Jan 31, 2011

Q & A with D.C. draft pick, Christen Press

By Silviano Barron

Christen Press had an unbelievable year last year. Press, who is from Palos Verdes Estates, led the nation in scoring with 26 goals and in points with 60. Press has numerous awards from her young career, which includes the prestigious 2010 MAC Hermann Award, NCAA College Cup appearances and winning the USL W-League with the Pali Blues while going undefeated in 2009. We had a quick Q&A with Press, who was recently drafted by the Washington Freedom, who is in between studying for her last semester at Stanford and training with the US U-23s.

Read full  Q & A at:  Pali Blues Soccer Club

Q & A with D.C. Draft Pick Omolyn Davis

Announcing DC SCORES Cup 11

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Saturday June 11, 2011
Maryland SoccerPlex


 
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The ninth annual DC SCORES Cup will be held Saturday, June 11 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit DC SCORES' 800 poet-athletes.

The SCORES Cup places teams from the greater DC area -- including corporations, law firms, small businesses and others -- in a World Cup-style, round-robin format. The games are 7v7, co-ed and for adults 21-and-up.

Sign up your Team
Download a Registration Form

The entry fee of $3,600 for a team of 15 is a charitable contribution to DC SCORES and includes:
  • At least three games (and up to six) at the Maryland SoccerPlex
  • Your logo featured on tournament T-shirts
  • Event signage at playing field
  • 15 tickets to D.C. United game, where SCORES Cup winner receives trophy at halftime
  • Name recognition on DC SCORES and DC SCORES Cup websites and in regional newsletter, SCORES SCOOP
  • Tournament giveaways TBD
  • Pre-tournament party in the District

2011 Teams

Booz Allen Hamilton
Clark Construction
District Sports
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Marriott
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP


Sponsorship Opportunities
Sign Up Now!

For more information on being a SCORES Cup sponsor, download the sponsorship packet (pdf).

Sponsorship Levels:
  • *Title Sponsor $15,000
  • *World Cup Sponsor $10,000
  • *Champions League Sponsor $5,000
  • Booth Sponsor $500-2,500
*Includes entering a team ($3,600 value)


Past Winners

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2010: Hogan Lovells US LLP
2009: Marriott International
2008: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
2007: Latham & Watkins LLP
2006: Marriott International
2005: Whole Foods
2004: Whole Foods
2003: Marriott International

Past Participants

Accurate Conceptions
Advisory Board Foundation
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Al Jazeera USA, Inc.
AOL
Arnold & Porter LLP
BDO Seidman LLP
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Booz Allen Hamilton
CARANA Corporation
Clark Construction
Corporate Executive Board
DC Stoddert Soccer League
District Sports
Finnegan Henderson Farabow
Garret & Dunner LLP
Friedman Billings Ramsey
FTI Consulting
Gibson, Dunn, Crutcher LLP
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Holland & Knight LLP
Hunton & Williams LLP
John Snow, Inc.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
Marriott International
Morrison Foerster
Nathan Associates, Inc.
PEPCO
PricewaterhouseCoopers
RAFFA P.C.
RightStar Systems
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP
SportsChallenge
The Advisory Board Company
The Meltzer Group
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Venable LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Walmart
Whole Foods Market
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
WilmerHale
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP


For More Information:

To learn more about the DC SCORES Cup or to enter a team, contact Jake Lloyd at jlloyd@americascores.org or 202.393.6999 x301.

Seeing Red: D.C. United unveil 3rd kit

At this past weekends Washintgton Auto show D.C. United players made appearances, signed autogrraphs, took pictures with fans, and most importantly revealed the new 3rd kit for United.

Here is a picture of the players sporting the new kit (propertry of: Jose L. Argueta)



What do you think of it? Do you love it or hate it? Will you go out and buy yourself one in preperation for the D.C. United home opener?

W&M Men's Soccer Tribe Men’s Soccer Rakes in VaSID All-State Honors

william and mary mascot


Williamsburg, Va. - The honors continued to roll in for the William and Mary Tribe men’s soccer team on Thursday, as the 2010 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Men’s Soccer University Division All-State awards were announced. Tribe head coach Chris Norris was named Coach of the Year, while Nathaniel Baako, Derek Buckley and Alan Koger were named First-Team All-State. Earning second-team honors were Michael DiNuzzo and Andrew McAdams.

In his seventh season at the helm of the William and Mary program, head coach Chris Norris was named Coach of the Year after leading the College to the NCAA Third Round, a CAA Tournament title, and a CAA regular season crown. W&M posted a record of 15-3-2 overall, which marked the most wins in a season for the Tribe since 2002. Along with being named VaSID University Division Coach of the Year, Norris was also honored as the NSCAA South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.

It has been a busy offseason for Baako, as he has accumulated many honors for his work on and off the pitch. Baako was named a NSCAA/Performance Subaru Second-Team All-American, and the midfielder was also named to the All-Region First-Team, All-CAA First-Team and the Soccer America’s MVPs Second-Team. For his work in the classroom, Baako was named the NSCAA Senior College Men’s Scholar All-America National Player of the Year, earning a spot on the NSCAA Men’s College Scholar All-America team. Baako was also named CAA Men’s Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Koger finished his career with the Tribe with a fantastic offensive season in 2010. Koger was named First-Team All-CAA last year after being selected to the All-CAA Second Team in 2009 and the CAA All-Rookie Team in 2007. In 2010, Koger was a force for the College, leading the Tribe with nine goals and 20 points. Koger’s nine goals were the third-most in the CAA, while his 20 points also ranked him third in conference. Earlier this month, Koger was taken in the third round (54th pick) of the 2011 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by the New England Revolution.

A stalwart on the Tribe’s backline this season, Buckley earned All-CAA honors for the first time in his career, being named first-team all-conference in 2010. Buckley was also named to the ECAC All-Star team following the year. Buckley was a critical member of the Tribe’s defense in 2010 that allowed opponents to score just 0.81 goals a match, the third-best mark in the CAA. Buckley also contributed in the offensive end, tallying a pair of assists on the season.

A staple in net for the Tribe the past four seasons, McAdams was named to All-CAA Third Team in 2010, posting a goals against average of 0.81 while recording six shutouts, tying him for first in the conference. McAdams will leave Williamsburg ranked second all-time in school history in both saves and shutouts, behind only Adin Brown in both categories.

Also a main factor in the Tribe’s great defensive play this season has been DiNuzzo, was named to the All-CAA Third Team for the first time in his career. DiNuzzo has been a constant on the Tribe’s backline since stepping foot on campus, starting every match for the College since his freshman season. In 2010, DiNuzzo also helped out on the offensive end, tallying a pair of assists on the season

Jan 30, 2011

Former Soccer Pro’s Story Headed for the Big Screen


When Kurt Kuykendall was cut from his college basketball team in his freshman year, he had no idea what lay ahead. 40 years, a screenplay and production company later, his story will be shown to the world.

