(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-14 09:58

The 16 best teams in the world meet in five Chinese cities, beginning Stember 10, 2007, in the fifth Women's World Cup. A points system (three for a win; one for a tie) determines the top two teams that will advance from each four-team group.

 

Brazil

Coach: Jorge Barcellos

Path to World Cup: Blew through continental qualifying, including 6-0 victories against Paraguay and Uruguay, and qualified by making it to the final. However, Argentina upset Brazil 2-0. It's the first time Brazil has qualified without winning the South American crown. This team is full of U-20 players — FIFA Player of the Year Marta and Katia — who defeated the USA 5-0 in the gold medal match in July in the Pan Am Games.

World Cup history: Has appeared in every event, including a third-place finish in 1999.

 

China

Coach: Marika Domanski-Lyfors

Path to World Cup: Automatically qualified as host. The Chinese lost four consecutive matches this year in the Algarve Cup, which led to the hiring of their first foreign-born coach (Sweden).

World Cup history: Has appeared in every event since 1991, when it finished in the quarterfinals as host. Fourth place in 1995, second in '99 and another quarterfinal finish in 2003.

 

Denmark

Coach: Kenneth Heiner-Moller

Path to World Cup: Edged Finland in the final match of qualifying. Captain Katrine Pedersen has racked up more than 120 international appearances. Meret Pedersen, Maiken Pape and Catherine Paaske Sorensen accounted for 18 of Denmark's 22 goals in the qualifiers.

World Cup history: This the Danes' third appearance after missing the cut in 2003. They've never advanced past the quarterfinals.

 

New Zealand

Coach: John Herdman

Path to World Cup: With Australia's move to the Asian confederation, the Kiwis breezed through Oceania qualifying to earn the 16th and final spot. Inexperienced team, with F Wendi Henderson, 35, one of three players in this country's history to have 50-plus international appearances.

World Cup history: In one appearance (1991) failed to advance past the group stage.