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Women’s World Cup Group C Odds & Preview: Australia Favorites Over Brazil to Top Group

Ryan Metivier

by Ryan Metivier in Soccer News

Updated Apr 1, 2020 · 8:10 AM PDT

Sam Kerr
Australian Sam Kerr is the all-time goalscoring leader in both the NWSL and W-League. Photo By Thewomensgame (Wiki Commons)
  • The 2019 Women’s World Cup begins on Friday, June 7, 2019
  • Group C consists of Australia, Brazil, Italy and Jamaica
  • Sixth-ranked Australia hope to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time in their history

The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup begins on Friday, June 7, 2019  and runs until Sunday, July 7, 2019.

Bookmakers are pegging Group C to be hotly-contested between Australia and Brazil.

We preview the four teams aiming to top Group C at the Women’s World Cup including Australia, Brazil, Italy and Jamaica.

Women’s World Cup Group C Odds

Country FIFA Ranking Odds
Australia 6 -105
Brazil 10 +120
Italy 15 +550
Jamaica 53 +12000

*Odds taken June 3, 2019

Australia

The Matildas have plenty of World Cup experience, having participated in six prior tournaments. However, they’ve yet to advance past the quarterfinals – a phase they’ve reached in each of the past three tournaments.

Australia gained entry to June’s tournament through the 2018 Women’s Asian Cup. They finished second after losing 1-0 to Japan in the final. 

Sandwiched between those results was another quarterfinals appearance at the 2016 Olympics where they lost on penalties to Brazil.

The past year has seen Australia reach the finals of the AFF Women’s Championship, finish second in the Tournament of Nations and first in the FFA Cup of Nations in March.

In January, the team dismissed head coach Alen Stajcic after a confidential player’s survey and appointed Ante Milicic.

Can Matildas’ Sam Kerr Take Australia to Next Level?

American soccer fans of the NWSL will recognize Australia’s Sam Kerr who plays for the Chicago Red Stars. Kerr is the leading goalscorer in the league this season with six goals, but also holds the league’s all-time scoring record at only 25-years-old.

When not playing in the NWSL, Kerr also plays in Australia’s W-League, where she again holds the league’s scoring record. Making her international debut with the Matildas at only age 15, ten years ago, sees 2019 as her third Women’s World Cup. She has 31 international goals and will be joined by an Australian team with over 1,300 combined caps.

Kerr has 31 international goals and will be joined by an Australian team with over 1,300 combined caps.

Kerr, twice short-listed for FIFA Player of the Year, will captain Australia in France.

Australia began 2019 in strong fashion winning all three of their matches at the Cup of Nations. They defeated New Zealand, South Korea and Argentina by a combined score of 9-1. However, in two recent friendlies thereafter, they lost 5-3 to USA and 3-0 to Netherlands.

Brazil

Despite being ranked tenth worldwide, Brazil enter World Cup France with possibly the poorest run of form of any nation.

The Brazilians have attended each of the seven previous World Cups, progressing from the group stage in each of the past five. 2015 saw them reach the round of 16 where they were defeated by fellow Group C side Australia 1-0. In 2007 they reached their high-point, finishing as runners-up to Germany.

Brazil took home fourth place at the 2016 Olympics, losing in the third place match 2-1 to Canada.

At 2018’s Copa América Femenina, Brazil earned their ticket to France by finishing first among a final group which included Chile, Argentina and Colombia. Brazil went 3-0-0 with nine goals scored to only one conceded.

Since gaining their spot in the World Cup though at the conclusion of the Copa América Femenina, the Brazilians have gone off the rails.

In the earlier first round of the tournament they went 4-0-0 with a 21-1 goals scored/allowed differential.

Since gaining their spot in the World Cup though at the conclusion of the Copa América Femenina, the Brazilians have gone off the rails.

Brazil Ice-Cold Heading Into Tournament

Their next 11 matches in the Tournament of Nations, friendlies and the SheBelieves Cup have seen them go 1-0-10. That includes a nine-match losing streak heading into the World Cup.