Jan 26, 2011 – FOR THE GLORY is based on the true story of Northern Virginia native, Kurt Kuykendall. Kurt actively trains young soccer players (all five of his children received Division I soccer scholarships), has won numerous coaching awards, and was inducted into American University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.


For The Glory teaser from For The Glory on Vimeo.


FOR THE GLORY is an independent film written and produced in Virginia. The post-production process continues with color correction, sound design, and scoring, but the final editing is complete and the film is locked at 102 minutes.

For more information on the film’s origins and progress, visit www.fortheglorythemovie.com/media

Photos and videos available at: http://tinyurl.com/forthegloryFacebook

fortheglorythemovie.com
cdrcommunications.com
1voicefilms.com

CDR is a multimedia production company specializing in creative and promotional services. Operating in Northern Virginia since 1984, we have produced and promoted products for television, radio, DVD and the web.

Meet D.C. United players at the Washington Auto Show


Player(s): Brandon Barklage

What: D.C. United Winter Camp

When: Sunday, January 30; 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Where: Sports Network & Fitness, Manassas, Va.


Player(s): Stephen King

What: D.C. United Winter Camp

When: Sunday, January 30; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Greenbelt Sportsplex



Player(s): Kurt Morsink and Julius James

What: Washington Auto Show

When: Sunday, January 30; 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Where: VW Booth at the Washington Auto Show (Washington Convention Center)



Player(s): Jed Zayner

What: MSI General Meeting

When: Sunday, January 30; 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Where: St. James Episcopal Church, Potomac, Md.

Jan 27, 2011

Q & A with Omolyn Davis: Washington Freedom/magicTalk SC draft pick

Omolyn Davis was drafted by the Washington Freedom/magicTalk SC in the 2011 WPS Draft. Davis played at George Mason University and is from Kingston, Jamaica.


VaSoccerNews: How popular is soccer with girls in Jamaica?

Omolyn Davis: Girls soccer in Jamaica is very popular. It might not get the same recognition as the boys program, but we have many leagues that support the girls program in Jamaica.
VASN: When did you realize you would have the opportunity to play in the WPS?
Davis: I realized I might have the opportunity to play in the WPS as long as the league was around. By doing this, I wanted to ensure that I get as much exposure as I could while playing college. In the summer however, I played for the Washington Freedom W-League team, and that was where I got a lot of exposure.
VASN: What attracted you to soccer as opposed to other sports?
Davis: The uniqueness of the game. Unlike other sports, one goal can be the determining factor of that game.
VASN: Which player are you looking forward to playing against the most, why?
Davis: I am really excited to play against all the players this season. They’re  all talented players. I’ve played against a few of the US national team players, and I’ve also played against Marta, so it should be exciting to share the field with such great players.
VASN: How important is it for the WPS to exist and how important is it for its players to be seen as role models to young female soccer players/athletes?
Davis: It is very important for the league to exist so that young girls who dream and aspire to play professional will have the opportunity to do so after college. It is also important for players to be seen as good role models for young female soccer athletes so that they can be more inspired to play the sport.
VASN: What is your best memory from playing soccer at George Mason?
Davis:  Well, I have two. First, My 2009 season when I scored and hat-trick in our 3-2 overtime win against William & Mary University. It was our team first win over William & Mary since 2003. My next was last season, making it to our conference tournament semi finals.



VASN: Do you feel that women’s soccer in general get fair media coverage compared to the men’s game? Why or why not?
Davis: No, I don’t think we get fair coverage as the men’s programs do. It could be because soccer is less popular here in the US than many other countries around the world.
VASN: If you were not going to be a professional athlete what career would you pursue?
Davis: I have a passion for soccer, so I would definitely go into coaching.  I have been coaching little kids here for about 2 years now, and it’s something I could see myself doing.
VASN: What is the strongest part of your game? What aspect needs the most improvement?
Davis: I would say my dribbling and technical skills. The aspect that needs improvement would be heading.

Thanks to Omolyn Davis for her time and best of luck on the upcoming season.


Jan 26, 2011

Norfolk SharX Join I-League (USL)



Team to call Norfolk Scope Arena home

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues is proud to announce the addition of the Norfolk SharX to the I-League.  The SharX were unveiled today at a news conference in Norfolk featuring team CEO and President Marcie Laumann, founder and president of the Hampton Roads Piranhas teams that compete in the USL Premier Development League and W-League.



Scheduled to begin play this fall, the I-league also features the Rochester Lancers and a recently announced team in Syracuse, New York, with additional announcements expected soon.  Consistent with the model that has properly served USL for the past quarter-century, competition in the I-League will be regionally based in order to contain travel expenses, and culminate with a national championship to be held in early 2012.

“The I-League is much stronger today thanks to the addition of the Norfolk SharX,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “Marcie Laumann is one of the key figures in USL’s 25-year history, and we look forward to launching our newest league with her support.”

The SharX will kick off their first season at Norfolk Scope Arena this fall and expect to play 20 games per season, 10 at home and 10 on the road. The team also revealed its logo and team colors at the event and started its official countdown to kickoff.

“The Norfolk SharX are a fantastic addition to the I-League, which continues to build momentum as we head toward the opening kickoff in November,” I-League Senior Director Chris Economides said.  “With Marcie Laumann serving as CEO and President, there is no question that the SharX will enjoy a great deal of success just as her PDL and W-League teams have.”

Laumann is one of the majority owners of the team, which is wholly owned by Ariel Sports Group.  Laumann has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in soccer team ownership and management in USL. For the past 17 years she has led the Piranhas teams and has won numerous individual and team awards, and her teams have won championships. 

Laumann has been honored by the USL with the Archie Moylan Courage Award (2000), Marketing Excellence Award (2001), USL Executive of the Year (2002, 2007) and USL Organization of the Year (2003). In 2004, both Marcie and her husband, Doc, were inducted into the USL Hall of Fame.

“Everyone here at the SharX understands that community and corporate support is earned and not given or expected,” Marcie Laumann said. “We have worked hard behind the scenes for the past eight months to develop a franchise that today we are proud to introduce to our neighbors, friends, and family throughout Hampton Roads. 

“It is our goal to entrench our franchise in the community rather than making demands of our community. Although we intend to be fiercely competitive on the pitch, we recognize that the opportunity we have been given is much broader than the lines on the field. We will provide role models for our youth and support for as many community projects as we can, and this will have a far greater impact on Hampton Roads than the outcome of any game.”

