U.S. Women Win Algarve Cup 4-2 against Iceland

FARO, Portugal (March 9, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team came from a goal down to claim the championship of the 2011 Algarve Cup with a 4-2 victory against Iceland as four different players scored.

U.S. Women Win 8th Algarve Cup: 4-2 over Iceland

The USWNT battled back from a 1-2 start to win their 8th Algarve Cup trophy with a 4-2 win over Iceland this afternoon.

Four different U.S. players scored during the match. Game stats to come.

U.S. WNT to Face Iceland for 2011 Algarve Title

USA TO MEET ICELAND FOR ALGARVE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP: The U.S. Women’s National Team is set for its unprecedented ninth consecutive Algarve Cup title game, where it will take on Iceland on Wednesday, March 9 in Faro at the fabulous Estadio Algarve, built for the 2004 European Championships. The championship game is set for 12 p.m. ET and fans can follow live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and Twitter @ussoccer_wnt.

U.S. Women Put Four Past Finland in Group A Finale

QUARTEIRA, Portugal (March 7, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team rolled past Finland in what amounted to a warm-up match for the Algarve Cup championship game, winning 4-0 on two goals from Alex Morgan and one each from Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd.

In Group B, Iceland defeated Denmark 1-0 for its third win of the tournament to earn a spot in its first Algarve Cup title match. The USA will be playing for the tournament championship for the ninth consecutive year. The championship game will be held on March 9 at the beautiful Estádio Algarve, built for the 2004 European Championships, with a kickoff of 12 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the action as it happens on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt.

U.S. Women Defeat Norway 2-0 to Make Championsh​ip Game of 2011 Algarve Cup in Portugal

VILA REAL de SAN ANTONIO, Portugal (March 4, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dominated Norway in its second match of the 2011 Algarve Cup, winning 2-0 and earning a spot in the tournament’s championship game for the ninth consecutive year.

Lindsey Tarpley scored in the first half and Carli Lloyd added a goal in the second as the USA out-shot Norway 17-5 while dominating all facets of the game.

The USA will face Finland on Monday, March 7, in its group finale, but the USA’s win against Norway combined with Japan’s 5-0 thrashing of Finland seals first place in Group A for the Americans with one match day left to play.

U.S. WNT Prepares to Face Norway in Second 2011 Algarve Cup Match

SECOND MATCH OF GROUP A LOOMS LARGE AS USA FACES NORWAY: The USA and Norway are tied atop Group A with three points after each won 2-1 in its opening game of the Algarve Cup. The two countries meet on March 4 at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio with a 10 a.m. ET kickoff. Fans can follow the action on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and Twitter @ussoccer_wnt. A winner in this match would have the inside track to the group title and a berth in the championship game. The winners of Groups A and B meet for the championship on March 9 at Stadium Algarve in Faro. For complete Algarve Cup results and standings, as well as links to other U.S. content, click on the Algarve Cup competition page.

U.S. Women Defeat Japan 2-1 to Open 2011 Algarve Cup in Portugal

U.S. WOMEN DEFEAT JAPAN 2-1 TO OPEN 2011 ALGARVE CUP IN PORTUGAL

• USA Gets First Half Goals from Amy Rodriguez and Megan Rapinoe
• Wambach Comes Off Bench to Get First Minutes of 2011
• Follow USA-Norway in Friday, March 4, in Second Group B Match on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker at 10 a.m. ET

VILA REAL de SAN ANTONIO, Portugal (March 2, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team put together an excellent all-around performance to defeat Japan 2-1 in its opening game of the 2011 Algarve Cup.

