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There was good news and bad news at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, CA. The good news was the U.S. WNT posted its ninth consecutive shutout. The bad news was the U.S. could not score and settled for a 0-0 draw. The U.S. Women’s National Team battled a tough Australia team to a 0-0 tie at Titan Stadium, but still extended its shutout streak to nine games, dating back to the final match of 2004. The U.S. women moved 7-0-1 on the year but still have yet to allow a goal under new head coach Greg Ryan. A small crowd of 5,394 was on hand for the international friendly. The tie was the second in a row for the two teams, who played to a 1-1 draw in group play at the 2004 Olympics. It was also the first time the U.S. women had been shutout in the last 40 matches dating back to a 0-0 draw with China on Feb. 1, 2004. The U.S. team managed to create a few quality chances against a gritty and organized Aussie back line, but the Americans rarely tested Australian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri with dangerous shots on frame, forcing her into just five saves. The U.S. did pick up the pressure in the last five minutes and almost got a winner on several occasions. The match had five minutes of extra time, in part due to an injury to referee Keri Seitz, who had to leave the match in the 69th minute with a calf strain. She was replaced by fourth official Jennifer Bennett. Ryan made just two substitutions in the match, sending on Aly Wagner for Fotopoulos at halftime and Tiffeny Milbrett for Christie Welsh in the 58th, after starting the 5-foot-11 forwards Wambach and Fotopoulos on a three-woman front line with the 5-foot-10 Welsh. When Wagner entered the match for Welsh, Lilly pushed up to the front line, and gave the USA a bit more bite in the attack. The U.S. team will leave for Charleston, S.C., Monday (Oct. 17) and train for five days before facing Mexico on Sunday, October 23 at Blackbaud Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET and the match will be televised live on ESPN2 and Telemundo. It will be the final match of the year for the U.S. women, who have a chance to go through all of 2005 without allowing a goal, a feat never achieved before. - U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT - Match-up: USA vs. Australia Scoring Summary: 1 2 F Lineups: AUS: 1-Melissa Barbieri; 4-Thea Slatyer (2-Kate McShea,
80), 5-Cheryl Salisbury (Capt.), 6-Rhian Davies, 7-Heather Garriock; 9-Alicia
Ferguson (11-Kylie Ledbrook, 95+), 10-Joanne Peters, 14-Collette McCallum
(19-Leah Blayney, 69), 15-Sally Shipard: 8-Sarah Walsh (17-Selin Kuralay,
69), 12-Kathryn Gill (20-Joanne Burgess, 84). Statistical Summary: USA AUS Misconduct Summary: Officials: Ryan Names WNT Roster For Australia U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team head coach Greg Ryan has named 24 players to a training camp prior to the match against Australia on Oct. 16 at Titan Stadium on the campus of Cal State Fullerton (3:00 p.m. PT live on ESPN2). Ryan will name 18 players to suit up for the match against the Matildas. Following the match against Australia, the U.S. WNT will close out their 2005 schedule with a match against Mexico at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 23 (live on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET). Ryan will release a roster for that training camp shortly. The roster for the game with Austrailia features all of the USA’s active veteran players, including 2004 Olympic gold medallists Heather Mitts, Cat Reddick, Shannon Boxx, Aly Wagner, Angela Hucles, Kristine Lilly, Kate Markgraf and Abby Wambach. In addition, forward Tiffeny Milbrett returns from a six-week stint with Swedish club Sunanna SK while the USA’s leading scorer this year, Christie Welsh (seven goals, one assist) and third-leading scorer Danielle Fotopoulos (four goals) were also named. Rounding out a talented and dynamic group of forwards is two-time Olympian and three-time Women’s World Cup participant Shannon MacMillan, the USA’s sixth all-time leading scorer with 60 career goals, and high school senior Lauren Cheney, who will have just turned 18 coming into the training camp. Cheney, who has yet to be capped at the senior level, helped lead the U.S. U-21s to the Nordic Cup title this past summer as the youngest member of the roster and figures to play a key role for the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team as they shoot for a spot in the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship in Russia. Of the 24 players called in by Ryan, just three have yet to see action with the USA this year in a game or training camp, but one is defender Kylie Bivens, a member of the 2003 U.S. Women’s World Cup Team (she started three games in the tournament) and a 2004 Olympic Residency Camp participant who grew up about 20 miles from Fullerton in Upland. The other relative newcomers to the roster are midfielder Stacey Tullock and defender Nancy Augustyniak, both impact players in the WUSA and both uncapped. Agustyniak spent some time in Germany playing with Turbine Potsdam (2004) and most recently Wolfsburg, and this past summer won an amateur national title with FC Indiana of the Women’s Premier Soccer League. Other young players called in by Ryan include goalkeeper Jen Branam, who spent the last few months playing in Sweden with Balinge IF, midfielder Carli Lloyd and defenders Amy LePeilbet and Tina Frimpong. Branam, Lloyd and LePeilbet all put in quality showings during the USA’s training for the 2004 Olympics while Frimpong, a converted forward, earned her first-ever start in the USA’s most recent game on July 24, a 3-0 win over Iceland. Ryan also called in midfielder Marci Miller, the current head women’s soccer coach at Northern Illinois, who earned her first-ever cap against Canada on June 26. Rounding out the goalkeeper corps are Hope Solo, who has started five of the seven matches the USA has played this year, and 2004 Olympic back-up Kristin Luckenbill. The match against Australia, currently ranked 16th in the world, promises to be competitive and combative as the two teams played to a rugged 1-1 tie at the 2004 Olympics. It was the only match the USA did not win in Greece. The U.S. women are undefeated under new head coach Greg Ryan, going 7-0-0 in 2005 and have yet to surrender a goal this year. The USA’s eight-game streak of shutouts stretches back to the final game of 2004, a 5-0 win over Mexico at the HDC, and now stands at 748 total minutes (which includes the final 28 minutes of the previous match against Denmark). USA vs. Australia Roster GOALKEEPERS: Jen Branam, Kristin Luckenbill, Hope Solo; DEFENDERS: Nancy Augustyniak, Kylie Bivens, Tina Frimpong, Amy LePeilbet, Kate Markgraf, Heather Mitts, Cat Reddick; MIDFIELDERS: Shannon Boxx, Lorrie Fair, Angela Hucles, Kristine Lilly, Carli Lloyd, Marci Miller, Stacey Tullock, Aly Wagner; FORWARDS: Lauren Cheney, Danielle Fotopoulos, Shannon
MacMillan, Tiffeny Milbrett, Abby Wambach, Christie Welsh. US Women Beat Norway 4-1 to Win Nordic Cup The U.S. Under-21 Women’s National Soccer Team rolled to its unprecedented seventh consecutive Nordic Cup title with a dominating 4-1 win over arch-rival Norway as the young Americans got goals from four different players. Seventeen-year-old forward Lauren Cheney scored her
second of the tournament, midfielder Carli Lloyd got
her third, forward Heather O’Reilly notched her
fourth and midfielder Lori Chalupny added the capper
with a blast from distance for her first goal of the competition. The U.S. defense was stellar as center backs Jill Oakes and Rachel Buehler, and outside backs Stephanie Lopez and Kendall Fletcher, anchored a U.S. side that allowed just two goals in the tournament, both after the games had been decided, while the USA scored 15. That topped the 12 goals the Americans scored last year in Iceland while winning all four games by 3-0 scores. “Norway played fairly direct, and our back line was challenged a lot,” said Ellis. “Our shape was excellent and they won lots of balls in the air. (Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart) came up with couple of big saves, but overall our team defense was great.” O’Reilly led the USA in scoring during the Nordic Cup with four goals in four games while Lloyd scored three. Cheney, Tarpley and Megan Rapinoe had two goals apiece, while Jen Buczkowski and Lori Chalupny had one each. As the U.S. team has done throughout the tournament, it scored an early goal, getting on the board just 15 minutes into the game. The goal was created by left midfielder Chalupny, who dribbled down the left flank, beat a defender and hit a driven cross on the ground to the near post. The charging Cheney won the race to the ball, opened her hip and side-footed the ball into the net from six yards out. “Going into the match, I thought it could be a 1-0 game,” said Ellis. “Everybody in our group lost their placement games so I knew Norway was legit. In the first 25 minutes we played very well and we executed extremely well, as our back line dropped early and we were very condensed. We really needed to get around the outside, and that’s how we scored the first goal.”
Most of the U.S. players will now have a few weeks off before entering
their college pre-season camps, while several will be playing with USL
W-League teams in the playoffs and Cheney will be prepping for her senior
year of high school. Scoring Summary: USA – Lauren Cheney (Lori Chalupny) 15th minute. Lineups: NOR: 1-Christine Nilsen (12-Erika Skarbo, 84), 14-Lisa
Marie Woods, 4-Hilde Hansen, 3-Runa Vikestad, 2-Ann Morkved, 17-Guro Knutsen,
8-Janneli Giske, 7-Lene Storlokken, 6-Nasra Abdullah (5-Janne Stange,
85), 11-Solfrid Andersen, 10-Tone Heimlund (9-Lindy Wiik, 54). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Placement Matches Milbrett Gets 100th Goal In 7-0 Win U.S. forward Tiffeny Milbrett scored her historic 100th career goal as the U.S. Women's National Team was never threatened in a dominating 7-0 win over Ukraine on a cool Northwest afternoon at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland. Christie Welsh and Kristine Lilly (who also had two assists) scored in the first half and Danielle Fotopoulos (two goals), Aly Wagner and Heather O'Reilly added goals in the second, but it was Milbrett's dramatic score that sent the fans home happy. After firing six previous shots, each one bringing the crowd to its feet, the former University of Portland star scored a classic in the 57th minute after she ran onto a perfect over-the-top pass from Wagner. With Ukrainian goalkeeper Veronika Shulha caught out of the net, Milbrett deftly lifted the ball over her and into the goal from just outside the penalty area as the crowd erupted. "Our focus wasn't on Tiffeny, our focus was on winning the game and continuing to grow as a new team," said U.S. head coach Greg Ryan. "I think attitude was good for her too, so that she could settle down and play the game. In the end, though, that kind of goal with that kind of quality was incredible." With the goal, which came in her 201st career appearance, Milbrett joins Mia Hamm (158), Elisabetta Vignotto (107), Carolina Morace (105), Michelle Akers (105) and Kristine Lilly (104) as the only players in the history of international soccer to score 100 goals for their country. The win moved the USA to 6-0-0 on the year on the sixth anniversary date of the historic 1999 Women's World Cup Final and marked the USA's seventh consecutive shutout. No team has found the net against the Americans in 2005 as the team ran their shutout streak to seven games dating back to Dec. 8, 2004. After a somewhat sluggish performance in the first half as the U.S. played down to the pace of the Ukrainians, the American women played with more urgency after the break and it paid off with five goals. Wagner (who also hit the crossbar twice in the match) scored to make it 3-0, courtesy of Lilly, who received the ball at the top of the Ukrainian penalty area courtesy a poor Ukrainian back pass. Lilly whirled and then darted past Titova in the left side of the box before chipping a short cross into the middle. Wagner beat Shulha to the ball and struck a short, bouncing volley past the flying goalkeeper and into the net from five yards out. The fourth goal came off a beautiful long ball from Shannon Boxx as she dropped her pass right into the path of Lilly, who was running hard at the restraining line. The ball bounced before Lilly back-heeled it into the middle to a wide-open Fotopoulos, who drove her shot through the legs of Shulha from 13 yards out. Milbrett scored the fifth goal, making history on the field where she enjoyed so much success as a college player, but the USA was not done. Fotopoulos added her second off a scramble that came from a free kick. The ball was lofted into the penalty area from the left flank and spun off the foot of a Ukrainian defender before the 5-foot-11 forward pounded her left-footed volley into the net from close range. The two goals upped FotopoulosÕ career total to 14 (five of which have come against Ukraine), but they were her first scores since she tallied on January 12, 2002, in a 7-0 rout of Mexico. Heather O'Reilly added the seventh and final score after coming on for Milbrett in the 77th minute. The 20-year-old chased down a long ball from Kate Markgraf near the left side of the penalty area, cut back against the grain to lose a defender, and smacked her right-footed shot into the left corner. It was O'Reilly's fifth career goal and first since her historic overtime score against Germany in the 2004 Olympic semifinal match. The match marked the first-ever caps for two players, as defender Tina Frimpong, a Vancouver, Washington product, came on in the 55th minute and midfielder Carli Lloyd entered the match in the 64th. Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, making her second-ever start in the nets for the USA, earned her second career shutout, but was not forced to make a save. Five players on the U.S. roster Barnhart, Lindsay Tarpley, O'Reilly, Lori Chalupny and Lloyd will leave for Europe next week with the U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team to compete in the 15th Annual Nordic Cup in Sweden. The USA will be going for its seventh consecutive Nordic Cup title. The U.S. women will finish their three-game summer schedule on July 24, taking on Iceland at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Kickoff for that match is 2 p.m. PT. It will also be broadcast live on ESPN2. Tickets for both matches are on sale at all local area Ticketmaster outlets and at ussoccer.com. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Match-up: USA vs. Ukraine Scoring Summary: USA Christie Welsh (unassisted) 31st minute. Lineups: UKR: 1-Veronika Shulha, 2-Oksana Rezvin (Capt.), 3-Maryna
Masalska, 5-Natalya Zhdanova (4-Viktoriya Bazhan, 52), 13-Ganna Mozolska,
14-Olena Golovko, 15-Inesa Titova, 16-Natalya Sukhorukova, 6-Lyudmyla
Pekur, 9-Vira Dyatel, 11-Galyna Mykhaylenko. Statistical Summary: The U.S. Women’s National Team earned its first win on home soil in 2005, defeating Canada, 2-0, on a wet, slippery afternoon at the Virginia Beach SportsPlex. Lori Chalupny and Christie Welsh scored for the USA in the first half as Greg Ryan came out victorious in his first match as the team’s new head coach. “We played most of the first half as well as we could have being a young team,” said Ryan. “There were some great combination play and some great penetration getting in behind to create chances in a variety of ways. We really encouraged the players to take risks, to take chances and have fun and I thought it really showed today.” After some early Canada pressure, which forced U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo into one confrontation where she had to throw her body into a mix of players to punch the ball clear of the penalty area, the USA took over the game. As the intensity of the rain picked up all throughout the first half, so did the U.S. pressure, and the Americans fired nine shots to just one for Canada before the break. The U.S. team put together some good possession sequences in the first half, one of which led to the first goal in the 12th minute after the U.S. earned a corner kick on the right side. Aly Wagner lofted the ball inside the six-yard box and it was cleared by a Canadian head, bouncing out to Chalupny at the top of the penalty area. The USA’s left back had just enough time to take a settling touch before skidding a left-footed half volley into the lower right corner past the sprawling Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc from 19 yards out. It was Chalupny’s second career goal and first scored from the back line. Christie Welsh got the second goal late in the first half. Heather O’Reilly up some space on the dribble in midfield before slipping a pass into the path of Aly Wagner, who quickly played a short pass to Abby Wambach behind the Canadian back line. Wambach’s shot from a sharp angle on the right side skimmed off the hands of LeBlanc and rolled right up to the goal line for hard-running Welsh to tap in from close range as she, and the ball, bundled into the net. It was Welsh’s 19th international goal. Canada picked up the pressure a bit more in the second half after Christine
Latham and Charmaine Hooper were inserted into
the game, but none of their five shots after the break troubled U.S. goalkeeper
Hope Solo, who picked up her fourth consecutive shutout and now has a
369-minute scoreless streak going. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Match-up: USA vs. Canada Scoring Summary: USA – Lori Chalupny (Unassisted) 12th minute. Lineups: CAN: 1-Karina LeBlanc; 3-Sophie Schmidt, 9-Candace Chapman,
11-Randee Hermus, 15-Kara Lang; 8-Diana Matheson (6-Melissa Tancredi,
81), 13-Amy Walsh, 14-Amanda Cicchini (7-Isabelle Morneau, 64), 17-Brittany
Timko (2-Christine Latham, 46); 16-Katie Thorlakson (10-Charmaine Hooper,
68), 12-Christine Sinclair. Statistical Summary: Ryan Named New Women’s National Coach Greg Ryan has been named the new Head Coach and Technical Director of U.S. Soccer’s Women’s National Team. Terms of the deal were not released. Ryan, 48, was previously named the interim head coach after the resignation of April Heinrichs on Feb. 15, and he led the USA to the championship at the 2005 Algarve Cup in early March. In Portugal, the team was undefeated and did not allow a goal over four matches, including a 1-0 victory over Germany in the title game. Ryan had served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team since January of 2004 and was part of the staff that helped win the Olympic gold medal while setting a record for wins in a calendar year (28) posting a 28-2-4 record. Ryan also served as the U.S. Women’s National Staff Coach for Region IV from 2002 through the end of 2004. Ryan will be available for interviews today and through the weekend by calling U.S. Women’s National Team Press Officer Aaron Heifetz at 310/630-2287. "Greg Ryan has been very impressive in his time with the U.S. Women’s National Team. We are extremely confident in his ability to lead the team into the next Women's World Cup," said U.S. Soccer President Dr. Bob Contiguglia. "His dedication and passion for coaching is unquestioned, and his knowledge of the women's game in the United States and internationally is tremendous." Ryan becomes the fifth head coach in the history of a program that has compiled a record of 262-50-35 since its inception in 1985. The U.S. Women’s National Team has won four world championships – two Women’s World Cup and two Olympics and is the only team in the world to medal in every tournament – finishing in the top three in all seven women’s world championships staged by FIFA since the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991. “I can’t wait to get to work,” said Ryan. “Being named the head coach is a great honor, but getting out on the field and doing the work is what I enjoy most and that’s what I am looking forward to right now. As the technical director, the youth teams have always been a big contributor to the success of the National Team and we want to provide our youth teams with the best soccer environment possible. With the increases in programming we have been able to provide our youth national teams over the past few years, the future looks bright for the U.S. women.” Ryan will be charged with overseeing the USA’s five youth women’s and girl’s national teams as well as the transition from Under-19 to Under-20 for the next FIFA Women’s Youth World Championship in 2006 in Russia. “I’m excited about helping to further develop our young and talented players alongside our more experienced veterans,” said Ryan. “I am confident that the investments we are making now in our best young players will enable them to contribute at the next world championship. It’s a very exciting time to be taking over this program.” A USSF “A” licensed coach who has conducted numerous U.S. Soccer Coaching Education and Licensing courses over the past two years, Ryan also has extensive experience in 15 years as a head coach in Division I women’s soccer. He served as the head coach of Colorado College from 1999-2002, compiling a record of 40-28-6. Prior to his stint in Colorado Springs, Ryan was the head women’s soccer coach at Southern Methodist University from 1996-1999, compiling a record of 37-21-5, which included a trip to the NCAA tournament in 1997. Ryan was also the head women’s soccer coach at the University of Wisconsin from 1986-1993, where he lead the Badgers to a 108-32-12 record and five trips to the NCAA tournament. Ryan led UW to two appearances in the NCAA Final Four (1988 and 1991) and one trip to NCAA Championship Game in 1991, where the Badgers fell to North Carolina, 3-1. Ryan, a former professional player in the North American Soccer League, began his coaching career in 1983 as an assistant with the Colorado College men’s team in between NASL indoor and outdoor seasons. Following the completion of his professional career at the end of 1984, Ryan began his head coaching career at Wisconsin in Madison. In college, Ryan was a First-Team All-American at Southern Methodist University in 1978, after which he went on to play six seasons in the NASL from 1979-1984. Ryan started his pro career with the Tulsa Roughnecks before being traded to the New York Cosmos in 1979, where he played with Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto and Georgio Chinaglia. Ryan then was traded to the Chicago Sting, where he played his final five pro seasons. A native of Dallas, Texas, Ryan returned to SMU after his pro career and earned his BA in biology. He also earned his Teachers Certification in Biology from SMU in 1986. Ryan, who starts his head coaching reign with a 4-0-0 record, will be the fifth head coach in the