The Piranhas women’s team, established in 1995, has appeared in the W-League playoffs seven times, winning four division/conference titles. The Piranhas were a league finalist in 1998 and 2003 and won the W-League Championship in 2003.  The men’s team, which she acquired in 2007, won the PDL Regular Season Championship in its inaugural season.  The team also won the PDL Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship and the PDL Mid-Atlantic Championship that season. 

The head coach for the Norfolk SharX will be announced in the upcoming weeks, as will information regarding players, tickets and schedules.



United Soccer Leagues
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, United Soccer Leagues has become the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America by building on the vision, commitment, and passion of players, fans and investors. Now in its third decade of operation, USL continues to be a driving force in the growth of soccer in the United States, Canada and Caribbean. USL provides a clearly defined path for the progression of male and female soccer players beginning at the youth level (USL Super Y-League/USL Super-20 League), continuing through the amateur level (USL Premier Development League/USL W-League) and up to the professional level, both outdoor and indoor (USL PRO, I-League). A platform for countless players to reach for their dreams each year, USL is devoted to developing the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the region.

Jan 25, 2011

USWNT Win 2011 Four Nations Tournament beating China 2-0

2011 Four Nations Tournament


The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 25, 2011; 7:57 AM

BEIJING -- The top-ranked United States beat China 2-0 Tuesday in the final game of the Four Nations Tournament, a warmup for the Women's World Cup this summer in Germany.

The United States also won the tournament title, because it won by the bigger margin in Tuesday's two games. Carli Lloyd scored at the 31-minute mark for the United States, and Amy Rodriguez scored 68 minutes in.

In the first game, No. 9-ranked Canada beat No. 4-ranked Sweden 1-0 when Christine Sinclair scored at the 32-minute mark.

The 11th-ranked host team China missed out on qualifying for the upcoming World Cup and is trying to secure a spot in the 2012 Olympics.

Virginia Soccer Tournaments on SoccerTournamentDirectory.com



For a full list of soccer tournaments in Virginia check out:

SoccerTournamentDirectory.com



Youth Soccer Tournaments List - Comprehensive directory of United States and Canadian tournaments organized by year and state.

Jan 24, 2011

USL PRO Postseason Format Unveiled

USL PRO Postseason Format Unveiled

Eight teams to advance following 180-game regular season

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues unveiled the postseason format for the 2011 USL PRO season today. The format, approved by a vote of the USL PRO Board of Governors, will see eight clubs advancing to the postseason in 2011.  USL released the divisional alignment and schedule for USL PRO last week, with the 180-game regular season opening on Saturday, April 2. 

The first round of the 2011 USL Pro Playoffs will feature four single-game quarterfinals taking place Friday-Sunday, August 19-21.  The semifinals will be played a week later, with the 2011 USL PRO Championship, hosted by the highest remaining seed, to be played between September 2-4.  Remaining teams will be re-seeded following the Quarterfinals. 
Matchups will be set as follows:

Quarterfinals - August 19-21
International Division #2 at International Division #1
National Division #3 at National Division #1
American Division #3 at American Division #1
National Division #2 vs. American Division #2 (team with most points to host)




Semifinals – August 26-28
#4 Seed at #1 Seed
#3 Seed at #2 Seed

Championship – September 2-4
#2 Seed at #1 Seed

“We are pleased with the competitive makeup of the 2011 USL PRO postseason as well as the time frame in which the playoffs will take place,” USL PRO Senior Director Chris Economides said. “With eight of the 15 teams set to qualify for the playoffs, this format not only makes regular season games that much more meaningful, it increases the excitement level for the fans as the season progresses.”




Teams will play 24 games in the 2011 season, facing each team in their division at least once at home and once on the road.  The schedule for teams in the American and National Divisions sees each of the 10 teams play a home-and-home series with the other. In addition, each team also makes one trip to either the Caribbean or Los Angeles for a pair of games, and each team will host two games against competition from the International Division.  The final two games that complete the schedule will match traditional rivals.

For the five teams in the International Division, each team will play each other four times, twice home and twice away, with four games apiece at home and away against competition from the American and National Divisions. The final weekend of the regular season is set for Friday-Saturday August 12-13, with 12 of the 15 teams in action as the race for playoff spots winds down.

USL PRO is the strongest, best operated and most sophisticated North American men’s professional soccer league below MLS, both on and off the field. Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO will feature an unprecedented six teams with more than a decade of operational experience in 2011, and more than 100 years of combined operational experience. It will also benefit from national television and online broadcast packages.





United Soccer Leagues
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, United Soccer Leagues has become the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America by building on the vision, commitment, and passion of players, fans and investors. Now in its third decade of operation, USL continues to be a driving force in the growth of soccer in the United States, Canada and Caribbean. USL provides a clearly defined path for the progression of male and female soccer players beginning at the youth level (USL Super Y-League/USL Super-20 League), continuing through the amateur level (USL Premier Development League/USL W-League) and up to the professional level, both outdoor and indoor (USL PRO, I-League). A platform for countless players to reach for their dreams each year, USL is devoted to developing the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the region.


Jan 23, 2011

Will new U.S. Women's Directors keep USWNT from losing the #1 spot?

In what is a clear sign that somebody within U.S. Soccer is still buying what former USWNT head coach Tony DiCicco selling, Sunil Gulati announced appointed April Heinrichs as the Technical Director and Jill Ellis as the Development Director for the U.S. Women's National Teams.


In an interview with National Soccer Examiner DiCicco rightfully called out U.S. Soccer for failing to produce top quality players. DiCicco said:

On the girls’ side our players are not smart players, they lack sophistication, they’re not technical enough.
By appointing Heinrichs and Ellis as directors, the first time U.S. Soccer has appointed full-time positions to oversee the women's youth national team program and the programs’ overall development, the USWNT is at least attempting to stop what has seemed to be a downward slide from its seemingly permanent #1 spot in international women's soccer.

The quality or lack of quality in the women's program was most evident after placing third at the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament in November of 2010. Faced with a must win scenario versus Italy to simply make it into the 2011 World Cup in Germany.

Many soccer pundits, fans, and coaches began questioning if the USWNT had lost its edge in international play and if so, why.

Having won both an Olympic gold medal and a Women's World Cup, Tony DiCicco knows what it takes to develop winning players and teams. So when he told L.E. Eisenmenger:
Our players are not getting the foundations of the game. Our players are not technical.
U.S. Soccer, and specifically Sunil Gulati reacted.