U.S. Women's National Team Ready to Open 2011 Algarve Cup against Japan

U.S. WOMEN OPEN ALGARVE CUP AGAINST JAPAN: The U.S. Women’s National Team will open the 2011 Algarve Cup against Japan on March 2 at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio in what will be the first meeting between the teams since the semifinal of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. It will also be a clash of two of the top teams in the world with the USA currently ranked first and Japan fifth. All of the USA’s Group A games will kick off at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) and fans can follow the action as it happens on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt. The Algarve Cup is a key component for U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup preparation as this will be the final tournament for the USA before it heads to Germany in mid-June. By the time the match against Japan kicks off, the USA will have trained in Portugal for 10 days, with one day off, as Sundhage continues to formulate her roster, lineup and tactics for the sixth FIFA Women’s World Cup.

USWNT Continues Preperation for 2011 ALGARVE CUP opener:

The U.S. Women’s National Team completed a week of training on the southern coast of Portugal to prepare for its second international tournament of 2011. This is the USA’s 16th trip to the Algarve Cup, which has developed into one of the premier women’s tournaments in the world. The USA will play four matches, the first three in a group format, with a placement game coming on March 9. The U.S. will open the competition against Japan on March 2 at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio. All of the USA’s Group A games kick off at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) and fans can follow the action as it happens on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt.

U.S. Women in Portugal to Train for March 2 Algarve Cup Opener

U.S. Women's National Team

2011 Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Feb. 21, 2011

U.S. WNT ARRIVES EARLY IN PORTUGAL FOR 11 DAYS OF TRAINING BEFORE ALGARVE CUP: The U.S. Women’s National Team has arrived on the southern coast of Portugal to prepare for its second international tournament of 2011. This is the USA’s 16th trip to the Algarve Cup, which has developed into one of the premier tournaments in the world. The 2011 edition of the event features 12 teams and four of FIFA’s top-10 ranked countries. It’s also an ideal environment for U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage to continue her roster evaluation and team preparation for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The USA will play four matches, the first three in a group format, with a placement game coming on March 9. The U.S. team arrived on the early morning of Feb. 19 and will have 11 days of training before opening the competition against Japan on March 2 at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio, which is just a Hope Solo goal kick from the Spanish border. The tournament was held a week earlier last year and the USA arrived five days before its first match. All of the USA’s Group A games kick off at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) and fans can follow the action as it happens on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt.

FIRST MEETING WITH JAPAN SINCE 2008 OLYMPICS: The USA faced Japan twice at the 2008 Olympics in China, first in group play and again the semifinal, but the two countries have not met since. The USA and Japan will open play on March 2 in what should be an entertaining game with both countries looking to get a leg up on Group A. A loss during the Algarve Cup is difficult to rebound from, as a team needs to win its group to qualify for the championship game. The Algarve Cup is the fourth event of the year for the USA, which had a training camp in Los Angeles in mid-January, the Four Nations Tournament in China in late January and a training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in early February. Seven of the eight teams in Groups A and B are the same as last year with Japan replacing Germany. The Germans are finishing up their club season early to prepare for the Women’s World Cup and did not want to pull their players out of crucial end-of-the-season club matches to attend the tournament.

  

18th Annual Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Group A

USA, Japan, Norway, Finland

Group B

Sweden, China, Iceland, Denmark

Group C

Portugal, Chile, Wales, Romania

U.S. WNT 2011 Algarve Cup Schedule

Date / Opponent  / Kickoff (Local/ET) / Venue

March 2 Japan 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; VR de SA

March 4 Norway 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; VR de SA

March 7 Finland 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; Quarteira

March 9 Placement Match TBD TBD


SIXTEEN YEARS IN PORTUGAL: The U.S. Women have gone 10-1-4 in openers of this annual tournament the past 15 times they have attended. The only opening game loss came in 2001 when the USA brought a very young team to the Algarve during WUSA pre-season camps. Last year, the USA won all four games of the tournament for only the fourth time in the 15 previous appearances. The USA won all four games, and of course the tournament title, in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The USA also won the tournament in 2000 (its first title), 2003 and 2004. The USA has twice lost in penalty kicks in the championship game, in 2006 to Germany and in 2009 to Sweden.

