Canada to face Nigeria at FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011

There is still one match left: Canada faces Nigeria this Tuesday 5 July at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. The match kicks off at 20.45 (local time) at Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion in Dresden, Germany. The match concludes Canada’s fifth participation in the biggest women’s football tournament in the world.

Both sides will be fighting for third place in Group A and the highest possible rank in the final tournament standings. Unfortunately, both contintental champions have already been eliminated and will not advance beyond the group phase.

Canada (five) and Nigeria (six) have participated in multiple FIFA Women’s World Cups, with one previous encounter at Sweden 1995 (a 3:3 draw in Helsingborg). The two countries have met in previous FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, with Canada winning 2:0 in 2002 and Nigeria winning 3:2 in 2006. Ten players remain from that last FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup match in 2006, six from Canada and four from Nigeria.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and whose presenting sponsor is Teck, is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses against two of the world’s top teams (Germany on 26 June and France on 30 June). The 5 July match will be Canada’s third and final group match before it returns home and begins preparations for the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011 runs this 18 June to 17 July in nine German cities. This is Canada’s fifth participation in a FIFA Women’s World Cup. Canada has also qualified as the host country of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015.