Women's World Cup 2015 Bracket: Quarter-Finals TV Schedule and Predictions
A sumptuous quarter-finals lineup was confirmed on Tuesday night as we enter the business end of the Women's World Cup in Canada.
The clear favourites of Germany and the USA have been joined by exceptionally strong teams, with France and Japan leading the challenge.
The matches take place on Friday and Saturday to decide which countries will make up the final four of the competition.
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Here is the full schedule of games, including TV information and predictions:
| Friday, June 26. | 9 p.m. | 4 p.m. | Germany v France | 2-1 | BBC3, Eurosport (UK only); FOX (US only) |
| Friday, June 26. | 12.30 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | China v USA | 0-1 | BBC Red Button, Eurosport (UK only); FOX (US only) |
| Saturday, June 27 | 9 p.m. | 4 p.m. | Australia v Japan | 1-0 | BBC3, Eurosport (UK only); FOX Sports 1 (US only) |
| Saturday, June 27. | 12.30 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | England v Canada | 0-1 | BBC1 and HD, Eurosport (UK only); FOX Sports 1 (US only) |
Quarter-Finals Preview
As reigning world champions Japan edged their way past a defiant Netherlands side on Tuesday, the final eight teams in the tournament were confirmed—in the most open competition in recent memory.
The undoubted strengths of Germany and the USA see them positioned well, with the former forced to play the talented French, but the threat of teams such as England, Canada and the in-form Australia cannot be ignored.
The English have made a steady start to their campaign, with coach Mark Sampson changing tactics and formations for every match. The country's win against a tough Norway side underlined the progress made in England in the past 12 months, with the team displaying more variety in their options.
Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley has been in tremendous form in Canada, and she has given England the experience they need in defence to keep a tight rearguard when under pressure.
The 30-year-old player recently spoke about her attributes between the sticks and her motivation to help her side continue their challenge, per FIFA's website: "I love those individual battles. I’ve worked hard to improve in that area; we do it in every training session. The fact that I’m relatively tall helps too. It’s just instinct. I always try to make myself as big as possible."
Despite Germany and France contesting the toughest tie of the round, all eyes will be on the U.S. women's national team's challenge and their superstar players on show.
The USA's best player of the tournament has been the commanding Julie Johnston, with pundits lining up to sing the praises of the Chicago Red Stars defender. Bleacher Report's Michael Cummings recently named Johnston in his best team of the tournament, highlighting her strength in performance:
Jeff Kassouf, of women's football website the Equalizer, also focused on Johnston prior to the start of the competition in Canada. He said her impact was sure to be felt for the United States and her rise in status was always expected:
"Success is no surprise for Julie Johnston. That Johnston would be a star at senior level one day has been obvious for several years. Translating accolades at the youth or college level to the senior ranks is never a given, of course, but the main questions surrounding Johnston involved where she would play on the field, not if she would be good enough.
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Either the Germans or French will be exiting the competition on Friday night, making the USA's quest much more achievable. The likes of Johnston and Co. have seen the USWNT build their form steadily, with their most spectacular football still to come.
But with outsiders—such as the English and Aussies—playing possibly their most tactically astute football in history, the path to the winner's trophy is sure to throw up surprises aplenty.
The quarter-final stage is always one of the major psychological barriers for fancied teams to get past, and England and Australia might struggle to get the job done against Canada and Japan, respectively.
