England Blows Past Argentina and into WWC Quarters

• Times Online, Monday, September 17, 2007 4 PM

England strolled through to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup with its biggest win in a significant tournament. Kelly Smith, the former Seton Hall and WUSA and W-League star, scored two more goals, celebrating with more discretion this time, to join Birgit Prinz and Marta, FIFA's most recent world players of the year, with four for the tournament. As expected, England waltzed into the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup on Monday, brushing aside the Argentines, 6-1, in its final match in Group A, finishing second behind Germany, which beat Japan, 2-0, earlier in the day.

As the Times' Peter Lansley said, "England are proving they belong among the elite now." If both North Korea and the U.S. win Tuesday in Group B, the Americans would have to win by a higher margin to secure first place, and a quarterfinal date with England. Should they tie and North Korea beats Sweden, then the Yanks would play defending World Cup champion Germany.

Smith, a former player for the Philadelphia Charge of the now-defunct WUSA, relishes the possibility of playing against the United States in the next round. "I'd love it but whoever we get we'll be excited," she said, adding that the fact that England is just two games from the World Cup final "sounds great, doesn't it?"

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