TV: 11:30 a.m. Sunday; WLS-Ch. 7.
Series record: Germany leads 6-5.
2003 World Cup: Sweden 4-1 (9 goals for, 5 against); Germany 5-0 (23-3).
World Cup record: Sweden, 3rd, 1991; 5th, 1995; 7th, 1999; Germany, 4th, 1991; 2nd, 1995; 8th, 1999.
World Cup meetings: Sweden 3-2 in 1995 first round; Sweden 4-0 in 1991 third-place game.
Coaches: Marika Domanski-Lyfors, Sweden (since Sept. 1, 1996); Tina Theune-Meyer, Germany (Aug. 1, 1996).
Players to watch: Germany, F Birgit Prinz (9), F Maren Meinert (14), D Kerstin Stegemann (2); Sweden, F Hanna Ljungberg (10), F Victoria Svensson (11), M Malin Andersson (9).
Keys to match: Germany’s ability to create two-on-one attacks involving Meinert (7 assists) or Prinz (7 goals), tourney leaders in those categories. “They are dangerous and fun to watch,” U.S. forward Mia Hamm said after losing 3-0 to Germany in the semis. Stegemann looked like the best defender in the Cup against the U.S. Sweden’s Ljungberg is a menacing 5-foot-3-inch attacker because of her speed and courage. The team has improved since trailing 2-0 in the first half in its opening 3-1 loss to the U.S. “We managed to change the game in the second half, and that gave us self-confidence.”
Bits: Never had even one finalist had a female coach. Now there are two. A third coached in the third-place game. … Germany can be the first country to have women’s and men’s World Cup champs.
