Familiar foes face Europe's best

The five European qualifiers for the FIFA Women's World Cup now have a clearer picture of their task next September in China after six more teams booked their places in the finals.

Nigeria and Ghana return
Holders Germany, 2003 runners-up Sweden, 1995 champions Norway plus Denmark and England will be representing UEFA in the Far East, and already secured of their places before this month were the hosts and another Asian duo, Australia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Next to qualify were Nigeria and Ghana, who will represent their continent for the fifth and third tournament running respectively after reaching the final of the African Women's Championship. Nigeria continued their monopoly of the title as they made it seven wins out of seven by beating Ghana 1-0 in the final.

Familiar names
Then last weekend both sections of the Americas decided their qualifiers. As expected, the Unites States and Canada emerged from the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup, with the US lifting the trophy. Third-placed Mexico now meet Japan in a play-off for a further place in China. The South American championship also produced two familiar qualifiers in Brazil and Argentina. But there was a surprise in the deciding match as Argentina ended Brazil's dominance of the four previous editions with a 2-0 win in Mar del Plata.

Two berths remain
Only two of the 16 berths in the draw next spring remain up for grabs; along with the winner of the Mexico v Japan play-off, the other place will go to the victors in the Oceania qualifiers in Papua New Guinea from 16-22 June, with New Zealand hoping to reach the finals for the first time since the inaugural 1991 edition following the departure of that continent's dominant national team Australia to the Asian Football Confederation.