Category: Opposition Research

Posts on the USWNT’s upcoming opponents, its key rivals (Brazil, Germany, Japan, and Sweden), its neighbors (Canada and Mexico). For posts about youth WNT opponents, please see the Under-xx category.

News of Note: December 4, 2012 – Morgan and Johnston Win Player of the Year Honors, 2013 Cyprus Cup Field Set

News of Note: U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Awards… The USWNT’s December 15th Match Will Be Televised… North Carolina Wins Its 22nd National Title… Twelve Teams To Compete in the 2013 Cyprus Cup. Continue reading “News of Note: December 4, 2012 – Morgan and Johnston Win Player of the Year Honors, 2013 Cyprus Cup Field Set”

News of Note: November 30, 2012

News of Note: Brazil has a new head coach… Women’s FIFA Ballon d’Or Finalists are Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, and Marta… FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football Finalists are Pia Sundhage, Norio Sasaki, and Bruno Bini… Thursday’s Germany-France Friendly Ends In a 1:1 Draw… Former General Manager of the USWNT, Cheryl Bailey, was named Executive Director of the new women’s pro league… Portland’s Franchise intends to play most of its home matches at JELD-WEN Field… Women’s Champions League quarterfinal match-Ups set… MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists Named… The NCAA College Cup continues Friday night. Continue reading “News of Note: November 30, 2012”

Brazil: Jorge Barcellos Out, Márcio de Oliveira In; Plus Roster for the City of São Paulo International Tournament

Last Friday (November 23rd), the big news out of Brazil was that the CBF fired its men’s national team head coach, Mano Menezes, along with his entire staff. But, also included in the terse official announcement (cbf.com.br, in Portuguese) was that Márcio de Oliveira is the new head coach of the Women’s National Team, replacing Jorge Barcellos, who was brought in last November to replace Kleiton Lima. According to the Cruziero do Sul website (in Portuguese), Barcellos was not notified of his firing until late Friday afternoon. Oliveira is also the head coach for São José Esporte Club’s women’s team (www.SaoJoseEC.com.br, in Portuguese), which includes several veteran national team players on its current roster (in Portuguese): Daiane (Bagé), Danielli Pereira da Silva, Formiga, and Francielle.

On Thursday, the CBF website posted its WNT roster for the upcoming City of São Paulo International Tournament (Torneio Internacional Cidade de São Paulo), which includes several new call-ups. The tournament, which also includes the national teams of Mexico, Denmark, and Portugal, begins on December 9th. It is played in a round-robin format with placement matches. Continue reading “Brazil: Jorge Barcellos Out, Márcio de Oliveira In; Plus Roster for the City of São Paulo International Tournament”

USWNT: The USA Draws 1:1 with Germany in Chicago

Saturday night, in front of a sell-out crowd of 19,522, the United States Women’s National Team drew 1:1 with Germany at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. Abby Wambach scored the USA’s only goal in the 2nd minute when the Americans capitalized on a turnover deep in Germany’s half. Twelve minutes later, Anja Mittag equalized for Germany on a counterattack. Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Draws 1:1 with Germany in Chicago”

USWNT: Notes Ahead of the Germany Friendlies

[Edit (20-Oct-2012): Additional information and clarifications have been added. Those have been denoted through italics.]

On Saturday, October 20th, and Tuesday, October 23rd, the top two women’s national teams in the world — #1 United States and #2 Germany — will face each other in a pair of friendlies.  The USWNT is bringing its Olympic Gold Medal squad, while Germany, who were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup by Japan in the quarterfinals, and consequently did not qualify for the Olympics, is in a rebuilding process as it prepares for the Women’s Euros in 2013. Continue reading “USWNT: Notes Ahead of the Germany Friendlies”

Germany’s Travel Roster for the October Friendlies with the USWNT

Update (18-Oct-2012): On Wednesday, Celia Okoyino da Mbabi injured her thigh and will be out for two weeks, thus she will miss both of the friendlies with the USWNT. Also, Lena Lotzen and Verena Faißt are also nursing minor injuries, but should be available to play. (DFB.de, in German)

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On Monday, the DFB published the the travel roster for Germany’s upcoming friendlies with the United States Women’s National Team, on October 20th (Bridgeview, Illinois) and October 23rd (Connecticut). Head coach Silvia Neid has called up 23 players, including offensive threats Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, Alexandra Popp, and Anja Mittag. Five players from Germany’s Under-20 WNT, which recently lost the U-20 Women’s World Cup final to the United States, were also called up: playmaking midfielder Dzenifer Marozsán, target forward Lena Lotzen, centerback Luisa Wensing, outside back Leonie Maier, and goalkeeper Laura Benkarth. Continue reading “Germany’s Travel Roster for the October Friendlies with the USWNT”

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”

USWNT: Costa Rica’s Roster For the September 1st Friendly

[Edit: The roster posted at EqualizerSoccer.com lists Fabiola Sanchez instead of Gabriela Alfaro. It is unclear whether that list or the list on Costa Rica’s website is more current, and thus correct.]

On Thursday, Costa Rica’s Women’s National Team released its roster for the September 1st friendly against the United States (2:30 p.m. EDT, live on NBC). Only half of the eighteen players traveling to Rochester were on Costa Rica’s roster for Olympic qualifying back in January, where the USA and Costa Rica met in the crucial qualifying, with the United States winning 3:0 on goals by Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, and Alex Morgan (USSoccer.com).

The most notable player not on the roster is team captain Shirley Cruz, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain in France, after moving from Olympique Lyonnais over the summer. And, thus has a club commitment. Three other players who started against the USA during qualifying are also not on the roster: Karol Sanchez, Fabiola Sanchez (Martin Methodist), and Wendy Acosta (Virginia Commonwealth), who are all defenders. Continue reading “USWNT: Costa Rica’s Roster For the September 1st Friendly”

Olympics: Preview Notes on the USA vs. Japan Gold Medal Match

On Thursday, at Wembley Stadium, the United States Women’s National Team will be seeking its fourth Gold Medal when it takes on reigning World Champions Japan in a rematch of the 2011 Women’s World Cup final. And, as in that 2011 match, the center referee will be Bibiana Steinhaus of Germany. Over 80,000 tickets have been sold for the match, although a sell-out is not expected due to the only remaining tickets being £125 or  $195 in U.S. dollars (WembleyStadium.com).

The Gold Medal match will be shown live on NBC Sports Network, with coverage beginning at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The kick-off is at 2:45 p.m. EDT.

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