U.S. Women Dominate Japan 5-2 In Canada For Their Record 3rd World Cup Title Overall

Even the biggest U.S. honk would have to admit that in their wildest Budweiser-fueled drunken 4th of July dreams, they probably never imagined the 2015 Women's World Cup Final unfolding quite like it did on Sunday at Vancouver's BC Place. What most expected to be a tight match turned into a unbelievable blowout in the span of 16 minutes: Carli Lloyd scored the fastest hat trick in Women's World Cup history and first in a Final as the U.S. jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised to a 5-2 victory over shell-shocked Japan. With the win, the U.S. finally took home its third World Cup title (the most of any country) and their first since 1999.

Japan was completely exposed on set pieces as Lloyd scored her first two goals (in the 3rd and 5th minutes) by knocking in a short corner kick from Megan Rapinoe then also following up a loose ball in the box after Julie Johnston had headed a free kick into a dangerous spot by the Japanese goal. Just as a viewer, this all happened so fast that it was almost overwhelming so you can imagine how the Japanese (the defending World Cup champs) were feeling as the match was taken away from them so early. A poor header by one of Japan's defenders led to the third U.S. goal as Lauren Holiday was there to volley it in the 14th minute.

Lloyd's first goal was great and Holiday's was also memorable (her first of this tournament) but the signature moment of this one-sided Final that will be replayed for eternity was Lloyd's audacious chip from midfield that gave her the hat trick in the 16th minute (3rd ever for a U.S. woman at the World Cup). Only someone as super confident as her would dream of trying something so outrageous and while Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori was slightly out of position, it was a perfect hit by the U.S. captain who not surprisingly won the Golden Ball for the best player in the tournament (6 goals, 1 assist; goals in 4 straight matches).

It took way too long for them to get in gear but Japan showed for a few brief moments why they got here in the first place and figured to pose such a threat to the U.S. Yuki Ogimi cut it to 4-1 in the 28th minute after she was wide open in the box after an assist from Nahomi Kawasumi. Hope Solo (who won the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper in the tournament) had no chance to stop the shot that went into the corner of the net.

To keep the audience watching (and I bet it was a record rating), the announcers had to pretend that Japan potentially could rally. Haha yeah OK guys. I will admit that it got just a little interesting in the 52nd minute when Johnston's header went past Solo for an own goal. However, two minutes later Tobin Heath put it away for good with her first career World Cup goal (beautifully assisted by Morgan Brian). Look out for those two in the next few World Cups, they are going to be leaders of the team in the near future.

Both Abby Wambach and Christie Rampone were substitutes late in the game, a nice touch by head coach Jill Ellis since both were playing in their final World Cup contest. About the only thing that didn't go perfectly for the U.S. was that Wambach didn't score a goal but we'll forgive her for that after all that she's done over the years in Red, White and Blue.

The cliche of getting better every game actually applied to this team as they saved their best performances for their toughest opponents: Germany and Japan. They had struggled so much to score for most of the month in Canada but then the floodgates opened today and Japan had absolutely no chance to stop it. I think that Fox Sports 1 and Fox did a very solid job of covering this tournament and hopefully the momentum that the sport has gained will continue with the NWSL (where most of these women play) and of course in future World Cups.

The Americans had been knocking on the door for so long and I'm thrilled for them knowing all the hard work that they've put in over the years. Most importantly, they created their own legacy and now they never have to be endlessly criticized for not being the 1999 squad. Nope, this moment sealed their legacy forever. PS while the 1999 team had the greatest impact, this edition had the toughest journey since the field had expanded to 24 teams for the first time and they came out of the hardest group so there.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Reach Their Seventh Straight World Cup Quarterfinal After 2-0 Win Vs. Colombia

After four games at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, I think we are starting to get a pretty good sense of what the U.S. women's national team is all about: they are an outstanding defensive team that for whatever reason simply has trouble scoring goals. It is not the most attractive brand of soccer but so far it has been effective as the U.S.' shutout streak reached 333 minutes (and counting) after a 2-0 victory over Colombia at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. This sets up a juicy rematch of the 1999 World Cup Final with China on Friday night (7:30, FOX).