team's history, but ironically the second named Ryan. Mike Ryan (no relation) was the first head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1985, coaching the team through the first four games of the program’s existence. Following is the all-time list of U.S. Women’s National Team head coaches. Year(s) Coach W-L-T Pct. *Lauren Gregg served as the interim head coach for one tournament in Australia in 2000. USA Blanks Germany For Algarve Title The U.S. discovered a new goalscorer in Portugal. Former Penn State All-America Christie Welsh scored in four consecutive games, including the game-winner in the final over Germany to finish with five goals as the tournament’s leading scorer. The U.S. Women's National Team got a 23rd minute goal from forward Christie Welsh and put together a stellar defensive performance to defeat Germany 1-0 and win the 12th Annual Algarve Cup. The match also marked a U.S. victory over the top-ranked team in the FIFA Women's World Rankings as the two women's soccer powers met in a tournament final for the first time. It was the third Algarve Cup championship in a row for the U.S. team, and fourth overall, but the first time in 10 trips to this tournament that the USA had achieved the remarkable feat of going all four games without allowing a goal. Both teams played in 4-4-2 formations with 5-foot-11 Abby Wambach and the 5-foot-10 Welsh up top for the USA while Germany went with two-time FIFA Women's Player of the Year Birgit Prinz and rising young star Anja Mittag at forward. Germany had the USA on its heels for the first 15 minutes before the Americans settled down and got used to the blistering pace of the match, but Prinz had her team's best chance of the first half in the 16th minute when she broke through the U.S. defense on what was really her only dangerous shot of the match. In came off a counter attack as the bull-dozing Prinz raced through a seem in the back line, only to smack her shot just wide right of the post from the top of the penalty area as Kate Markgraf and Lori Chalupny closed on her. The USA took its first shot in the 18th minute as Wambach wriggled free on the right side of box and struck a dipping left-footed blast to the near post that German goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg did well to catch. The USA tallied five minutes later through a magical ball from midfielder Aly Wagner. Wagner had been struggling to connect on a final pass against the ultra-organized German back line in the first 20 minutes, but her 40-yard cross-field ball to Welsh was magnificent, dropping right over the head of defender Ariane Hingst and into the path of the streaking Welsh. The U.S. forward brought it down perfectly with her first touch and then unleashed a shot from just inside the penalty area with her second. Rottenberg kicked saved the first shot, but it rolled perfectly back to Welsh who stuffed the rebound into the open net from 12 yards out. It was the fifth goal of the tournament for Welsh and won her the Algarve Cup scoring title. It was also her 18th international goal. It was a Herculean effort over the 90 minutes for the U.S. defense, who covered for each other extremely well and always came up with a huge tackle when Germany seemed poised to break through. The U.S. won four games in the tournament, all by shutouts. It was a breakout tournament for U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, who earned just her 15th cap in the Algarve Cup Final, but posted shutouts in the final three matches of the tournament. While the U.S. defense was stifling throughout the four games, Solo came up big when tested, and nothing was bigger than her solid grab of a tantalizing Germany cross in the waning moments. It was also a breakthrough tournament for 21-year-old Lori Chalupny (UNC), who started all four games and put in some stellar work at left back, especially in the Final against towering German outside midfielder Kerstin Garefrakes, who stands a full eight inches taller than her. Chalupny played 332 minutes in this tournament after playing just 271 minutes previously during her full National Team career. In the other placement matches, France defeated Sweden, 3-2, in a seesaw battle for 3rd place at the Stadium Algarve. Les Bleus got the late winner from Hoda Lattaf. Norway defeated Denmark, 2-1 for 5th place. Both the 7th and 9th place matches went to penalties with China and England tying 0-0 in regulation before China took 7th on the spot kicks. Mexico finished a solid tournament for the Algarve Cup first-timers, tying Finland 1-1 in regulation before winning on their seventh penalty kick and placing 9th. Host Portugal picked up a big come-from-behind 3-1 win over Northern Ireland after losing to that same team in the final match of group play. China won the Fair Play Award while Prinz picked up the tournament MVP. Norway's Bente Nordby was chosen as the tournament's top goalkeeper. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Christie Welsh (Aly Wagner) 23rd minute. Lineups: GER: 1-Silke Rottenberg; 2-Kerstin Stegemann, 4-Steffi
Jones, 5-Sarah Gunther (15-Sonja Fuss, 70), 17-Ariane Hingst; 10-Renate
Lingor (20-Celia Okoyino de Mbabi, 86), 18-Kerstin Garefrekes, 3-Britta
Carlson (6-Viola Odebrecht, 32) 16-Conny Pohlers (7-Pia Wunderlich, 83);
11-Anja Mittag (8-Sandra Smisek, 66), 9-Birgit Prinz. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: March 15 Algarve Cup Final Standings: Top Scorer: Christie Welsh (USA) U.S. QUOTE SHEET: Ryan on the team defense throughout the tournament: Ryan on Christie Welsh: Ryan on the impact of the win: Ryan on the leadership of the veteran players: Ryan on U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo: U.S. captain Kristine Lilly on the victory: Lilly on the tournament: Lilly on the Germans, a favorite to win this summer's
European Championships: U.S. midfielder Lindsay Tarpley on the win: U.S. forward Christie Welsh on the tournament: U.S. forward Abby Wambach on the development of
the team: Wambach on the team coming together in Portugal: Wambach on the defense: U.S. Women Meet Germany For Title The U. S. women’s national team routed Denmark 4-0 to finish first in group play at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. The U.S. will now play Germany, the other group winner, for the Cup championship on Tuesday, March 15 at 3:l15 pm (ET) The win was a measure of revenge for a loss to the Danes last fall during the post-Olympic Fan Celebration Tour. The U.S. and Denmark drew in their other meeting on the tour. It also marked the first time in 10 tournaments that the U.S. completed pool play without allowing a goal. The U.S. got goals from each of its three starting forwards, Abby Wambach, Christie Welsh and captain Kristine Lilly, who had two. For Welsh it marked the third consecutive game in which she scored and ran her total for the tournament to four. The U.S. scored three goals on their first four shots in the first 29 minutes. Lilly’s second goal in the second half allowed U.S. interim coach Greg Ryan to empty the bench. Defenders Stephanie Lopez and Jill Oakes made their first appearances for the US., while midfielder Amy Rodriguez made her second. None of the Algarve Cup games are being televised. However, the championship game cal be followed on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics, which can be found on www.ussoccer.com The U.S. Women's National Team battled difficult playing conditions to beat Finland, 3-0, in its second match of the 2005 Algarve Cup. Forward Christie Welsh scored two first-half goals and Abby Wambach added a third in the 52nd minute as the Americans put themselves in position to make the championship game with a win or tie against Denmark in their final Group B match on Sunday. The two goals ran Welsh’s total to three for the Algarve Cup. It was her goal in the USA’s opener that beat France 1-0/ In the other Group B match, France defeated Denmark, 2-1, putting the USA atop the group with six points. France and Denmark have three points each while Finland sits at the bottom of the group with zero. The U.S. will conclude pool play on March 11 against Denmark and a win over the Danes would put the U.S. in the championship game against the #1 team from Group A. The U.S. would play Germany in the championship game, as the Germans have already qualified for the final with one group game left with a 4-0 pounding of Norway. Playing on the smallest field to host a U.S. Women's National Team game in recent memory, the U.S. navigated the bumpy 64-yard by 108-yard pitch extremely well, putting together some long stretches of quality possession in both halves. The first goal came eight minutes into the game off a long throw-in from Catherine Reddick. The throw went off the head of Abby Wambach and when Finland’s goalkeeper mishandled the bouncing ball, Welsh finished from six yards out. Welsh scored the USA's second goal four minutes before halftime, but credit 20-year-old Heather O'Reilly (UNC) for creating it. The speedy forward ran onto a bouncing ball down the right wing, settling it well before blowing by a defender. She then cut a perfect cross back on the ground into the middle for Welsh to meet first-time with her right foot, powering it into the net under Kunnas and into the lower left corner from 12 yards. The third goal came off the head of Wambach, who finished a long service to the far post from Reddick. It was Wambach’s 46th career international goal, moving her past Julie Floudy into sole possession of 8th place on the all-time U.S. scoring list. It was just the second career full National Team start for O'Reilly, who scored and broke her ankle just seconds into her first-ever start against Ireland back in June of 2003 as the Irish goalkeeper crashed into her. After playing all 90 minutes at left back against France in the first match of the tournament, Lori Chalupny (UNC) showed her versatility by starting and playing the first half at right midfield in the USA's 3-4-3 formation before switching to left back in the second half as the Americans moved to a 4-3-3. The match also marked the first career caps at the senior level for 18-year-old
forward Amy Rodriguez, who came on at halftime, and 22-year-old
defender Lindsey Huie, who played the final 15 minutes
at left back. Match-up: USA vs. Denmark Scoring Summary: USA - Kristine Lilly (Abby Wambach) 6th minute. Lineups: DEN: 1-Tine Cederkvist; 2-Mariann Knudsen, 3-Katrine
Pedersen - Capt., 8-Dorte Jensen (10-Anne Nielsen, 38); 6-Louise Hansen
(17-Helle Nielsen, 75), 7-Cathrine Paaske-Sorensen, 9-Lene Jensen, 12-Janne
Madsen, 14-Nadia Kjældgaard (5-Bettina Hansen, 38); 13-Johanna Rasmussen
(19-Nanna Johansen, 67), 11-Merete Pedersen. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: 2005 Algarve Cup Final Standings March 9 March 11 March 13 Group B March 9 March 11 March 13 Group C March 9 March 11 March 13 March 15 U.S. quote sheet: Ryan on the play and leadership of Kristine Lilly: Ryan on Germany, the USA's opponent in the title
game: Ryan on Germany: U.S. captain Kristine Lilly on her goal directly
off a corner kick: Lilly on the USA's performance: Lilly on the final against Germany: Lilly on the USA's team defense: U.S. defender Heather Mitts on the play of the back
line: U.S. defender Stephanie Lopez on her first cap: USA Nips France 1-0 In Algarve Cup Opener Using both grit and guile, and an excellent finish from forward Christie Welsh, the U.S. Women's National Team earned a quality 1-0 win over France to open the 2005 Algarve Cup. The match marked several firsts as it was the USA's first match of 2005, the first game since the retirement of three legends in Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett, and first match under interim head coach Greg Ryan. On a frustratingly bumpy pitch and in gusting winds, the young U.S. team battled for 90 minutes and did extremely well to shutout a talented French team preparing for the 2005 European Championships and keep their star forward Marinette Pichon off the scoreboard. In a much different match than the USA's 5-1 victory over France last year to open the Algarve Cup, the chances for both teams were few. The USA did not take its first shot until the 17th minute when forward Abby Wambach slid to meet a cross on the ground from Lindsay Tarpley, but the ball spun harmlessly into the hands of French goalkeeper Celine Deville. Attacking midfielder Aly Wagner looked dangerous in the 20th minute as she received a quickly taken free kick and spun towards goal before unleashing a torrid drive just over the crossbar. Seconds later it would be the duo of Wagner and Welsh, who ironically are both playing club soccer for Olympique Lyonnais in France, that would combine on the winner. The goal sequence saw Wagner collect a short pass from Wambach near the left corner of the penalty area and chip a pass into the middle of the box. It deflected off a French defender and Welsh did well to reach the bouncing ball first, hitting a spinning half volley with her left foot into the lower left corner from 12 yards out. It was Welsh's 14th career goal in 24 career matches. The goal would prove to be enough as stifling U.S. team defense held the French without a shot in the first half, and just three after the break, two of which sailed straight into the hands of U.S. goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and one that flew high over the net. Central defenders Kate Markgraf and Cat Reddick were phenomenal in winning head balls, especially when facing a stiff wind and booming punts from Deville in the first half. Content to launch mostly ineffective long balls at the USA in the first half, France picked up their possession game in the second half and Sandrine Soubeyrand fired her side's first shot just two minutes after the break. France also managed to get off a couple of crosses from the flanks, but nothing too troubling for the 23-year-old Barnhart, who earned a shutout in her first match in goal for the full Women's National Team. Twenty-one-year old Lori Chalupny played all 90 minutes at left back for the U.S., her first start in the defense at any level, and looked extremely comfortable, tackling hard all game and getting forward into the attack on several occasions. Heather Mitts was also nails at right back, once leveling her former WUSA teammate Pichon on a crunching tackle. After seeing France start to gain some momentum, the USA switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation 15 minutes into the second half, as Kristine Lilly dropped to left midfield and Tarpley pushed out wide right. The USA then took back control of the match, earning five of its eight corner kicks in the second half. It was in the 77th minute off a corner that the Americans had perhaps their best chance of the second half as Lilly, who extended her mind-boggling world record for caps to 292, skidded the cross into the middle. The ball somehow slipped through to Wambach who fired a hard shot, only to see it skip of the leg of French defender at the six-yard line and loop just over the crossbar. In the waning seconds of the game, substitute Heather O'Reilly, who provided an attacking spark off the bench after entering the game in the 64th minute, lifted a ball over the French defense for the sprinting Wambach. The U.S. forward beat Deville to the ball, nodding it by the French 'keeper with her head, but it bounced just outside the left post. The U.S. team will face Finland on Friday, March 11, in its next Group B match (1:45 p.m. local / 8:45 a.m. ET on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker) needing to make up two goals on Denmark, which scored three unanswered goals to defeat Finland, 4-1, and sits atop the group with the USA in second place. In Group A which features four of the top six ranked teams in the world, Norway got off to a great start with a 2-1 win over China and Germany continued their mastery of Sweden, also winning, 2-1. In Group C, England routed Northern Ireland, 4-0, and Mexico came from a goal down to defeat host Portugal, 2-1. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Christie Welsh (Aly Wagner) 20th minute. Lineups: FRA: 16-Céline Deville; 5-Corinne Diacre, 13-Sandrine
Dusang, 4-Laura Georges, 3-Peggy Provost; 12-Camille Abily, 8-Sonia Bompastor
– Capt., 7-Stephanie Mugneret-Beghe (15-Elise Bussaglia, 61), 6-Sandrine
Soubeyrand; 18-Hoda Lattaf (11-Laetitia Tonazzi, 68), 9-Marinette Pichon. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: None Officials: 2005 Algarve Cup Standings March 9 March 11 March 13 Group B March 9 March 11 March 13 Group C March 9 March 11 March 13 March 15 U.S. Quote Sheet U.S. interim head coach Greg Ryan on the game: Ryan on the integration of young players into the lineup: Ryan on France: Ryan on the USA's defending: Goal scorer Christie Welsh, who made her first start
for the USA since 2001: U.S. midfielder and team captain Kristine Lilly: Lilly on what the USA needs to improve in the Finland match: Heinrichs Steps Down As National Coach With the retirement of U.S. nantional team veterans Mia Hamm, Joy Fawcett and Julie Foudy, the U.S. Women's National Team has begun a transition to a younger group of players. That transition period will also include a coaching change. U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has announced she is resigning from her position at the helm of the most successful women's soccer program in the world but will remain with U.S. Soccer through 2005. The decision comes a little more than five months after Heinrichs led the United States to a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. "There were a number of goals when I first stepped into this position five years ago," said Heinrichs, "and I think as a group we've done a wonderful job of meeting those goals and laying the foundation for the future of our women's program. "It was certainly gratifying to capture the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, but it is equally gratifying to know that the future is so bright for the talented young players that are moving up through our system. No one is a national team coach forever and for me personally, this is the right time to step away. For the program moving forward, there is enough time for a new coach to prepare for the next Women's World Cup and Olympics." A search for a successor will begin immediately, but no timetable has been set for a decision on the hiring of the team's next coach. Current U.S. Women's National Team assistant coaches Greg Ryan and Phil Wheddon will coach the team in the interim. Heinrichs will stay at U.S. Soccer through the remainder of 2005 as a consultant and will work with the Federation through the transition period on women's programming and the process by which a new head coach will be hired. "I think so highly of April Heinrichs that it was not easy for me to accept her resignation," said U.S. Soccer President Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia. "Through her five years on the job, the program has grown tremendously, which is born out through the strong results that have been achieved. As for her successor, a search will begin immediately." In five years at the helm of the U.S. Women's National Team, Heinrichs compiled an impressive 87-17-20 record, a .782 winning percentage and triumphantly led the United States to the 2004 Olympic gold medal in Greece. Her team captured the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup championship in the dramatic shootout final victory over China in Los Angeles. But Heinrichs has also be criticized for not winning the 2000 Olympic Gold medal and the 2003 World Cup championships. The U.S. lost to Norway in the Sydney, Australia gold medal game, and was beaten by Germany in the 2004 World Cup semifinals. At the time it was reported that some of the criticism was coming from within the WNT player pool. One player, high-scoring forward Tiffany Milbrett, left the national team program, saying she would no longer play for the national team as long as Heinrichs was the coach. Heinrichs was a player on the U.S. Women's National Team that won the first FIFA World Championship in 1991 in China, and was a teammate of Hamm, Fawcett and Foudy, and several other current veterans. Like Hamm and Kristine Lilly, Heinrichs played collegiate soccer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With a record 124 games at the helm of the U.S. WNT, Heinrichs was also the first coach to guide the team to an Algarve Cup championship, winning the annual tournament in Portugal three times. U.S. Women's Deaflympic Team Wins Gold Medal MELBOURNE, Australia (January 17, 2005)—The United States’ Women’s Deaf National Soccer Team took the Gold Medal at the 2005 Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday, January 16, by defeating Russia, 3-0, at the Olympic Park. The U.S. women finished undefeated to become the first soccer Gold Medal winners of the tournament, as this was the first year women’s soccer was included as a Deaflympic sport. The U.S Men’s Deaflympic team ended their tournament run with the team’s highest finish ever, defeating the Czech Republic, 1-0, for ninth place on Friday. Kelly Beechy (Salem, OR) led the U.S. in the final game, opening up scoring in the 28th minute and then again in the 74th. Also scoring for the U.S. was Virginia Keeler, who put one past the Russian ‘keeper in the 66th minute. The U.S. advanced to the final game with a 7-2 semifinal win over Denmark. Megan Johnston, 22 of North Phoenix, AZ, who played collegiate soccer in North Carolina at Belmont Abbey College, led the team in the semifinal with a hat-trick. Beechy scored twice for the U.S., and Katie Romano and U.S. captain Erin Coppedge each tallied once. Keeler finishes the tournament tied in third place in the scoring table, with seven goals, along with Norway’s Tone Rorstad. Coppedge was the tournament’s second leading scorer, with 10 goals, following Russia’s Irinia Degtrayeva, who had 12. On the men’s side, Josh Reiher had the team’s game-winning goal in the 23rd minute as the U.S. men defeated the Czech Republic, 1-0, for ninth place. The ninth-place finish is the team’s highest ever, after finishing in 10th place at the 2001 Deaflympics in Rome, Italy. Women's Deaflympic Team Results Date Matchup/Result U.S. Goal Scorers Jan. 6 USA 5, Denmark 2 Romano (2), Coppedge, Keeler (2) Jan. 8 USA 5, Norway 0 Keeler (3), Romano (2) Jan. 10 USA 4, Russia 1 Cressy, Romano, Coppedge (2) Jan. 11 USA 6, Australia 0 Bloms, Coppedge (5) Jan. 13 USA 3, Great Britain 0 Keeler, Anders, Coppedge Jan. 14 USA 7, Denmark 2* Johnston (3), Beechy (2), Coppedge, Romano Jan. 16 USA 3, Russia 0 ** Beechy (2), Keeler *semifinal **final Men's Deaflympic Team Results Date Matchup/Result U.S. Goal Scorers/Kick-off Jan. 4 USA vs. Ghana (forfeit) n/a Jan. 6 USA 1, Turkey 2 Sorokin Jan. 8 USA 1, Italy 4 Ramey Jan. 12 USA 2, Greece 