Quintet aim at global target

Less than a month after securing the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship title in Switzerland, Germany defend the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Russia starting this week.

Reigning champions
Germany are one of five European contenders for what was previously an U19 competition along with the Russian hosts, France, Finland and Switzerland. Other than the home nation, all four teams earned their places through the 2005 European U19 Championship - won by Russia. The Germans departed in the semi-finals of that competition, the first under Maren Meinert. But she masterminded victory in Switzerland and has kept 12 of that squad for the older event, with the notable additions of talented 17-year-old midfielder Célia Okoyino da Mbabi and striker Simone Laudehr, who opened the scoring in the 2004 World Cup final against China, which Germany won 2-0. From that party in Thailand there are six survivors. Two of them, defender Carolin Schiewe and forward Anna Blässe, were also in the winning side in Switzerland.

'Self-confidence'
Meinert told uefa.com: "[The European] victory will give us confidence for this competition, but we know there will be some pressure now because of this title. It is a hard schedule with two events within four weeks. You have to have some players in both." Germany are in Group C and begin on Friday against Korea DPR, while the other European contenders in the pool, Switzerland, face Mexico.

Swiss chance
Switzerland are in a global women's competition for the first time, having defeated England last year in a play-off to clinch the fifth European berth. Their winner in Hungary was scored by Vanessa Bürki and the FC Bayern München forward could be key. National senior coach Béatrice von Siebenthal said: "It is very important experience; they play an American team and an Asian team, a chance we wouldn't get if we didn't qualify. It is very special and all the players are very motivated because they do not know whether they will get that chance again."

Hosts' hopes
Russia begin their Group A campaign on Thursday against Brazil with New Zealand and Asian entrants Australia also in contention. Brazil will be unable to call on Umeå IK's Marta, player of the tournament two years ago, as she has stayed with her club but Russia were 2005 European U19 champions and not only do they include the prolific Elena Danilova and her regular colleagues Elena Terekhova and Elena Morozova, but also welcome back Oxana Titova, Olga Petrova, and goalkeeper Elvira Todua, all too old for the run to the 2006 U19 semi-finals. Coach Valentin Grishin said: "I think the performance will be quite different in the World Cup - because we will have those players back the team will be much stronger. Of course home advantage will be a factor."

French strength
Russia defeated France in the 2005 European final, and Les Bleuettes suffered the same fate this summer against Germany. However, with the likes of Elodie Thomis, Marie-Laure Delie and Louisa Necid going forward, plus Sarah Bouhaddi in goal, France have a real chance of going one better when they start in Group D on Friday against Argentina before facing Congo DR and inaugural 2002 winners the United States.

Finland test
Finland begin on Thursday in the tough Group B against the two previous beaten finalists - China and Canada - before meeting African champions Nigeria. They are the only one of the Europeans who did not compete in Switzerland, but have a strong striker in Linda Sällström and a canny coach in Jarmo Matikainen. There is also an added incentive for Finland as they were recently selected to host UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™.