There was little chance of the U.S. losing this match, even though they mostly sleepwalked through a scoreless first half. It only took them the first 21 minutes of the second half to take control and put Colombia in the rearview mirror. It started in the 47th minute when Colombian goalkeeper Catalina Perez chopped down Alex Morgan on the edge of the area, earning a red card. Abby Wambach subsequently blew the ensuing penalty kick (blasting it wide of the net) but the U.S. would soon take advantage of Colombia playing with 10 women and also down to their backup goalkeeper-Stefany Castano-in the country's biggest match ever.

Morgan opened her account in Canada with a gift from Castano in the 53rd minute: rather than cross it, Morgan chose to put a tough angle shot on net and surprisingly, it trickled in. Ali Krieger had the assist on Morgan's 3rd all-time goal at the World Cup (each scored in knockout games with the last coming in the 2011 Final vs. Japan). The U.S. received another penalty kick in the 66th minute, this time earned by Megan Rapinoe after she made a dangerous attacking run into the box. Carli Lloyd got a crack at the second penalty kick and she came through for the insurance tally.

Colombia never really put together any significant offensive pressure so it was another light workload for goalkeeper Hope Solo (8th World Cup shutout, 87th all-time; tied Brianna Scurry for most wins by an American (133)). That won't always be the case and while China is not the powerhouse that they used to be, they figure to pose more of a challenge than Colombia. There is also the innate pressure on the Americans, something that only host Canada can relate to at the moment; they are expected to be the best and that can be tough to live up to at all times.

Furthermore, the bad news to come out of this match for the U.S. is that star midfielders Lauren Holiday and Rapinoe both picked up their second yellow cards of the tournament so they receive an automatic suspension vs. China. It is also a short turnaround to Friday and they'll be traveling to Ottawa so this should be a good test for head coach Jill Ellis who thus far hasn't exactly impressed. I would like to see veteran Heather O'Reilly perhaps get a start against China (she has yet to see the field in Canada) with their two best midfielders out but Ellis subbed in Morgan Brian and Christen Press tonight so they seem like the safest bet to go into the starting lineup.

This is certainly not the way we thought the U.S. would play but if they win the World Cup next weekend, we won't complain. It is a clearly imperfect team but they have enough strengths and individual talent that they can still go all the way. The winner of U.S.-China will meet Germany or France in the semifinals on June 30.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Your 2015 World Cup Update: The U.S. Women Top Group D With 1-0 Victory Over Nigeria

Well the good news is that the U.S. women's national team advanced out of Group D (by far the toughest Group) unbeaten (2-0-1) with a 1-0 win vs. Nigeria this evening at Vancouver's BC Place. At the moment, all that we know about their round-of-16 match at the 2015 World Cup is that it will take place on Monday night (8, Fox Sports 1) at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. The opponent will be the best third-place finisher from either Group B, E or F-to be determined by tomorrow's results on the final day of group play.

As you can tell by the modest final score, once again the United States struggled to find the back of the net-an issue which has really plagued them in the last two matches. Their lone goal was an important one in many ways: Abby Wambach leaped up to volley Megan Rapinoe's corner kick with her left foot in the 45th minute. The beautiful tally was huge at the time since the U.S. had dominated possession and scoring chances in the first half with nothing to show for it until then. On a personal level, Wambach needed that (her 14th World Cup goal; tied for 2nd all-time) badly since she had looked terrible so far at this tournament and her confidence had to be wavering at least a little bit.

While the offense still worries us, the U.S.' defense seems to get better with each match (granted Nigeria is a step down from Australia-who finished second-and Sweden who placed third). Goalkeeper Hope Solo picked up her second straight shutout and this one required no heavy lifting at all (2 saves that I can't even remember). The United States has scored just four goals so far and only allowed one. Nobody and I mean nobody could have predicted that the breakout stars for the U.S. up to this point have been defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Julie Johnston. Haha who? The latter had the other play of the game for the Americans besides Wambach's goal: she was beaten by a perfect through ball but recovered in time to block the shot out of bounds for a harmless corner kick.

I get that Nigeria had to go for the win but they were pretty reckless: earning five yellow cards in the match including two for defender Sarah Nnodim who was subsequently ejected in the 69th minute. Even though the U.S. was only up by a goal, when that happened you knew that Nigeria was done for good. Alex Morgan and Wambach both started at forward for the U.S. for the first time at this World Cup along with midfielder Tobin Heath. Morgan had two great chances that were stopped by Nigeria's goalkeeper Precious Dede (name of the year?) but it was nice to see her play for 66 minutes after token appearances off the bench in the first two games. Heath didn't do a whole lot but you could say the same thing about Carli Lloyd who has been invisible while Lauren Holiday was very solid vs. Nigeria.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

After Shaky 1st Half, U.S. Women Settle Down For 3-1 Win vs. Australia In 2015 World Cup Opener

They'll never admit it but the U.S. women's national team is facing plenty of pressure to deliver their first World Cup title since 1999. Tonight, in their 2015 World Cup opener at Winnipeg Stadium, they started slowly but found themselves in the second half of a 3-1 win over Australia. By virtue of Sweden's unexpected 3-3 draw with Nigeria which preceded this match, the U.S. is on top of Group D with three points.