0 Lawson, Ramey Jan. 14 USA 1, Czech Republic 0* Reiher *Ninth-place match Hamm's 91st Minute Goal Earns U.S. 1-1 Draw In yet another storybook ending for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Mia Hamm scored the 158th goal of her international career in the 91st minute of a 1-1 draw against Denmark, sending 18,885 fans into euphoria at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The goal extended the Gold Medal-winning USA’s impressive unbeaten run to 21 games. On the year, the USA is now 27-1-4 in 32 matches and the draw moved the USA’s record on their 10-game “Fan Celebration Tour” to 7-0-1. The tying goal for the U.S. came with just seconds left in the match as the U.S. applied same late pressure to the stingy Denmark defense. On the play, Danish defender Gitte Andersen failed to clear a bouncing ball outside the penalty area as Wambach and Hamm closed in on her. With the ball bouncing wildly, Wambach was able to knock it forward into the Hamm’s path, who found her self just inside the top of the penalty area where she crushed her shot into the upper left corner of the goal from 16 yards. “At the end we were really pressing,” said Hamm, who earned the 273rd cap of her career in the game. “We were thankful to get that goal because this crowd deserved it. This crowd was amazing tonight. They were energetic. It felt like the Olympic Final goal in terms of their reaction. We were just grateful that we could pull out a goal for these fans in New York and New Jersey. They deserved it.” The amazing last-second game saver was the USA’s first and only shot on goal in the game, coming a full 85 minutes after Wambach had opened the game with a header off the right post after just five minutes. In between those two attempts, the U.S. was able to create 10 other shots, compared to 11 for Denmark, but none were on target. In contrast, Denmark had seven shots on goal in the game as they did well creating space for themselves behind the U.S. defense. “Denmark play professionally and are frustrating to play against,” added Hamm. “They got that early goal. They have some speed up top, and we got caught a little bit. It definitely wasn't our best game. We created some chances and didn't put them away early, and I think that gave them some life. They played hard throughout the entire game.” Denmark, the ninth-ranked team in the world, got on the board first, putting the U.S. behind in a game for the first time in 15 matches, dating back to July 21. The goal came courtesy of forward Merete Pedersen, who beat Brandi Chastain to a ball on the right flank and calmly looped a chip over an on-rushing Briana Scurry and into the empty net in the eighth minute. The crowd total for the game was the second highest on the "Fan Celebration Tour" so far, topping the 18,806 that saw the U.S. crush New Zealand 6-0 on Oct. 10 at Paul Brown Stadium. The crowd total for the tour has now topped 125,000 fans, with an overall mark of 125,783 for an average of 15,722 per game. The USA and the “Fan Celebration Tour” next head to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., for a second clash with Denmark on Saturday (Nov. 6) at 3:55 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2). The tour will conclude the illustrious careers of Hamm, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett with one final match on Dec. 8 against Mexico (8 p.m. PT) at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. For each ticket purchased during the 10-game U.S. Women's National Team "Fan Celebration Tour" of cities throughout the country, NikeGO will donate $1 of Nike soccer product to support the increase of girls soccer participation in each city. The New York recipient of NikeGO's donation is the City of New York's Parks and Recreation Department. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: DEN – Merete Pedersen (unassisted) 8th minute. Lineups: DEN: 1-Tine Cederkvist; 2-Mariann Knudsen, 3-Katrine
Pedersen, 4-Gitte Andersen, 5-Bettina Falk; 6-Louise Hansen, 7-Cathrine
Sørensen (15-Helle Nielsen, 88), 8-Johanna Rasmussen (17-Stine
Jensen, 64), 9-Lene Jensen (12-Janne Madsen, 89); 10-Anne Dot Eggers,
11-Merete Pedersen. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Top of PageWambach's Five Goals Sinks Ireland In Houston The U.S. Women's National Team dominated Ireland for the second match in a row, breaking the game open in the second half with an amazing onslaught from the forward tandem of Abby Wambach and long-time Texas resident Mia Hamm to record an exciting 5-0 win in front of 16,991 fans at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. It was just the third time in history that the U.S. women had played a match indoors as the retractable roof was closed on the state-of-the-art stadium. In a performance perhaps indicative of Hamm's complete talents and unselfishness throughout her career, she assisted on four of Wambach's five second-half strikes. The quintet of goals gave the 24-year-old forward a whopping 28 goals in 2004 and made her only the fourth player in WNT history to score five goals in a match. "All game I was telling her that we had to get her (a goal) so it's ironic that she kept giving me balls that I had to finish," said Wambach of her striking partner Hamm. "But this is for the fans. We wanted to score some great goals and I think we gave that to them tonight." The 28 goals, combined with 12 assists, give her a total of 68 points in 2004 and move her past Hamm (60 points in 1998) for the second-most points in a year behind only Michelle Akers (85 pts in 1991). The USA also improved to 37-0-1 in games in which Wambach has scored. The crowd total allowed the U.S. Women's National Team to break the 100,000 attendance mark at this seventh stop on the "Fan Celebration Tour," totaling 106,898 for an average of 15,271 per game. The USA is 7-0-0 during the FCT. With the victory the U.S. WNT broke the record for wins in a calendar year with 27, besting the 26 wins that the U.S. Women earned in 2000. The USA, currently at 27-1-3 in 2004, has a chance to add to the record as it shoots to finish the 10-game tour with a perfect mark with three matches remaining. The tour next heads next to the East Coast where the U.S. will face Denmark on Nov. 3 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.Y., (7:30 ET) and again on Nov. 6 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., (4 p.m. ET), before ending with yet-to-be confirmed match in early December. After some early energy by the Irish, the match settled into a rhythm that saw Ireland drop back into a bunker and the USA launch attack after attack at the packed defense. Ireland was content with the occasional counter attack that was inevitably thwarted by the U.S. backs before they could become dangerous. The best U.S. chances in the first half came off headers by Wambach and Cindy Parlow that flew just feet past the goal, and a shot by Wambach the flew wide right after a great Parlow dribbling run produced a near post cross. Once the second half started and Wambach took over, scoring five goals in a 42-minute span, the last four amazingly in the final 15 minutes of the match. The first goal came less than two minutes into the second half as Hamm hit a long, looping cross from the right flank. Wambach ran under it, beating her defender to the spot and sent a header back across the goal and into the right corner. "It was so nice to be able to come back to Texas," said Hamm. "I had a lot of my friends and family here and the crowd was unbelievable. This tour has been an opportunity to say thank you for 17 very special years. To see the sport continue to grow and know you've been a part of it is a great feeling, but if the fans didn't come out and support us, we wouldn't get the recognition and funding we need to continue to get better. It's so great to see all these young girls in the stands, getting excited and wanting to be out here representing their country one day." The second goal came in the 76th minute as Hamm once again streaked down the right flank and drew a pair of defenders before playing a square ball across the goalmouth to the far post. Wambach held off a defender to bounce her half-volley into the net past the helpless Irish goalkeeper Sarah Peters. "The people who are retiring from this game are lifelong friends, and obviously Mia has been an instrumental part of my career," said Wambach. "I don't know what is going to happen when she retires, but she is leaving the team in good hands and we're going to take care of this thing." Wambach completed the hat trick three minutes later on a goal reminiscent of her game-winner in the 2004 Olympic gold medal match. Hamm's corner kick from the left side found Wambach in the middle of the penalty area and she snapped a header into the net from seven yards out. The fourth goal came in an unconventional fashion as defender Christie Rampone floated a long ball into the penalty area from the left flank. With Wambach challenging, Peters punched it off the head of an Irish defender and back over her own head towards the goal. Wambach held off another defender and toe-poked it into the net from close range. She got her record-tying score in the 90th minute after Hamm pulled off a nifty heel flick inside the penalty area into the path of Wambach, who easily slipped her shot inside the right post. With the goal, Wambach joined Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers and Tiffeny Milbrett as the only players to score five goals in a full international match for the U.S. Women's National Team. For each ticket purchased during the 10-game U.S. Women's National Team "Fan Celebration Tour" of cities throughout the country, NikeGO will donate $1 of Nike soccer product to support the increase of girls soccer participation in each city. NikeGO is a grassroots community outreach program designed to achieve NIKE's overarching corporate goal of promoting youth health and fitness through sport. Nike has also purchased 50 tickets for each game for youth involved with the recipient organization. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Abby Wambach (Mia Hamm) 47th minute. Lineups: IRL: 1-Sarah Peters; 2-Ronnie Gibbons, 3-Sharon Boyle,
4-Dolores Deasley, 5-Yvonne Tracy (15-Kariena Richards, 76); 6-Elaine
O'Conner, 13-Katie Taylor, 8-Michelle O'Brien, 12-Grainne Kierans (0-Michelle
Walsh, 90), 17-Claire Scanlan; 11-Olivia O'Toole. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: None Officials: Chevrolet Player of the Game: Abby Wambach 2004 U.S. WNT “Fan Celebration Tour” Schedule Top of PageKANSAS CITY, Mo. (October 16, 2004) - The U.S. Women's National Team earned a deserved 1-0 shutout in front of 20,435 fans at Arrowhead Stadium as Angela Hucles scored in the first half to lift her team over Mexico in the fifth match of the 10-game "Fan Celebration Tour." It was the largest crowd to watch the U.S. women in 2004, besting the previous high of 18,806 that saw the USA defeat New Zealand, 6-0, last weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio. "I'm thankful and appreciative of the opportunity to represent my country and to represent all these people that came out to watch us play," said U.S. forward Mia Hamm, who played the first half. "These are special moments and we appreciate everything. It's not the warmest of nights and it's just a special thing to see all these young girls out here and hopefully they see themselves on this field one day." The win moved the USA to 5-0-0 during the 10-game tour and 25-1-3 on the year. The USA is now within two wins of breaking the record for most victories in a calendar year for the U.S. women (26, set in 2000), with five matches remaining on the "Fan Celebration Tour." On a chilly night in front of an appreciative crowd, the U.S. came up against a young, but pesky Mexican side that battled well against the Olympic champions on both ends of the field, only to produce one truly dangerous chance during the match. That came in the 33rd minute after a long ball sailed over the U.S. back line and onto the foot of Teresa Worbis, but she wasted her one-on-one chance by blasting her volley high over the crossbar from 18 yards out. The USA, which created nine corner kicks in the first 30 minutes, and 13 for the match, finally broke through in the 36th minute off a great build-up instigated by a dynamic penetrating dribble from Hamm. The world's all-time leading scorer then sent a nice pass down the left flank to Aly Wagner, who bent a pin-point early ball on the ground into the penalty area to the streaking Hucles, who ripped her shot off of Mexico goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar's hands and into the lower right corner for her fifth career goal. "The majority of the credit goes to these young ladies, to (Mexico head coach) Leo Cueller and the staff who have been pursuing the importance of soccer in their country," said U.S. defender Brandi Chastain when asked what impact of the success of the U.S. Women's National Team has had on Mexico's improvement. "I'd like to think that we've something do it with because we have made soccer a little bit more popular on the global scale for women, but I think they are the only ones responsible for the amount growth and development they've had in the last fours year, and it's been impressive. They played a great game tonight and all those players are very composed under pressure and have a good touch on the ball. You kind of hope they don't get too much better." Hucles rolled her ankle in the 81st minute and had to leave the match. As the USA has already used all of its available substitutes, back-up goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart was sent into the game to play forward. It was an extremely unique first cap for the 23-year-old Barnhart, a Stanford University senior who was called in only to replace the USA's starting goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who had to miss this match due to a previous commitment. Barnhart, the starting goalkeeper for the USA's Under-21 National Team, had several quality touches on the front line for the USA. She played a Pac-10 match for Stanford yesterday and will return to the Bay Area tomorrow morning to suit up for the Cardinal as they play Arizona State tomorrow afternoon. Kristin Luckenbill made three saves in goal for the USA to earn her second career shutout. The "Fan Celebration Tour" stops next in Chicago as the USA plays the first of two matches against Ireland on Wed., October 20 at Soldier Field (7:30 p.m. CT). The USA then travels to Reliant Stadium in Houton, Texas, on Saturday, October 23 (7 p.m. CT) for the second leg. The "Fan Celebration Tour" will finish with two matches on the East Coast against Denmark on Nov. 3 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (7:30 p.m. ET) and on Nov. 6 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. (4 p.m. ET), before ending with yet-to-be confirmed match in early December. For each ticket purchased during the 10-game U.S. Women's National Team "Fan Celebration Tour" of cities throughout the country, NikeGO will donate $1 of Nike soccer product to support the increase of girls soccer participation in each city. Nike has already targeted partners in the nine announced locations, which consist largely of local Parks and Recreation programs to benefit from the program. NikeGO is a grassroots community outreach program designed to achieve NIKE's overarching corporate goal of promoting youth health and fitness through sport. Nike has also purchased 50 tickets for each game for youth involved with the recipient organization. The U.S. women have drawn more than 77,000 fans through five games of the tour. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Match-up: USA vs. Mexico Scoring Summary: USA – Angela Hucles (Aly Wagner) 36th minute. Lineups: MEX: 1-Pamela Tajonar; 2-Elizabeth Gomez, 3-Jessica
Romero, 4-Monica Gonzales, 5-Maria Castillo; 13-Nancy Gutierrez (15-Christine
Nieva, 80), 6-Monica Vergara, 7-Dioselina Valderrama, 8-Rebecca Juarez,
10-Evelin Lopez; 11-Teresa Worbis. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: None. Officials: Chevrolet Player of the Game: Angela Hucles Top of PageThe U.S. Women's National Team dominated New Zealand for the second straight match to record a 6-0 win, as six different players figured in the scoring in front of 18,806 appreciative fans on a gorgeous day at Paul Brown Stadium, home of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. It was the largest crowd to watch the U.S. women in 2004, besting the previous high of 17,805 that saw a 3-0 win over Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M. It also became the highest-attended match on the "Fan Celebration Tour," improving on the mark of 16,554 fans that were at PGE Park on Oct. 3 to watch the U.S. down the Kiwis last weekend. The game also marked the return to the hometown of U.S. defender Heather Mitts, who played all 90 minutes at right back. "I'm proud of Cincinnati for getting such a great crowd," said Mitts, who won a state title with St. Ursula Academy in 1993. "This tour is partly about saying goodbye to some of our veterans players and a great way to do that is in front of a crowd like this." The win moved the USA to 4-0-0 during the 10-game tour and 24-1-3 on the year. The USA is now within three wins of breaking the record for most victories in a calendar year for the U.S. women (26, set in 2000), with six matches remaining on the "Fan Celebration Tour." The USA put on consistent pressure in the first 25 minutes, firing seven total shots, five on goal, with Hamm having the best chance in the 16th minute as New Zealand goalkeeper Pam Yates saved her point blank re-direction of a Lilly pass at the left post. It was only a matter of time however until New Zealand buckled under the U.S. pressure and the Americans struck for two goals in less than a minute. The first was a rather simple play from Hamm as she took a pass from Cat Reddick on the left flank, dribbled into the penalty area and blasted a right-footed shot into the net at the near post from 15 yards out. The driven shot extended her world record to 157 career goals. Less than a minute later Lilly scored her 101st career goal after Hamm once again dribbled into the box in the left side of the penalty area, but instead of shooting, cut a pass back to Lilly. She stepped around a charging defender to the inside and hit a hard right-footed shot that skipped off the right hand of Yates and into the net. The goal marked Hamm's 138th career assist. The goal also moved Lilly to within six scores of becoming the second all-time leading international scorer in the history of the world behind Hamm. Last weekend in Portland, Ore., Lilly became just the fifth player in the history of the game to record 100 goals for her country when she tallied in a 5-0 win over New Zealand. Lilly joined Hamm, former teammate Michelle Akers (105) and two Italians, Elisabetta Vignotto (107) and current Italian National Team head coach Carolina Morace (104). The USA scored four goals in second half, the first coming from Aly Wagner just six minutes after the break after Abby Wambach was cut down right above the left side of the penalty area. Wagner spun her shot over the wall and into the left corner for her 16th career goal. Four minutes later, U.S. captain Julie Foudy added the fourth with a cracker of a goal, running onto a first-time touch back from Cindy Parlow to strike a 27-yard blast -- left-footed no less -- that skipped off the turf, off the hands of the diving Yates, off the right post and into the net. "The tiger striping near the goals was a little hard to negotiate," said Foudy of the football end zones painted with the Bengals black and orange colors. "But maybe it worked to our advantage because you could throw a couple step-overs and get the defenders lost in there. But it was great that we could put on a good show for the fans. They were great today." Parlow added the final two goals for the USA, the fifth coming on a U.S. counter-attack as she took a pass from Wagner down the right wing and dribbled into the penalty box, where she struck a low shot that deflected off the toe of Kiwi captain Rebecca Smith and into the net from eight yards out. The final goal, and the 72nd of Parlow's international career, came when she pounded in a header off a Lilly free-kick from the left flank in the 77th minute. The "Fan Celebration Tour" stops next in Kansas City as the USA will face 2004 Olympic participant Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 16, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., (5 p.m., with Kansas City Wizards vs. Los Angeles Galaxy to follow at 7:30 p.m.), before facing Ireland in a pair of matches, on Wed., October 20 at Soldier Field in Chicago (7:30 p.m. CT) and on Saturday, October 23 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas (7 p.m. CT). For each ticket purchased during the 10-game U.S. Women's National Team "Fan Celebration Tour" of cities throughout the country, NikeGO will donate $1 of Nike soccer product to support the increase of girls soccer participation in each city. NikeGO is a grassroots community outreach program designed to achieve NIKE's overarching corporate goal of promoting youth health and fitness through sport. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Mia Hamm (Cat Reddick) 25th minute. Lineups: NZL: 1-Pam Yates; 12-Jane Simpson (2-Melissa Ray, 46),
5-Maia Jackman, 6-Rebecca Smith (Capt.), 3-Zarnia Cogle (11-Rebecca Simpson,
71); 15-Kirsty Yallop (4-Priscilla Duncan, 63), 7-Simone Ferrara, 8-Hayley
Moorwood, 9-Nicky Smith (20-Michele Keinzley, 63), 14-Dana Humby (18-Pip
Meo, 46); 10-Amber Hearn (19-Anne Ormrod, 63). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Chevrolet Player of the Game: Cindy Parlow 2004 U.S. WNT "Fan Celebration Tour" Results / Schedule Top of PageHamm Will Retire After Olympic Games Saturday, May 15, 2004) -- Striker Mia Hamm,
the top scorer in international soccer history and a key member of the
American team chasing Olympic gold this summer, confirmed her intent to
retire after the Summer Games in Greece. Top of PageALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Sunday, May 9, 2004) - Strikers Cindy
Parlow and Mia Hamm, and midfielder Lori
Chalupny scored second-half goals, leading the United States
women to a 3-0 decision over Mexico before 17,805 at University Stadium
this afternoon. Top of PageHamm Leads USA Over Brazil In Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 24, 2004) - The U.S. Women's National
Team put together a world class performance in a decisive 5-1 win over
Brazil in its first domestic game of 2004 on the road to the Athens Olympics.
Forward Mia Hamm registered assists on the first three
goals and added a final goal in the 87th minute as the U.S. rolled over
South America's Olympic representative.
