After exciting Round 3 action yesterday, Groups C and D finish the group stage today. That includes a match between the U.S. and Nigeria. Oh, and the Sounders play today. And S2. Yikes.
Before the Sounders and S2 kick off this evening, join us in watching the Women's World Cup. At 2 p.m. PT, beloved Seattle Reign alumni Naho Kawasumi and Japan take on an Ecuador squad that has given up 16 goals in two matches. Switzerland and Cameroon battle it out for a likely second place spot in Group C.
For Group D, any team could advance. The U.S. look to secure their spot at the top, while Nigeria hope for a win to break into the top 3. Australia and Sweden have 3 and 2 points respectively.
Watch and discuss all the action with us.
Group C Standings
| TEAM NAME | GOAL +/- | POINTS |
| Japan | 2 | 6 |
| Switzerland | 8 | 3 |
| Cameroon | 5 | 3 |
| Ecuador | -15 | 0 |
Group D Standings
| TEAM NAME | GOAL +/- | POINTS |
| USA | 2 | 4 |
| Australia | 0 | 3 |
| Sweden | 0 | 2 |
| Nigeria | -2 | 1 |
Players to Watch
Ecuador v. Japan: Ecuador had a good argument for a penalty in the first half against Switzerland, and that was because of the hard work of lone forward Giannina Lattanzio. The much larger Swiss defense got away with pushing Lattanzio around, but Japan won't have that advantage. Japan's attack goes through midfielder Aya Miyama. The two-time Asia Player of the Year is quick to make runs into space, is quite dangerous on set pieces, and is also known for her strong display of sportsmanship.
Switzerland v. Cameroon: Cameroon's Gaelle Enganamouit scored a hattrick against Ecuador and was a creative playmaker against Japan, assisting on Cameroon's goal. She is tall and quick, has strong hold-up play, and despite cramping up at the end of the match nearly helped even the score last Friday. For Switzerland, Ramona Bachmann continues to create a lot of chances for the squad. But if she truly wants to help her team advance, Bachmann is going to need to be a more clinical finisher. Sure, she had a hattrick against Ecuador, but she should have converted a number of other shots.
Australia v. Sweden: Australia's Samantha Kerr, who had 15 goals for Western NY Flash in her first two seasons, has pace that causes defenders all kinds of problems. Just ask Ali Krieger. Her cross last week gave Australia their second goal in a 2-0 win against Nigeria. Sweden is relying on the play of Lotta Schelin, an amazingly gifted striker who also happens to be dealing with a knee injury and has not been extremely convincing so far. If Schelin cannot get in dangerous positions, the team will need a big game from veteran midfielder Caroline Seger.
How to Watch
Match #1: Ecuador (#48 FIFA Ranking) v. Japan (#4)
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 16, 2 p.m. PT
TV: Fox Sports 1, NBC Universo (Spanish)
Online: FOX Sports Go (TV subscription needed), FOX Soccer 2 Go (paid service, no TV subscription required). NBC Deportes En Vivo also offers a Spanish-language streaming service.
Match #2: Switzerland (#19) v. Cameroon (#53)
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 16, 2 p.m. PT
TV: Fox Sports 2
Online: FOX Sports Go, FOX Soccer 2 Go, and NBC Deportes En Vivo
Match #3: Nigeria (#33) v. USA (#2)
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 16, 5 p.m. PT
There will be a separate gamethread for this match
TV: Fox
Online: FOX Sports Go, FOX Soccer 2 Go, and NBC Deportes En Vivo
Match #4: Australia (#10) v. Sweden (#5)
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 16, 5 p.m. PT
TV: Fox Sports 1
Online: FOX Sports Go, FOX Soccer 2 Go, and NBC Deportes En Vivo
This is your Day 9 Women's World Cup Gamethread. Watch and discuss with us.