USA To Finish Group Play Against Nigeria

Shanghai, China - The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team heads into its final match in Group B at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup with four points off two of the best teams in the tournament in its first two matches. The USA faces Nigeria on Tuesday, September 18 at 8 p.m. local (4:55 a.m. PT on ESPN) needing a win or a tie to advance to the quarterfinals.

The U.S. is tied with North Korea atop the group – both teams have four points, four goals scored and two allowed – the group title is still up for grabs. The North Korea-Sweden game will be played in Tianjin at the Olympic Center Stadium simultaneously with the USA game.

In perhaps the most competitive Women’s World Cup ever, where only Brazil won its first two games, the USA is looking to emerge from the tournament’s most difficult Group B in first place. If two teams are tied on points, goal difference (goals scored minus goals allowed) is the first tie-breaker, followed by most goals scored.

If the USA and North Korea post the same score line in victories or ties on Tuesday, they would be tied on every tie-breaker and the group would then be determined by Fair Play points, in layman’s terms, who has less yellow cards (and/or red cards). The USA currently has one yellow card. North Korea has two.