A crowd of 11,527 were on hand for the game at Birmingham's Legion Field. The USA played with confidence from the opening whistle on a hot but breezy day, and the first goal came after some consistent U.S. pressure as Hamm broke free into the left side of the penalty area. She cut back hard on a defender and slipped, but popped to her feet and struck a short cross that was batted into the middle of the box by Brazilian goalkeeper Andreia. The ball sat nicely on the turf for team captain Julie Foudy, who ran onto it and plowed her first-time shot in the net from eight yards out in the 13th minute. For Foudy, it was her 44th career international goal. The second goal was also courtesy of Hamm, who drew a foul near the right sideline about 45 yards from the goal and then launched a perfectly driven ball to the far post on the free kick. Wambach slipped her mark to the far post, and beat the leaping Andreia to the ball to nod it into the net from a sharp angle, sending the ball back across the goal into the lower right corner in the 31st minute. The U.S. added another one just before halftime through a great combination of passes that saw Shannon Boxx put Hamm behind the defense in the left side of the penalty area with a perfectly-weighted ball. Hamm drew a defender, then unselfishly played a pass back into the middle for Wambach, who with only Andreia to beat, cut her shot into the left corner from seven yards out in the 42nd minute. The goals were the latest in Wambach's torrid scoring pace at the international level, upping her career total to 25 goals in 35 career games and 11 goals in her last 10 games. Brazil's most dangerous chance in the first half came in the 44th minute, as Cristiane skipped a header off the top of the crossbar from a free kick, but U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry had it covered. Brazil turned up the pressure a notch for a stretch in the second half and broke through in the 55th minute off a poor U.S. clearance, as Marta took the ball out of the air at the top of the box and quickly blasted a skipping shot past Scurry into the lower right corner. Both teams subbed freely in the second half, with each team making six changes after the break. U.S. goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill earned her first career cap at the full WNT level when she replaced Scurry in the 66th minute. Former U.S. Under-21 and Under-19 star midfielder Lori Chalupny earned just her seventh WNT cap, coming on for Kristine Lilly in the 76th minute. With the game all but decided with five minutes to play, 23-year-old forward Christie Welsh helped the Americans tack on two more goals for the final margin. Welsh, who last appeared for the U.S. on April 27, 2002, ran onto a ball that forward Cindy Parlow brought down out of the air and finished past substitute goalkeeper Maravilha in the 86th minute. It was Welsh's 13th goal in 22 career matches for the U.S. Less than a minute later, Welsh played a diagonal ball between two defenders to find Hamm at the penalty spot, where she finished easily from 14 yards out to increase her world record to 148 career goals. The match marked a homecoming for Birmingham native Reddick, who almost delighted the crowd twice, getting two scoring chances in the first half off corner kicks. Her first one was sliced wide right of the goal and the second in the 37th minute was saved by Andreia as the shot was fired through goalmouth traffic. The U.S. team has a week off before returning to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif. on May 3, where they will resume Olympic Residency camp and train before their next match, a May 9 friendly versus Olympic qualifying Mexico at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M., at 1 p.m. MT live on ESPN2. The U.S. also has matches scheduled for June 6 (vs. Japan in Louisville), July 21 (vs. Australia in Blaine, Minn.), and two more matches to be announced this week which will complete the team's six-game domestic exhibition schedule leading up to the Olympics in mid-August. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Julie Foudy (Mia Hamm) 13th minute. Lineups: BRA: 1-Andréia (12-Maravilha, 82); 3-Monica (16-Elaine,
59), 6-Rosana (17-Michelle, 75), 21-Tania, 18-Janaina (19-Juliana, 46);
5-Renata Costa, 14-Daniela, 7-Formiga (8-Maycon, 82), 22-Marta; 9-Katia,
11-Cristiane (10-Kelly, 46). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Top of PageU.S. Women Beat Norway 4-1 To Win Algarve Cup FARO, Portugal (March 20, 2004) - The U.S. Women's National Team roared to a resounding 4-1 victory over Norway to win the 2004 Algarve Cup as Abby Wambach scored three times and 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley tallied once to give the Americans their third tournament championship of the young year. With her hat trick, Wambach won the tournament's Top Scorer award with four goals while defensive midfielder Shannon Boxx was named the Best Player of the tournament. The USA now adds the Algarve Cup trophy to the CONCACAF crown and Four Nations Tournament title won over the last three months. "USA-Norway is one of the greatest rivalries in sports and for us to come out after a difficult loss to Sweden and play like we did on both offense and defense is a tremendous achievement in itself," said Heinrichs, whose team has been on the road for 58 of the last 68 days since coming together on Jan. 12. "If you combine that with how long we have been on the road, and the teams we had to go through to win this tournament, this is truly a remarkable achievement and great example of consistent winning in the era of parity for women's soccer." The match was played at the recently opened Estadio Algarve, built for the 2004 European Championships, and the game was worthy of the spectacular setting. Four of the five goals came in the last 15 minutes of the first half, and the final U.S. goal came just six minutes into the second half as the USA's scored on three consecutive shots, two before the break and one after. The USA opened the scoring on a Wambach header off a Mia Hamm corner kick in the 30th minute. Norway's legendary midfielder Hege Riise tied the game on a free-kick in the 38th, but the USA struck right back, scoring one minute later and then four minutes after that, as Wambach and Tarpley traded goals and assists to give the USA a 3-1 lead going into halftime. Wambach completed her hat trick with a clinical finish in the 51st minute to up her international goal total to 23. Wambach now has nine goals in 2004, the same number which led the team for the entire year in 2003. It was also her second career hat trick. The win evened the all-time series at 18-18-2, the first time the USA has been at .500 with Norway since the 1991 Women's World Cup Final, and extended the USA's winning streak over Norway to an unprecedented five games, the longest ever between the two rivals. In addition, the young goal scorers gave the U.S. veterans a win in what may be their final match against Norway should the group retire from international play after the 2004 Olympics. "There have been times over the last four plus years where I have been painfully aware of the fact that Norway leads the overall series," said Heinrichs, whose team defeated Norway in the 2000 Algarve Cup Final as well. "But I have to admit on a personal level, it's been one of my goals as a coach is to right that discrepancy and for us to do it the biggest games, in the World Cup and in Algarve Cup finals, is a tribute to our mental toughness." The win also marked a rebound from a frustrating 3-1 loss to Sweden in the USA's final group match as center back Cat Reddick led a stifling defense that won almost every long ball sent into their area. Reddick, along with her center defense partner Heather Mitts, and Boxx, where the only U.S. players to start all four matches of the Algarve Cup, but Heinrichs did play all 20 players on her roster over the course of the tournament. "After our performance against Sweden, we knew we had to squeeze the gap between the midfielders and forwards because we left far too much space in that game," said Reddick. "We learned from our mistakes, we stuck to the game plan, squeezed the game well and the backs were proud of our performance." Wearing its red jerseys for the first time in the tournament, the USA played a complete match, showing great possession on the perfect and wide field of Estadio Algarve, but found it tough going at an organized and packed Norway defense. The first goal came off a set play as Mia Hamm launched a corner kick from the left side to the far post. The corner had been earned by Hamm herself, who roasted Gunhild Folstad in the left side of the penalty area and ripped a cross. The ball was poorly cleared and fell to Angela Hucles, who fired a shot from 14 yards out that forced Norway goalkeeper Bente Nordby to make a spectacular save, pushing the ball away for a corner. On the ensuing kick, Wambach rose to meet the Hamm's cross at elbow of the six-yard box, and sent a bullet header off Nordby's hands and into the roof of the net. Norway played a 4-5-1 formation that morphed into a 4-3-3 on the attacking end, but the U.S. outside backs of Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf shut down the Scandinavian wingers all game long. All of Norway's danger came through, or directly from midfielders Hege Riise and Solveig Gulbrandsen, and it was Riise who tied the game in the 38th minute. Reddick was harshly whistled for a foul at the top of the penalty box on the left side and Riise bent a world-class free kick from 23 yards out into the lower right corner past diving U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry. While the beginning of the match was combative as both teams sent long balls back and forth, the USA soon settled into nice rhythm and scored twice in four minutes at the end of the half, answering Riise's goal after just one minute. "Norway is a great team and it takes a lot to break down their defense," said Wambach. "To be able to score two goals against Norway is a great accomplishment, never mind four. I knew it was going to be a great game when they equalized, but we were able to turn it up a notch." The winning goal came after a dynamic U.S. attack forced a quick back
pass by a Norwegian defender to Nordby and she cleared the ball away with
her feet. Reddick won the ball directly to Tarpley, who collected on the
left wing and exploded on nifty dribble towards the middle of the field
before slipping a perfect pass behind the defense to Wambach in the left
side of the penalty area. Wambach ran onto the ball and smacked her left-footed
shot across the goalkeeper and into the lower right corner from 16 yards
out. "It was definitely difficult coming into this tournament off three days rest," said Boxx, who along with her teammates had just three days between the end of the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament and leaving for the Algarve Cup. "The team showed a lot of pride playing hard in every single game and the fact we lost to Sweden and came back with a big win today shows how much we want to win." In the other placement matches, Greece defeated Northern Ireland, 2-0, for 11th place, Finland defeated Wales, 4-0, for 9th place and Denmark downed Portugal, 1-0, for 7th place. In the 5th place match, Sweden and China tied 1-1 during regulation, but the Swedes won 5-4 on penalty kicks. The third-place match also went into penalties after France and Italy played to a wild 3-3 tie, with France tying the game in stoppage time and then prevailing from the spot, 4-3. Sweden's Sofia Lundgren was named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament while Greece was honored with the Team Fair Play Award. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Abby Wambach (Mia Hamm) 30th minute. Lineups: NOR: 1-Bente Nordby; 2-Gunhild Folstad, 3-Ane Stangeland, 4-Anne Tonnessen
(16-Ingvild Stensland, 59), 15-Marit Christensen (5- Ann Morkved, 86);
6-Hege Riise (17-Lene Espedel, 91+), 8-Solveig Gulbrandsen, 10-Unni Lehn,
7-Elisabeth Fagereng (13-Kristine Edner, 74); 9-Tonje Hansen, 11-Heidi
Pedersen (14-Elene Moseby, 82). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Saturday, March 20 - Placement Games 1st Place: USA Best Player: Shannon Boxx (USA) Top of PageU.S. Women Lose, But Still Advance To Title Game LAGOS, Portugal (March 18, 2004) - The U.S. Women's National Team lost to Sweden, 3-1, in the final match of Group A at the Algarve Cup, but still qualified for the tournament championship game and will meet Norway on Saturday, March 20, at 6 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET. The final will be played at the brand new "Stadium of Algarve" which opened at the beginning of this month and will serve as a venue for the 2004 European Championship. Fans can follow the Algarve Cup championship game on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker presented by Philips Electronics. With the U.S. loss, and France's 1-0 victory over Denmark in the other Group A match, the USA, France and Sweden finished group play tied for first with six points each. The USA, which took care of business in the first two group matches, won the group based on a superior goal difference, finishing at plus-three while France and Sweden had an even goal difference. Despite the win, Sweden finished behind France on goals scored, and will play for fifth place against China, which cruelly gave up just one goal in Group B, but finished third after a 0-0 tie with Norway today. France will face Italy, a 2-1 winner over Finland, for third place. "It felt like all the bounces went Sweden's way," said U.S. forward Shannon MacMillan. "Their goalkeeper came up big for them and they were able to put away their chances. It just shows the level of competition at this tournament. Every game and every goal can make a difference." The irony of the match is that the USA could have been up several goals at halftime after playing a superb first half, but went into the break down a goal. Both teams took 11 shots in the game, and the USA had 11 corner kicks to Sweden's three, but the difference was the finishing of the Europeans. Malin Andersson scored in the 34th minute, cracking a rebound from a corner kick through traffic and into the net from 20 yards out. Sweden's young star Josefine Oqvist then added two more goals in the second half just eight minutes apart. If the USA had given up one more goal, Sweden would have won the group and advanced to the championship game by virtue of a better goal difference, but instead the Americans pulled one back in the 85th minute on a Cat Reddick header, then had to wait anxiously for the France result, which put the USA in its fifth Algarve Cup championship game. The increasing parity of women's international soccer was on display in Group A, which saw the USA defeat France, France beat Sweden and Sweden defeat USA. Sweden, ranked # 5 in the FIFA Women's World Rankings, picked up its first win over the USA since 2001 and reversed the score line from the opening match of the 2003 Women's World Cup. This time however, it was the USA, not Sweden that would advance to the Final. The USA owned the first half and almost scored just minutes into the game when a wind-blown MacMillan corner kick knuckled by Sweden goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren and had to be cleared off the goal line by a defender. "The first half was our best 45 minutes of the year," said
U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "We put together
virtually everything that we've worked on in 2004. We had Sweden on their
heels and in an environment I don't think they have experienced in three
or four years against the USA where we had the ball and they were chasing
and questioning what was going on." "Soccer is just a funny game," said U.S. midfielder Lindsay Tarpley, who came on in the 65th minute. "But the more games I see and play at this level, the more it becomes clear that you have to take care of the little things. We have a bunch of highly competitive people on this team so I know everyone will rebound to play well against Norway." In Group C, Portugal won the group with a 3-0 win over Greece while Wales beat Northern Ireland, 3-1, a game that will be reprised in the match for 11th place. Finland will play Greece for 9th place and Portugal will play Denmark for 7th, which had the misfortune of losing all three group games by 1-0 scores. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: SWE - Malin Andersson (Unassisted) 34. Lineups: SWE: 12-Sofia Lundgren; 2-Karolina Westberg, 3-Jane Tornqvist, 4-Hanna
Marklund, 10-Sofia Eriksson; 6-Malin Mostrom, 14-Linda Fagerstrom (15-Therese
Sjogran, 58), 17-Anna Sjostrom (8-Frida Nordin, 8), 9-Malin Andersson;
11-Victoria Svensson (16-Salina Olsson, 78), 20-Josefine Oqvist (7-Lotta
Schelin, 80). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: 2004 Algarve Cup Final Standings Group B Group C 2004 ALGARVE CUP Tuesday, March 16 Thursday, March 18 Saturday, March 20 Top of PageQUARTEIRA, Portugal -- Former University of Virginia standout Angela Hucles has taken on the role of goal scorer in the Algarve Cup. Her third goal in two games led the United States to a 1-0 win over Denmark Hucles scored in the 61st minute from inside Denmark's penalty area, after taking a ball from Abby Wambach. "In the second half, we were able to settle the ball down a bit more,'' said Hucles. "The ball was just bouncing around in the first half, and in the second half we were able to get better possession and play to our feet.'' U.S. coach April Heinrichs made several changes to the lineup that beat France 5-1 in Sunday's opener, but the Americans didn't take control until Wambach and Julie Foudy went in as second-half substitutes. Hucles scored two goals in the win over France. "When you are the USA there are expectations, there's pressure to win and there's criticism if you don't,'' said Heinrichs. "But as the head coach of this team, I have to make the decision to give young players and opportunity to play. They need to be confident, and the only way for them to have confidence is to go out and play Denmark and find ways to beat the good teams from around the world.'' The Americans play 2003 World Cup finalist Sweden on Thursday for a place in the championship game. In other games, Norway beat Italy 3-0, France defeated Sweden 3-0 and China beat Finland 4-0. Top of PageFERREIRAS, Portugal (March 14, 2004) - Mia Hamm showed once again that she can pass as well as score, dishing for three assists, and scoring on a penalty kick, all in the first half of the U.S. Women's National Team's dominating 5-1 win over France in the opening game of the 2004 Algarve Cup. Hamm assisted on the USA's first goal to Abby Wambach, then nailed a penalty kick and set up two Angela Hucles goals, all in the first 33 minutes of the game. The USA actually scored on five of its first six shots, adding the last goal just seconds after the break as Lindsay Tarpley scored one minute and 35 seconds after stepping on the field as a halftime substitute. "I am so thoroughly pleased with this team's effort, pride and motivation in today's game," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs, whose team finished its Olympic qualifying tournament in Costa Rica just nine days ago. "It was a very hard turn around from Olympic qualifying to here and now we are playing one of the top teams in the world. So to win 5-1 is a tremendous day for the team." France, a 2003 Women's World Cup participant who is ranked #9 in the FIFA World Rankings, started the game with a physical edge and the first 20 minutes featured hard tackles and flying bodies from both sides. The USA, which had so much success scoring on set plays at the 2003 Women's World Cup, scored three of that variety in this match, and the first came in the 16th minute off a free kick flush on the left sideline about 20 yards from the end line. Hamm spun a hard cross that flew over French goalkeeper Sandrine Capy to the crashing Wambach, who pounded a header into the net from two yards out. "In a position like that, you try to freeze the goalkeeper with the service and I was able to do that with the cross," said Hamm. "But whenever you have to or three people running at the goalkeeper it causes her to hold her line and second-guess herself. You had Julie (Foudy) running near post and Abby running far post and she did a great job finishing it." It was Wambach's 20th career goal in just 31 career games as she kept up her blistering scoring pace at the international level. The next three U.S. goals came in a span of seven minutes and effectively put the match away. Playing against a strong wind in the first half, the French goal kicks were hanging in the air, and Leslie Osborne skied to win a header that floated to Hamm about 30 yards from the goal. She deftly flicked the ball with her head to Wambach who was charging into the left side of the penalty area. Wambach collected the ball smoothly, then cut back inside on a defender and was cut down. Hamm stepped up and drilled her penalty shot into the left corner for her 147th career international goal. "We finished our opportunities today," said Hamm. "We've talked about trying to get numbers forward and we were able to do that. We put pressure on them and were able to win the free kick and corner kick that led to the goals." Two minutes after her first goal, Hucles struck again, but it was Hamm who once again supplied the magic. Foudy carried the ball down the right side, cut into the middle drawing a defender, then played Hamm down the right wing. Hamm danced past French defender Laura Georges on the dribble into the penalty area, drove straight at the near post, and played a simple pass back to Hucles who first-timed the ball into the goal from six yards out. "Angela made a great run and got in behind them," said Hamm. "I can get end line, but if people aren't willing to make the runs, you going to have trouble scoring and I had more options than just Ang on that play." Hucles second goal of the game, and third of her career, gave her more goals in a three-minute span than she had scored in her previous 29 games of her national team career. Heinrichs made three substitutions at halftime, sending on Cindy
Parlow, Shannon MacMillan and Tarpley while moving to a three-woman
forward line and it paid off in a goal right away in the 47th minute.
