Introduction—“Merkwürdigliebe”
(Deutschland, Spain, China PR, South Africa)
How fares the German bookie after watching his beloved Nationalmannschaft crash out of a World Cup Group stage for the first time since 1938, completely embarrass themselves in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, and slide to their lowest ever FIFA Ranking since the dark days of 2005? How about the women failing to win the European Championship for the first time since 1993? How dark is it for the man from the shadows with the implacably dark soul?
Answer: It’s nowhere near as bad what some of us termed the “Scheißkäse Era” of 1998-2005. A line once used in apoplectic defense by a convulsing Rudi Völler came to ironically define a spate of years during which, despite reaching the 2002 WM Finals, the Germans played some of the most boring defensive-minded sleep-inducing crap ever to pass for football.
Two feeble group stage exits in the 2000 and 2004 Euros and all of the morbid anxiety in the run up to the 2006 WM. Ugh. It’s an era none of us would wish to go through again. One doesn’t bring up the name Erich Ribbeck in polite company. One simply doesn’t.
The 1994 and 1998 Quarterfinal eliminations were pretty painful as well. A newly re-unified capitalist Germany was supposed to dominate the global football landscape for the next decade after capturing the world championship in 1990. Instead we got prematurely eliminated in the quarters by eastern commies like the Bulgarians and Croats. Germans expect the Semis! Slavs are not meant to end the dream!
Suffice to say, we’ve been through much worse. Even if the program stands in complete disarray and we’re very likely headed for another group stage exit next Summer, we’ll bounce back somehow. Worst case scenario we suffer through a flagless Summers and get another fabulous Rafa Honigstein book out of it. We’ll be fine.
Let’s talk ladies. What happened in the 2017 Women’s Euros? Heartbreak for those of us who thought the Steffi Jones Era would prove as prolonged and triumphant as those of her successors. A dual citizen born of an American father and German mother, Steffi was one of the more important figures in growing the game in Germany. Capped over 100 times, she played nearly every minute for the 2003 tournament side that captured the first women’s world championship.
Though she wasn’t as essential to the program as early stars like Birgit Prinz, Inka Grings, Arianne Hingst, Bettina Wiegmann or Kerstin Garefreckas, she did some of her best after retiring. She played a vital role in bringing the 2011 World Cup to Germany. Her lobbying and organizing efforts were indispensable. When Sylvia Neid’s announced her intention to retire, Jones joined her on the sidelines as the heir apparent.
The German women captured Olympic Gold for the first time in 2016 and Neid fulfilled her promise to step down. Saskia Bartusiak, Melanie Behringer, Anja Mittag, Simone Laudehr, and Josephine Henning all soon followed suit. Offensive stars Celia Sasic and Fatmire Alushi had already hung up their cleats after opting to marry and have children. Nadine Angerer left after the 2015 tournament.
As one might surmise, this left Jones with quite the rebuilding job. The entire team was depleted on both ends of the pitch. The back line in particular needed a total reconstruction. The 2017 UEFA Women’s Euro squad featured some of her promising works-in-progress, but had to contend with untimely injuries to Alexandra Popp and Melanie Leupholz. There was also the matter of an expanded women’s field (16 teams for the first time) and a tough group that contained Russia, Italy, and Sweden.
Even after drawing the Swedes and looking lethargic at times, Jones’ girls managed to top the group. By all accounts the Mädels should have bested the Danes in the quarterfinals, but the encountered a hellish Dutch downpour. They tried no fewer than three times to get the fixture going on its scheduled day, but the pitch was ultimately too soggy. The match officials had to send everyone home a reschedule an early kickoff the next morning. A third-minute goal put the heavily favored Germans ahead, but they wilted down the stretch, conceding the winning goal mere minutes from time.
Rotten luck or no, the DFB couldn’t accept this. The Frauen had won six consecutive European Championships, dating all the way back to 1995. After Steffi’s team dropped a couple of friendlies and finished dead last in the 2018 SheBelieves Cup they pulled the plug.
