head-to-head record is in favor of Germany, which has won four out of the six matches played between the two countries at Olympic and World Cup level. Brazil has never defeated Germany, managing only two draws at Atlanta 1996 and the 1999 World Cup in the United States. Germany scored 15 goals in the six matches and conceded just six.

Both the United States and Norway are past gold medalists. Since women's football was first included in the Olympic roster in 1996, the United States has won gold medals at Athens 2004 and Atlanta 1996, while Norway was the gold medalist at Sydney 2000.

Both heavyweights will be playing at less than full strength. The United States has lost its key striker Abby Wambach through injury while Norway is a mix of youth and experience. The retirements of key players including Ragnhild Gulbrandsen, Lise Klaveness, Camilla Huse and goalkeeper Bente Nordby after the 2007 World Cup has mired Norway's Olympic campaign in uncertainty.

The head-to-head record is slightly in favor of the United States. In the seven matches between the two countries at Olympic and World Cup level, the United States has won five and lost two, scoring 13 goals while conceding seven.

Match schedule (all times are local time):

Group E Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium

17:00-18:45 Women's Preliminaries