(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-21 15:17

TIANJIN  -- World No 1 women's soccer side the United States are expecting a real challenge in Tianjin on Saturday from England.

It may look like a slightly easier-to-tell game comparing to other last-eight matches as the DPR Koreans, which beat off the 2003 runners-up Sweden to finish second to the US in Group B for a last-eight berth, play defending champions Germany on Saturday, before the 1995 winners Norway meet hosts China and South American survivors Brazil take surprising package Australia on Sunday.

England's Vicky Exley (L) celebrates her goal with team mates during their Group A soccer match against Argentina at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in Chengdu September 17, 2007. England advanced to quarterfinals with a 6-1 win over Argentina. [Reuters]

But the US-England tie marks an encounter between a traditional force with falling forms to the women's soccer world and an uprising one from the home to the modern game.

Having played ugly in the group stage, the US wobbled briefly against world No 5 DPR Korea, No 3 Sweden and five-time African champion Nigeria in Group B, but managed to win the tournament's toughest group, showing their best form only in a 2-2 draw opener with the swarming Koreans.

England, however, have been highly expected to emulate their men's team in vying for a position in the world stage after making a fantastic run in the three-week World Cup which was kicked off in five cities of China last Monday.

As one of the hottest surprising packages, England have matched their repute by outplaying Germany for parts of last Friday's game, especially in the first half, though they had to withstand waves of German pressure in the last 20 minutes.

In their last round-robin match on Monday, England again proved the quality of their squad by routing Group A bottem team Argentina 6-1 after playing a creative, flowing game, building from the back and attacking the flanks.

With the near perfect victory, England made it through to the quarters as the second finishers of Group A on 5 points, edging Asian promising side Japan with only one point in advance.

Arsenal striker Kelly Smith, who is joint top scorer here with four goals alongside Germany's Birgit Prinz and Brazil's Marta, was the outstanding England player against Japan in their 2-2 opening tie and will also be the European new force's key weapon against the US.

Their major blow will be midfielder Fara Williams who picked up a second yellow cared in the Argentina match will miss the quarterfinal game.

The US, on the contrary, have only "impressed" with their surprising lack of offense, only five goals and 22 shots on goal in the three games.

An uninspired 1-0 win over Nigeria in Tuesday's final first-round match allowed them to win its group and escape a quarterfinal matchup with defending champion Germany.

In chasing their third World Cup title, the US have to overcome the hurdle placed by England in the quarters.

The two sides' head-to-head results favored the US as England last defeated the US in 1988 and the Americans won two World Cups and Olympics since then.

But in a tournament eight months ago in southern China, the English tied the Americans 1-1 while the US played without five key starters including strikers Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly.

Winners of Saturday's game in Tianjin will get Brazil or Australia in the semifinals with the September 30 final in sight.