U21 Coach Horst Hrubesch led the team through 2018 until former national team striker Martina Voss-Tecklenburg could get out of her contract with Switzerland. Bookie didn’t exactly have glowing praise for her tactics four years ago. Her Swiss side also appeared rather meek in the 2017 Euros.
Like many others, your friendly bookie would have liked to see Steffi get some more time. Many of her protégées are still on the team and developing a pace. A relatively late shift in managers rarely bodes well, particularly in the highly tactical women’s game. Voss-Tecklenburg has barely had time to implement a system.
Our Frauennationalmannschaft will certainly get out of this group, but they may not top it. The Spanish and Chinese sport very strong sides. Insofar as South Africa is concerned…well…it’s a nice story you can read more about it below. In any event, bookie doesn’t see the Germans getting very far in this tournament. The Quarterfinals would be considered an accomplishment.
Many thanks to your friendly bookie’s personal spirit animal Dr. Hans Beinholz for the assist. Always be prepared to “Dance with the Macabre”.
Deutschland—“Die Nationalelf”
Tough to see how this works. Late-breaking news throws another wrench into the plan. Man City Ladies striker Pauline Bremer remains on the standby list, but it’s extremely unlikely that her severe knee injury will allow her to participate. Voss-Tecklenburg thus emulates Löw’s attitude entering the 2014 WM: A roster low on obvious attacking options isn't in itself something to worry about.
Recall that the 2014 team didn't even have a true nine after the Reus injury. His female counterpart seems even less phased. Mandy Islacker, Lena Lotzen, Isabel Kerschowski, Lena Petermann, and Hasret Kayikci weren’t even given consideration.
This may not actually serve as a cause for concern considering the fact that women players are often trained at every position. Practically all of them grew up playing on boys’ teams filling whatever niche was available to them. Furthermore, the German’s typically field a team comprised of rough n’ tough coal miner’s daughters from the Ruhr Valley and the East. In addition to having Popp, Leupholz, Däbritz, and Marozsan, classified defenders like Maier, Schwers, Huth, and Gößling can come forward in a pinch. You’ll meet some intriguing phenoms below too.
In truth it’s the defense that generates more worry for the bookie. Babett Peter’s retirement means the last of the dependable old guard has left the building. Teams often struggle to keep their shape when on the cusp of a new cycle at the back. Assignments get blown. Lapses are commonplace. Exploitable lanes abound. The men’s opening group stage game against Mexico last Summer comes to mind.
Bookie’s best guess regarding the centerbacks places Gößling and Schweers as the last bastion. Doorsoun takes over at left back with Huth ideally being the best “track-back” option. In principle that works, but even if it does it will leave us totally vulnerable on the right. Should this approach need a total re-work, there aren’t many options off the bench.
There also may be too many “drivers” on this team. As we fall back toward the rearward axes, we mostly encounter players conditioned to poach and encroach in the manner that Jerome Boateng does. Might be a figment of my own projectionist imagination, but it appears as if this team is built around some sort of Neo-DFB-style that focuses too much on a particular brand of suspect football.
Enough speculation. Time to meet the girls. Note that you get to meet the ENTIRE German team, excluding the two backup keepers. If nothing else, bookie feels confident they’ll be an entertaining bunch.
Projecting the German Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Alexandra Popp
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Sara Däbritz Dzsenifer Marozsan Melanie Leupholz
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Giulia Gwinn Svenja Huth
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Sara Doorsoun Leonie Maier
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Lena Gößling Vernena Schweers
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Almuth Schult
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The Talisman—Alexandra Popp 
A longtime favorite of both bookie and syndicate members, the 28-year-old rotates the captaincy with Dzsenifer Marozsan. While her Hungarian counterpart covers more ground in central midfield, the powerful and polished Popp routinely supplies the finishing touch. Over the course of the last four years she’s upped her game considerably.
The finishes continue to come in droves for both club and country….and another one of the girls with her own “Storia della Belleza” Section still looks great ; ) Not exactly common among the Ruhr Valley girls.