Parlow slipped a pass to Tarpley in the right side of the penalty area
and the 20-year-old got a solid toe on the ball to roll it into the lower
left corner from 10 yards out. The USA carries a plus-four goals against average into its next Group A match against Denmark, a large margin for the usually closely contested Algarve Cup. The USA faces the Danes, 1-0 losers to Sweden in the first Group A match of the day, on Tuesday, March 16, at 1:45 p.m. local / 8:45 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the match on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker presented by Philips Electronics. Sweden, which got a 48th minute goal from Salina Olsson, almost lost its lead in the 55th minute, but Denmark's Janni Lund Johansen saw her penalty kick saved by Swedish goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren, who then made another brilliant save on the rebound shot to preserve the match for her team. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Abby Wambach (Mia Hamm) 16th minute. Lineups: FRA: 1-Sandrine Capy; 4-Laura Georges, 3-Peggy Provost (2-Anne-Laure
Casseleaux, 63), 5-Sabrina Viguier, 13-Sandrine Dusang; 17-Elise Bussaglia
(10-Elodie Woock, 63), 8-Sonia Bompastor - C, 6-Sandrine Soubeyrand, 7-Stephanie
Mugneret-Beghe (14-Marie-Ange Kramo, 46); 18-Hoda Lattaf (11-Laetitia
Tonazzi, 63), 9-Marinette Pichon (19-Claire Morel, 82). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: 2004 Algarve Cup Standings Group B Group C 2004 ALGARVE CUP Top of PageHeinrichs Stays With Familiar Faces For Algarve Cup United States women's coach April Heinrichs
selected 20 today for the Nordic Cup which starts Sunday and runs to March
20 in Portugal. The U.S. roster for the Algarve Cup: Goalkeepers (2): Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Siri Mullinix (Greensboro, N.C.). Defenders (6): Kylie Bivens (Upland, Calif.), Brandi Chastain (Santa Clara, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Heather Mitts (Cincinnati), Amy LePeilbet (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Cat Reddick (Birmingham, Ala.). Midfielders (7): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Loro Chalupny (St. Louis), Julie Foudy (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Leslie Osborne (Menomonee Falls, Wisc.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Aly Wagner (San Jose, Calif.). Forwards (5): Mia Hamm (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Shannon MacMillan (Escondido, Calif.), Cindy Parlow (Memphis), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.). Top of PageAmericans Crush Costa Ricans 4-0 SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- The U.S. women, as expected, qualified for the Athens Olympics with a semifinal victory in a regional tournament Wednesday. Shockingly, they'll be accompanied to the Olympics by Mexico, which upset Canada 2-1 in the other semifinal. The Americans routed Costa Rica 4-0 on goals by Aly Wagner, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly and Shannon Boxx. "This is my first time qualifying for an Olympics, so I'm really excited,'' Boxx said. "Obviously, it was something that was expected of us, but it's still always a tough road. "We came out today and put on a good performance and got the result we needed.'' After losing in the semifinals of the World Cup last year, the Americans made winning gold in Athens their primary goal. First, of course, came qualifying out of the CONCACAF region. "It's so exciting to know that this team is going to Greece,'' defender Cat Reddick said. "I'm excited to train with these players for the next four months. The Olympics is something you dream about, and every time you see those five rings you know that it's something special.'' The United States won the Olympics in 1996 and finished second in 2000. In reaching the Athens Olympics, the women outdid the U.S. men, who fell to Mexico in qualifying. Men's teams for the Olympics are made up mainly of under-23 players. "In this tournament, I think one of the most important qualities that helped us advance was discipline,'' coach April Heinrichs said. "We didn't react to referees or to late fouls, and that was a huge factor in why we were able to advance. We kept our heads.'' Wagner scored in the fourth minute, when Costa Rican goalkeeper Alejandra Alvarez became entangled with one of her own defenders. Wambach charged in from the left side in the 25th minute, and Lilly scored in the 28th on a free kick. Boxx added a goal in the 50th minute on a pass from Shannon MacMillan. In the first game of the day, Maribel Dominguez had both goals for Mexico, which earned its first trip to the Olympics. Aysha Jamanik had the lone Canadian goal. Canada finished fourth at last year's World Cup. "We did everything to prepare the team for what Mexico does and doesn't do and yet we didn't play well,'' Canada coach Even Pellerud said. "Mexico did not do anything to surprise us, in fact they didn't really play a good game. We just underperformed.'' Regardless, the Mexican players were thrilled with the upset. They meet the United States on Friday for the regional title. "It means so much to us and to Mexican women,'' forward Iris Mora said. "We've been working for seven years and have never won anything. It's just a fantastic feeling. It's almost unbelievable.'' From www.soccertimes.com Top of Page
USA Women To Play Brazil In Alabama The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team will play its first domestic match of 2004 against Brazil on Saturday, April 24, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The game kicks off at 12 Noon CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 as U.S. fans will get their first look at the core of players who will participate in the 2004 Olympics, should the USA qualify in Costa Rica later this month. The U.S. team leaves today to participate in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament from February 25-March 5 in San Jose and Heredia, Costa Rica. Advance tickets ranging in price levels from $18 to $50 go on sale starting today at 10 a.m. CT all Ticketmaster outlets throughout Alabama (including Publix, Coconuts and Wherehouse Music), by phone at 1-800-277-1700, and on-line at www.ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can order through the Alabama Sports Foundation at 205-967-4745. The match at the historic stadium will be the second trip in as many years to Birmingham, home of U.S. defender Cat Reddick. The USA trounced England, 6-0, at a steamy, hot Legion Field in May of 2003 as Memphis, Tennessee, product Cindy Parlow scored four times. Reddick played 90 minutes in that match in her first appearance for the national team in the city where she was a high-school All-American at Briarwood Christian School and two-time Alabama Girl’s Soccer Player of the Year. Now, Reddick will play in Birmingham after starring in the 2003 Women’s
World Cup and winning the MAC Hermann Award for 2003, the equivalent of
the Heisman Trophy for college soccer, as a senior last fall at University
of North Carolina, where she returned after the Women’s World Cup
to lead the Tar Heels to a 27-0-0 record and the NCAA title. The match against Brazil will be the first against the perennial South
American champions since a narrow 1-0 victory on July 13, 2003, in New
Orleans, Louisiana. While Brazil has been one of the success stories of
women’s international soccer over the past decade, the USA has found
great success against the “Samba Queens.” The Americans are
15-1-2 against Brazil all-time, including two victories in Women’s
World Cup matches and one in the semifinal of the Olympics. Brazil has some of the best young players in the world, including 18-year-old forward Marta, who recently signed with Sweden’s top club team, Umea, and 20-year-old Daniela, who played in the WUSA for the San Diego Spirit. Brazil’s top player is former San Jose CyberRays star striker Katia, one of the most dangerous forwards in the world. “Brazil always offers an opportunity to play one of the top four or five teams in the world,” said U.S. Women’s National Team head coach April Heinrichs. “Both teams go after an attacking type of game and that should make for an exciting game. The fans in Alabama were very supportive the last time we played there and although the game is early on our schedule of friendly matches, it could be one the best of 2004.” Brazil has participated in all four Women’s World Cup, as well as the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and had advanced to the semifinals of three consecutive world championships, falling to the USA in the 1999 Women’s World Cup and the 2000 Olympics, before being knocked out in the quarters at the 2003 Women’s World Cup. The USA and Brazil played a historic encounter on July 4, 1999, at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto in front of 73,123 fans with the Americans prevailing, 2-0. The two teams met again in the semifinals in Canberra, Australia, at the 2000 Olympics as the U.S. won, 1-0, on a goal from Mia Hamm. The match at Legion Field will also be a homecoming of sorts for Hamm, who delighted the Alabama fans last year by scoring the first goal of the game against England. Hamm was born in Selma, Alabama, where her father was stationed in the Air Force, before moving on to various stops in her youth career that led to her being the youngest player ever to appear for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the age of 15. She has scored a world record 144 career international goals since debuting for the USA in 1987. Brazil has actually made eight trips to the United States over the years, including the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Brazil has participated in two Nike U.S. Women’s Cups, finishing second in 1998 and 1999, and played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000, where the USA and Brazil played to a 0-0 tie in group play, then met again in the championship game, a 1-0 U.S. victory. Legion Field, one of the most famous college football stadiums of the South, actually has a short, but sterling soccer tradition, having hosted soccer games at the 1996 Olympics as well as two U.S. Men’s National Team games that drew over 21,000 fans to each match. The Alabama Sports Foundation, who once again will serve as local organizer for U.S. Soccer, has been responsible for actively pursuing these events and bringing them to Birmingham. “I went to a bunch of games at the 1996 Olympics and the atmosphere was awesome,” said Reddick. “At that time I dreamed of playing on that field so to get the chance to play my second game at such a famous stadium really is a dream come true. It’ll be so much fun playing in front of my family and friends and I know my teammates are looking forward to some more BBQ and sweat tea.” The match in Birmingham will be the first of six likely domestic matches
for the U.S. Women’s National Team over April, May, June and July
before the 2004 Olympics in Greece, which begin in early August. Top of PageU.S. Women Beat Canada…Win Tournament The U.S. Women's National Team dominated Canada on a cold, wet afternoon at Shenzhen Stadium to record a 2-0 victory, which combined with China's 2-2 tie with Sweden, gave the USA the championship of the 2004 Four Nations Tournament. The USA did not allow a goal in the tournament, finishing with seven points from two wins and a tie, and won the competition for the second year in a row. The weather turned sour for the first time during the USA's stay in China as a steady drizzle fell throughout the match and temperatures dropped into the low 40s, but that didn't stop the USA from putting together a classy performance, getting an early goal from 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley and a late penalty kick from veteran Joy Fawcett after Abby Wambach had been chopped down from behind in the penalty area. "The thing I'm most pleased about is that we got better every game," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "The American teams want to go forward, we attack aggressively and sometimes we lack patience. During the course of this tournament, we showed great patience in picking and choosing the point of attack and as a result we got behind Canada upwards of 20 times tonight. If you can convert that statistic to chances on goal, you're going to win games consistently." The Four Nations Tournament served as a bit of a coming out party for Tarpley at the full international level. The captain of the USA's 2002 Under-19 World Championship Team was the tournament's leading scorer with three goals and started all three matches. The first goal came in the 13th minute, oddly enough, directly off a throw-in from the right sideline. Shannon MacMillan took it quickly and threw the ball into the penalty area to the cutting Tarpley, who let the ball skip past her body while rolling around Canadian captain Charmaine Hooper. Tarpley then darted towards the near post and stuck her shot through the legs of goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc and into the net from four yards out. "The tournament was just a lot of fun," said Tarpley, who scored her first three goals at the senior level. "To play these three teams was a great learning experience for all the young players. The veterans have been great in helping us get adjusted to this level and it gives us confidence to know that we can help the team win in a tournament like this." Heinrichs made four changes from the lineup that started the previous two games, giving goalkeeper Siri Mullinix the nod, but also giving first career starts to Heather Mitts at right back, to Leslie Osborne at right midfield and defender Amy LePeilbet, who played a stellar match in the middle of the defense with Fawcett. "Amy LePeilbet's performance was outstanding," said Heinrichs of the defender's second cap. "She was very strong in the air, won almost every ball and has great recovery speed. The young players stepped into a pressure environment in some of their first appearances for the National Team and positively impacted our performance. Tarpley's three goals was a great performance for a young player She showed she could contribute with her passing as well." Canada played in a 4-4-2 formation with star striker Christine Sinclair and 16-year-old Aysha Jamani up top, but both were outmatched in the air by the U.S. back line. As they did against China, the USA did not allow a shot until the 34th minute, but Canada's first and only shot of the first half did not have much pace and scooted over the end line far from the net. The USA did well to drop and absorb the Canadian service, and Canada, despite some dangerous attacks, only managed one more shot in the second half. It was a good one, though, as Veronique Maranda spun a shot just past the left post in the 78th minute when it was still 1-0. "One of our team goals was to have three shutouts and it's a real tribute to the six defenders and two goalkeepers we played," said Heinrichs. "They were very focused on limiting shots on goal, not giving up goals at crucial moments and staying concentrated, focused and compact in the back. If you want to win games consistently, you have to focus on shutouts." Lilly, Fawcett and Markgraf were the only players to play all 360 minutes of the tournament. The USA will return to the United States tomorrow and then have a little more than a week off before heading to Costa Rica in preparation for the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament being held from Feb. 25-March 5. It will be the first ever trip to Central America for the U.S. women. "If you are going to prepare for Olympic qualifying in such a short time, there is no better way than 13 days of training and 12 days in China with games against three of the best teams in the world," added Heinrichs. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Lindsay Tarpley (Shannon MacMillan) 13th minute. Lineups: CAN: 1-Karina LeBlanc; 2-Marie-Eve Nault, 6-Sharolta
Nonen, 10-Charmaine Hooper, 11-Randee Hermus; 5-Andrea Neil (7-Isabelle
Morneau, 69), 13-Diana Matheson, 14-Aysha Jamani (3-Carmelina Moscato,
79), 15-Veronique Maranda (17-Tanya Dennis, 79), 16-Brittany Timko; 12-Christine
Sinclair. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Chevrolet Woman of the Match: Joy Fawcett FOUR NATIONS FINAL STANDINGS FOUR NATIONS FINAL RESULTS Sunday, Feb. 1 Tuesday, Feb. 3 FOUR NATIONS FINAL SCORERS Top of PageU.S. Women's National Team put together a disciplined and tactically sound performance in a well-played 0-0 draw with host China on the second match day of the 2004 Four Nations Tournament. A win over Canada on Tuesday in the USA's final match will likely clinch the tournament title, provided China does not defeat Sweden by a large number of goals. The USA is in first place after two match days, tied with China at four points each, but ahead on goal difference which is the first tiebreaker. The USA is at plus-3 while China is at plus-1. It was a deserved draw for both teams, as each side took seven total shots and played some high-level possession soccer, but struggled to create dangerous chances against the equally organized back lines. The Chinese team was bolstered by loud, chanting fans, who beat drums during the entire match and roared every time China got near the U.S net. "To play China in China and get a point is a good result for us," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "One of the most demanding aspects of this tournament is to play less than 48 after your last game. We play a very high energy, attacking style, and when you are not allowed to fully recover, it's difficult for an American team to play with that same energy two games in a row." Both teams started the same lineup as during their firsts wins of the tournament, and once again Heinrichs used all of her allowable substitutes. The U.S. held China without a shot until the 34th minute, but when it came, it was dangerous. Jin Xiao Mei sent a well-placed cross in from the right wing and Zhang Ying got a solid head on the ball, but U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry scooped it up with a collapse dive at the right post. The USA's two flank midfielders in the 4-5-1 formation, Kristine Lilly and Shannon MacMillan, accounted for most of the danger in the first half, taking all five of the USA's shots before the break. In the 16th minute, Lilly took off on long dribbling run into the left side of penalty box, but didn't get enough on her shot and it rolled to Chinese goalkeeper Xiao Zhen. In the 43rd minute, Lilly got loose again down the left side and hit a spinning cross that MacMillan did well to volley first time, but it skipped across the face of the goal and out of bounds. In final minute of first half, right back Christie Pearce got behind defense on right side, but her cross on the ground couldn't find a U.S. attacker and it rolled through the penalty area before being cleared. The USA had a scare early in the match when Shannon Boxx cracked heads with a Chinese defender in the 7th minute while aggressively winning a head ball and went down in a heap. She left the field but returned after two minutes with nothing more than a knot above her right eye and put in an excellent day's work of ball winning for the U.S. team. Both teams played low-pressure defense throughout the match, partly due to similar 4-5-1 formations, but also in respect of the other's technical ability. Still, China had its usual excellent possession in the midfield, which was countered by the patience of the Americans on defense who also did well to dispossess the Chinese. "While we won and we were pleased about the Sweden game, we didn't
feel like we defended particularly well or were that organized,"
said Heinrichs of her team's 3-0 win in its first game of the tournament.
"Our improvement in just one game on the defending aspect of our
system was remarkable, so I'm really pleased for our players that we defended
better today." U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: Lineups: CHN: 22-Xiao Zhen; 2-Jin Xiao Mei, 3-Li Jie, 5-Fan Yunjie,
15-Ren Liping; 13-Liu Hua Na (8-Bi Yan, 60), 12-Qu Feifei, 18-Zhang Ying;
7-Zhang Ouying (24-Ji Ting, 60), 10-Teng Wei, 11-Bai Lili (9-Han Duan,
70). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Chevrolet Woman of the Match: Joy Fawcett FOUR NATIONS STANDINGS FOUR NATIONS RESULTS & GAME SCHEDULE Sunday, Feb. 1 Tuesday, Feb. 3 FOUR NATIONS TOP SCORERS Top of PageThe U.S. Women's National Team opened the year with a resounding 3-0 win over 2003 Women's World Cup runner-up Sweden in its first match of the 2004 Four Nations Tournament. The USA sits in first place on goal difference, but tied with China on points, after the first of three match days. China defeated Canada, 2-1, in the first game of the day. Midfielder Shannon Boxx scored on a 13th minute header and 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley scored her first two full international goals in the second half to clinch the game. "I think you saw during the course of the game that both teams were playing their first game of the year," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "Perhaps the fitness and the first touch weren't as sharp as they could have been. But considering the respect we have for Sweden, it was a great result for us and we are pleased to start our year this way." Both teams were playing without some key veterans, but numerous young U.S. players stepped up, especially Tarpley, who took five of the USA's 15 shots and finished her two goals superbly. Boxx's goal off a corner kick was remarkably similar to the one she scored against Sweden in the opening match of the 2003 Women's World Cup, except this one came from the opposite side and instead of Mia Hamm serving the ball, it was Kristine Lilly who drove a cross to the far post. Boxx lost her mark and jumped at the corner of the six-yard box to head the ball back across the goal and over the head of a defender who had vacated the post, dropping it into the right corner to give the USA the early lead. It was Boxx's fifth international goal in just 10 games. "The team did very well for our first game of the year," said defender Joy Fawcett, who directed the defense in an impressive shutout of Sweden. "We made some mistakes, but it's January. We got a lot of players in and the some young players played very well. Anytime you beat Sweden, it's a good win." The USA had a good chance to score just two minutes into the match when Shannon MacMillan took a short free kick to Lilly, pushing the ball inside the penalty area from the right flank, but the U.S. midfielder slapped her shot wide right. Lilly, playing in her world record 264th match, had another great effort in the 13th minute, after running onto a pass from Tarpley in the right side of the penalty area. She sliced off a great cut move back to lose her defender and then drove a shot to the near post, but it was cleared by a sliding defender for the corner kick on which Boxx would tally. While Sweden looked the aggressor as the halftime whistle blew, it was the USA that took over after the break. Tarpley, who had 24 goals at the U-19 level and who has two for the U-21s, opened her account on the senior level in style. In the 51st minute, captain Julie Foudy sent a long, looping pass into the Swedish penalty area where Abby Wambach held off her defender and then nodded a header back to the onrushing Tarpley. The former captain of the U-19s then drilled a first-time half volley from 21-yards out into the lower left corner with her left foot past stunned Sweden goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren. "It was just a great feeling to score for the national team and
contribute to a big win on this level," said Tarpley, who earned
her eighth cap. "Sweden is a very good team, they are physical and
have a really good sense of the game. It was a great team effort to score
three goals." U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Shannon Boxx (Kristine Lilly) 13th minute Lineups: SWE: 1-Sofia Lundgren; 4-Hanna Marklund (5-Kristin Bengtsson,
31), 3-Jane Törnqvist, 2-Karolina Westberg, 19-Sara Thunebro; 8-Frida
Nordin, 15-Therese Sjögran, 17-Anna Sjöström (7-Linda Danlgvist,
78), 18-Frida Östberg (14-Linda Fagerström, 63); 11-Victoria
Svensson (16-Salina Olsson, 68), 20-Josefine Öqvist. Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Top of PageHeinrichs Chooses 22 for Four Nations Tournament U.S. Women’s National Team’s head coach April
Heinrichs has named 22 players to the roster that will depart
for China to participate in the 2004 Four Nations Tournament. The USA
plays its first match against Sweden on January 30 in a rematch of the
opening game of the 2003 Women’s World Cup, a 3-1 U.S. victory.