April Heinrichs was head coach of the full Women’s National Team from 2000-2004, compiling a record of 87-17-20. On the perception that the world has caught up and, in some cases, overtaken the U.S. Women’s soccer program over the last decade Heinrichs said:

In a lot of respects the U.S. sports teams, all of our women’s sports teams, had a 50-yard head start in a 100-yard dash. Over the last 10, maybe 15 years, those other countries have spent time, energy and now their resources across all of our sports, including soccer. These countries have caught up and it’s a matter of us now saying, ‘Okay, where do we need to go now?’ and I think that’s what today’s announcement is about. What do we need to do to develop players to be prepared to play at the international level because we’re putting them on the international field at even younger and younger ages. It’s important to be competitive at every age group and develop the technical skills so that they can implement the tactics and we can put more and more complete players on the field in all positions.
As the saying goes, acknowledging you have a problem is only the first step. Heinrichs will be joined by Jill Ellis.



Ellis coached the U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team during two different stints in 2000 and 2005. She will be taking the lead on interacting directly with key coaches within the youth club environment while also guiding and directing the U.S. U-17s, U-15s and U-14s. Some might say this role is the most vital. On how the new philosophies will incorporate the technical aspects of the game into the current system which focuses on the physical aspects Ellis said:

We certainly have a lot of technical players in our midst, but now marrying that with a style of play that highlights that is going to be the challenge. As April has alluded to, it’s establishing a philosophy of how we want to play and how we want to develop players, it’s not simply identification. It really is development. We have tremendous athletes in this country and that begs the question, ‘Why can’t we have tremendous athletes that are tremendous technical players?’ That is ultimately what you’re trying to establish in developing players. I think there’s a place for everybody. I certainly have, in my college years and my selection of players for the national team, have picked players that play the game and understand the game and there has to be a certain variety of the types of players on the field and we can’t have everyone being a piano player, there has to be some piano carriers out there and I think that’s our challenge and our charge is to try and find those players, find a style of play that really marries our strengths as a country. We have athletes and we have technical players but I think ultimately we realize that we do need to further our development, technically, and that’s going to be a big push for us.
Will Heinrichs and Ellis be able to make a significant mark on the USWNT in time for the 2011 Women's World Cup? Although the team did struggle to qualify Mia Hamm said:
You can never write off the US. They had a tough time in qualifying, but I think that will serve them well in terms of experience and the awareness that every second counts out on the pitch.
The most important outcome from the naming of the new directors for the U.S. Women's program will be how if they can again produce a generation of technically advanced and developed players.

Related Post:

Two Hours with April (Heinrichs)

USWNT fal to Sweden 2-1 at Four Nations

D.C. Uniteds' Dax McCarty captians USMNT vs Chile


U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM OPENS 2011 WITH 1-1 DRAW AGAINST CHILE


BEHIND FIRST CAREER GOAL FROM TEAL BUNBURY


Seven Players Make U.S. Men’s National Team Debut, Including Four in the Starting Lineup

Bunbury Nets First Goal in Second Cap With U.S. MNT

Next Up for the U.S. is a Trip to Cairo to Face African Champion Egypt on Feb. 9



CARSON, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Team opened 2011 with a 1-1 draw against Chile in front of 18,580 fans this evening at The Home Depot Center. The U.S., which started a very young and inexperienced squad, came from behind to earn the draw.

Chile got on the board first in the 53rd minute when Esteban Paredes brought down a cross from Felipe Seymour and struck an impressive shot from close range. The U.S. equalized in the 75th minute after Juan Agudelo was tripped up in the penalty area by the Chilean defense. Teal Bunbury stepped up and buried the penalty kick, slotting it into the lower right corner for the first goal of his national team career.




“From the start of this camp we talked about how international games are faster so our movement needs to be better and things need to be cleaner,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley, who is now 3-1-1 all-time in opening matches of the year as head coach of the MNT. “For the past few weeks we tried to establish an idea of what that's like and today that's exactly what we got. We had seven guys get their first cap tonight, so that's always positive. When you have a young group of guys in camp, at the end of everything you want to put it to the test and it gives you a good picture of where these guys are, and I think that part was excellent.” [More quotes]

Four players in Bradley’s lineup against Chile were making their national team debut: Sean Franklin and Zach Loyd on the back line, Jeff Larentowicz as a holding midfielder and Chris Wondolowski playing as the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation. By the end of the game seven players had earned their first caps as goalkeeper Sean Johnson came on at halftime, Anthony Wallace entered in the 73rd minute and Eric Alexander was the last of the debutants in the 83rd minute. Loyd was named the Budweiser Man of the Match for his performance at left back.
Starting midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, who came in with the most experience on the squad, earned his seventh appearance, while Dax McCarty, who wore the captain’s armband for the first time in his career, earned his fifth international cap.
The game lacked much rhythm in the early going as players on both teams adjusted to the pace, but as it continued, both teams settled in and created several good chances.

Chile earned the first shot on goal with a dangerous free kick from the left edge of the penalty area. Edson Puch ripped a shot directly on goal, but Nick Rimando did well to see the shot and make the stop.

McCarty marshaled the center of the field and created the first opportunity of the match for the U.S. in the 12th minute. After collecting the ball in midfielder, the D.C. United midfielder moved forward and ripped a shot about 35 yards from goal that forced Chilean goalkeeper Paulo Garces into a nice save to tip the attempt over the cross bar.

Two minutes later, the U.S. was back on the attack. After a good buildup on the left flank, the ball was pushed inside to Brek Shea and he quickly touched it ahead for Wondolowski. The San Jose Earthquakes striker did well to turn sharply against his defender and hit a low shot, but Garces was able to sprawl out for the save.

In the 53rd minute, Chile took the lead when Paredes found himself on the end of a cross from Seymour. The ball took a hop after Paredes’ first touch just outside the six-yard box and he leapt sideways to strike a full volley past a helpless Johnson, who had come on for Rimando at halftime.

Agudelo and Bunbury both entered in the 59th minute and immediately added an offensive spark by combining on a number of attacks forward.

Building up near the center of the pitch, Agudelo played a great give-and-go with Bedoya near the top of the penalty area. Getting the ball back, Agudelo carried the ball past one defender but was tripped up by Chilean defender Francisco Silva. Referee Francisco Chacon Gutierrez did not hesitate to point to the spot, and Bunbury finished from the spot.

