RD Welch

USWNT – Search 2012: The Search Committee Includes Mia Hamm and Danielle Slaton

Buried in the AP article on Sunday’s friendly with Australia was the statement by U.S. Soccer that the search committee for finding the next head coach includes two USWNT alumni, Mia Hamm and Danielle Slaton. Also the committee is in the process of “making a list of candidates and will soon start having conversations with those candidates” (that is a direct quote from U.S. Soccer statement).

Leading the committee is U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati, who will be the one making the final decision. Other U.S. Soccer officials on the committee include Secretary General (CEO) Dann Flynn and Managing Director of Administration (Jeff Carlisle, Twitter).

According to Gulati, at least ten candidates have expressed interest, including some “interesting inquiries internationally” (EqualizerSoccer.com).

The search committee met on Sunday and is looking to find a replacement in the next 30 to 45 days. The unofficial deadline, the first friendly with Germany, is October 20th, which is about 33 days out.

Continue reading “USWNT – Search 2012: The Search Committee Includes Mia Hamm and Danielle Slaton”

USWNT: The USA Defeats Australia 2:1 at The HDC

On Sunday, the United States Women’s National Team, in the second match of their Fan Tribute series, defeated Australia by a score of 2 to 1, via second half goals by Alex Morgan and Shannon Boxx (U.S. Soccer match report). The Matildas were quite dangerous in the first half, with at least two shots that rebounded off the posts, but an individual effort by the speedy Lisa deVanna gave the visitors a 1:0 half-time advantage.

Full U.S. Soccer highlights are not yet available, but the goals are: Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Defeats Australia 2:1 at The HDC”

USWNT – Search 2012: Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who’s Up, Who’s Down, And… Who? (Day 16)

It is two weeks after the announcement that Pia Sundhage would step down as head coach of the United States Women’s National Team and there has yet to be any sort of clarity regarding the potential candidates for the head coaching position.

Potential candidates who have said that they are not interested in the position at this time include U.S. Soccer Development Director Jill Ellis, Penn State head coach Erica Walsh, and former USWNT assistant coach Marcia McDermott.

Names still in the mix include past USWNT head coach Tony DiCicco, former Philadelphia Independence head coach Paul Riley, and Western New York Flash head coach Aaran Lines. However, things appear to still be in the résumé submission stage, so there is no short list of candidates yet, whether official or unofficial.
Continue reading “USWNT – Search 2012: Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who’s Up, Who’s Down, And… Who? (Day 16)”

The Under-17 Women’s World Cup Begins September 22nd: All Matches Will Be Streamed Via ESPN3

The 2012 Under-17 Women’s World Cup kicks off on Saturday, September 22nd. Every match of the group stage, along with all of the knock-out matches will be streamed online via ESPN3 on WatchESPN. The United States is in Group B and will face France, Gambia, and North Korea. Also participating are Canada, who are in Group A, and Mexico, who are in Group C. Continue reading “The Under-17 Women’s World Cup Begins September 22nd: All Matches Will Be Streamed Via ESPN3”

Under-17 Women’s World Cup: Official Rosters Released By FIFA

On Friday, FIFA.com published the roster for all sixteen teams on its micro-site for the U-17 WWC. The rosters are also available in a single document as a PDF file. The rest of this post examines the teams’ age and height statistics, primarily for Group B, which includes the United States, along with France, Gambia, and North Korea.

(For the United States’ roster, please also see this earlier post, which also has some notes on the likely preferred starting line-up.) Continue reading “Under-17 Women’s World Cup: Official Rosters Released By FIFA”

U-20 USWNT: The USA’s Goal-Scoring Play Versus Germany

The winning goal scored off the foot of Kealia Ohai in the final of this year’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup was scored via a sequence that involved at least eight United States players and at least eight passes. A ninth player, Katie Stengel was indirectly involved as she was the intended target of the final pass by Crystal Dunn, but unintentionally dummied the ball, allowing it to roll to Ohai. And, it is possible that a tenth USA player, goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin, actually restarted the play, but the available video evidence does not show the apparent opening pass of the play.

This post breaks down that goal-scoring play and examines the potential errors made by Germany’s defense which allowed the goal to be scored. Continue reading “U-20 USWNT: The USA’s Goal-Scoring Play Versus Germany”

U-20 WWC: The USA Wins Third Title, Defeats Germany [Brief]

After struggling in the group stage, the United States Under-20 Women’s National Team put on a solid defensive effort and defeated Germany in the final of the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup on a lone goal from Kealia Ohai, off an assist from fellow UNC Tar Heel, Crystal Dunn.

USA captain Julie Johnston (centerback) won the Bronze Ball for third overall best player, with Japan’s Hanae Shibata getting Silver and Germany’s Dzsenifer Marozsan claiming top honors, the Golden Ball. Germany’s Laura Benkarth won the Golden Glove as best goalkeeper.

FINAL: United States 1, Germany 0.
USA Goal: Kealia Ohai (44′).
See Also: FIFA.com match page, USSoccer.com write-up, ESPN3 replay*.

*For those who only want to watch the goal-scoring play, that sequence begins at the 01:02:45 mark, off a free kick restart. The replay also has the closing ceremony.

In the earlier match, host Japan weathered a potential comeback by Nigeria to secure a third place finish.

THIRD PLACE: Japan 2, Nigeria 1.
JPN Goals: Y. Tanaka (24′), Nishikawa (50′).
NGA Goal: Oparanozie (73′).
See Also: FIFA.com match page, ESPN3 replay.

Opponent Watch: Australia’s Travel Roster for its Friendlies with the USWNT

On Wednesday, the travel roster for the Australia Women National Team’s upcoming trip to the United States was released by their FA. The Matildas will be playing the United States Women’s National Team in two friendlies, on September 16th and the 19th, along with a tune-up match against the WNT of Haiti prior to those friendlies on September 13th.

Continue reading “Opponent Watch: Australia’s Travel Roster for its Friendlies with the USWNT”

U-20 WWC: The Semifinals – The United States and Germany Win, Will Meet in the Final

After struggling in the group stage, the United States are right where they wanted to be, in the final of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, after defeating Nigeria 2:0 on Tuesday in the first semifinal, via a header goal by Morgan Brian and a counter-attack goal off the foot of Kealia Ohai. In the later semifinal, host Japan fell to a merciless Germany who scored a goal in the first minute and then added two more in the next eighteen minutes.

Thus, the United States and Germany will meet in the title match on September 8th at 6:30 a.m. EDT. That match will be televised live on ESPNU, starting at 6:20 a.m. EDT, with Adrian Healey and Julie Foudy as commentators, instead of the single pool announcer (Foudy’s Twitter). Continue reading “U-20 WWC: The Semifinals – The United States and Germany Win, Will Meet in the Final”

U-17 USWNT: Roster for the 2012 Under-17 Women’s World Cup Named

On August 29th, the United States Under-17 Women’s National Team roster for this year’s Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan was released by U.S. Soccer. From the team’s CONCACAF qualifying roster, the only player to not make the U-17 WWC roster was midfielder Sarah Robinson, apparently due to an unspecified “medical issue,” while centerback Claire Wagner and third goalkeeper Morgan Stearns were added. Continue reading “U-17 USWNT: Roster for the 2012 Under-17 Women’s World Cup Named”