SHANGHAI, Sept. 11 -- NORWAY is a threat to win the women's World Cup, but the side is being largely overlooked.

The top seed in Group C and ranked No. 4 by FIFA, Norway has been overshadowed by the No. 1 Americans, defending champions Germany and other contenders like Sweden, North Korea, China and Brazil.

Remember this is the same nation that won the World Cup in 1995, reached the semifinals in 1999 and the quarterfinals in 2003. Throw in 2000 Olympic gold and a recent resurgence that saw Norway reach the final of the 2005 European Championship.

Plus there is the impressive form of its latest friendlies - losing only 1-0 away to the United States using a depleted squad, and then holding Germany to a 2-2 draw.

That draw was even more impressive given Germany's 11-0 destruction of Argentina in yesterday's World Cup opener.

Norway coach Bjarne Berntsen accepts the lack of expectation, noting his squad "is in very good shape" ahead of its tournament opener against Canada in Group C tomorrow.

"I can really understand why we are not up with the top favorites," Berntsen said.

"The game we've played since the European Championship in 2005, we have been a bit up and down and have struggled to come up to the level of the big teams," Berntsen said.

"We still have to prove we are among them, because to be up with them in some games does not mean we are up there in a championship."

The match against Canada will be an intriguing one, as the North Americans are now coached by Even Pellerud, the man who took Norway to the 1995 title.

Aside from the continued presence of goalkeeper Bente Nordby -- appearing in her fifth World Cup -- it will be a very different Norway that Pellerud encounters.

Gone are the days of strength, power and the long ball to the strikers. It's been replaced with more midfield finesse woven around playmaker Solveig Gulbrandsen, back after a year off to have her first child.

"We don't have those strong players anymore, so we have to play another style, another way to get the best out of our more technical players," Berntsen said.

Norway is the favorite to win Group C, with Canada, Australia and Ghana even bets to be the second team to progress.

Canada's form through the United States in the Gold Cup is strong, Australia beat China in two recent away friendlies, while Ghana is gaining ground on African benchmark Nigeria.

Australia has the misfortune to play Ghana first, giving Norway and Canada the chance to scout the Africans, who rarely travel and remain something of a mystery to most opponents.

Ghana has twice played Australia in World Cups -- a win and draw -- and will be buoyed by that record going into tomorrow's match.

"They (the players) are already confident anyway, that comes from the number of matches we have been winning recently and the progress we have been making, but the fact we have beaten our opponents before could certainly be one factor in our favor," Ghana coach Isaac Paha said.

"I haven't seen much of this current Australia team but I have watched them on video and I am confident we can match them."