Heinrichs named the roster, which includes 15 players from the USA’s
2003 Women’s World Cup Team, after 10 days of training at the U.S.
Soccer National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The U.S. Women's National Team got goals from five different players to roll past Costa Rica 5-0 in front of a crowd of 12,349 in the team's first ever match at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., and second to last match prior to the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003, which begins on Sept. 20. One of those five strikes came off the boot of midfielder Shannon Boxx, who made her first career appearance for the USA. Boxx became the 14th player in U.S. Women's National Team history to score in her first cap. Midfielder Tiffany Roberts captained the USA for the first time in her 100th game for the USA, becoming the 16th female player to join the Century Club. While the U.S. had numerous close chances in the first 15 minutes, including driven headers from imposing forwards Cindy Parlow and Abby Wambach that sailed high, and a close-range shot from midfielder Angela Hucles that hit the left post, the USA didn't break through the Costa Rican bunker until the 17th minute. Midfielder Aly Wagner settled a short back pass from Parlow just outside the right side of the penalty area, sized up the frame and used her left foot to bend a perfect 19-yard shot into the upper left corner. It was Wagner's 11th international goal in her 46th game and she was named the Chevrolet Women of the Match. The U.S. continued to dominate the match, as symbolized by the roar of the crowd when goalkeeper Siri Mullinix touched the ball for the first time in the 38th minute, albeit with her feet. However, the U.S. couldn't add another score until the 41st minute, when Wagner took possession on the left side of the penalty area and hit a driven ball to the far post where Wambach powered a header into the right corner from close range before falling on Herra, temporarily injuring the goalkeeper. It was Wambach's eighth international goal in just her 13th cap. At halftime, U.S. head coach April Heinrichs made six of the seven allowed subs, inserting Mia Hamm at forward, Julie Foudy and Kristine Lilly in the midfield and Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett and Christie Pearce alongside Kylie Bivens in the back. Boxx, a native of nearby Redondo Beach, provided the third goal in the 53rd minute, running onto a square pass from Foudy before blasting a left-footed shot into the upper left corner from 18 yards out. Just four minutes later, the U.S. struck again when Lilly's perfectly placed cross from the left flank found forward Parlow towering over a defender at the far post. The 5-foot-11 Parlow punched home an easy header past a helpless Herra. The biggest crowd roar of the night came in the 70th minute, when midfielder Shannon MacMillan entered the game for Wambach, marking an incredible return to the field just 102 days after reconstructive surgery on her right ACL on May 20. Despite missing the last three months of action, MacMillan still leads the team in scoring in 2003 with six goals and two assists. "I honestly didn't doubt I could comeback and I knew I was on a tighter schedule than most, so I didn't have time to mope or feel sorry for myself," said MacMillan of the comeback. "I just went out there every day and put my heart and soul into it." Hamm punctuated the dominating U.S. performance when she pounced on a loose ball in the box and slotted it past Herra in the 82nd minute. The final stats revealed a whopping 32-0 advantage on shots and a 13-0 advantage on corner kicks. The win was the 10th of the year for the U.S. women, who will play its final match before the FIFA Women's World Cup against Mexico on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. PT live on ESPN at Spartan Stadium up the coast in San Jose. The U.S. opens their quest for a third Women's World Cup title on Sunday, Sept. 21 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., at 12:30 p.m. ET. From there, the U.S. travels to Philadelphia to face Nigeria on Sept. 25 at Lincoln Financial Field, before finishing Group A play on Sept. 28 versus North Korea at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Aly Wagner (Cindy Parlow) 17th minute. Lineups: CRC: 23-MaryClare Herra; 2-Evelyn Rojas (8-Ana Campos, 37), 3-Gabriela
Trujillo (Capt.), 4-Karol Segura, 5-Monica Salazar, 6-Xiomara Briceno
(19-Dayna Acosta, 87), 15-Jahaira Aguilar (12-Vanessa Rojas, 81), 9-Ericka
Castro (7-Martha Chavez, 61), 11-Megan Chavez, 16-Cindy Rodriguez (17-Amara
Wilson, 87), 14-Emilia Solano (13-Maricela Rojas, 76). Statistical Summary: Misconduct Summary: Officials: Chevrolet Woman of the Match: Aly Wagner Top of PageHeinrichs Picks World Cup Squad With 27 days until the USA's opening match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named the 20 players who will represent the United States in their home country on women's soccer's grandest stage. Leading the way are four players who are poised to play in their fourth Women's World Cup tournament in team captains Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett, the world's all-time leading scorer Mia Hamm (140 goals) and the world's all-time appearance leader Kristine Lilly (253 caps). Hamm, Lilly and Foudy have played in all 18 of the USA's Women's World Cup matches. The roster is a product of more than two and a half years of player evaluation by Heinrichs and her staff that included 42 international matches, countless youth national team practices and games and almost 260 WUSA games. In the last three years, Heinrichs has looked at 56 players in full international matches. "The roster is a reflection of the veteran leadership and heading into this Women's World Cup, we will need the veterans to provide leadership and the foundation for our consistent performances," said Heinrichs. "I also think this roster reflects an injection of youthful energy and enthusiasm as it includes a large contingent of young WUSA professionals. These players have proven themselves on the highly competitive battlegrounds of the WUSA." Overall, Heinrichs selected 12 players who were on the USA's historic 1999 Women's World Cup Team and 13 that were on the USA's 2000 Olympic Team. "We all know that there are advantages and disadvantages to naming a team too early or too late, but I felt that after watching the players play this week in San Diego, that the timing was perfect to do it now," said Heinrichs, who trained the team for four days at the U.S. Olympic Training Center - Chula Vista and then attended the Founders Cup WUSA Championship game last Sunday. Of the 20-player roster, four are set to play in their third Women's
World Cup tournament (Brandi Chastain, Tiffeny Milbrett, Tiffany Roberts
and Briana Scurry), four made their second Women's World Cup Team (Shannon
MacMillan, Cindy Parlow, Christie Pearce and Kate Sobrero) and eight players
will be Women's World Cup debutantes (Shannon Boxx, Kylie Bivens, Angela
Hucles, Siri Mullinix, Cat Reddick, Danielle Slaton, Aly Wagner and Abby
Wambach). The inclusion of MacMillan, the USA's leading scorer in 2003, marks a remarkable comeback from ACL surgery on May 21 after suffering the serious knee injury three days earlier while playing for the San Diego Spirit. MacMillan worked tirelessly to rehabilitate her knee, trained with the USA last week, and still has almost four weeks left before the opening match on Sept. 21 against Sweden at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Heinrichs chose two goalkeepers to the roster (all three previous U.S. WWC teams had three goalkeepers) as '95 and '99 Women's World Cup and '96 Olympic starter Briana Scurry and 2000 Olympic starter Siri Mullinix got the nod. Both goalkeepers had stellar seasons in the WUSA for the Atlanta Beat and league championship Washington Freedom, respectively. The youngest player and only non-professional selected to the roster is 21-year-old defender Cat Reddick, who is a senior at the University of North Carolina. On the 1999 Women's World Cup roster, Lorrie Fair, then a rising senior at UNC, was the only college player selected. In 1999, the tournament was in the summer and Fair did not miss any college games. Reddick will miss about a month and a half of her college season while representing the USA. Midfielder Aly Wagner, the second youngest player on the team and the
top pick in the 2003 WUSA Draft by the Spirit, was one of the last players
released from both the 1999 Women's World Cup Team and the 2000 Olympic
Team, but has realized her dream of making a U.S. squad for a world championship.
Slaton and Mullinix, both members of the USA's 2000 Olympic team, make
their first Women's World Cup Team. Midfielder Angela Hucles (Boston Breakers) and Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom) also had stellar seasons for their clubs. The 5-foot-11 Wambach tied for the WUSA lead in scoring with 33 points and tallied both goals in the WUSA championship game last Sunday, including a dramatic "golden goal" six minutes in overtime to defeat the Atlanta Beat, 2-1. Wambach has scored seven goals in her 12 matches for the USA in her young international career. The selection of Roberts completes of rebirth of sorts for the midfielder who started four games at the 1995 Women's World Cup at the age of 18. Roberts played 78 minutes as a reserve over two games at the 1999 Women's World Cup, but was out of the national team picture for almost two years until an excellent WUSA season in 2002, which included a league championship with the Carolina Courage, thrust her back into the national team. Her next cap will make her the 16th U.S. player to play 100 times for her country. The 20 players named to the roster have a combined 116 games of Women's World Cup experience and seven of those players have scored in a Women's World Cup, led by Hamm and Milbrett, who have scored six goals each. Lilly has scored five times in Women's World Cup tournaments. Fawcett and Foudy have both scored once in each of their three Women's World Cups. Parlow and MacMillan also own Women's World Cup goals. Of the 11 players who started the 1999 Women's World Cup Final, nine made the 2003 squad, with only retired legends Carla Overbeck and Michelle Akers not on the team. "This is the best roster a U.S. Women's National Team has ever fielded in a world event," added Heinrichs. "We have experience, composure, athleticism, versatility and depth in every position." The 2003 U.S. Women's World Cup Team is an experienced side with an average age of 27.5 years. Combined, the roster has 2,182 caps and 575 international goals. With 10 players having 100 or more caps, four players over 200 and two players almost at 100, the U.S. roster averages an astounding 109 caps per player. Nine players, almost 50% of the roster, hail from California. Of the WUSA clubs, the San Diego Spirit has the most players on the roster with four. The Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, New York Power and Washington Freedom have three players each. The Carolina Courage have two players and the San Jose CyberRays have one. From the colleges, six players represent the University of North Carolina, Santa Clara has four alumni and Notre Dame and Portland have two each. The 2003 U.S. Women's World Cup Team is currently on a break and will re-group in Los Angeles for training at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif., from Aug. 29-Sep. 3. The team will then travel to San Jose, Calif., where the U.S. will be based from Sept. 4-7. That schedule includes two matches, the first against Costa Rica on Sept. 1 at The Home Depot Center (8 p.m. PT on ESPN2) in the first-ever game for a U.S. National Team at the sparkling new stadium and the second on Sept. 7 against Mexico at Spartan Stadium (10 a.m. PT on ESPN). ### 2003 United States Women's World Cup Roster No. Player Pos. Ht. DOB Hometown College Club Caps/Goals * First Women's World Cup GOALKEEPERS (2): Siri Mullinix (Washington Freedom), Briana Scurry (Atlanta Beat); DEFENDERS (7): Kylie Bivens (Atlanta Beat), Brandi Chastain (San Jose CyberRays), Joy Fawcett (San Diego Spirit), Christie Pearce (New York Power), Cat Reddick (UNC), Danielle Slaton (Carolina Courage), Kate Sobrero (Boston Breakers); MIDFIELDERS (6): Shannon Boxx (New York Power), Julie Foudy (San Diego Spirit), Angela Hucles (Boston Breakers), Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Tiffany Roberts (Carolina Courage), Aly Wagner (San Diego Spirit); FORWARDS (5): Mia Hamm (Washington Freedom), Shannon MacMillan (San Diego Spirit), Tiffeny Milbrett (New York Power), Cindy Parlow (Atlanta Beat), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom). 2003 U.S. Women's World Cup Team Staff Head Coach: April Heinrichs Gainesville, Va. ### 2003 U.S. Women's World Cup Bio Shorts
DEFENDERS (7) BRANDI CHASTAIN - #6 (Third Women's World Cup) - Career WWC Stats: 8/7, 693, 1G, 3A: Chastain has been the USA's first-choice left back since 1996, but has moved into the middle of the defense, giving the USA tremendous depth and savvy. Still one of the best attacking defenders and most skillful players in the world, she brings some unique attributes to the position. She has combined extremely well in the central defense with Fawcett to give the USA loads of composure and experience in the back. Her goal celebration after her penalty kick won the 1999 Women's World Cup will forever be one of the most famous images in women's sports history. JOY FAWCETT - #14 (Fourth Women's World Cup) - Career WWC Stats: 17/17, 1560, 3G, 3A: Fawcett is the most capped and highest scoring defender in U.S. history with 214 games played and 26 goals scored. At 35 and with three daughters, Fawcett is still playing world-class soccer from the center of the defense. She had a phenomenal performance at the 2003 Algarve Cup, where she played all 90 minutes of four matches over seven days. She recovered from surgery to remove bone spurs from her ankle in just 11 days early in the WUSA season, then had her best pro season, earning First-Team All-WUSA honors as well as the 2003 WUSA Defender of the Year award. The only player to play every minute of the 1995 and 1999 Women's World Cups and 1996 and 2000 Olympics. CHRISTIE PEARCE - #3 (Second Women's World Cup) - Career
WWC Stats: 1/0, 17, 0G, 0A: CAT REDDICK - #4 (First Women's World Cup) -- Career
WWC Stats: n/a: DANIELLE SLATON - #17 (First Women's World Cup) --
Career WWC Stats: n/a: KATE SOBRERO - #15 (Second Women's World Cup) -- Career WWC Stats: 5/5, 435, 0G, 0A: At 27, Sobrero is in her prime and has two world championship tournaments under her belt. Able to play in the middle (where she did with Carla Overbeck in the 1999 Women's World Cup and at the 2000 Olympics with Joy Fawcett) and on the flank, where she is currently seeing the most minutes, Sobrero's versatility will be a key to the USA's success. She is the USA's leader in minutes played this season and was a 2003 All-WUSA Second Team pick. MIDFIELDERS (6) JULIE FOUDY - #11 (Fourth Women's World Cup) - Career
WWC Stats: 18/16, 1516, 3G, 4A: ANGELA HUCLES - #19 (First Women's World Cup) - Career
WWC Stats: n/a: KRISTINE LILLY - #13 (Fourth Women's World Cup) - 18/17,
1524, 5G, 3A: TIFFANY ROBERTS - #5 (Third Women's World Cup) - Career
WWC Stats: 6/5, 427, 0G, 1A: ALY WAGNER - #10 (First Women's World Cup) - Career
WWC Stats: n/a: FORWARDS (5) SHANNON MacMILLAN - #8 (Second Women's World Cup) - Career WWC Stats: 6/1, 253, 1G, 3A: The striker made a miraculous recovery from ACL surgery on May 21 to make the WWC team, but still has rehab work to do before the tournament begins. The 2002 U.S. Soccer Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year, MacMillan has moved into sixth place on the U.S. all-time scoring list in both goals (58) and total points (162), moving past legend Carin Gabarra. TIFFENY MILBRETT - #16 (Third Women's World Cup) - Career WWC Stats: 12/9, 908, 6G, 0A: The dashing, diminutive Milbrett is just two goals shy of 100. While she has struggled at times with her club, she is still the all-time leading scorer in WUSA history and her production for the U.S. has remained consistent. Equally productive in a two- or three-forward formation, the speedy Milbrett is in her prime and won back-to-back U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year awards in 2000 and 2001. CINDY PARLOW - #12 (Second Women's World Cup) - Career WWC Stats: 6/6, 429, 2G, 2A: Parlow gives opponents a different look than the darting strikers, but her strength and skills in the air make her just as difficult to contain. At just 25 she has 61 goals in 126 games, almost one goal for every two games played. With the skills of a midfielder, the scoring attitude of a forward and the tackling presence of a defender, Parlow is a menace all over the field. She is 5th all-time in goals (61) and 7th in points (143), trailing only legends Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Tiffeny Milbrett and Kristine Lilly. ABBY WAMBACH - #20 (First Women's World Cup) -- Career
WWC Stats: n/a: The tall striker played a major
role in leading the Washington Freedom to the 2003 WUSA title and is practically
unstoppable in league play. With 33 points from 13 goals and seven assists,
she tied teammate Mia Hamm for the WUSA scoring lead. She was also honored
with the WUSA Goal of the Year for a spectacular diving header and was
the only American among the six forwards on the All-WUSA teams, earning
First-Team honors. With smooth skills despite her size and a world-class
heading and shooting presence, Wambach is a force. Top of PageThe U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team dominated Iceland in its second Group A match at the 2003 Nordic Cup and came away with a 3-0 victory, which combined with a 1-1 tie between Norway and Denmark, put the USA in the championship game with one group match still remaining. It is the seventh consecutive year that the U.S. U-21s have advanced to the final of the Nordic Cup, the top competition in the world for U-21 women. The USA will face Norway on Friday (July 25), but as the U.S. has the full six points from two wins, Norway (two points from two ties) cannot finish atop the group even with a win. The Americans will likely face Sweden in the championship game. The Swedes pulled off a huge 1-0 victory over Germany in Group B, meaning a tie against last place Finland in Sweden's last group match would be enough to clinch a spot in the title game. The Americans got a goal in the first half from Lindsay Tarpley (UNC) and two more scores in the second half from Lindsey Huie (Univ. of Portland) and captain Joanna Lohman (Penn State) in a match that was totally under U.S. control from start to finish. "It was a dominating effort," said U.S. U-21 head coach Chris Petrucelli. "From the opening whistle, we took control of the game. The combination of results gives us a chance to maybe rest some people on Friday against Norway and get ready for the Final." The first goal came in the 32nd minute as Tarpley scored on a 10-yard header off a long, looping cross from defender Amy LePeilbet (Arizona State Univ.). Iceland rarely crossed the halfway line during the game while playing a 4-5-1 formation and while lone striker Hrefna Johannesdottir ran hard, she could not get anything done against the USA's defense. She eventually ran out of gas and was replaced in the 69th minute. "Our back three were outstanding," said Petrucelli. "They stopped everything, and Iceland was never dangerous. We knew going into the game that a win would get us to the final, so we had even more of an incentive and the players performed very well." The USA, who has out-shot its two opponents 50-4 so far in the Nordic Cup while not allowing a goal, hit the crossbar three times against Iceland or the margin of victory could have been greater. "We struggled as a team early in our preparation this year, but I feel that we've come together well at the right time" said LePeilbet, who registered her first ever point for the U.S. U-21s after assisting on Tarpley's goal. "We've had some injuries, but the players who stepped in have done really well and we've become a team, especially when it counts right now in the Nordic Cup." Nicole Barnhart (Stanford) went the whole way in goal for the USA and picked up the shutout. The USA will play for the championship game on Sunday, July 27, at 5 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET at Randers Stadium in Randers, Denmark. -- U.S. U-21 WNT Game Report Attached -- U.S. UNDER-21 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Match-up: USA vs. Iceland Scoring Summary: USA - Lindsay Tarpley (Amy LeiPeilbet) 32nd minute. Lineups: ICE: 1-Maria Agustdóttir; 2-Iris Andresdóttir, 3-Bjorg
Asta Thordardóttir, 6-Asta Anadóttir, 11-Embla Gretarsdóttir;
5-Laufey Johannsdóttir (18-Solveig Thorarinsdóttir, 77),
8-Dora Sefansdóttir, 9-Elin Steinarsdóttir, 13-Dora Larusdóttir
(7-Rakel Logadóttir, 58), 15-Olina Vidarsdóttir; 10-Hrefna
