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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 |
