AP
England's players warm up during a practice session at the Tianjin Olympic Stadium yesterday. England play the United States in a quarter-final at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup today.

TIANJIN, China (AP):

THE UNITED States (U.S.) are the favourites and China are the hosts but both face tough games in the quarter-finals of the women's World Cup this weekend.

The Americans have drawn a demanding game against England and China will take on former champions Norway. Defending champions Germany and Brazil, the only team with three victories in group play, also face potential upsets. Germany go against North Korea and the South Americans have Australia.

The number 1-ranked U.S., undefeated in 50 games, meets England on Saturday in Tianjin knowing their only previous losses in the World Cup have been against European teams: Norway in 1995 and Germany in 2003.

The Americans have survived three tough group matches - a draw with North Korea and victories over Sweden and Nigeria. But they have not been completely convincing, failing to score much and relying on stellar defence.

The team has found the net just five times in three games, which is less than half the total it scored at this stage of its World Cup-winning campaigns of 1991 and 1999.

England are coming off a 6-1 mauling of Argentina but showed their best form in the prior match when they held Germany to a 0-0 draw.

Very good team

"We know England is a very good team," U.S. coach Greg Ryan said. "Their performance against Germany showed how strong they are."

England coach Hope Powell, a member of the only previous English side to reach this stage in 1995, said "we will relish the opportunity to be the underdog" against the Americans.

China plays Norway tomorrow in Wuhan, having fallen at the quarter-final hurdle twice before. China goes into the match as the only one of the last eight with a negative goal difference from the group stage.

But China beat Norway convincingly in both their previous World Cup meetings.

China's Swedish coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors knows what it is to coach against Norway in quarter-finals. She did it in 1999 and her home country lost to its neighbours.

"Our target is to qualify for the last four, we've reached the last eight, so we're well on the way now," Domanski-Lyfors said.

This is the third time that Norway has faced a host nation in a World Cup, and they will not want to reflect too long on the outcomes: they lost 4-0 to China in 1991 and 1-0 to the U.S. in 2003.

Clash

Germany's clash with North Korea today in Wuhan is a study in opposites: the defending champions against a nation that will be playing in its first World Cup quarter-final. It's a very experienced Germany against a youthful, very quick North Korea.

Germany is yet to concede a goal in the tournament but will be fully tested by a North Korean side that swarmed over the U.S. in a 2-2 draw in group play.

North Korea is unique among the quarter-finalists: they lost their last group game, 2-1 to Sweden, and were the narrowest of the qualifiers, getting in on goal difference.

They have also relied heavily on a core of players, having made just one change to their starting 11 across three matches. Coach Kim Kwang Min acknowledged after the loss to Sweden that his team "had nothing left in the tank".

Five times Germany have played Asian opposition in a World Cup, and five times they have won, without conceding a single goal.

Brazil is the form team of the tournament, being the only side to record a perfect three wins from three group matches, but face a resilient Australia tomorrow in Tianjin.

Brazil had the luxury of resting players in their last group match while Australia was stretched to the limit against Canada, only qualifying thanks to a 92nd-minute goal to secure a 2-2 draw.

The Brazilians play in the trademark national style, rich in flair and creativity. Like Germany, they go into the match without conceding a goal.

"As for whether we're favourites, every team left in the tournament is capable of winning the title," coach Jorge Barcellos said.

In the semi-finals, the United States-England winner takes on either Brazil or Australia. Norway or China will play Germany or North Korea. The semi-finals are on September 26-27 in Hangzhou and Tianjin. The final is set for September 30 in Shanghai.