WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2003

The fourth Women's World Cup was due to be held, like the first, in China. However, fears over the outbreak of SARS in eastern Asia led to the decision to move the tournament. Having held the previous World Cup, the USA had the facilities to step in at the last minute and so hosted the competition again. Defending their title on home soil, the USA won Group A easily with three comfortable wins. Four years earlier, they had been joined in the last eight by Nigeria but this time the Nigerians were a much weaker side and lost all their games without scoring a goal. Sweden were expected to join the hosts in the quarter final, but only did so by virtue of a very narrow 1-0 win over North Korea.

Brazil and Norway were favourites in Group B, and Brazil very much lived up to their bililng with comfortable wins of both the Norwegians and South Korea. Victory over South Korea gave France a chance of progressing, but Norway's 7-1 win over the Koreans meant that a brave 1-1 draw with Brazil was not enough. France joined South Korea in making an early exit.

Germany, as expected, had no problems in winning Group C with a 100% record. Debutants Argentina were by far the weakest side in the group and lost every game by at least three goals, meaning that the second qualifying place would be between Canada and Japan. Japan scored first, but Canada were level by half time and ahead shortly after the break, adding a third goal late on to reach the knockout stages for the first time.

In Group D, China were favourites to go through but were not convincing at all, scraping past Ghana 1-0 and then being held to a 1-1 draw by Australia. Russia had beaten both those sides to qualify with a game to spare, meaning that all the pressure was on the Chinese team for the final game. China could have been facing an early exit but they made sure by beating Russia 1-0, although they would have been through in any case as Ghana ended Australia's hopes with a 2-1 win.

In the quarter finals, the host nation edged past Norway by a single goal, while in a very tight game Sweden ended Brazil's hopes of a first title with a narrow 2-1 win. Germany led Russia just 1-0 at half time but were far too strong in the second half as they cruised to a 7-1 victory, while China's World Cup came to an end as a seventh minute goal gave Canada a 1-0 win and a surprise place in the last four.

The USA, looking for a third title, were chasing the game early on against Germany, who took a 15th minute lead in their semi final. Although the Americans fought back, they could not find a breakthrough and conceded two further goals in stoppage time. Canada surprised Sweden by taking the lead in the second semi final, but the Swedes levelled 11 minutes from time and then with four minutes left took a 2-1 lead to reach the final for the first time.

After the USA had gained some consolation by beating neighbours Canada 3-1 for third place, Sweden and Germany met to decide the title. It was Sweden who struck first, with Hanna Ljungberg's goal on 41 minutes giving them a lead at half time. In the opening minute of the second half, Maren Meinert levelled for Germany and with no further scoring in 90 minutes, the match went to sudden death extra time. Eight minutes in, Nia Künzer scored the golden goal to decide the match and make Germany world champions for the first time.