Group of Death: Dead by Dawn

With the US and North Korea matching each other shot for shot, Sweden and Nigeria came into today's games needing to win by three to be sure of advancing out of the group stage, which was exceedingly unlikely, but they both came out fighting... in Nigeria's case, almost literally. Meanwhile the US and North Korea were tied for the group lead and looking to avoid Germany in the quarterfinals. The US took the early lead off a Cat Whitehill throw-in flicked on by Abby Wambach into the path of Lori Chalupny, whose sliding shot took a handy deflection across the soggy ground into the corner to put the US up 1-0. It is still a bit odd after years of intimidation and bunkered down opponents to see the US field a counter-attacking team, but they ceded possession to Nigeria until they'd find space to blitz back into Nigeria's end. The shot that should have put this game out of reach came on a play like that at the end of the first half, as the entire US team sliced into the open spaces of the Nigerian defense, until a cross found Abby Wambach springing up in between the central defenders like a blonde cobra, but her header was weak and straight back into the arms of Nigeria keeper Precious Dede.

The US did hold on to the lead for the rest of the game, but with Sweden leading North Korea in the other game, the Nigerians had a shot and kept pressure up on the US, really bringing it in the last 15 minutes. I really thought they'd tie it up when Perpetua Nkwocha turned the corner on Cat Whitehill coming up the right side, but as Hope Solo came out to cut the angle, Nkwocha pushed it wide looking for the far post. The Nigerians are quick, and a ball across the box might have found a teammate, but there's too much individualism in the last third by African teams. They couldn't get anything past US keeper and clotheshorse Hope Solo, seen here with a message for quarterfinal opponents England. Sizzling in red, regal in green, but the royal blue jersey she wore in this game really brought out her eyes.

USA 1 – 0 Nigeria
'1 Chalupny

Sweden 2 – 1 North Korea
'4 Schelin
'22 Un Suk
'54 Schelin

With the Swedish win over North Korea, the US won the group of death, with the North Koreans joining them in the quarterfinals, which are as follows (paired by semi-final):

Germany v North Korea
Norway v China

USA v England
Brazil v Australia