The Mädels demonstrated great difficulty compensating for her absence in the 2013 Euros and failed miserably without her in 2017. This squad needs her and needs her at her best. Very few reliable goal-scorers on this team. Haven’t seen her slip back into the Number 10 role for a while. Might be a canny trick to utilize should Schüller, Bühl, or Knaak wish to take a turn on the rush.
The Remaining Cast Almuth Schult 
I know you cats will miss Nadine Angerer ;) Syndicate Member 33-M in particular mentioned she reminded him of his mother…after she finally decided to undergo the surgery. 11-F loved the chiseled jawline..and the 5 o’clock shadow. Let’s all remain calm and begin warming up to her replacement.
Our new keeper can still hold her own in a surly stare-down with Russia’s Elvira Todua. Schult took over for Angerer after the 2015 tournament. Following numerous hiccups in the group stages, she kept two impressive clean sheets in the knockouts and made some daring saves down the stretch against Sweden in the Gold Medal Match. She was then rumored to have come close to cracking a smile during the medal ceremony.
Almuth Schult: Our serious Saxon Stopper for the next decade or so.
Carolin Simon 
A utility-defender who once played further afield for U17-U20 sides. She only received her first senior national team call up four years after her last youth tournament. A player who always possessed the tools, but somehow couldn’t get on the radar until Steffi Jones selected her. Fairly average at left back in the 2017 Euros. She has scored a brace for the senior side, viciously deking past the two puffins and dwarf pony playing defense for the Faroe Islands in a European Qualifying Match.
Kathrin Hendrich 
Another utility defender who began getting mid-career call-ups during the Steffi Jones Era. Unremarkable career mostly spent as a centerback for Leverkusen and FFC Frankfurt. Since signing for Bayern she’s discovered something of a scoring deftness. Here after a couple of productive seasons…and the fact that few better options were available.
Leonie Maier 
The right-back from Stuttgart retains her role despite some dipping slightly for club team Bayern in recent years. Still does great flank work for the Nationalelf, chipping in with the odd crucial goal on occasion. Hasn’t been quite as effective since her opposite member Tabea Kemme fell out of the ranks. Those two shared an alluring intuitive feel for one another. Pairs excellently with Gößling on either the fourth or fifth axis.
Lena Gößling 
104 total caps now for the 33-year-old national team mainstay. Age hasn’t adversely affected her tempo in midfield. The quintessential VfL She-Wolf still prowls and growls with all the ebullience of a woman ten years younger. Bookie projects a starting centerback position for her as a thin defense desperately needs shoring up. I still wouldn’t be surprised at all to see her throw herself into the middle-of-the-park fray on a regular basis. Voss-Tecklenburg might even line her up laterally with Leupholz on the third axis just for old time’s sake in one of the softer group matches. If it still works, why the hell not?
Johana Elsig 
A first-team Turbine Potsdam centerback for years, we have yet another defender not called into action for the senior side until much later in her career. Much like Carolin Simon, didn’t don a DFB jersey for five long years until the 2017 Euros made plain the need the desperate need for defense. Bookie sees a starting slot for her only if the offensive prognosis gets truly grim, forcing Gößling and Maier into midfield.
Svenja Huth 
No relation to Robert as far as the bookie knows. She Mostly plays striker for club team Turbine Potsdam, but inhabits a more anchoring midfield role for the national team. After eight years of receiving sporadic call-ups since 2011, she finally solidified her place with noteworthy play after the 2017 Euros. Scored twice in the qualifying round, and pocketed a brace against the French in a friendly. The 28-year-old now finds herself on something of a hot streak with seven national team goals in the last two years.
Dzsenifer Maroszan 
It runs in the genes for the daughter of Hungarian national Janos Marozsan. Since moving to Olympique Lyon in 2016, she’s tallied twenty-two times in 50 appearances for the women’s superclub. A female Schweinsteiger if there ever was one. The midfield flight director possesses the uncanny ability to make everyone else around her better. Carolin Simon is one this team in large part thanks to her. Smooth, creative, and calm on the ball, she’s also a technical wizard on set-pieces. Practically everything hinges on the beating heart of this team. If she plays with her trademark vigor, the rest will follow.
