LYON — Television audience records have been smashed, global media coverage has been unprecedented and the quality of football has won over many skeptics — now the women’s World Cup heads into its final week, the business end of the tournament. The United States, the defending champions and three-times World Cup winners, remain favorites to lift the trophy in Lyon on Sunday but first they must deal with a confident England side in Tuesday’s semi-final. In Wednesday’s game, European champions the Netherlands take on a Sweden side who are on a high after upsetting Olympic champions Germany in Saturday’s quarter-final. Italy, beaten by the Dutch on Saturday and playing in their first World Cup for 20 years, were certainly justified in taking such a view. “We’ve talked about the possibilities here to go far and win every game,” he said.

Source: National Post June 30, 2019 11:48 UTC