North American Women’s World Cup qualifiers set

A favored United States squad will open the North American qualifying tournament for the 2011 Women’s World Cup against Haiti on October 28, organizers of the event announced on Sunday.

CONCACAF will stage the event October 28-November 8 in Mexico with the two finalists securing berths in next year’s 16-team Women’s World Cup at Germany and the third-place club facing Europe’s fifth-place team for another berth.

The Americans, winners in the four prior qualifying events they have played, were set in Group B with Haiti, Costa Rica and Guatemala while the hosts were drawn into Group A with Guyana, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.

Round-robin play will decide the semi-finalists for the November 5 matches in Cancun that will determine the automatic qualifiers for Gemany, with group winners facing the runner-up from the opposite group in the crucial matches.

The final and third-place matches will be November 8, also in Cancun.

Thursday, October 28: Costa Rica v Guatemala, United States v Haiti

Friday, October 29: Trinidad and Tobago v Canada, Mexico vs. Guyana

Saturday, October 30: Haiti v Costa Rica, United States v Guatemala

Sunday, October 31: Canada v Guyana, Mexico v Trinidad and Tobago

Monday, November 1: Guatemala v Haiti, United States v Costa Rica

Tuesday, November 2: Guyana v Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico v Canada

Friday, November 5: Group A winner v Group B runner-up, Group B winner v Group A runner-up

Monday, November 8: Third-place match and Final