Sara Däbritz 
Few had heard of the FC Freiburg prodigy until she opened her senior squad account with that lovely little finish in the 2015 rout of Cote d’Ivoire. Since then she’s strung together four monster seasons for FC Bayern and recently landed a fat contract with PSG. A vital part of the 2016 Gold-Medal-winning Olympic squad, bookie envisions her doing the bulk of her work on the left. Should score early and often in this competition. A key component of the attack.
Giulia Gwinn 
Really looking forward to seeing the bodacious babe from the Bodensee in action. The 19-year-old phenom hustles hard, tenaciously switching fields and confusing the hell out of her markers. She’ll become a celebrity soon enough. Watch her propel herself to stardom. The only impediment to her rise is the fact that she may get crowded out on the right. This ultimately shouldn’t prove a problem as she’s quite deft in carving out space for herself.
Linda Dallman 
Another phenom alert. Steffi plucked her from new rising women’s football club SGS Essen back in 2017. Mostly starts friendlies as she’s lower on the depth chart, but scores at seemingly every opportunity she’s been gifted. The 24-year-old now has five goals in 20 caps, including three solid strikes in the last calendar year. Expect her to be subbed in should the team need a late push.
Verena Schweers 
Never seemed to be enough room for the towering centerback from Ettenheim. She always got squeezed in the era of Annike Krahn, Sakia Bartusiak, Babette Peter, Tabea Kemme and Bianca Schmidt. The former Verena Faißt now takes up regular residence on the back line, quietly getting it done with adroit positioning and powerful clearances. One of the bookie’s personal faves, even if she does play for Bayern.
Melanie Leupolz 
A sort of female Thomas Müller, capable of producing magic from most areas of the pitch. Much like Müller, she peaked very early and has suffered through some inexplicable form dips. We’ll need her out wide this time where Lotzen and Laudehr used to tread. Goal production has dried up somewhat over the last three years and injury precluded her from participating in the 2017 FEM. Bookie believes she’s far from finished and will stage a comeback here.
Klara Bühl 
An 18-year-old speedster who recently broke through for FC Freiburg. Virtually impossible to predict how she’ll fit in as she’s only been capped once for the senior side. Could be Voss-Tecklenburg’s ace in the hole, or could simply be a bench filler. We’ll have to wait to find out.
Lina Magull 
Former Freiburg midfielder who earned here first call-up after the 2015 tournament. She has seven national team goals in her account, though all of them came in non-competitive matches against minnows. She was a total flop on the right in the first match of the 2017 Euros. The former captain of the championship-winning U20 still retains plenty of raw talent, but bookie doesn’t foresee a starting role for her.
Turid Knaak 
Pretty cool name. Very pretty girl. Looks to be a pretty average footballer. Lead striker at Bayer Leverkusen for many years, she didn’t produce anything of note in a brief loan spell at Arsenal Ladies. She’s has played a significant role in putting SGS Essen on the female footballing map. That led to her first senior side call-up last year at the age of 27.
Sara Doorsoun 
Our Iranian-Turkish savior, she’s the bookie’s pick to plug that gaping hole at left back. Nice natural footwork and Özil-like awareness when it comes to setting up her colleagues, she’s been fantastic both in qualifying and the first three Shebelieves Cups. Instrumental in helping the VfL She-Wolves to the domestic double this year, she’s done just about everything but score for the north German powerhouse. Babette Peter’s boots are huge cleats to fill, but bookie believes she’s up to the task.
Marina Hegering 
Honestly never heard of her. A 29-year-old with two international caps. She’s listed as a defender for SGS in Schönebeck, but doesn’t even appear to be on the first team. THIS is how desperate we are for defending.