In the first half, the U.S. did not look like one of the top teams in the world. In fact, if not for goalkeeper Hope Solo, who made two spectacular saves, they could have been down at least a goal or two. Instead they took an early 1-0 lead in the 12th minute on a fortuitous deflection. Megan Rapinoe had the confidence to take a shot from outside the box and she was rewarded as it bounced off a defender past Australian goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri.

The Matildas are ranked 10th in the world for a reason though, they are a quality side and not a pushover like some of the shameful results in the first few days of the tournament (10-0, 6-0 etc). They leveled things in the 27th minute as Lisa De Vanna hammered a shot into the corner that even Solo couldn't reach. The first half ended 1-1 and that seemed about right. Neither team made any changes at halftime but the U.S. clearly was a different side in the final 45+ minutes. They had way more possession which helped to slowly wear down Australia.

Midfielder Christen Press was playing in her first World Cup match and she immediately became a nationwide hero by scoring the game-winning goal in the 61st minute for a 2-1 U.S. advantage. Truth be told, ex-Canadian Sydney Leroux did most of the heavy lifting by beating her defender down the flank with her speed then passing it back to the top of the box where Press was able to one-time it in.

For good measure, Rapinoe scored a wonderful goal in the 78th minute (from Carli Lloyd) that basically sealed it. Australia gave her too much time and space to operate so she made them pay with a quick burst and hard, left-footed shot into the side netting. It was the first time an American woman had scored twice in a World Cup game since 2007.

The U.S. gets the pleasure of staying in lovely Winnipeg for the entire week as they will meet Sweden on Friday night (8, Fox) for what should be a must-see match vs. their former head coach Pia Sundhage. The fact that Sweden only gained one point in their opener means that they could really use three against the United States if they want to advance to the knockout stage. There has always been a nice rivalry between these two countries so this should be the latest chapter.

Hopefully the U.S. can come out much faster and I wouldn't be surprised to see midfielder Tobin Heath (who came on as a substitute in the 68th minute) start vs. Sweden. Alex Morgan is working her way back from an injury so she only appeared for the final 14 minutes. Abby Wambach had a rather poor performance by her lofty standards-missing multiple golden opportunities that she typically buries in the net-but she's not coming out of the starting lineup anytime soon and neither should Leroux.

In terms of cards for the U.S., midfielder Lauren Holiday and Rapinoe each picked one up in an eight-minute span of the second half. Holiday's was way more justified but they count just the same. Needless to say, they don't need Rapinoe (or to a lesser extent Holiday) to miss a match due to a suspension (2 yellow cards). Onto Sweden!

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Mia Hamm, Say Hello To Abby Wambach-The New Leading Scorer In Women's International Soccer History

I can't say I was glued to the U.S. women's exhibition match tonight vs. mighty Korea Republic at Red Bull Arena but I have to mention the major history that went down there. U.S. striker Abby Wambach scored four goals to become the all-time leading scorer in women's international soccer history with 160 goals. Former U.S. women's icon Mia Hamm was the previous record holder with 158 goals.

I would normally make fun of this happening on their home soil against such an overmatched opponent in a completely irrelevant game but Wambach deserves way more respect than that. She's been an incredibly consistent and durable player for the U.S. that still shows no signs of slowing down. The U.S. are the best women's team because they have numerous outstanding players but we have to remember how long Wambach has been doing this for. It's nice to see her rewarded with such an impressive personal milestone.

It's only fitting that she set the record on a header (her 69th goal in that fashion). Congrats Abby!



Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Put A Bow On 2012: Abby Wambach Named FIFA Player Of The Year, Sundhage World Coach Of The Year

2012 has been officially over for a week now but the U.S. women's national team still had plenty to celebrate today from last year. Striker and co-captain Abby Wambach was named the 2012 FIFA Women's Player of the Year while former head coach Pia Sundhage took home the 2012 World Coach of the Year for women's soccer.