Johannesdóttir (16-Holmfridur Magnusdóttir, 69). Statistical Summary: Top of PageU.S. U-21s Open Nordic Cup With 1-0 Win Americans Face Iceland Next in Quest For Fifth Straight Nordic Cup Title U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team pounded away at Denmark in the opening match of the 2003 Nordic Cup, but could not break through until three minutes from the end, when forward Lindsay Tarpley (UNC) scored off a rebound of Carli Lloyd's shot to give the USA a key 1-0 victory in their quest for a fifth straight Nordic Cup title. Held in Northern Europe every summer, the Nordic Cup serves as the top competition in the world for U-21 women. The Americans have had remarkable success in the tournament, winning the tournament five times in the last six years, including the last four in a row. Lloyd (Rutgers) played an unlikely hero in the match. Added to the Nordic Cup roster right before the team departed for Europe due to an injury to forward Kelly Wilson, Lloyd entered the match in the 80th minute and immediately fired a shot from 18 yards out that Danish goalkeeper Heidi Johansen blocked. The ball hit the crashing Tarpley, but went just wide of the goal. The play foreshadowed the winning goal that came in the 87th minute when Lloyd launched a 25-yard rocket that was also knocked down Johansen. Tarpley, once again framing the goal, hammered the rebound in from four yards out to give the USA a crucial opening game victory over the hosts. "It was one of those games where the ball was just not going in," said Tarpley, the captain of the USA's U-19 World championship team in 2002 when she scored the Golden Goal in the title game to give the Americans a 1-0 victory over Canada. "We did a great job of persevering and not becoming frustrated, which helped us figure out a way to get that goal and win the game." The win was particularly sweet for the USA, who lost to Denmark, 1-0, in the opening game of last year's Nordic Cup and then had to scramble to make the title game. "We definitely dominated the whole game," said U.S. defender Cat Reddick (UNC), who is playing in her fourth and final Nordic Cup. "It was exactly like the Denmark game last year, except we didn't let them score and we got one. That goalkeeper was awesome. We should have scored like four goals. She is huge." Johansen, the goalkeeper for the full Danish National Team, who also played a spectacular game against the USA last year, made 14 saves to keep the game tight until the end. "We put pressure on them the entire match," said Tarpley, who anchored the USA's 3-4-3 formation up top with Kelly McDonald (Texas) and 17-year-old Sheree Gray (World Class SC). "With our three forwards, it was hard for them to break that pressure and get anything going offensively." While the USA struggled to finish even with a 25-3 shot margin, the defense, led by Reddick, Amy LePeilbet (Arizona State) and Nandi Pryce (UCLA) kept the Danes at bay in front of 17-year-old goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris (Indiatlantic Force), who went the entire way, but was not tested. "I thought we played really well," said U.S. head coach Chris Petrucelli. "I don't think we gave up a solid goal-scoring chance and we created a bunch of chances, but the credit goes to their goalkeeper who kept them in the game. The big thing that stands out is that Tarpley continues to score big goals for our youth teams." The goal was Tarpley's first for the U-21 National Team after scoring 26 goals in 24 U-19 international matches. The USA used the flanks well throughout the match, getting Lori Chalupny (UNC) and Lindsey Huie (Portland) in dangerous positions, especially in the second half, while solid headers from Leslie Osborne (Santa Clara) and Tarpley flew high in the first half. Petrucelli used all five subs while starting Gray, a current member of the USA's U-19 National Team pool, and sending on Bristyn Davis (HBC Fury), also a current active U-19, but it was Lloyd that made the biggest difference off the bench. "It was like a Shannon MacMillan shot," said Reddick of Lloyd's blast. "And Tarpley, like always, was in the right spot to finish." The USA will now face Iceland in its second Group A match on Wednesday, July 23 in Randers. The top teams in both groups advance to the championship game. "We knew that we had a big challenge in playing the host team first, so it was a huge win," added Tarpley. "Now we can start focusing on Iceland, as you have to win every game to make the championship." In the other Group A match, Iceland picked up a big 1-1 tie with Norway. In Group B, Sweden downed Greece, 2-0, while Germany took the upper hand in the group with a 4-0 win over Finland. U.S. UNDER-21 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: USA - Lindsay Tarpley (Carli Lloyd) 87th minute. Lineups: DEN: 1-Heidi Johansen; 2-Britt Nielsen, 4-Camilla Mogensen, 5-Malene
Olsen, 7-Bettina Falk; 6-Michelle Sorensen (17-Maria Hansen, 54), 8-Marinann
Knudsen, 9-Helle Nielsen (Capt), 10-Pernille Munch (18-Sisse Svedsen,
75); 11-Stine Jensen (12-Ditte Larsen, 70), 13-Marie Herping (14-Dorte
Petersen, 75). Statistical Summary: Top of PageU.S. U-21 Team Picked For Nordic Cup U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team head coach Chris Petrucelli has named the 18-player squad that will travel to Denmark in mid-July in an attempt to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive Nordic Cup championship. Held in Northern Europe every summer, the Nordic Cup is the top competition in the world for U-21 women and the focus of the USA's oldest youth national team during its seven-month run-up to the prestigious competition. The USA was drawn into a tough Group A and will face Denmark, Norway and Iceland in first-round play. Group B features Sweden, Germany, Finland and the full Greek Women's National Team, who is using the tournament as preparation for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The top two finishers in each group will cross over to play for the championship, while the two second place finishers will play for third, the third place finishers for 5th and the last place finishers in the groups will vie for 7th place. The USA opens the tournament against the host nation on Monday, July 21, and then faces Iceland on Wednesday, July 23. The U.S. will finish first-round play against Norway on Friday, July 25. All four placement matches are set for Sunday, July 27. All the USA's matches will be played at Randers Stadium in Randers, Denmark. "We feel we are peaking at the right time," said Petrucelli. "It's been a thorough process since January putting the team together and we are playing our best soccer right now. I think our back four is extremely strong with Catherine Reddick as the anchor, and we certainly have quality players in every position on the field. The players are very excited to play in a top international tournament." The USA has won an amazing five out of the last six Nordic Cups, winning
its first in 1997 in Denmark, before falling the next year to Norway in
the title game. Since then, the USA has reeled off four straight titles
under three different coaches. This will be the first Nordic Cup for Petrucelli,
but not for eight members of his squad. Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart (Stanford),
defenders Cat Reddick (UNC), Nandi Pryce (UCLA), Ally Marquand (Stanford)
and Amy LePeilbet (Arizona) State), as well as midfielders Joanna Lohman
(Penn State) and Kim Yokers (California), were all a part of the USA's
2002 Nordic Cup championship team in Finland. Midfielder Lori Chalupny
(UNC) was part of the 2001 Nordic Cup championship team in Norway. "Any time a U.S. team goes over to Europe, it's incredibly tough to win there," said Reddick, who will be playing in her fourth Nordic Cup. "We've had great success in this tournament, but it has never been easy. I think we have a very talented group this year and some players who have experience playing in big games, so we are excited to test ourselves against some great countries." Wilson and Tarpley formed two thirds of second edition of the "Triple-Edged Sword" that torched the competition in Canada for 16 goals over six matches at the U-19 World Championship. Wilson won the Bronze Ball as the third best player in the tournament and the Silver Boot as the second best scorer, while Tarpley won the Bronze boot at the third best scorer. The other edge, forward Heather O'Reilly, likely would have been on
the Nordic Cup roster, but is recovering from a broken leg suffered while
playing with the full WNT against Ireland on June 14. Reddick, Chalupny, Tarpley and Osborne were all called into the full U.S. Women's National Team in New Orleans, La. this week in preparation for the USA's match against Brazil on July 13, giving them some excellent pre-Nordic Cup training before departing for Denmark on July 16. The following is the complete Nordic Cup schedule. Opening Round Date Match-up Venue Date Match-up Venue Placement Matches UNITED STATES UNDER-21 WOMEN'S NORDIC CUP ROSTER Team Staff: Top of PageO'Reilly Breaks Leg In 5-0 Win Striker Heather O'Reilly and midfielder Julie Foudy scored early, forward Abby Wambach found net twice before intermission and the United States women rolled to a 5-0 verdict over badly overmatched Ireland before 19,584 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Before the evening ended, striker Mia Hamm registered her record 140th career international tally. The U.S. stifled Ireland, not permitting a shot or conceding a corner kick. "Tonight seemed like a World Cup crowd because there was so much energy out there," said Foudy who also chipped in a pair of assists. "It really helped the team get motivated, and it sparked us in the first half." It took just 74 seconds for the U.S to take the lead, but it was with a costly goal. Making her first national-team start after 17 relief appearances, O'Reilly, 18, ran onto a bouncing Foudy right-side chip and headed it past charging goalkeeper Emma Byrne for a 1-0 lead. Byrne, however, crashed into O'Reilly's legs as the ball hopped into the net, leaving the high school senior, who is set to graduate next week, with a broken left fibula which will keep her out a minimum of six weeks. Tiffeny Milbrett took over for O'Reilly "It doesn't look like she's out for the World Cup," U.S. coach April Heinrichs said of O'Reilly's chances of playing in the event that starts in mid-September. In the 12th minute, midfielder Kristine Lilly fired a shot from deep in the left side of the penalty area that was knocked down by Byrne. Forward Cindy Parlow kept the ball alive by crashing into an Irish defender as she tried to clear and the ball squirted to Foudy who quickly fired a five-yard left-footer inside the near post to make it 2-0. In the 21st minute, left back Christie Pearce made a nice over-lapping run into the penalty area before cutting a pass back to Wambach who cracked her first-time shot into the right corner from 10 yards for a 3-0 advantage. In the 42nd minute, Wambach increased the margin to 4-0 with her seventh international goal with a powerful header into the net's right corner off a Foudy cross from the right flank. The U.S. opened the second half with five substitutions and reserves combined for the final goal. Midfielder Tiffany Roberts carried to the end line on the right side and touched a short pass back to Hamm who tucked her shot into the left corner from eight yards to make it 5-0 in the 79th minute. Hamm replaced Milbrett in the 60th minute "The best asset of our team is versatility and the ability to be flexible and adjust to the situation," Heinrichs said. The U.S. outshot Ireland 24-0 and would have won by more if it weren't for 12 saves and the handling of numerous crosses by Byrne, the starting keeper for the Arsenal Ladies in England. "We only have three-and-a-half weeks between the end of the (Women's United Soccer Association) season and the start of the World Cup," Foudy said. "When we're only playing an average of one game a month, a game like this is a great chance for us to come together and gel." United States 5, Ireland 0 (From www.soccertimes.com) Top of PageWomen's World Cup Coming Back To America The Women's World Cup is coming back to the USA. It will be played in the United States in the fall, returning to the country that hosted the highly successful event in 1999 when the Americans won the championship. FIFA, the world soccer's governing body chose the U.S. bid over one from Sweden, three weeks after moving the tournament from China because of the SARS virus. China will hold the 2007 World Cup. The decision by FIFA's eight-member emergency committee was widely expected because the United States was considered best equipped to handle the 16-team tournament on such short notice. U.S. Soccer Federation president Bob Contiguglia said he was notified
by fax from FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The World Cup will take place within the original time frame -- Sept. 23-Oct. 11 -- with only a few minor schedule changes, FIFA said. The exact schedule will be announced soon. The tournament will be held in four to seven stadiums, but none have been announced. The venues will be determined by FIFA and U.S. organizers during the next few weeks. The last Women's World Cup was highlighted by a crowd of 90,125 at the Rose Bowl for the final. The Americans beat China in a shootout, making household names of Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry. But the 2003 event most likely won't be so grand. Four years ago, games were held in June and July, with little competition from other major U.S. sports. This year, the World Cup will be up against the NFL, college football, the end of the baseball season and beginning of the playoffs, and the NHL openers. "It will make it more difficult with these dates,'' said Alan Rothenberg, who organized the 1994 men's World Cup in the United States. "Ultimately it is tougher to nail down the stadiums we need to use because of possible football commitments. It's a lot easier when you have the summer all to yourself.'' Unlike the men's World Cup, which began in 1930, the women's event is fairly new and is not embraced with the same global fervor as the men's tournament. The first Women's World Cup was held in China in 1991, when the U.S. team won. Norway was the 1995 winner, when Sweden was the host. Contiguglia, speaking from Washington, said he talked to the U.S. players by conference call and, "They're all very excited.'' The leading contenders to hold the U.S. games are RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.; Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.; Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio; and Home Depot Stadium in Carson, Calif., which opens in June. Other cities interested include East Rutherford, N.J.; Atlanta; Philadelphia; and Pasadena, Calif. Birmingham, AL is also available at historic Legion Field. "While it won't duplicate what we did in '99 in terms of the time of the year and the years of preparation that we had, I think it can be special,'' U.S. coach April Heinrichs said. "There's a buzz about it.'' Chastain, whose penalty kick gave the Americans the 1999 championship, thinks the tournament can provide a big opportunity. "There's nothing quite like playing in front of 90,000-plus screaming
USA fans,'' she said. "If we could do that again, it would be marvelous
-- not only for the players on the national team, but for every young
girl especially who comes to any WUSA game or hadn't had the opportunity
in '99 to come to a game.'' U.S. Soccer plans to use staffers from Major
League Soccer and the Women's United Soccer Association to run the World
Cup. FIFA said China will retain its automatic qualification for the tournament.
Each confederation will keep the same number of tournament slots. Mexico
will compete in a playoff for the final slot. Top of PageParlow's Four Goals Lead USA Win The U.S. Women's National Team overcame a tough English team and hot conditions to defeat England, 6-0, at the legendary Legion Field as Cindy Parlow registered her sixth career hat trick, pounding in four total goals, which were sandwiched between scores by Mia Hamm and Tiffeny Milbrett. The first three U.S. goals came from inside the six-yard box as Hamm opened the scoring 30 minutes in and Parlow added two more on crisp finishes before the end of the half. Usually a forward for the USA, Parlow played in the midfield and was stellar, both in creating and finishing. She scored two goals in four minutes to end the half, then added two more in the first 10 minutes of the second half to register all four goals in just a 14-minute span. "That was so much fun out there today," said Parlow. "Just scoring one goal is fun, but luckily today I was able to get four. On the first goal, Mia put it on a platter for me. On the second one, Julie just kept it alive for me and on the third one, I took on a defender and saw an opening at the far post. On the fourth goal, it was Kristine keeping the ball alive and I was just able to finish." A gritty England team was affected by the heat and could not muster much offense from its 4-5-1 formation, but the English defense did prove tough to penetrate for the first third of the match. The USA finally broke down England on the right wing as Shannon MacMillan and Parlow played a nifty one-two combination along the right sideline, springing MacMillan into the penalty area. The U.S. striker cut hard into the middle and dribbled all the way to the edge of the six yard box, drawing England goalkeeper Pauline Cope to the near post, before cutting a short pass back to Hamm, who hammered her shot into the middle of the net from five yards out. It was Hamm's world record 139th career goal in 235 games. In the 42nd minute Brandi Chastain lifted a pass to Hamm down the left flank. In a goal almost identical to the first, Hamm dribbled at the near post, then cut the ball back to Parlow who slid to finish from close range. The third goal came in the waning seconds of the first half off a corner kick from the left side. The ball flew to Kristine Lilly at the back post and she played it into the middle. Julie Foudy got a good piece of the ball on her shot, but Cope managed to stick a hand up to bat the ball off the line. It popped up to Parlow who snapped a header into the net from close range for the 3-0 halftime lead. Parlow got her hat trick just five minutes into the second half as she collected a long ball from Milbrett outside the penalty area on the left side. She brought the ball down well, dribbled into the middle and spun her shot into the right corner from 17 yards. Parlow added her fourth five minutes later, slamming a rebound of Lilly's cross into the net from 10 yards out. Milbrett added her 97th career goal in the 68th minute, running down a long ball from Tiffany Roberts on the right wing. Milbrett cut hard into the middle, leaving Rachel Unitt behind, and stroked her left-footed shot into the upper left corner from 16 yards out. Milbrett now needs just three more goals to become the fifth player in world history to score 100 international goals. "England didn't qualify for the Women's World Cup, but that didn't mean we took them lightly," said U.S. head coach April Heinrichs. "The greatest compliment we can pay to England is to come out like we played today." The four goals for Parlow come on the heels of MacMillan's four-goal performance in the USA's last match against Canada on April 26. Parlow's four goals upped her career total to 61 and moved her past MacMillan into fifth place on the all-time goals list. Parlow's four-goal game also marks the first time in the illustrious history of the U.S. Women's National Team that a player has scored four goals in consecutive matches. "To have Cindy in our midfield gives us something that no other personality gives us," said Heinrichs of the 5-foot-11 Parlow. "She is difficult to beat defensively, covers a lot of ground, has bite in her tackles, has a great heading presence and has great feet." The match marked a homecoming for Birmingham native Cat Reddick, who played the entire 90 minutes in front of an adoring crowd, and for Hamm, who was born in Selma, Alabama. Reddick leaves tomorrow to join the U.S. Under-21 National Team in Brazil for four games. The USA returns to action against Ireland at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on June 14 (7 p.m. MT live on ESPN2), followed by a match against recent Women's World Cup qualifier Brazil at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans on July 13 (3 p.m. CT live on ESPN). U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Top of PageMacMillan Out Six Months With ACL United States women's and San Diego Spirit striker Shannon MacMillan had her shattered right knee repaired by surgery and will be out of action for six months. This means that MacMillan will miss the Women's World Cup this fall. Spirit team physician Dr. David Chao performed the procedure that repaired her torn anterior cruciate ligament. Damage to her medial collateral ligament and meniscus is expected to heal on its own. Chao took a graft from her right patellar tendon to replace the damaged ACL. "The reconstructive surgery went well," Chao said. "She has a nice, tight graft and our treatment goals are going to be for her to maintain full extension and progress her to walking normally." "I'm going to work as hard as I can in rehab," MacMillan said. "We'll just have to see how the graft takes and then take it day by day and week by week." MacMillan, who has 58 career international goals, led the U.S. women with 17 in 2002 and with six thus far this year. "I can speak for the whole team when I say that we are very disappointed for Shannon that the injury comes at this time in her long and illustrious career," U.S. women's coach April Heinrichs said in a statement. "The most difficult thing to swallow is that she is playing the best soccer of her career. As a coaching staff, we would be hard pressed to find a more committed and focused player right now and the injury couldn't come at worse time for Shannon and our team. She has lived a life full of adversity, but has never used that adversity as crutch or an excuse. She has used it to become a better person and a better player and I know she will use this setback in a positive manner." MacMillan, who played the first half of the U.S.'s 6-0 victory over England Saturday, injured her knee eight minutes into the Spirit's 1-1 draw Sunday with the visiting Boston Breakers at Torero Stadium. As she prepared to play a ball with her left foot, her right leg and the knee buckled. There was no contact. "I feel heavy hearted for Mac," Spirit coach Omid Namazi said. "She's been playing some of the best soccer of her career. You can't replace a Shannon MacMillan because of the quality of player she is. . . With the strength of her character, and work ethic, I think she'll have a very speedy recovery." MacMillan has recorded 18 goals and 17 assists in 43 games -- all starts -- with the Spirit. Top of PageUGA's Patberg Returns From Emerald IsleUniversity of Georgia soccer coach Sue Patberg recently
returned from Ireland where she guided the U.S. U-16 (under 16 years of
age) Girls National Team to four shutout wins and a tournament title.
Patberg was named the U-16 team's head coach in November 2002 after serving
as an assistant coach with the U-21 National Team the previous three years.