Lena Oberdorf 
Another SGS player the bookie knows next to nothing about. Suppose I’ll have to make it a point to scout at least one SGS Essen match next time I’m on home soil. Been quite some time since I took a trip to the industrial heartland.
Lea Schüller 
I can tell you about this one. The 21-year-old Becky-Sauerbrunn-lookalike is already an international star. She won’t be playing for Essen very much longer. Steffi brought her up through the ranks to a place on the FEM 2017 Preliminary Squad. The then-19-year-old narrowly missed out on a place on the final roster. Could have used her. She’s been a total teuton bomb ever since. Eight goals in only twelve international caps for the power forward, including a four-goal-super-hat trick against the Czechs last Spring. Here we have the face of the future. Would absolutely love to see her paired together up top with Popp in a 4-4-2. Get her in the game!
Spain—“La Roja Feminina”
At long last, the Spanish FA made a change. Following years of pressure, the 2015 embarrassment left Ignacio Quereda little choice but to resign. Perhaps no other women’s manager, with the possible exception of Even Pellerud, earned so much of the bookie’s ire. The Sportsbook brims with diatribes galore concerning his insipid 4-1-4-1. Por qué? Por qué?!?
It was none other than our cherished Galatian Girl Veronica Boquete who initiated the internal movement to finally send the old entrenched fool packing. Fans of the Spanish national team owe her a deep debt of gratitude. Women’s football fans actually owe her multiple debts of gratitude.
The oft-discussed Boquete has also been an outspoken advocate for equal pay and one of the founding members of a petition to get EA Sports to include women’s teams in the annual FIFA video-game series. Avid gamers such as your friendly bookie will never forget that fantastic feeling in the Fall of 2015 when it finally came to pass. Twelve full international women’s rosters! It definitely called for an all-nighter ; )
In the end, Boquete may have been a tad too outspoken. New Spanish coach Jorge Vilda shockingly omitted her from the 2017 European Championship side. Perhaps he concluded that her presence would be too disruptive. She’s since withdrawn her name from any future competitions and may be considered officially retired.
Vilda’s new incarnation got off to a disastrous start, failing to qualify for the 2016 Olympics and certifiably looking awful in the 2017 Euros. Nevertheless, the new man has done an admirable job grooming a young talent core he debuted in the 2017 Algarve Cup winning side. Combining this with the retention of the right veterans, we’ve got a very dangerous-looking side on our hands.
Bookie appraises their chances of topping the group at 50-50. Obviously he can’t pick them to best the Germans even if he has a gut feeling they might. The Semis are an attainable goal.
Projecting the Spanish Lineup (4-5-1)
Jennifer Hermoso
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Mariona Caldentey Alexia Putellas
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Vicky Losada Silvia Meseguer Amanda Sampedro
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Leila Ouhabi Marta Corredera
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Irene Paredes Marta Torrejon
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Sandra Panos
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The Talisman—Irene Paredes 
When in doubt, go with the natural leader. The PSG centerback has upshifted her game significantly over the last couple of years. She routinely burst out of the back during the qualifying stage to blast home some real scorchers. Most thought that her scoring days were over after she transferred from Athletic Bilbao and settled into a more stationary role. Instead, she pushed herself into an entirely new class of elites.
Vilda and the team will rely heavily upon her energy to keep this team engaged in up-tempo football. She needs to get rolling early. Whenever she scores an early goal, a rout ensues. Should the Basque Beauty get off to a scintillating start, watch out!
The Pillars— Marta Torrejon 
The 29-year-old veteran snaps on the captain’s armband for most of the matches. She’s spent nearly her entire career honing her positional craft for Barça ladies. Mostly stays in her position, but has netted nine goals in over eighty caps for the national side. Learned how to be a dominant centerback in part from her brother, Bundesliga veteran Marc Torrejon.
Marta Corredera 
Spends most of her time on the right flank, making her perhaps the most important player in the Germany match. A fiery little Catalan who plays at a breakneck pace. Also great on crosses and set-pieces.