This all took place this afternoon at the 2013 Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich, Switzerland. Brazil's Marta for some reason came in second place while Wambach's teammate Alex Morgan finished in third. It's hard to believe but this is only the third time a U.S. woman has won her sport's biggest individual award: Mia Hamm captured it in 2001 and 2002-the first two years the award was handed out. Coaches and captains from women's national teams across the globe voted for their top three players, who received five, three and one point respectively.

From ussoccer.com
“I’m very, very surprised,” Wambach said. “Individual honors only happen if you have great teams and great people who have given you the chance to be here. Not only do I think Marta and Alex could have won, but many other players could have been here as well. Thanks to FIFA, thanks to U.S. Soccer and thanks to all the fans and my family for putting me in this position. I don’t think of myself as the best player in the world, just a player who plays on the best team in the world.”

Sundhage is the first U.S. women's head coach to take home the trophy, which began in 2008. She came in third that first year then second in 2011. She beat out Japan's Norio Sasaki (who won in 2011) and France's Bruno Bini. Sundhage is the current head coach of her home country-Sweden.

Some interesting numbers for Wambach, courtesy of ussoccer.com
Last year, Wambach was chosen as one of three finalists for the award along with Marta and Homare Sawa of Japan, who won the award. Wambach finished third in the voting in 2011, the first time she was in the final three for the award, although she finished fourth in the voting in 2004 and 2006, fifth in 2007, was one of the final 10 in 2009 and was fifth again in 2010.

Wambach, who is on the cusp of catching Hamm on the world’s all-time scoring list, currently has 152 career international goals with 27 of them coming in 2012.

Her 27 goals in 2012 was the second-most prolific scoring year of her 12-year National Team career.

Wambach scored a goal in the first five matches of the 2012 Olympics, a feat never before achieved, and was the only U.S. player to start all 32 games during the year.
She currently has 198 career caps and could hit 200 in the USA’s second match of 2013 against Scotland on Feb. 13 in Nashville, Tenn.

Wambach tied for the team lead in scoring with six goals during the 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament last January and also had five assists over the five games despite only playing 285 of the possible 450 minutes.

She scored in 20 of the USA’s 32 matches this year and had seven games in which she scored twice, including the final two games of the year (4-0 and 4-1 victories against China). The USA is 97-2-7 all-time in matches in which Wambach has scored a goal.

As co-captain of the U.S. team, she helped lead the American women to a 28-1-3 overall record in 2012, with the only loss (avenged twice during 2012 including the Olympic gold medal game) coming to Japan in March at the Algarve Cup. Wambach wasn’t on the field when Japan scored the game-winner in that 1-0 match.

Wambach, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has won five U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Awards (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011).

Wambach, Morgan and their team officially kick off 2013 on February 9, when they face Scotland in Jacksonville, Fla for a friendly. It will be new head coach Tom Sermanni's first match with the U.S.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

The U.S. Women Wrapped Up An Unreal 2012 (28-1-3) With 4-1 Win Vs. China

The U.S. women had an incredible 2012 so it's only fitting that their last match of the year was another one-sided beating. They rolled 4-1 over China at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. It was the 10th and final match of their Fan Tribute Tour and they went 28-1-3 in 2012.

For the second game in a row against China, Abby Wambach scored twice. Those two headers gave her 152 career international goals which moved her within six of Mia Hamm's record. Props to Wambach though for honesty as she admitted afterwards in her postgame interview on NBC Sports that Alex Morgan (assist) will probably shatter her record in no time after she retires. Her openness was refreshing, when have you ever heard a professional athlete say something like that?

Speaking of Morgan, she combined with Wambach for 55 goals this year (28 for Morgan), tying a U.S. record from 1991 with Michelle Akers and Carin Jennings. Morgan also finished with 22 assists this year, second all-time behind Hamm (23).

Sydney Leroux also set a team record, scoring her 14th goal of 2012 (all as a reserve). Megan Rapinoe had the other goal. China went down hard for the third game in a row (10-1 aggregate for the U.S.) but at least this time they got on the board-something they hadn't done before. Hen Peng cut it to 2-1 in the 45th minute after a nice move and shot into the side netting past Hope Solo.

