Olympics: USWNT Shots Taken and Shots Allowed Graphics (Group Stage)

Manually plotted graphics showing shots allowed and shots taken by the United States Women’s National Team in its three group matches — vs. France, vs. Colombia, and vs. North Korea — in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Continue reading “Olympics: USWNT Shots Taken and Shots Allowed Graphics (Group Stage)”

Olympics: Preview Notes – North Korea (Group G)

UNLIKE IN THE PROVERB, LIGHTNING DOES STRIKE TWICE — So, should North Korea have another poor outing in an international tournament, this year’s head coach won’t have to think up a new excuse. Although given Korea DPR’s tough draw into a group that includes formidable superpower United States and emerging power France, Sin Ui Gun, who replaced the previous coach, KIM Kwang Min has probably been working on a list of new rationalizations to use in post-game press conferences. Continue reading “Olympics: Preview Notes – North Korea (Group G)”

Olympics: Notes on North Korea’s Roster (USWNT Group Opponent)

On Friday, FIFA published all of the rosters for the Olympic soccer tournaments. Among the new-to-us rosters was that of the USWNT’s final group opponent, North Korea (FIFA.com), who were also in the USA’s group in last year’s Women’s World Cup.  Only 6 players of the players on the official 18-player roster return from last year’s squad. Ten of North Korea’s official players are U-20 age-eligible. Also, two of their alternates are U-20 players and a third alternate is a U-17 player. Continue reading “Olympics: Notes on North Korea’s Roster (USWNT Group Opponent)”

Olympics: Recent Matches Involving Qualified Teams (Updated, 21-July)

Here is a list of friendlies and other international matches involving Olympics-bound women’s soccer teams, for the two months leading up to the start of the Olympic women’s soccer tournament. This post is intended as an “FYI.” After the final tune-up matches on the 20th, a more proper write-up is planned.

This post will be updated as more matches are completed.

If you know of any international matches that are not listed, whether official, friendly, or closed-door, please post that information in a comment. Matches not involving two senior women’s national teams (e.g., scrimmages against club teams) are beyond the scope of this post. Continue reading “Olympics: Recent Matches Involving Qualified Teams (Updated, 21-July)”

USWNT Olympic Opponent Watch: North Korea Loses Twice Against the Netherlands

North Korea, an Olympic group stage opponent of the United States Women’s National Team, lost both a closed-door match and an official friendly against the #14 ranked Netherlands earlier this month. In the closed-door match, the Netherlands came back froom a goal down to win 4:1, while in the friendly, the Netherlands won 2:0, with the first goal coming in the 42nd minute. Both matches were played in the Netherlands. Details of North Korea’s line-up and substitutions are not readily available.

Sources (All in Dutch):
www.onsoranje.nl – Write-up on closed-door match (June 1st)
www.onsoranje.nl – Write-up, with box score, on the friendly (June 5th)
www.vrouwenvoetbalnederland.nl – Another write-up on the friendly, has the minute for NED’s first goal

More on the Netherlands: They are currently at the top of their group for Women’s Euro 2013 qualifying, with 5 wins and only 1 draw. The only draw was a 0:0 affair with England, whom they will play next on June 17th, in England. With a win, the Netherlands will lock up a ticket to Sweden.

Olympics: Women’s Soccer Tournament Groups, With Schedule

The draw for the soccer tournaments at the 2012 London Olympics was held earlier today. The groups are as follows:

Group E: Great Britain (E1), New Zealand (E2), Cameroon (E3), Brazil (E4)
Group F: Japan (F1), Canada (F2), Sweden (F3), South Africa (F4)
Group G: USA (G1), France (G2), Colombia (G3), North Korea (G4)

For the USA, this means that they will play France first, then Colombia, and finally North Korea.

Continue reading “Olympics: Women’s Soccer Tournament Groups, With Schedule”