Vicky Losada 
The 28-year-old has seen her scoring subside a bit, but remains a crucial part of the midfield. Her extensive international experience includes successful stints in England and the USA. Bookie fondly recalls her goal against the Ticas in 2015.
Jennifer Hermoso 
A true number nine who spearheads the attack. The very definition of a “big target forward”, she’s tallied eighteen times in twenty-one appearances for Athletico Madrid and twenty-seven times in sixty-six caps for the national team. No one seems to have any idea how to shut her down.
Amanda Sampedro 
One of the sharpest, smartest players you’re ever likely to witness. Scoring much in recent matches, in large part thanks to great communication with Sylvia Meseguer, Alexia Putellas and Virginia Torrecilla. Completes a fantastic veteran midfield. Bookie had difficulty choosing the more influential among them. They’re all scary good.
The Phenoms— Maria Pilar-Leon 
A tantalizing young left back who’s been tearing it up for Barça ladies recently. Bookie doesn’t project the 23-year-old to start, but she should displace Leila Ouahabi at some point.
Lucia Garcia 
The 20-year-old striker counts as a red-hot young prospect who will likely be a fixture on this team for years to come. Another one not projected to start because the field is simply too crowded.
Patricia Guijarro 
The 21-year-old has already racked up three goals in sixteen international caps. She’s also thundered home twenty-one times in eighty-plus appearances for Barça ladies. Would definitely be starting if she weren’t nursing an injury.
Mariona Caldentey 
Finally, a projected starter! Another FC Barça superstar. This one has tallied twice for the national side in twenty caps and 33 times in 90 appearances for her club team. Let it be known that there are two other young phenoms—Nahikari Garcia and Caldentey’s club teammate Aitana Bonmati—whom the bookie will be watching closely.
China PR—“The Steel Roses”
Without question the strongest incarnation of the Chinese national team since the 1999 squad that all the way to the final. We’ve had to wait some time for former Gamba Osoka forward Jia Xiuquan to get his roster together. He’s been the last coach to finalize, belatedly releasing a 26-player preliminary squad only last Friday (The 24th of May). As of this post, bookie still doesn’t know who his final three cuts will be.
Players already somewhat surprisingly excluded include former captain Li Dongna, as well as Dalian Quanjian strikers Ma Xiaoxu and Pang Fengyue. While it might not come as a surprise to many that a relatively new coach felt secure jettisoning some aging veterans, syndicate members must keep in mind that their bookie just finished covering the men’s team in the Asian continental championship in January.
The male version (Team Dragon) is invariably the oldest as the Chinese FA values veteran leadership. Moreover, most players under the age of 25 are obliged to serve on active duty military service. Team Dragon has its strings pulled predominantly by bureaucrats. The severity of injuries are determined by the essentialness of the player. That would be the reason we were forced to watch Wu Lei play with an obviously snapped collarbone a few months back. Ugh. Painful just to watch.
The Chinese federation keeps fewer sticky fingers in the women’s division. Hence, we have a qualified coach with the liberty to build a young and healthy roster. Wu Haiyan and Yang Man appear to be excellent choices. Less experienced vets like Hang Peng and Li Jiayue slot in nicely as well. A well-calibrated Wang Shansan and a healthy Yang Li really bolster this team’s prospects.
Jia Xiuquan works closely with subordinate manager Park Tae-Ha, himself an experienced cultivator of talent with loads of foreign experience, to run a decent reserve squad. Xiuquan’s selection snatches up a few players who have proved their mettle on the B team. Their system has produced three consecutive championships in China’s own Four Nations tournament along with their best finish in an AFC Continental Competition for over ten years.
In a moment you’ll meet 2018 Asian women’s Asian footballer of year Wang Shuang, who has been blossoming in Europe. Her slick tricks might get the Steel Roses to the Semis. They also stand a chance of topping the group if they can at least draw the Germans in the opening match.