FINAL TOURNAMENT BEFORE GERMANY: The 2011 Algarve Cup will be the USA’s final tournament competition before starting play in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany on June 28 against Korea DPR in Dresden. The USA will play a friendly against England on April 2 in London and several domestic matches in the spring to send the team off to the World Cup, giving the squad 11 full international matches this year before heading to Germany.

U.S. ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The USA comes to the 2011 Algarve Cup with a 24-player roster, but Pia Sundhage will name 20 to suit up for the tournament games. Sundhage has brought four goalkeepers, six defenders, nine midfielders and four forwards to the tournament. Goalkeeper Hope Solo, who is in the final stages of her comeback from major shoulder last September, will not play in this tournament and is targeting the USA’s trip to England for a return to game action. Of the USA’s 24 players, just four are over thirty in team captain Christie Rampone (35 years old), Shannon Boxx (33), Abby Wambach (31) and Lori Lindsey (30). Solo and Nicole Barnhart are 29. The youngest player on the squad is 21-year-old forward Alex Morgan. Fourteen of the players on the roster were at the tournament last year. Eight players – Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Saurerbrunn, Ashlyn Harris, Whitney Engen and Alyssa Naeher – are at their first Algarve Cup. All 24 players on the roster are professionals with 23 playing in Women’s Professional Soccer (and Morgan entering her rookie year). Krieger is the lone American to play her club ball outside of the USA, plying her trade for FFC Frankfurt in Germany. The make-up of the roster gives several young players the chance to impress U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage in some highly competitive games as USA continues on its road to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

ADD KRIEGER: Ali Krieger missed the first two days of camp as she was playing for Frankfurt on Sunday, Feb. 20, in a 6-0 victory against SG Essen-Schönebeck. She started at right back and played the first 74 minutes, and then joined the U.S. that evening in Portugal. Frankfurt is currently in a three-team battle for the Women’s Bundesliga title. Turbine Potsdam of Berlin (52 points from 20 matches) is in first, followed by Frankfurt (50 from 20 matches) and FCR Duisburg (47 from 20 matches). Each team has two matches remaining, one of which Krieger will miss before returning to Germany for the March 13 finale against Bayern Munich.

ALGARVE CUP QUICK HITS

The USA is 42-9-8 all-time in the Algarve Cup.

The USA has scored 124 goals while allowing 48 at the Algarve Cup.

The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game is seven, achieved against Portugal in 2000.

The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game not against Portugal is five, achieved against France in a 5-1 win in 2004 and against Denmark in a 5-0 win in 2006.

The USA has not lost a match in regulation time in the Algarve Cup since 2004, a 3-1 setback to Sweden.

The USA still made the championship game though and won its second Algarve Cup title 2-0 against China.

Eight players on the USA’s roster have scored at the Algarve Cup: Abby Wambach (15 goals), Carli Lloyd (6), Lindsay Tarpley (5), Lauren Cheney (4), Heather O’Reilly (4), Shannon Boxx (1), Tobin Heath (1) and Amy Rodriguez (1).

Wambach’s 15 goals are tops all-time at the Algarve Cup for a U.S. player and tied with Swedish legend Hanna Ljungberg as the top scorer in the 18-year history of the tournament.

Cheney had a breakout tournament last year at the Algarve cup, scoring in three of the four matches and four goals total, including the eventual winning goal against Germany in the championship game.

The USA had been shut out in just four of its 59 all-time Algarve Cup games (with two coming in 2001), but were shutout twice in 2006, with both games ending 0-0 in regulation against China and Germany. The tie against China in the 2006 Algarve opener broke a streak of 17 straight games in which the USA had scored at this tournament.

Currently, the USA has scored in 16 straight Algarve Cup games and a goal against Japan will tie its record.

Five teams have played in all 18 Algarve Cups so far: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and host Portugal.

Christie Rampone is the most-capped player on the U.S. roster with 229, 80 more than the next closest player, Wambach. Rampone will not arrive in Portugal on Feb. 22 as she gets in some fitness training back in New Jersey after recovering from sickness.


