Tag: women’s soccer

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”

USWNT: In Search Of… The Next Head Coach

Before Saturday’s friendly against Costa Rica, U.S. Soccer announced that Pia Sundhage would be stepping down after the Australia friendlies and returning to Sweden to pursue other opportunities. Well, before Sundhage even left Rochester, the SvFF announced on their website that Sundhage had been hired as the new head coach of Sweden’s Women’s National Team, starting on December 1st.

With Sundhage’s upcoming departure, the search for a new head coach of the United States Women’s National Team begins.

The rest of this article reviews (1) what is known about the search process for this cycle, which is very little, so details from past searches are also mentioned, and (2) a non-exhaustive, unofficial best guess of who some of the candidates may be.

Continue reading “USWNT: In Search Of… The Next Head Coach”

USWNT: The USA Defeats Costa Rica 8:0 In Rochester

On Saturday, before a crowd of a sell-out crowd of 13,208 at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, New York, the United States Women’s National Team defeated Costa Rica 8:0 in the first friendly of the USA’s Fan Tribute Tour. In the match, Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach each scored twice, while Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Carli Lloyd, and Heather O’Reilly also had goals.

The United States will next play Australia on September 16th, in Carson, California, at the Home Depot Center (12:30 p.m. PDT kick-off, televised live on NBC). Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Defeats Costa Rica 8:0 In Rochester”

U-20 WWC: Quarterfinals Round-Up – Nigeria, Japan, Germany, and the USA Advance

The quarterfinals matches for the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup were a mix of the predictable and the dramatic.

On the predictable side, Germany rather easily defeated Norway 3:0. The match between Japan and South Korea was more a mix of predictable and dramatic, with South Korea getting an early equalizer before Japan re-took the lead for good.

The other two quarterfinals, Mexico vs. Nigeria, and United States vs. North Korea, were each a bit more dramatic, as both went to extra time. Against Mexico, Nigeria needed a stoppage time goal to seal victory. Meanwhile, the United States took a 1:0 lead over North Korea off a strike from Vanessa DiBernardo, only to see the Koreans equalize and send the match into extra time. Eight minutes into extra time, Chioma Ubogagu headed in the game-winner, off a Crystal Dunn cross. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Quarterfinals Round-Up – Nigeria, Japan, Germany, and the USA Advance”

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”

Americans Abroad: Notes for August (2012)

With Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga kicking off its season soon, here’s a quick and non-exhaustive review of news about Americans who are playing abroad, primarily in Sweden and Germany, but also in other leagues. Continue reading “Americans Abroad: Notes for August (2012)”

U-17 USWNT: Quick Updates on Jane Campbell and Sarah Robinson

In a new TopDrawerSoccer.com article on the United States Under-17 Women’s National Team, it was confirmed that starting goalkeeper Jane Campbell’s formerly unspecified injury is a knee injury and that she should be healthy in one to two weeks. Also, the article states that midfielder Sarah Robinson, who was not at the most recent camp, has an unspecified “medical issue”and will be unavailable for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup. Continue reading “U-17 USWNT: Quick Updates on Jane Campbell and Sarah Robinson”

U-17 USWNT: The USA Defeats China Twice In Its August Camp

In its final domestic training camp prior to this year’s Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the United States played China in two friendlies, winning both. The first match, on Wednesday, August 22nd, was a sub-par performance for the Americans, who conceded the opening goal but came back to win 2:1. However, the second match, on Saturday, August 25th, was a much stronger victory, with two goals scored in the first eight minutes and a final scoreline of 5:1. Continue reading “U-17 USWNT: The USA Defeats China Twice In Its August Camp”

U-20 WWC: Match Day 6 – USA Loses But Still Advances, Canada Eliminated

On the final day of group play at the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup, the marquee match-up, between the United States and Germany, was anything but a thriller, as the USA’s defensive lapses and lack of attacking prowess was punished by the Germans in a 0:3 loss. In the other Group D match, China only managed a 1:0 win over Ghana, so even though the United States and China were tied on points, the USA advanced to the quarterfinals via a better goal differential.

In Group C, Norway defeated Argentina 4:1 while Canada lost 1:2 to North Korea. Norway, on a goalkeeping error, let in an 82nd minute Argentine goal to make the score 2:1, but a goal by Andrine Hegerberg three minutes later restored the Norwegian’s two goal advantage.

On Friday, August 31st, Germany will face Norway in the earlier quarterfinal (3:00 a.m. EDT), while the United States will play North Korea in the later one (6:30 a.m. EDT). Both matches will be televised live on ESPNU. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Match Day 6 – USA Loses But Still Advances, Canada Eliminated”