Projecting the Chinese Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Wang Shansan
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Yang Li Li Ying Wang Shuang
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Zhang Rui Gu Yasha
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Wu Haiyan Han Peng
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Liu Shanshan Li Jiayue
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Peng Shimeng
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The Talisman—Li Ying 
The fast and furious number-ten-striker netted seven goals in the 2018 AFC Asian Women’s Cup. She also scored a cracker in the 2014 edition. A highly intelligent pocket striker, her sharp distribution is every bit as frightening as her speed.
The 26-year-old has nearly equaled her age in goals scored for the national side. She may also reach her 100th cap before this tournament is out. Careful not to get her confused with Yang Li, with whom she shares positioning on the second axis. I know, gentlemen. These westernized Asian names are horribly unfair. Try not to go cross-eyed.
The Pillars— Yang Li 
This generation’s Sun Wen, she’ll easily be remembered as one of the game’s all-time greats. Though her form peaked a few years back, she still leads the Chinese domestic league in scoring virtually every year. The Jiangsu Suning forward missed out on the 2015 tournament due to injuries. She’ll be eager to make up for lost ground here. A vastly stronger team with her in tow.
Wang Shansan 
Apropos Yang Li’s absence in 2015, some syndicate members may recall it was this surprise star that Hao Wei used to save the day. Listed as a defender, it came as a shock to scouts everywhere that she was thrust into a central forward role in the first match. Though she mostly served in a false 9 role until the third match, she’s scored two clutch goals against New Zealand and Cameroon as the Roses progressed to the quarters. Now comfortable upfront, she’s rarely gone back to defensive work for her club team. Once scored nine goals in a single match...against Tajikistan.
Liu Shansan 
A very disciplined center-back who sometimes serves in a sweeper role. Often times trades places with Gu Yasha, another experienced veteran with whom she shares a good rapport.
Wang Shuang 
The 24-year-old midfielder remains the only player on the roster to play outside the Chinese domestic league. Since transferring to PSG in 2018, she’s scored seven times in eighteen appearances. Held back by hampering injuries in 2015, she’s another one who must be salivating at the prospect of making her mark.
The Phenoms— Song Duan 
A 23-year-old natural striker who’s been capped heavily since 2017. Plays for Dalian Quanjian, the pre-eminent club in the Chinese Women’s Super League. Four national team goals for her thus far.
Yang Man 
Not exactly sure if she’ll make the final roster cut. Perhaps the bookie’s bias for unequivocally cool names has him leaning toward her. 23-year-old who has put together a serviceable career for Shandong Ladies and started on the 2016 Olympic squad. Has scored once in nineteen caps for the national team.
Peng Shimeng 
The 21-year-old is potentially the new keeper. Plenty of experiments after Wang Fei’s latest retirement. Who replaces her is anyone’s guess.
South Africa—“Banyana, Baynana”
Welcome, Syndicate Debutantes! The team whose nickname literally translates to “The Girls, The Girls” have themselves a program very much on the move….even if they’re not set to move much here. International tournament form steadily improves for the girls under the SAFA aegis, if only on the continental level. They’ve reached the semi-finals in the last seven Women’s CAN Championships and attained the final thrice. They qualify here by virtue of having made the finals against Nigeria in the most recent 2018 edition.
Bookie promised you a nice story or two. Why don't we begin with Desiree Ellis? The current head coach is a founding member of the first unified South African team, making her debut for the first group to line up under a non-Apartheid flag at the age of 30. In her final decade of active play she scored over 200 goals for domestic clubs and English clubs. She’s a living legend the first of the reformed generation to lead the side.
The girls also came agonizingly close to qualifying for the three previous women’s WMs. The top two squads in the previous year’s women’s AFCON qualified up until 2015, with the top three making it in once the field was expanded in. Bayana lost out to Ghana on a controversial penalty in the 2006 Semis, dropped a heartbreaker on home soil to Equatorial Guinea in 2010, and fell victim to a late upset against Cote d’Ivoire in 2014. After years of hard work they finally got the right placement at the right time.