The U.S. U-16 team traveled to Ireland from April 27-May 4. They played
a friendly game against a U-19 Dublin All-Start Team on April 29, "It was a great experience to play internationally, to compete against
"It was exciting because, until now, we had only been doing training camps, played our own national team and played some other teams, all in the United States. To go and actually play in an invitational tournament with something at stake and represent the U.S. was a great experience. It was something special to win a tournament, bring home a trophy and have a player named MVP for the U.S." USA Under-16 Roster Top of PageReddick and Hamm Return To Their Alabama RootsU.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named the 24-woman roster that will train for four days before facing England in an important Women's World Cup warm-up match at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 17, 2003. Kickoff is at Noon CT and the match will be televised live on ESPN.Tickets ranging in price levels from $16 to $50 are on sale starting at all Ticketmaster outlets throughout Alabama (including Publix, Coconuts and Wherehouse Music), by phone at 1-800-277-1700, and on-line at www.ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can order through the Alabama Sports Foundation at 205-967-4745. The match will be a homecoming for both defender Cat Reddick and forward Mia Hamm. Reddick, who grew up in Birmingham and attended Briarwood Christian High School, is the only player in the history of the U.S. Women's National Team program who hails from Alabama to earn a full national team cap. Hamm was born in Selma, Alabama, where her father was stationed in the Air Force, before moving on to various stops in her youth career that led to her being the youngest player ever to appear for the U.S. Women's National Team at the age of 15. She has scored a world record 138 career international goals since debuting for the USA in 1987. Heinrichs has called in essentially the same roster that was in Washington, D.C. last month to face Canada, adding only UNC freshman midfielder Lori Chalupny to the mix. Chalupny, a member of the USA's 2002 Under-19 Women's World Championship team, joins fellow U-19 world champs Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly as the youngest players on the U.S. roster. Heinrichs will name 18 players from the 24 to suit up against England. England is coming off a Women's World Cup qualifying campaign that ended in heartbreak as they dropped a two-game playoff series to France for the final European berth. England did not have star forward Kelly Smith for those games as she was recovering from a serious knee injury, but the "Mia Hamm of English soccer" is back healthy and has been called up to represent her country in this important Women's World Cup tune-up for the United States. England has also called up veteran goalkeeper Pauline Cope (Charlton Athletic) as well as Arsenal's Ellen Maggs, a whippet quick striker who was the star of England's U-19 team at last year's FIFA U-19 World Championship. England will also feature Sue Smith of Leeds United who was England's representative at the 1999 FIFA Women's World All-Star Match that was played in conjunction with the 1999 Women's World Cup Final Draw, and veteran striker Karen Walker of Arsenal. England's roster will also include five players from the 2003 Women's F.A. Cup winners Fulham, including the speedy midfielder Rachel Yankey, defender Mary Phillip and midfielder Rachel Unitt. The match will be the first ever game in the state of Alabama for the U.S. Women, and if chosen to the roster of 18, it will be the first time Reddick, who has 31 appearances for the USA, would be able to represent her country in her hometown. "Everyone is still battling for spots on the Women's World Cup Team, so this will be another great preparation match for us," said Reddick, who watched from the Legion Field stands as Briarwood won two 3A high school football championships. "If I get to play, it will be a dream come true to play at Legion Field in front of my family and friends. I have so much pride in Alabama and I can't wait for my teammates to experience the great fans and support we will receive in Birmingham." Following the game against England, the U.S. Women will face Ireland in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 14 (7 p.m. MT / 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2) and Brazil in New Orleans, La. On July 13 (3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET on ESPN). Of the 24 players on the roster, 20 are playing in the WUSA this season with three players still in college - Reddick, Tarpley and Chalupny - with O'Reilly the lone high school player. Boston Breakers midfielder Devvyn Hawkins was invited into training, but had to decline due to an injured left foot. United States vs. England UNITED STATES WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER Top of PageChina loses Women's World CupThe fourth Women's World Cup was to be held in China from September 23 to October 11. After a rare weekend executive committee meeting, FIFA issued a statement Saturday which said the World Cup "will be transferred to another country in view of the current health threat in China, which is greatly affected by the SARS epidemic,''The United States is most likely to get the event on short notice. Australia,
which has already expressed an interest in hosting, is another possible
host country. FIFA said today that China, which was host to the first women's world championship -- it was not yet called the Women's World Cup -- in 1991, will get the tournament in 2007. Thirteen of the 16 WWC entrants have qualified. The U.S., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ghana, Nigeria,, Norway, Russia and Sweden qualified. China automatically qualified as host. The World Cup draw was due to be held in Wuhan, China, on May 24, but was postponed because of SARS. It has yet to be rescheduled. "The FIFA administration will be clarifying the situation over the next few weeks, especially with regard to the timing of the championship,'' the statement read. "The final competition should, ideally, coincide with the timing of that originally planned for China. Either the FIFA emergency or executive committee will pass the final decision.'' The executive committee made the decision in compliance with a unanimous recommendation from its sports medical committee. Recommendations from the World Health Organization and other top medical personnel led to the decision. SARS has killed at least 436 people worldwide -- the majority in China and neighboring Hong Kong -- and sickened more than 6,100. Beijing was to be the site of the women's ice hockey world championships April 3-9, but that event was cancelled. The world badminton championship, to be held in Birmingham, England, was postponed because of the large number of Asians expected to compete. Yesterday, the International Cycling Union moved the world track cycling
championship, scheduled for China July 3-August 3, to Europe. Top of PageMacMillan Scores Four In U.S. WinThe first 15 minutes had a surreal feeling. The United States women were trailing a vastly outmanned opponent at cavernous -- and mostly empty -- RFK Stadium. Suddenly, midfielder Shannon MacMillan drilled a free kick into the net, waking up the Americans who proceeded to roll over Canada 6-1 in a friendly before 5,693 at chilly, damp RFK.MacMillan scored three more times in the second half after the U.S. had matters well in hand and the decision was no longer in doubt. It was the seventh time in U.S. women's history a player had scored at least four goals in a match with Brandi Chastain -- a starting defender today -- and Michelle Akers scoring five in 1991 and Tiffeny Milbrett matching the feat last November in a 9-0 rout of Panama. MacMillan, who has scored three goals in a game twice, improved her career total to 58 goals, one more than teammate Cindy Parlow, fifth best in U.S. women's history. After leading the Americans with 17 goals in 2002, MacMillan is #1 this year with six tallies as the U.S. women raised their record to 6-1-3 in a season in which they won the Four Nations Cup in China and Algarve Cup in Portugal. "We didn't start right," she said. "I don't know if it's from our preparation before the game, but we definitely didn't start the way we know how to play. When we get into the World Cup, if you let a goal like that go in early, that's trouble. Luckily today, we were able to bounce back and punish them." Canada hardly resembled the increasingly fierce rival of recent times. Asked Wednesday to replace Nigeria, which could not enter the U.S. because of visa problems, Canada hastily assembled a 15-player roster that included three starters from the 1-1 draw against the Americans March 14 in the Algarve Cup. Eight players from Canadian team that lost to the U.S. in the under-19 world championship final were called in. One of those starters, striker Christine Sinclair exploited a moment of lax U.S. defense to put Canada ahead 1-0 in the seventh minute. Thirty-five yards up her left flank, defender Melanie Booth cleared a long ball down the center of the field. Chastain was in position to make a play, but couldn't get her feet right and the ball skipped by her. Sinclair was first to the ball at the top of the penalty arc and with goalkeeper Brianna Scurry charging to the top of her box, Sinclair calmly knocked her first touch into the lower left corner for the 1-0 lead. "Mistakes happen. Players make mistakes," U.S. coach April Heinrichs said. "It happened so quickly. Brandi, I think, thought she didn't have a player on her hip and that puts Bri (Scurry) in the absolute center of the goal mouth with a very big frame behind her. If that ball's on the flank a little bit, at a more severe angle, Bri makes the save." Canada did not put another shot on frame with the U.S holding an overall 20-5 shots advantage, 16-1 on net. "Any coach in the international game will worry (that an opposing coach) up 1-0 will pack it in, close up shop," Heinrichs said. "You just sit down and destroy, which is truly the M.O. of Canada. But I believe in my players. I believe in their ability to come back. . . In the international game, when you give up one goal, you can make it very dangerous." Nine minutes later, forward Mia Hamm (who twice scored four times in a match) carried from the left flank to the top corner of the box where she was tripped by Kara Lang, Canada's 16-year-old defender. U.S. midfielder Aly Wagner ran over the dead ball before MacMillan drove it just beyond the dive of keeper Erin McLeod inside the near post for a 1-1 tie. It took the Americans 17 more minutes to assume the lead. Parlow led an open MacMillan into the right side of the box for a cross through the middle. The ball bounced behind Parlow who was tangled up with sliding defender Andrea Neil. The ball continued to midfielder Kristine Lilly who, at a 45-degree angle from the left post, made it 2-1 by knocking a 12-yard shot over the head of McLeod, who was poorly positioned, too far off her goal line. U.S. captain and midfielder Julie Foudy made it 3-1 before intermission. MacMillan skimmed a right-side corner kick to the six-yard box where defender Joy Fawcett made a clever back-heel pass that set up Foudy to nail a bouncing ball. Neil did a split and got her right foot on the blast, but the ball spun into the net in the 41st minute. The second half belonged to MacMillan. In the 55th minute, defender Cat Reddick cleared a long ball to Wagner who flicked forward a header from the center stripe. MacMillan ran onto the seemingly innocuous ball and, spotting McLeod 10 yards off her goal line, chipped a 40-yarder over her head and into the net on one hop for a 4-1 advantage. In the 78th minute, Wagner sprang MacMillan behind the Canadian defense. The University of Portland alumnus advanced the ball with her left foot into the left side of the box and then lofted a shot with the outside of her right foot over a helpless McLeod to make it 5-1. "Quality finishing, that's all you need to say," said Wagner, MacMillan's teammate on the Women's United Soccer Association San Diego Spirit. A minute later, in a strikingly similar play, Lilly sent a long roller that slipped between three defender to MacMillan with only McLeod to beat. MacMillan shot from 20 yards into the net's right corner for a 6-1 margin. "I've never (scored four goals) before, but when you are getting passes like the balls I got, if I don't finish those, then I don't belong here," MacMillan said. Notes: Lilly reached a milestone, making her 250th appearance for the U.S., which is a world record for caps. Hamm has appeared 233 times in a U.S. jersey. By comparison, the 11 Canada starters had a combined total of 231 caps. Attendance was meager despite today's event being a doubleheader. The Washington Freedom and Atlanta Beat drew 1-1 in the nightcap with Scurry playing the full game for the Beat and Hamm playing the second half for Washington. United States 6, Canada 1 Top of PageSARS Fear Forces World Cup Draw PostponementFIFA, the international governing body for world soccer, has indefinitely postponed \ next month's draw for the 2003 Women's World Cup because of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak.The World Cup draw was due to be held in Wuhan, China, on May 24 before FIFA. The Cup is scheduled to take place in China from September 23-October 11. SARS is becoming an increasing worry in the soccer community and China is the nation hit hardest by the deadly flu-like virus. Mia Hamm, a striker for the United States women and the world's most renowned female player, for one, hinted that investigating the possibility of moving the fourth women's world championship elsewhere should be considered now should the situation worsen. "That's always going to be a concern because right now we don't know much about SARS or how to control it," Hamm told The Washington Post. "The reason why we're thinking about it now is you can't just three weeks before the tournament decide to change venues. We've heard the same rumblings that there's going to be the possibility of a change, which is unfortunate because China always does a great job hosting this type of event." The first women's world championship, won by the U.S. in 1991, was hosted by China. Recently, China has hosted the annual prestigious women's Four Nations Cup. On the men's side, Aston Villa and Everton of England's Premier League, withdrew from postseason tours of China upon advice from its government and the World Health Organization which warned against travel to the region. SARS has no known cure and the epidemic has spread worldwide though hitting
Asia the hardest. More than 100 deaths are attributed to SARS and more
than 3,000 have been diagnosed with the disease. Top of PageU.S. Women Beat China 2-0Two goals in a four-minute span of the second half by Mia Hamm and Shannon MacMillan, each assisted by the other, gave the U.S. Women's National Team a 2-0 victory over China in the championship of the 2003 Algarve Cup in Portugal.The win marked the second time the USA has won this prestigious tournament, considered the world's most competitive women's international event outside of the Women's World Cup, the Olympics and the European Championships. The USA also won in 2000, giving U.S. head coach April Heinrichs two Algarve Cup titles. The U.S. put together an outstanding performance in the 30th meeting between the countries, dealing with a bumpy field and the quick and skillful Chinese, to control the match. The U.S. defense was once again stellar, holding China to only a few dangerous chances while avenging a 2-0 loss in the Four Nations Tournament last January. Both teams played 4-5-1 formations, a lineup unique for the USA, but with Hamm as the lone striker and Kristine Lilly and MacMillan attacking down the flanks, the USA was more effective on both sides of the ball. "Tonight's performance from start to finish was phenomenal," said Heinrichs. "Every player was tied into our tactical scheme and was committed to playing the way the coaching staff asked them to play. Every player was allowed to be a personality within our system and they absolutely stepped up. We played a different system, and we wanted to sit back in a low-pressure style and explode out of that." China played uncharacteristically direct, sending numerous long balls sailing into the U.S. defensive third, but center backs Brandi Chastain and Joy Fawcett were world class, winning everything in the air while running down anything that got over their heads. Outside backs Cat Reddick and Kate Sobrero also played excellent matches, digging balls out of the corners and winning numerous headers in the back. Sobrero even came close to scoring her first goal for the national team, banging a cross off the left post after an aggressive run down the flank in the second half. "Obviously people want to pay attention to our attacking personalities,
but After a first half in which the USA took five shots, and China had just
one, The world's all-time leading scorer tried to bend the ball around The U.S. scored its second just three minutes later as MacMillan returned
the favor, slipping a great pass to the cutting Hamm in the right side
of the "We were able to get that goal early in the half and then the second
one The bumpy field made holding the ball difficult for both teams, but the
U.S. Scurry was excellent coming out of her goal to gobble up long balls and
twice in the first half left her penalty box to safely clear balls away
with her "We are very happy with the win," said Hamm. "To play
four games in seven days, and to end with the second half that we did,
especially against a Chinese team that is extremely talented, was great
for us. But I have to The U.S. took 10 total shots, but put a high percentage on goal, scoring
The USA has a golden chance to add a third goal in the 77th minute as
Most of China's danger in the second half came from corner kicks as they
"I really thought either team could win it until it was 2-0, even
though that Captain Julie Foudy and Fawcett put on Herculean performances, playing
all 90 minutes in all four matches over the seven days. All the U.S. players,
All the teams from Group A won their placement matches, attesting to
the Sweden's Hanna Ljungberg was the tournament's Top Scorer with four goals. Norway's Astrid Johannssen was named Best Goalkeeper and China's Liu Ying was named Best Player. Sweden walked off with the Fair Play Award. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: 1st 2nd Final USA - Shannon MacMillan (Mia Hamm) 52. Lineups: CHN: 18-Zhao Yan - C; 2-Sun Rui, 3-Li Jie, 12-Zhou Xiaoxia (19-Chen Jinyu, 66), 16-Liu Yali; 6-Zhao Lihong (23-Han Duan, 66), 7-Pu Wei, 15-Ren Liping (27-Zhang Ouying, 57), 20-Liu Ying; 10-Sun Wen (21-Teng Wei, 88), 9-Bai Jie. Subs Not Used: 4-Goa Hongxia, 11-Xie Caixia, 13-Meng Jun, 14-Bi Yan, 22-Han Wenxia. Statistical Summary: Officials: Misconduct Summary: Thursday, March 20 -- Placement Games Top of PageU.S. Women Advance To Play ChinaThe U.S. Women's National Team tied an excellent Sweden team, 1-1, in its final group match at the 2003 Algarve Cup, but it was good enough to earn the Americans spot in the championship game on Thursday, March 20, against long-time rival China. Midfielder Aly Wagner scored the lone U.S. goal in the 18th minute on a world-class volley, her second goal of the tournament.With Norway's 1-0 victory over Canada in the first Group A match of the
The championship game will kick off at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET). This is the fourth time the USA has advanced to the Algarve Cup championship game, but has won the tournament just once in eight tries, that coming in 2000 when a Brandi Chastain penalty kick goal was good enough for a 1-0 victory over Norway. In 1999, the USA faced China in the Algarve Cup championship game, but lost 2-1. This year, no team scored more than one goal in any of the six highly
"Annually this is the best tournament in the world outside a world
In Group B, France defeated Finland, 1-0, forcing China to win its match
Facing a strong and skillful Swedish side in much better weather than
the Sweden had the first chance of the match in the 9th minute and the USA was fortunate to avoid going down a goal. Forward Hanna Ljungberg dispossessed Chastain in the back and raced in on a breakaway, but instead of trying to round U.S. goalkeeper Siri Mullinix on the dribble, she tried to chip her, and the ball flew over the goal. Like Wagner's goal in the first game against Canada, this one also had
its "I didn't want to hit it too hard," said Wagner. "It was
one of those shots Sweden actually had more of game in early going, sending several dangerous crosses from the right flank, before the USA regained some composure and ball possession. The second half saw the USA -- playing its third match in five days -- begin to tire a bit and Sweden pushed forward for an equalizer. They got it with 11 minutes left from Ljungberg, who has scored all three of Sweden's goals thus far. Malin Mostrom created the goal when she stole the ball from Julie Foudy in the midfield and raced at goal before playing Ljungberg in right side of the penalty area. The diminutive striker took her shot well, slotting it past Mullinix into the lower right corner from 15 yards out. "We play a high-energy game of soccer," said Heinrichs. "We
send a lot of The U.S. defense, which was again led by veteran Joy Fawcett, hung tough the entire game, and salted away the last 10 minutes with quality end-game tactics. It was not the prettiest second half for the U.S. team, which struggled for possession and absorbed Swedish pressure for most of the period, but another gritty defensive effort held Sweden to just eight total shots and only two on goal. The USA had seven shots in the match, three on goal. "Sweden is a great team and we have a lot of respect for them," said Fawcett. "They needed to win, played a high-pressure game and we struggled possessing the ball. We gave the ball up a lot and had to play a lot of defense, and defense can be tiring. Playing so many games with only a day of rest in between can be tough. We played three great teams in our group, but hopefully it was good preparation for the final." Sweden sent numerous long balls sailing into the U.S. defensive third for the scrappy Ljungberg to chase down, but the U.S. defense, as it has been all tournament, was phenomenal in the air and Mullinix was excellent in coming out of the goal to cut off the services. "Our team was surviving at times in the second half," added
Heinrichs. Heinrichs made three substitutions at halftime, sending on Cat Reddick
for "We are very committed as coaches to development," said Heinrichs. "We want to advance to the final, but we also want to get everyone playing time and I'm very pleased that we've had a chance to look at all our players and that all of them have contributed." Norway and Canada, led by former Norwegian head coach Even Pellerud, played a physical match in the first game but the Scandinavians got the deserved win on a 39th minute goal from Dagny Mellgren. Norway defender Monica Knudsen was ejected in the 70th minute, but Canada could not take advantage of the 20-minute power play. In Group C, Portugal came from two goals down to defeat Ireland in dramatic fashion, 3-2, and 2004 Olympic hosts Greece downed Wales, 2-0, to win the group. In the other placement games, Norway will face France for third place, Sweden will face Finland for fifth and Canada will face Greece for seventh place. Denmark takes on Portugal for ninth while Ireland and Wales play each other again, this time for 11th place. U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT Scoring Summary: 1st 2nd Final USA - Aly Wagner (Unassisted) 18th minute. Lineups: SWE: 1- Caroline Jonsson; 2-Karolina Westberg, 3-Jane Tornqvist, 4-Hanna Marklund (5-Kristin Bengtsson, 57), 7-Sara Larsson (18-Salina Olsson, 90); 6-Malin Mostrom, 10-Malin Andersson - C, 14-Linda Fagerstrom (8-Frida Nordin, 76), 15-Therese Sjogran (17-Anna Sjostrom, 46); 11-Victoria Svensson (16-Josefine Oqvist, 46), 10-Hanna Ljungberg. Subs Not Used: 12-Sofia Lundgren, 13-Anne-Maria Eriksson, 19-Sara Call, 20-Jenny Engwall. Statistical Summary: Officials: Misconduct Summary: 10th Algarve Cup International Women's Tournament Algarve Cup Final Group Standings Friday, March 14 Sunday, March 16 Tuesday, March 18 Group B Friday, March 14 Sunday, March 16 Tuesday, March 18 Group C Friday, March 14 Sunday, March 16 Tuesday, March 18 Thursday, March 20 -- Placement Games Top of PageMacMillan's Early Goal Beats NorwayA goal by Shannon MacMillan in the fourth minute led the U.S. to a 1-0 victory over Norway today at the Algarve Cup in Portugal, helping the U.S. take the lead in the Group A standings despite playing in difficult conditions with extreme wind throughout the match.MacMillan created the unassisted goal by pressuring Norwegian goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth on a back pass that Hjelmseth had to play with her feet. MacMillan blocked the clearance and then tracking down the loose ball and scored to give the U.S. the early lead. Despite playing with the wind at their backs the entire first half, Norway did not record its first shot of the match until the 75th minute. The U.S. was patient in possessing the ball and choosing when to move forward and defended well throughout the match as the started the same defense as they had in their first match of the Algarve Cup, a 1-1 draw with Canada on Friday. Central defender Joy Fawcett was extremely dependable in preventing Norway from getting a good look at Briana Scurry's goal and Scurry consistently came off her line to retrieve balls that ran into her box. On the whole, the U.S. adjusted to the cold, windy conditions far better than Norway and were able to make MacMillan's early goal stand up for the win. The win puts the U.S. in firm control of the Group A standings with four points after two matches. Canada and Sweden are level at two points, with Norway in fourth place with just one point. The USA-Norway match was the first of four matches in the group that did not end in a 1-1 draw. The U.S. will advance to Thursday's championship game with a win over Sweden on Tuesday and may be able to win the group with a lesser result, depending on the outcome of the Norway-Canada match. Even with a decisive win over Canada on Tuesday, Norway cannot win the group and advance to the final after earning just one point from its first two matches. All three other teams can win the group if results in the final two Group A matches turn out in their favor. The U.S. now has a three-game winning streak against Norway, the only
team that they have an all-time losing record against, now at 16-18-2
following today's result. Top of PageA
Portugal Postcard From Siri
We've been in Portugal for about a week now and the change in temperature
from Washington D.C. was more than welcome. I spent the days before I got
here in blizzard conditions and so far, it's been sunny and 77 on the southern
coast of Portugal. The players who came from the east coast are really enjoying
warm trainings on green grass and afternoons by the pool.
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