The downward spiral also began with a 3-1 loss to Australia in the Tournament of Nations. In fact, Brazil has struggled mightily against the Matildas, also losing to them in three-straight matches back in 2017.

To turn their fortunes around, Brazil will be looking to the old guard of Brazilian stars.

Marta is the World Cup’s all-time scorer with 15 goals and has been named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year for a record six times. This is her fifth World Cup but she is now 33. However, she has recently picked up a thigh injury and her fitness may be in question for the start of the tournament.

If you think she has experience, well 41-year-old midfielder Formiga has her beat. She’ll be playing in her record seventh World Cup with the Selecao. After the 2016 Olympics, she had actually retired.

Italy

This will be Italy’s third trip to the World Cup, however, it’s been 20 long years since the Azzurre reached this stage. Italy went 1-1-1 and failed to advance from the group stage in 1999 in USA. Their only other appearance was in 1991 when they reached the quarters.

Italy did not participate in the 2016 Olympics, but qualified for the 2017 Women’s European Championship. Unfortunately, their time was short-lived, finishing last in a group with Germany, Sweden and Russia with a record of 1-0-2.

Nearly all the Azzurre’s roster plays their domestic socer in Italy’s Women’s Serie A. They should have familiarity not only together internationally, but also from playing against eachother week in and week out. However, the women’s Italian Serie A is still a semi-pro league with some teams still considered amateur.

Serie A’s top scorer, forward Valentina Giacinti, plays for AC Milan and led the league with 21 goals this season. It was back-to-back 21 goal seasons for the 25-year-old who’s scored double figures in each of her seven seasons.

Her teammate, Daniela Sabatino was second in scoring with 17 goals and will also suit up for Italy. The 33-year-old has posted double-digit goal totals in each of her 11 seasons in the league.

Then there’s Juventus teammates, midfielder Barbara Bonansea and Cristiana Girelli. They finished tied with 13 goals each during the regular season, good for a joint-fourth overall.

A veteran of 15 seasons playing in Italy, Milena Bertolini now finds herself leading the Italians as head coach. Bertolini is one of only two women who hold a license to coach in the men’s Serie A.

Strong Qualifying and 2019 for Italians

Reaching their first World Cup in 20 years meant finishing first in their European qualifying group with a record of 7-0-1 while scoring 19 goals and allowing four. Their only loss of the qualifiers came in the final match against Belgium. They lost 2-1, however, had already wrapped up first place.

The Italians also reached the Cyprus Cup finals where they were defeated by Korea DPR on penalties. Overall in 2019, Italy have won seven of their nine matches. Results could be slightly deceiving with their only wins only fellow World Cup teams coming against 34th ranked Thailand and 39th ranked Chile.

Jamaica

With three teams all ranked within the top 15, the path out of the group stage looks tough for first-time World Cup participants Jamaica. The Reggae Girlz have the proud distinction of being the first Carribean nation to qualify for a Women’s World Cup.

They did so by virtue of a third place finish in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship. There, they defeated Panama on penalties in the third place match.

If you’re talking key players to watch for this summer for Jamaica, look no further than captain Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw. Shaw was the Guardian’s Footballer of the Year in 2018. Shaw was the overall top scorer during CONCACAF qualifying.

Another standout during qualifying was Jody Brown. The forward was named Best Young Player of the tournament with four goals.  

Captain Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw who was the Guardian’s Footballer of the Year in 2018.

Women’s Game Still Growing in Jamaica

Qualification for the World Cup is no small feat for Jamaica. The country has only recently begun a women’s league run on a limited basis, so all of their players play their club soccer abroad.

The national program was disbanded in 2010 and only rivived as recently as 2014. Players are often still responsible for paying for their own equipment.

Just to get the team to France, multiple fundraisers were held, including a pep rally, auction, and exhibition/celebrity game to raise funds. Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella Marley, has also been instrumental in assisting with funding for the program.

Group C Prediction

1st: Australia

2nd: Italy

3rd: Brazil *to qualify as 1/4 best third place teams

4th: Jamaica


Additional 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Coverage

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