FIFA Women’s World Cup Group B Schedule: Germany vs Norway, Ivory Coast vs Thailand Live Stream & Preview
Group B action in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada will resume on Thursday with matches featuring European rivals Germany and Norway along with the game between Ivory Coast and Thailand.
Germany vs. Norway
Germany and Norway will go up against each other at the Lansdowne Stadium in a virtual battle for the top spot in Group B after both teams won convincingly in their opening matches.
Germany, who ran away with a 10-0 win against Ivory Coast on Sunday, are considered favorites heading into the match against Norway, but midfielder Lena Goessling said that they are not taking their opponents lightly because they know their fellow European squad are familiar with their style.
"We are glad that we started the tournament with such a convincing victory, it gives us more confidence, but we know that Thursday will be a different kind of game, for sure," Goessling told Ottawa Sun.
Norway coach Even Pellerud, whose team started the tournament with a 4-0 win against Thailand, knows that they are facing a tough challenge against the former world champions.
Pellerud said that they will play like the way they did against Thailand with minor changes. While he knows the odds are against them, he is convinced their opponents are also feeling the pressure.
"We are playing against a very impressive German team," Pellerud said. "It's tough to be a really tough match. We have decades of tough encounters between two good teams with a lot of respect for each other and I'm sure the nerves are high on both sides."
Thailand vs Ivory Coast
Meanwhile, Thailand and Ivory Coast will look to bounce back from their humiliating defeats in their previous games against Norway and Germany, respectively.
Both teams need a victory in order to keep their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive. Ivory Coast is in a deeper hole after surrendering 10 goals against Germany, but team captain and goalkeeper Dominique Thiamale said that they are still determined to prove they deserve their spot in the tournament.
"We lost a match, we have two more games to play, it's not worth having a pity party after the first game," Thiamale said. "We need to come together and work hard and give to go forward. We're always in the same state of mind, just to encourage each other."
Start Time, Where To Watch & Live Stream
The Germany-Norway match will kick off at 4 p.m. ET and will be shown live on Fox Sports 1 in the U.S. and Eurosport 2 International. The Ivory Coast-Thailand game will start at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted on Fox Sports 1. Soccer fans can also watch the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup matches through live stream via Fox Soccer 2GO.
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