Wambach made it 1-0 in the 18th minute after Morgan's looping cross. Rapinoe took advantage of China's goalkeeper getting caught way outside of the goal as she chipped one into the vacated net from about 40 yards out in the 36th minute. Rapinoe assisted Wambach's second powerful header, in the 64th minute. Finally, Leroux had a sparkling header of her own in the 87th minute thanks to Heather Mitts's cross.

When we next see the U.S. women-February 9 vs. Scotland in Jacksonville, Florida-Tom Sermanni will have fully taken over as the head coach. Interim head coach Jill Ellis went 5-0-2 during the tour which has to count for something.

Happy Holidays ladies, enjoy the time off. You have more than earned it after a spectacular tour and year.



Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Abby Wambach Scores Twice As U.S. Women Roll 4-0 Over China

It was business as usual for the U.S. women's national team during their highly successful Fan Tribute Tour. In the second to last match of the nationwide victory parade, they thrashed China 4-0 tonight at Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium.

Abby Wambach scored twice (her 149th and 150th career goals, which put her 8 behind Mia Hamm for the all-time U.S. lead), Heather O'Reilly had three assists, Carli Lloyd and Amy Rodriguez scored with Megan Rapinoe recording the one other point on an assist. Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart "earned" the shutout although technically neither had to make a save as they played the first half and second half respectively.

Wambach's first strike was a header off a perfect cross from O'Reilly in the 20th minute. China only trailed 1-0 at halftime and it wasn't until the 62nd minute when the U.S. really took over for good. Lloyd scored on a header thanks to a great corner kick from Megan Rapinoe. That's when the wheels came off for China as Wambach added her second tally in the next minute. After receiving a pass from O'Reilly, she cut back into the box and took a shot that deflected off a defender's cleat.

Rodriguez came on in the 75th minute and it only took her 10 minutes to cash in on some rare playing time. Once again, O'Reilly made the play happen by hustling along the sideline around a Chinese player then hitting a tough angle shot on goal before she went out on the touch line. China's goalkeeper spilled it right to Rodriguez who didn't hesitate to bury it.

The U.S. women wrap up 2012 and this unbeaten tour (7-0-2) on Saturday night (7 p.m., NBC Sports Network) with one more match against China, at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Expect another one-sided result as this team finally gets a much deserved break for the holidays. Haha I'm not sure that this tour had to be 10 matches long but what do I know?



Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Morgan & Wambach Nominated For Player Of The Year; Sundhage Up For Coach Of The Year

The good times continue to roll for the U.S. women's national team. They blew out Ireland 5-0 last night in Portland, Oregon and today (as expected), forwards Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan were nominated for the FIFA Women's Player of the Year. Also, former U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage was one of three finalists for World Coach of the Year for Women's Soccer.

In 2012, the lethal combination of Wambach and Morgan have totaled 50 goals and 26 assists which is insane. Brazil's Marta is the other nominee but honestly, she has no chance in winning the award this year. I'd say that Morgan (27 goals, 18 assists) is the heavy favorite with Wambach (23 goals, 8 assists) the solid second choice.

Just like last year, Sundhage is joined by France's Bruno Bini (haha great name) and Japan's Norio Sasaki (who won it last year after Japan captured the 2011 World Cup). The nominees were all chosen by the captains and head coaches of women's national teams around the world and the media.

“Obviously, any kind of individual awards are a product of what a team can do,” said Wambach to ussoccer.com. “But what a tremendous honor for all of us, and even more so to be recognized with Alex, someone who compliments me in almost every way on the field, and also with our coach who set us both up to succeed. We’ll be excited to go to Switzerland with the hearts of champions as this will always be about winning titles as a team and that’s something we are really proud of this year.”

From ussoccer.com
The finalists for the Men’s World Player of the Year are Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal, Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina and Andrés Iniesta of Barcelona and Spain. The finalists for the World Coach of the Year for men’s soccer are Spain head coach Vicente Del Bosque, former Barcelona head coach Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho.

The winners of all of FIFA’s year-end awards will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala at the Zurich Kongresshaus on January 7, 2013, during which the Men’s World Player of the Year, the FIFA World XI and the FIFA Puskás Award for the most beautiful goal of the year will also be announced. The FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the gala.

Sundhage finished third in the voting for the World Coach of the Year in 2008, the first year the award was given out, and finished second last year.