The U.S. is now 3-4-2 all time against Chile, but is undefeated in the last four matches against the South American side.
The next game for the U.S. will be against Egypt in Cairo on Feb. 9. That match, which kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET, will be broadcast live on ESPN3.com and ESPN Deportes. Fans can also follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

After the Egypt match, the U.S. will return to home soil to take on two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Argentina on March 26 in East Rutherford, N.J. Kickoff at the New Meadowlands Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision. Three days later, the U.S. hosts Paraguay at LP Field in Nashville. The match will be televised live on an ESPN network and TeleFutura beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Fans can follow both matches live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

- U.S. Men's National Team Match Report -



Match: USA vs. Chile

Date: January 22, 2011

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: The Home Depot Center – Carson, California

Kickoff: 7 p.m. PT

Attendance: 18,580

Weather: 60 degrees, clear



Scoring Summary: 1 2 F

USA 0 1 1

Chil e 0 1 1



CHI – Esteban Paredes (Felipe Seymour) 53rd minute

USA – Teal Bunbury (penalty) 75



Lineups:

USA: 18-Nick Rimando (1-Sean Johnson, 46); 15-Sean Franklin, 5-Tim Ream, 4-Omar Gonzalez (2-Marvell Wynne, 46), 12-Zach Loyd (3-Anthony Wallace, 73); 8-Jeff Larentowicz, 10-Dax McCarty (capt.); 7-Alejandro Bedoya (19-Eric Alexander, 83) 16-Mixx Diskerud, 21-Brek Shea (17-Juan Agudelo, 60); 11-Chris Wondolowski (9-Teal Bunbury, 60)

Subs not used: 6-A.J. DeLaGarza

Head Coach: Bob Bradley



CHI: 1-Paulo Garces, 16-Paulo Maglhaes, 5-Sebastian Toro, 2-Eugenio Mena, 3-Juan Abarca, 8-Fernando Meneses (capt.), 6-Francisco Silva, 20-Luis Pedro Figueroa (14-Felipe Seymour, 46), 9-Esteban Paredes, 18-Edson Puch, 10-Daude Gazele (4-Lucas Dominguez, 71)

Subs not used: 7-Franco Ragusa, 11-Felipe Gutierrez, 12-Raul Olivares, 13-Santiago Dittborn, 15-Nicolas Mancilla

Head Coach: Marcelo Bielsa



Stats Summary: USA / CHI

Shots: 7 / 9

Shots on Goal: 4 / 3

Saves: 2 / 3

Corner Kicks: 2 / 0

Fouls: 18 / 9

Offside: 4 / 5



Misconduct Summary:

CHI – Francisco Silva (caution) 17th minute

USA – Zach Loyd (caution) 23

CHI – Sebastian Toro (caution) 82



Officials:

Referee: Francisco Chacón Gutiérrez (MEX)

First Asst.: José Luis Camargo (MEX)

Second Asst: Alberto Morin (MEX)

Fourth: Ricardo Salazar (USA)



Budweiser Man of the Match:

Zach Loyd



 

Jan 22, 2011

Diego Restrepo Signs Contract With Colombian Soccer Club America de Cali

Diego Restrepo


courtesy: virginiasports.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Former Cavalier goalkeeper and 2009 ACC Tournament and NCAA College Cup Most Valuable Player Diego Restrepo has signed a multi-year contract to play professional soccer for Colombia's America de Cali.



"I'm very excited to join America de Cali, one of the most historic clubs both in Colombia and in South American soccer," Restrepo said. "It's a dream come true for me. I'm very thankful to all the coaches and teammates throughout my career that have helped mold me as a soccer player and as a person."

Restrepo was the 2009 NCAA College Cup's Defensive Most Valuable Player after helping the Cavaliers capture the national championship. He allowed eight goals for a goals-against average of 0.31 in 2009, and tallied a school-record 16 shutouts (including a school-record 11-consecutive).

Restrepo was named the ACC Tournament MVP after the Cavaliers captured the conference crown and was also named a Soccer America MVP and an All-South Atlantic Region third team member by the NSCAA.

Prior to the 2010 season, Restrepo was named a College Soccer News and Soccer America preseason All-American. The Cavaliers earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the 30th-consecutive season in 2010.

"We are very excited for Diego and this is a great opportunity that he deserves," Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. "Diego was instrumental in helping us win a national championship in 2009. I know becoming a professional soccer player was one of his goals, but I also know how important it is to him to graduate, which he plans to do in the summer."

"I'm especially thankful of Coach Gelnovatch, his staff and everybody associated with the University of Virginia," Restrepo said. "My time as a Cavalier was amazing, and I will always remember the 2009 NCAA Championship season as a very special time in my life. The University of Virginia and Klöckner Stadium will always be home to me, and I look forward to coming back to Charlottesville this summer to finish my degree."







Q & A withe Diego Restrepo: UVa Goalkeeper

UVa falls to ODU in 2010 NCAA tournament

Jan 21, 2011

D.C. United Player Appearances: January 21 - 22



Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2011) - D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen and Assistant Coach Chad Ashton, along with players Clyde Simms and Marc Burch will be making appearances at the Virginia Youth Soccer Association Convention in Crystal City, Va. beginning tonight.
       
On Friday, January 21, Olsen will be at the VYSA Convention from 6:45 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City.

On Saturday, January 22, Ashton will make an appearance at the VYSA Convention from 1:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.  D.C. United midfielder Clyde Simms and defender Marc Burch will also make appearances at the convention from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Full appearance information is available below.

Coach: Ben OlsenWhat: VYSA Convention
When: Friday, January 21; 6:45 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency, Crystal City


Coach: Chad AshtonWhat: VYSA Convention
When: Saturday, January 22; 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency, Crystal City

Player(s): Clyde Simms and Marc BurchWhat: VYSA Convention
When: Saturday, January 22; 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency, Crystal City

---   www.dcunited.com   ---

USWNT Fall 2-1 to Sweden at Four Nations Tournament in China

U.S. WOMEN FALL 2-1 TO SWEDEN IN OPENING GAME OF 2011
AT FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT IN CHINA

·                Carli Lloyd Scores in 11th Minute, But Sweden Comes From Behind to Score in Both Halves 
·                Young Forward Sydney Leroux Earns First Cap Off the Bench 
·                USA Faces Canada on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 6:05 a.m. ET, Fans Can Follow the Match Live @ussoccer_wnt on Twitter

Carli Lloyd


CHONGQING, China (Jan. 21, 2011) – In a clash between two of the world’s top teams, the U.S. Women’s National Team lost its first game of the year and opening match of the Four Nations Tournament 2-1 to Sweden on a cold afternoon at the Yongchuan Sports Centre Stadium.

U.S. midfielder Carli Lloyd headed home a corner kick in the 11th minute, but Swedish defender Stina Segerstrom answered back six minutes later with an equalizer, also off a corner. Midfielder Kosovare Asllani, who played for the Chicago Red Stars in WPS last season, tallied the winning goal for Sweden with about 30 minutes remaining.

“Our speed of play wasn’t good enough,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage. “One thing as a team that we need to get much better at is moving without the ball. This game today tells us many things that we need to work on, but I am confident that we have enough time and enough games to prepare for the World Cup. This was just the first one.” (More Quotes)

The U.S. team played with better rhythm that it displayed in the latter matches of 2010, and perhaps had more possession than the Swedes, but the attack broke down too often allowing the Europeans to repeatedly unleash dangerous counters which put pressure on the U.S. backline throughout the game. The U.S. also struggled to create chances in the attacking third and put just four shots on goal. In a rare occurrence, the USA was out-shot as Sweden accrued 11 total shots to the USA’s seven.

