Soccer

August 01, 2008

When: Aug. 6-21.

Where: Qinhuangho, Shenyang, Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing, Aug. 6-15; Shanghai and Beijing, semifinals, Aug. 18; Beijing, finals, Aug. 21.

TV: MSNBC, NBC Olympic Soccer Channel, USA, CNBC.

Format: Three four-team pools play a round-robin series with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals, along with the two top third-place finishers. A knockout format then begins and runs through the gold-medal game. Semifinal losers play for the bronze.

Philly file: Midfielder Carli Lloyd is from Delran, N.J. . . . Nicole Barnhart, of Gilbertsville, Berks County, is the backup goalkeeper behind Hope Solo. Barnhart played 4 years on the boys' varsity team at Boyertown High . . . Pia Sundhage was an assistant coach of the Charge in the 2001 and '02 seasons and Heather Mitts played for the Charge . . . U.S. assistant Erica Walsh is the head women's coach of Penn State and is from Bordentown, N.J.

What to expect: Germany, winner of the bronze in the past two Olympics, defeated Brazil in the 2007 World Cup and remains the favorite . . . Brazil returns its World Cup team almost intact . . .

The U.S. won gold in 1996 and 2004 and took silver in 2000, and should breeze into the quarterfinals against Japan, Norway and New Zealand . . .

China hired coaching legend Shang Ruihua in April to reenergize its moribund program.

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