ALL-TIME U.S. FINISHES AT THE ALGARVE CUP: The USA has had some tremendous success at the Algarve Cup (eight straight appearances in the championship game and seven titles overall), but the USA didn’t win its first until its sixth try in 2000 when a Brandi Chastain penalty kick defeated Norway in the title game, 1-0. It took the USA three years to win it again.

Year U.S. Finish Teams Champion Runner-up

• 1994 Second Six Norway USA
• 1995 Fourth Eight Sweden Denmark
• 1996 DNP Eight Sweden Norway
• 1997 DNP Eight Norway China
• 1998 Third Eight Norway Denmark 
• 1999 Second Eight China USA 
• 2000 First Eight USA Norway 
• 2001 Sixth Eight Sweden Denmark  
• 2002 Fifth Twelve China Norway 
• 2003 First Twelve USA China  
• 2004 First Twelve USA Norway
• 2005 First Twelve USA Germany 
• 2006 Second Twelve Germany USA 
• 2007 First Twelve USA Denmark 
• 2008 First Twelve USA Denmark
• 2009 Second Twelve Sweden USA
• 2010 First Twelve USA Germany

HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE: With the success of the U.S. team in this tournament, the Americans have also taken home several individual awards over the years, including five MVPs and five Top Scorer awards. In 1999, Tiffeny Milbrett was the Best Player and the Top Scorer with four goals. In 2002, Shannon MacMillan was the Top Scorer with seven goals, the most in one Algarve Cup tournament by a U.S. player.

In 2004, Abby Wambach was the Top Scorer with five goals and Shannon Boxx was voted Best Player. In 2005, Christie Welsh was Top Scorer with five goals. In 2006, Hope Solo was voted Best Goalkeeper and Boxx took home her second Algarve Cup MVP award. In 2007, Carli Lloyd did the double, taking the Top Scorer (four goals) and Best Player awards. In 2009, Solo was the first goalkeeper to win the tournament’s MVP award.

  

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: Since the expansion from eight to 12 teams nine years ago, the Algarve Cup format has been as follows. The teams in Group A and B will compete for the title as the group winners will play in the championship game on Wednesday, March 9. The two second-place group finishers in Groups A and B will play for third place while the third-place finishers will play for fifth. The Group C teams will be competing for a chance to play for spots 7-11 as the winner of Group C will play the best fourth place team from Groups A or B, the second place team in Group C will play the worst fourth place team from Groups A or B. The teams that finish third and four in Group C will play each other for 11th place.

Stat of Note

Abby Wambach’s next cap will be her 150th, making her the 14th U.S. WNT player to achieve that milestone.

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Five Washington Freedom/magicTalk SC players selected to 2011 Algarve Cup roster

CHICAGO (Feb. 10, 2011) – Following a seven-day training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named a 24-player preliminary roster for the 2011 Algarve Cup in Portugal.
This year’s tournament is being staged from March 2-9 and the U.S. team will depart for Europe on Feb. 18. The venues and kickoff times have yet to be confirmed. Sundhage will name 20 players to the tournament roster prior to the start of the matches.

All the games will be played at small venues across the Algarve region on the southern coast of the country, and the placement matches will take place on March 9. Fans can follow the USA’s intense schedule of four games in eight days online via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt and watch highlights on ussoccer.com.

The U.S. team, which has been placed into Group A at the annual tournament, will open play on March 2 against first-time Algarve Cup participants Japan, will face Norway on March 4 and will finish the first round on March 7 against Finland. Group B features Sweden, China, Iceland and Denmark. Group C features host Portugal, another first-time Algarve Cup participant in Chile, Wales and Romania.