Both teams had chances inside of the first three minutes, the first coming from Amy Rodriguez who had a moment’s look at the goal from deep inside the penalty area, but couldn’t turn the ball on frame. Sweden came right down the field on the first of many counters but a scrambling defensive effort forced Josefine Oqvist too wide for a shot. Forced into her second option, her pass into the middle was cleared by U.S. captain Christie Rampone.

The USA took the lead on its first corner kick of the game as Megan Rapinoe struck a beautifully driven ball to the near post that was flicked on by Lauren Cheney to Lloyd, who powered a header into the upper corner from five years out. It was Lloyd’s 23rd international goal.

Sweden tied the game about five minutes later off a corner kick by Therese Sjogran from the right side. Somehow the ball evaded a pack of U.S. defenders and skidded through the penalty area on the ground to Segerstrom, who had time to collect and turn before striking a low shot from 16 yards out into the lower left corner.

A key moment in the match occurred in the 36th minute as hesitation by Sweden’s two center-backs allowed a pass to slip behind the defensive line to Rodriguez, who raced in uncontested on a breakaway. Rodriguez’ final touch betrayed her however, and she couldn’t get off a shot as the ball rolled into the arms of Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.

Sjogran was her usual menacing presence down the left flank and her attacking earned the majority of Sweden’s nine corner kicks. Oqvist, who scored two goals the last time Sweden beat the USA in regulation time in 2004, was often at the point of Sweden’s counters. Just one minute into the second half she burst free into the left side of the penalty area, but shot wide right from a sharp angle.

The winning goal actually came from the right side as Lina Nilsson played a ball on the ground into the penalty area. Asllani somehow dug it out of a pack of players and deposited her shot into the lower left corner from about 10 yards away.

Sundhage changed out her center midfield at halftime, replacing Shannon Boxx with Yael Averbuch and Carli Lloyd with Lori Lindsey, and until Sweden’s goal, the U.S. looked to be in control of the match.

Rapinoe was perhaps the USA’s most dangerous player, getting a good look at goal in the 50th minute befor e spinning her shot wide left of the goal from the left side of the penalty area. Less than a minute later, her cross from the left wing almost fell inside the far post, but no U.S. player was there to finish.

The USA buzzed around Sweden’s penalty box during the last 20 minutes with 71st minute substitute Tobin Heath giving her team an attacking spark, but with Sweden protecting its lead well, the Americans couldn’t get a clean strike on goal.

In the 80th minute, off another counter, U.S. goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart had to make a fine save on Madelaine Edlund’s shot, diving to her right to palm it away for a corner kick. Besides the goals, it was the only shot that truly troubled Barnhart on the night.

The USA had its best chance for an equalizer in the 84th minute after corner kick led to a scramble inside Sweden’s penalty box. Rampone's on-frame volley was deflected by a mass of players, but it bounced to Lindsey who had a chance to poke it in from close range yet somehow Lindhal came out with the ball.

Twenty-year-old forward Sydney Leroux, the USA’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup competition, earned her first cap with the senior team when she came on in the 86th minute for a final push. Twenty-one year old striker Alex Morgan, the top pick in the 2011 WPS Draft, entered the game in the 72nd minute for Rodriguez and put some pressure on the Sweden back line with her running down the left wing.

Both nations played without their top attackers. The USA’s leading scorer Abby Wambach is recovering from a minor injury while Sweden’s Lotta Schelin is playing club soccer in France.

The match marked just the seventh time since the end of the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup that the U.S. women have lost a match in which they have taken a lead. The USA had not lost a match in which it took a lead in more than seven years.

The match marked the first meeting of the year between the USA and Sweden, who will meet on July 6 in Wolfsburg during Group C play at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. The teams could also meet at the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March. The victory was Sweden’s fourth ever against the USA against 18 losses and six ties.

The 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place from June 26-July 17 in nine venues across Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Mönchengladbach, Sinsheim, Wolfsburg, Augsburg, Bochum, Dresden and Leverkusen.

The 16 nations competing are: host Germany, Korea DPR, Japan and Australia from Asia and Sweden, Norway, France and England from Europe, New Zealand from Oceania, the USA, Canada and Mexico from CONCACAF, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea from Africa and Brazil and Colombia from South America.

- U.S. Women's National Team Match Report -

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Sweden

Date: Jan. 21, 2011

Competition: 2011 Four Nations Tournament

Venue: Yongchuan Sports Centre Stadium; Chongqing, China

Kickoff: 3:35 p.m. local / 2:35 a.m. ET

Attendance: 16,000

Weather: Cold, haze – 40 degrees

Scoring Summary:  1  2  F
USA                         1  0  1
SWE                         1  1  2
USA – Carli Lloyd (Lauren Cheney)                 11th minute
SWE -- Stina Segerström (Therese Sjögran)     16
SWE – Kosovare Asllani (Lina Nilsson)             61

Lineups:
USA: 18-Nicole Barnhart; 2-Heather Mitts, 6-Amy LePeilbet, 3-Christie Rampone (capt.), 19-Rachel Buehler; 9-Heather O’Reilly (26-Sydney Leroux, 86), 7-Shannon Boxx (4-Yael Averbuch, 46), 10-Carli Lloyd (16-Lori Lindsey, 46), 15-Megan Rapinoe (11-Tobin Heath, 71); 12-Lauren Cheney, 8-Amy Rodriguez (13-Alex Morgan, 72)
Subs not used: 14-Stephanie Cox, 21-Kelley O’Hara, 22-Becky Sauerbrunn, 24-Ashlyn Harris
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage

SWE: 1-Hedvig Lindahl; 13-Lina Nilsson, 2-Charlotte Rohlin (capt.), 3-Stina Segerström, 4-Annica Svensson; 10-Kosovare Asllani (19-Johanna Almgren, 61), 17-Lisa Dahlkvist (18-Louise Fors, 78), 16-Linda Forsberg (6-Linda Sembrant, 81), 15-Therese Sjögran; 9-Antonia Göransson (5-Marie Hammarström, 62), 14-Josefine Öqvist (8-Madelaine Edlund, 73)
Subs not used: 12-Kristin Hammarström, 20-Johanna Frisk, 31-Tilda Heimerson
Head Coach: Thomas Dennerby

