Soccer-Top teams set for Women's World Cup knockout stage

June 19 (Reuters) - The Women's World Cup enters what is expected to be a thrilling single-game knockout stage in Canada on Saturday with no clear- cut favourite after the top seeds all won their groups. European juggernauts Germany play Sweden in Ottawa in the opening last-16 clash before China face World Cup debutante Cameroon in Edmonton with each side looking to take the next step toward the July 5 final in Vancouver. While Germany made their title intentions clear with a tournament-leading 15 goals in three games, head coach Silvia Neid is not underestimating fifth-ranked Sweden, who finished third in a tough Group D. "Sweden have a lot of quality on their team. The games we have played against them have always been competitive and close-fought," said Neid. "As of now, we have to show passion and give everything. The team in better form on the day will go through to the quarter-finals." Germany and the United States are both looking to become the first team to win three World Cup titles while Japan's bid to repeat as champions remained on track. Among the other group winners, France overcame an early upset loss to Colombia before finding their way, Brazil put up a defensive front to secure the best record after the group stage while Canada hope to ride a wave of local support. Brazil, the only team yet to concede a goal, will on Sunday face an Australia team that have been one of the surprises of the tournament and boast size and speed that could frustrate their opponent's defense. France were at the wrong end of the first true upset of the tournament when they fell 2-0 to Colombia but they responded with a 5-0 thumping of Mexico to secure top spot in their group and a clash with South Korea on Sunday. Hosts Canada, who used a tie against the Netherlands to win Group A, face a Switzerland team on Sunday that has many players competing in the highest levels of women's soccer, including in-form strikers Ramona Bachmann and Lara Dickenmann. "This is where you get the chance to write your name into football history, when you play in these big matches," said Canada coach John Herdman. "The tournament is a progression. The big players tend to step up in these rounds." With their first-place finish in the so-called 'Group of Death," the United States will face a Colombia team on Monday that suffered a blow when starting goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda was suspended for the knockout stage after picking up her second yellow card of the tournament. Japan had little difficulty in winning all their Group C matches, earning them a Tuesday showdown with a Netherlands team that fared well in a group with seasoned World Cup campaigners Canada, China and New Zealand. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Gene Cherry)