We touch upon the professional success of conjoined twins Thembi Kgatlana and Linda Mothalo below. That constitutes a pretty damn good story too. Beyond all of this, rabid African football fans such as myself are merely hoping there won’t be another repeat of Cote d’Ivoires 0-10 loss in the 2015 competition.
The executioners in that case? May or may not have been the Germans. Yeah…let’s move on
Projecting the South African Lineup (4-5-1)
Thembi Kgatlana
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Jermain Seoposenwe Linda Motlhalo
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Leandra Smeda Mamello Makhabane
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Refiloe Jane
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L. Ramalepe J. van Wyk N. Vilakazi N. Matlou
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Kaylin Swart
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The Talisman—Noku Matlou 
The 33-year-old defender has been capped an insane 129 times for the national side. Having begun her career as a striker, she’s also tallied an equally absurd 61 times when suiting up for country. A fearless, broad-shouldered behemoth who doesn’t hesitate to train with male teams and body check opposition members in her path.
Hopefully she doesn’t get too frustrated in this completion. If she does, we’ll be talking about a foul so flagrant it makes Zidane-Materazzi look like a butterfly kiss. Stay the hell out of her way!
The Pillars Nothandu Vilakazi 
A defensive stalwart with some playing experience in Eastern Europe. A player very much in the mold of Matlou, but a bit more elegant. Three years younger than the talisman, she’s been capped nearly as many times. She’s shown great courage in batting away some online attacks against her gender-bending image.
Janine van Wyk 
The token Boer. Yes, I just wrote that. Actually played in the NWSL for the Houston Dash for a time. Worth noting that she’s the most capped South African player of either gender. 162 appearances for the national girls and counting. A solid at the back, but not a terribly special talent in the bookie’s estimation. Sort of a female Matthew Booth. Yes, I just wrote that too.
Refiloe Jane 
Might as well call the striker “G.I. Jane”. She’s been a soldier for Bayana in over 100 caps. Scored many important goals in the very soft COSAFA Regional Championship. Caught the eye of Australian women’s club Canberra United and landed a contract. Back in the domestic league now after playing abroad for a couple of years. An important anchoring midfield/sweeper presence.
Mamello Makhabane 
Bookie foresees a starting role for the 29-year-old domestic league veteran, right next to Swedish league winger Leandra Smeeda. I like the JVW FC midfielder slightly ahead of her teammate van Wyk.
The Phenoms Kaylin Swart 
I believe we’re looking at the first-choice keeper in spite of her age and relative lack of national team experience. Andile Dlamini might get the call instead, but Ellis has used the youngster just as often.
Karabo Dhlamini 
A 17-year-old completely unknown phenom who already has five caps to her name. Perhaps the first genuine product of a well-revamped youth system. Joined by 18-year-old Sibulele Holweni.
Linda Motlhalo 
A 20-year-old striker who somehow has already been capped 42 times. Played like a possessed girl in the most recent continental championship. Got forced into her first start with the team at the age of 16 following a last-minute injury to Thembi Kgatlana. Those two happen to be inseparable friends, playing together first at Houston Dash and later Beijing Phoenix.
Thembi Kgatlana 
The 23-year-old red hot young striker without whom this team wouldn’t even be here. Five goals in the 2018 Women’s CAN to book passage to the Grand Stage. She secured both the Golden Boot and MVP awards in that tournament. Bookie projects her to lead the attack, though not alongside Mothalo.
Vicey’s Fearless Group Prediction (3 to 1 Odds for bookie)
1) Deutschland 2) Spain 3) China PR 4) South Africa
Overall Championship Odds
Deutschland (NO BETS) Spain (3 to 1) China PR (4 to 1) South Africa (12 to 1)
Round of 16 Odds
Deutschland (NO BETS) Spain (NO BETS) China PR (Straight up) South Africa (3 to 1)
Quarterfinal Odds
Deutschland (NO BETS) Spain (NO BETS) China PR (Straight Up) South Africa (6 to 1)
Semifinal Odds
Deutschland (NO BETS) Spain (Straight Up) China PR (2 to 1) South Africa (9 to 1)