Statistical Summary: USA / SWE
Shots: 7 / 12
Shots on Goal: 4 / 8
Saves: 6 / 2
Corner Kicks: 6 / 9
Fouls: 6 / 9
Offside: 3 / 6
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Qin Liang (CHN)               
Assistant Referee 1: Zhang Lingling (CHN)
Assistant Referee 2: Wu Chun (CHN )
Fourth Official: He Jin (CHN)

ussoccer.com Woman of the Match:
Rachel Buehler

Jan 20, 2011

U.S. Women Set to Face Sweden in First Match of 2011 Four Nations Tournament

us soccer logo


U.S. Women’s National Team
2011 Four Nations Tournament
Yongchuan Sports Centre; Chongqing, China
Jan. 20, 2011



ROAD TO GERMANY BEGINS AT FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT: The U.S. Women’s National Team will open its 2011 schedule with a match against Sweden on Jan. 21 (2:35 a.m. ET) at the Yongchuan Sports Centre Stadium. It will be the first of three matches in five days at the Four Nations Tournament for the U.S. as it kicks off a Women’s World Cup year that will include up to 11 matches before the Americans open Group C play against Korea DPR on June 28 in Dresden, Germany. Sweden will also be the USA’s third Group C opponent in Germany, so this match will be a Women’s World Cup preview of sorts. The U.S. team traveled to China from its pre-tournament training camp in Carson, Calif., flying from L.A. to Beijing and Beijing to Chongqing, before taking a two-hour bus ride southwest to the suburb of Yongchuan. The U.S. team has had a busy schedule in cold weather here in central China, but should be well acclimated to the time difference and climate by the time the games kick off. Fans can follow the USA’s three matches at the 2011 Four Nations Tournament @ussoccer_wnt on Twitter.

USA COMPETES IN FOUR NATIONS FOR EIGHTH TIME: The U.S. team will be playing in this four-nation tournament for the eighth time, having won it during the previous six out of seven competitions. For a history of the USA’s participation in the Four Nations Tournament, click here. This year, three of the four teams competing will also be playing in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer. The only team to miss out is host China, which failed to qualify for the Women’s World Cup for the first time.
USA’s 2011 Four Nations Tournament Schedule

U.S. WNT QUICK HITS:
  • U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage brought 23 players to China. Only 20 can suit up for each match, but Sundhage can adjust the roster from game-to-game. Numerous players should see minutes as three games in five days is no doubt a taxing schedule.
  • Since the end of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the USA is 57-2-6.
  • Under Sundhage, the USA has a 22-1-2 record against European teams while scoring 49 goals and allowing nine.
  • The USA has allowed just 26 goals in 62 matches under Sundhage; 20 from the run of play, four from set plays and two on own goals.
  • Of the 21 matches the USA has played in the Four Nations Tournament, 13 of those have been in Guangzhou. Shenzhen has hosted three matches with Huadu, Panyu, Yiwu, Wuhan and Shanghai hosting one match each.
  • All of the matches but two have been played in January. In 2004, the first match was on January 30 and the latter two in the first part of February.
  • The USA has of course played China in all seven previous tournaments, going 4-1-2.
  • During the 21 matches, the USA has gone 13-2-6, with one loss to China and one to Norway.
  • The USA has played eight different countries in the tournament: China, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Canada, France, Finland and England.
  • Goals are hard to come by at the Four Nations, a tournament that has often featured the top teams in the world. The USA has scored just 35 goals in 21 games (an average of just more than a goal and a half a game). Of those 35 goals, 15 came from players on the 2011 Four Nations roster.
  • The tournament champion will be determined by points (three for a win, one for a tie, zero for a loss), with the first tie-breaker goal difference, the second goals scored and the third head-to-head.
  • Each team is allowed five substitutions per game.
  • Four awards will be given out at the end of the tournament: Best Player, Best Scorer, Best Goalkeeper and Fair Play.
THREE TEAMS MISSING TOP STRIKER: Three of the teams in the 2011 Four Nations Tournaments are missing their top scorers and attacking threat. The USA is without Abby Wambach (and her 117 career goals), who is recovering from a heel injury. Sweden is without Lotta Schelin, who is playing club soccer in France and China is without dynamic forward Han Duan who is also injured. Canada is the only team with its top gun on the roster in Christine Sinclair, who has 112 career goals.

ALL-TIME FOUR NATIONS SCORERS: The USA’s 35 goals at the Four Nations Tournament have been scored by 19 different players and five of the USA’s top seven scorers at this competition are on this year’s roster, including Lindsay Tarpley, who scored her first two career goals at this tournament in 2004 against Sweden. She scored three times in the 2004 tournament and three times in the 2008 tournament (including another brace, that one against Canada).

USA’s Career Goals at Four Nations Tournament
Lindsay Tarpley (6), Tiffeny Milbrett (4), Shannon Boxx (3), Kristine Lilly (3), Lauren Cheney (2), Heather O’Reilly (2), Amy Rodriguez (2), Tisha Venturini (2), Thori Bryan, Lori Chalupny, Joy Fawcett, Mia Hamm, Devin Hawkins, Natasha Kai, Debbie Keller, Shannon MacMillan, Cindy Parlow, Abby Wambach, Angie Woznuk

RUNNING OUT THE JET LAG: The U.S. team will have trained for six days by the time this tournament kicks off and two of those days included two practices. The players are adjusting as quickly as possible to a 16-hour time difference from the West Coast where the team was training before departing for the Far East. The U.S. team has been training in icy temperatures and the forecast calls for rain almost every day with the thermometer dipping into the low 40s and high 30s. The USA will play two games with late afternoon kickoff times and one – against Canada on Jan. 23 – that kicks off at 7:05 p.m. local time which should be quite chilly.

TOP-10 TOURNAMENT: The 2011 Four Nations Tournament features three teams ranked in the top-10 of FIFA Women’s World Rankings. The USA is number one (just above Germany), Sweden is fourth and Canada is tenth. China is currently at thirteenth.

OPPONENT CAPSULE: Sweden
Current FIFA World Ranking: 4
USA’s Overall Record vs. Sweden: 18-3-7
Last Meeting vs. USA: July 17, 2010 (a 3-0 U.S. win in East Hartford, Conn.)
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
Key Players: GK Hedvig Lindahl, D Sara Larsson, D Stina Segerström, D Charlotte Rohlin, M Kosovare Asllani, M Therese Sjögran, M Lisa Dahlkvist, M Nilla Fischer, M Therese Sjogran
USA vs. Sweden Fast Facts: These two teams met three times in 2010, with the USA coming away with two wins and a tie … The USA won 2-0 in group play at the Algarve Cup and 3-0 in the second of two friendlies last summer in the USA, with a 1-1 tie sandwiched into between … Lauren Cheney scored both goals in the Algarve Cup victory while Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach (two goals) tallied in the win in Connecticut … Amy Rodriguez scored the USA’s lone goal in the draw … The teams also met in the championship game of the 2009 Algarve Cup, a 1-1 tie that went directly to penalty kicks where the USA fell 4-3 … Sweden hasn’t defeated the USA in regulation time since 2004, a 3-1 win at the Algarve Cup … Sweden has two players who played in WPS last season Sara Larsson (Philadelphia Independence) and Kosovare Asllani (Chicago Red Stars) while defender Johanna Frisk played for the Los Angeles Sol during the inaugural season … Caroline Seger, who also played for the Independence but is now with the Western New York Flash, is in China but will not play as she recovers from an injury … Star midfielder Therese Sjogran has signed with Sky Blue FC for next season and forward Madelaine Edlund played for the St. Louis Athletic before it folded … The USA has met Sweden in group play in the 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and will meet them again in 2011 as the teams square off in the third Group C match in Wolfsburg on July 6 … The USA has four young forwards on its roster and Sweden has a rising star of its own in Antonia Goransson, who scored four goals for the Swedes in the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup last summer in Germany … The USA’s Sydney Leroux scored five.