Since the expansion to 12 teams 10 years ago, the Algarve Cup format has been as follows: The teams in Group A and B will compete for the title as the group winners will play on Wednesday, March 9, in the championship game. The two second-place finishers in Groups A and B will play for third place while the third-place finishers will play for fifth. The Group C teams will be competing for a chance to play for spots 7-12 as the winner of Group C will play the best fourth place team from Groups A or B for seventh place. The second place team in Group C will play the worst fourth place team from Groups A or B for ninth place, and the third and fourth place finishers in Group C will play each other for 11th place.

This will be the 16th trip to the Algarve Cup for the U.S. Women, who have won the tournament seven times, including an unprecedented three straight championships from 2003-05 at what has become one of the world’s most competitive international women’s events. Last year, the USA defeated Germany 3-2 in the championship game on a sloppy field at Stadium Algarve in Faro.

Sundhage will bring a slightly larger roster to the tournament as U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo (who is attending her ninth Algarve Cup) is not yet cleared for game competition, but will come to train as she enters the final stages of her rehabilitation from major shoulder surgery. The larger roster will also give more players the chance to train in preparation for this summer’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Four of the eight teams over Groups A and B will be participating in the World Cup in Germany.

The USA scored nine goals at last year’s tournament, including one own goal, credited to Sif Atladottir of Iceland, and each of the U.S. goalscorers return this year. Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach and Lauren Cheney, who all scored in the championship game, accounted for the eight goals with Cheney netting four and Wambach three.

After missing January’s Four Nations Tournament in China, Wambach returns to the roster looking to build on her career total of 117 goals. The U.S. roster is stocked with veteran players, led by U.S. captain Christie Rampone (who missed last year’s tournament while preparing for the birth of her second daughter), Shanon Boxx (the 2004 and 2006 Algarve Cup MVP), Wambach (15 career goals at the Algarve, best of any U.S. player), and 100-plus capped midfielders Lloyd, Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly. Lloyd was the MVP of the 2007 Algarve Cup after scoring in all four games. O’Reilly will be playing in her team-leading ninth Algarve Cup.

Joining Wambach in a quartet of forwards is Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan, the top pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash. Sundhage chose nine midfielders with Yael Averbuch, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Lori Lindsey and Kelley O’Hara – all of whom contributed to the Four Nations title – rounding out the group.
Seven defenders were chosen. Heather Mitts will not make the trip due to injury, but outside back Ali Krieger, currently playing her club soccer in Germany for FFC Frankfurt, will join the U.S. team in Portugal. Veterans Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet and Stephanie Cox will be joined by Becky Sauerbrunn (five caps) and the uncapped Whitney Engen on the back line.
Nicole Barnhart, who has started the past 11 games in goal for the USA, is joined by uncapped Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher as the USA will bring four ‘keepers to Portugal. This is the eighth Algarve Cup appearance for Boxx and seventh for Wambach.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position – Detailed Roster

GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole Barnhart (out of contract), Ashlyn Harris (Western New York Flash), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo (out of contract)

DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Whitney Engen (Western New York Flash), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Washington Freedom), Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom),

MIDFIELDERS (9): Yael Averbuch (Western New York Flash), Shannon Boxx (Washington Freedom), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Philadelphia Independence), Lindsay Tarpley (Washington Freedom)

FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)



18th Annual Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Group A

Japan, Finland, USA, Norway

Group B

Sweden, China, Iceland, Denmark

Group C

Portugal, Chile, Wales, Romania



March 2

Group Teams

A Norway vs. Finland

A USA vs. Japan

B Sweden vs. Iceland

B China vs. Denmark

C Portugal vs. Wales

C Romania vs. Chile



March 4

Group Teams

A Japan vs. Finland

A USA vs. Norway

B Iceland vs. China

B Denmark vs. Sweden

C Portugal vs. Chile

C Wales vs. Romania



March 7

Group Teams

A Norway vs. Japan

A USA vs. Finland

B China vs. Sweden

B Denmark vs. Iceland

C Chile vs. Wales

C Portugal vs. Romania



March 9

Placement Matches

11th-Place Match

9th-Place Match

7th-Place Match

5th-Place Match

3rd-Place Match

Championship

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