U.S. WNT Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart (out of contract), Ashlyn Harris (Western New York Flash)
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (out of contract) Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Yael Averbuch (Western New York Flash), Shannon Boxx (out of contract), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Meghan Klingenberg (Washington Freedom), 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 (out of contract)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)

Sweden WNT Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Kristin Hammarström (KIF Örebro), Hedvig Lindahl (Kristianstads)
DEFENDERS (7): Johanna Frisk (Tyresö FF), Sara Larsson (KIF Örebro), Lina Nilsson (LdB FC Malmö), Charlotte Rohlin (Linköpings FC), Stina Segerström (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Linda Sembrant (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Annica Svensson (Hammarby IF)
MIDFIELDERS and FORWARDS (12): Johanna Almgren (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Kosovare Asllani (Linköpings FC), Lisa Dahlkvist (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Madelaine Edlund (Tyresö FF), Nilla Fischer (LdB FC Malmö), Louise Fors (Linköpings FC), Linda Forsberg (LdB FC Malmö), Antonia Göransson (Hamburger SV), Marie Hammarström (KIF Örebro), Linnea Liljegärd (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Therese Sjögran (LdB FC Malmö), Josefine Öqvist (Linköpings FC)

SWEDEN QUALIFIES FOR GERMANY IN DRAMATIC FASHION: Sweden qualified for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup by easily winning Group 8 in UEFA qualifying over the Czech Republic, Belgium, Wales and Azerbaijan, and then edged Denmark in a dramatic two-game playoff. A stoppage time header from Charlotte Rohlin in the second leg gave the Swedes a 4-3 victory on aggregate. Trailing 2-1 after the first leg, Denmark put themselves ahead on aggregate with two goals in quick succession before half-time. Sweden forced extra time in the 73rd minute as Rohlin nodded in Kosovare Asslani's cross. Sweden then struck for the goal that sent them to Germany four minutes into seocnd half stoppage time as Rohlin headed in Sara Thunebro's set piece.

NO STRANGERS TO CHINA: Of the 23 players on the U.S. roster, just six have never previously been to China and two of those are uncapped midfielder Meghan Klingenberg and forward Sydney Leroux. Twelve players have played in the Four Nations before, led by Christie Rampone, Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly who have played in five each. When you combine the Olympics, the Women’s World Cup and youth National Team trips (several players traveled to China with the U.S. U-19s or U-21s), Rampone and O’Reilly have each been to China nine times. This is Tarpley’s eighth trip here. Heather Mitts, Carli Lloyd and Shannon Boxx have been in China six times each. Prior to this year, the combined U.S. roster had made 62 trips to China.

OPENING DAY: The U.S. Women’s National Team has gone 20-2-4 all time in the first game of a calendar year dating back to the first game in 1985. The USA hasn’t lost an opened since 2001, a 1-0 setback to China in Panyu, China. The USA has opened up a year against Sweden twice before, both coming at the Four Nations Tournament. The first came at the USA’s first-ever Four Nations Tournament in 1998. The USA prevailed that day 3-0 in Guangzhou. The second was in 2004, another 3-0 win for the USA. That one took place in Shenzhen.

STUDIO 90 FROM CHONGQING: From Los Angeles to China, we’ve got you covered on Studio 90. Log onto to ussoccer.com for video updates and features from the USA’s trip to China for the Four Nations Tournament. You can see how the USA jumps right into acclimating in Asia as well as a special feature on the U.S. team’s four young forwards, all of whom are 23 or younger and all of whom played in the Pac-10 Conference, and for one season, all at the same time.

FOGGY BLOG: Yes, it’s a bit hazy in Chongqing, China, but that hasn’t stopped the WNT Blog from posting plenty of pictures and updates. Long onto ussoccer.com’s third place finisher for Best Blog in the 2010 Best Of Awards.

FOLLOW THE WNT ON TWITTER: Keep up with all U.S. Women’s National Team news (in short form, of course) by following on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt. It’s also where you will be getting live updates from the USA’s three matches in China.

COACH QUOTES: All four head coaches attended a pre-tournament press conference today at the Yongchuan Sports Centre Stadium. It always seems there is no shortage of media in China and they are not known to be kind to the home team. Go to the U.S. WNT Blog for a selection of quotes from the coaches.

STAT OF NOTE: The USA won its first three matches that started a World Cup Year (in 1991, 1995 and 1999) by a combined 22-0. The first matches of 2003 and 2007 both ended in 0-0 ties, against Japan and Germany, respectively.

Jan 19, 2011

U.S. Women's National Team to face Sweden in China

uswnt


U.S. WNT SET TO FACE SWEDEN AS 23 PLAYERS TRAVEL TO CHINA: U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named 23 players to the roster for the 2011 Four Nations Tournament taking place in Chongqing, China, where the USA will face Sweden, Canada and the host. With the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup commencing in late June, the tournament will be a key part of Sundhage’s crafting of the eventual Women’s World Cup roster as the USA takes on three strong nations, including Sweden, which is the USA’s third Group C opponent at the Women’s World Cup in Germany. Follow the WNT Blog from China

U.S. WNT Roster by Position  Detailed Roster GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart (out of contract), Ashlyn Harris (Western New York Flash)
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (out of contract), Christie Rampone (out of contract) Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Yael Averbuch (Western New York Flash), Shannon Boxx (out of contract), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Meghan Klingenberg (Washington Freedom), 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 (out of contract)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)

ussoccer.com’s WNT Coverage



Coming back from this situation, I have a lot to prove. There’s always going to be opportunities, but you have to earn them and an experience like this shows how you can take the little things for granted, like just being able to run. It sounds so silly, but when you can’t do it, it’s not so amusing.
 – U.S. WNT midfielder Tobin Heath on coming back from a lengthy time on the sidelines due to injury