This is the second time Wambach has been in the final three for the award, finishing third last year. She finished fourth in the voting in 2004 and 2006, fifth in 2007, was one of the final 10 in 2009 and was fifth again in 2010. Wambach led the USA with five goals at the 2012 Olympics, scoring one goal in each of the first five matches. Her 23 goals this year (she also has eight assists) are the second most in a single year during her 12-year international career. With 148 career international goals, she is just eight behind tying Mia Hamm for the world’s all-time greatest goal scorer.

Morgan scored three times at the 2012 Olympics, which of course included the latest goal ever scored in a FIFA competition when she headed home the game-winner in the 123rd minute of the dramatic come-from-behind 4-3 victory against Canada in the semifinal. She was also tied for the team lead in assists at the Olympics, setting up four goals.

Morgan’s 27 goals this year are the third-most ever in a calendar year behind Abby Wambach’s 31 in 2004 and Michelle Akers’ record 39 in 1991. Morgan’s 18 assists in 2012 are also tied for the fourth best ever in a single year and are by far the most on the team this year. She has either scored or assisted on 41 percent of the USA’s 108 goals this year and scored her second career hat trick, with all three goals coming in a 20-minute span of the first half, on Nov. 28 in a 5-0 victory against Ireland on the Fan Tribute Tour, presented by Panasonic.

Sundhage led the USA to a 23-1-1 record in 2012, which of course included dramatic run to the Olympic gold medal, before she coached her last game for the USA in a 6-2 victory against Australia on Sept. 19 in Colorado. The USA scored 16 goals at the Olympics, the most of any team the tournament, and came from behind to win in two matches, against France in the opener and against Canada in the semifinal. The USA’s 6-0-0 record in England, which included three shutouts, marked the first-time a U.S. team had won all six games during an Olympic Games. Sundhage recently took over as the head coach for her native Sweden and will lead her team into the 2013 European Women’s Championships in Sweden next summer.

You can catch Morgan and Wambach in action on Saturday (9:30 p.m ET, Fox Soccer Channel) as they meet Ireland once again, this time in Glendale, Arizona. It would be pretty sweet to see the U.S. women's team sweep the two biggest FIFA awards and it seems like this could be the year to do it. Both players certainly deserve it and Sundhage earned one last sweet moment stemming from her very successful time in the States.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Settle For Another Tie With Germany, 2-2 In Hartford This Time

If there is a team for the U.S. women's national team to fear in the near future, it's Germany who are loaded with young talent. For the second time in four days, the Germans tied the Americans on their home soil. Tonight, the U.S. blew another one-goal lead (twice) and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at rain-soaked Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT.

The U.S. moved to 23-1-3 this year and 6-0-4 all-time in games pitting the No. 1 and No. 2 FIFA-ranked teams. The U.S. extended its unbeaten streak to 18 games and they are now 17-4-6 all-time against Germany.

There is no doubt that the pouring rain hampered play so for that reason and others (not really in form), the first half was largely forgettable. That is until Abby Wambach pulled to within 10 goals of Mia Hamm with her 148th career goal. After Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe worked the ball through the midfield, Alex Morgan's cross was deflected by a German defender but Wambach was right on the goal-line for the diving header in the 44th minute.

Want to know the next superstar in women's soccer (that's not American)? It has to be Germany's Dzenifer Marozsan. The 2012 MVP of the U-20 Women's World Cup scored not once but twice. In the 48th she received a gift as U.S. defender Christie Rampone whiffed on a pass attempt and fell down at midfield. That allowed Marozsan to walk in alone on Hope Solo and finish into the low corner.

Wambach had two chances for another strike but she failed both times. One-on-one with Germany's goalkeeper, her chip was terrible and later, a header went wide. Morgan once again was the catalyst with her 18th assist of the year (4th all-time for a year). She went to the end line then played it back in the middle to Lloyd. She couldn't connect but Tobin Heath of all people was there to blast in her seventh international goal in the 67th minute.

Solo made a bunch of diving saves and it looked like her team might escape with a 2-1 win but Marozsan had other plans. She scored an absolute highlight reel goal in the 85th minute with a left-foot blast from outside the box to the top corner. Solo had no chance to stop it.

Interestingly enough at halftime on NBC Sports Network, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati indicated that the next women's head coach could be named by November 1. I'm sure that date is fluid but there is little doubt that whomever that person is will make their national team debut November 28 (their next game) when the U.S. plays Ireland in Portland, Oregon. The Fan Tribute Tour (3-0-2 so far) continues with two games against Ireland, the other is December 1 in Glendale, Arizona.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Send Pia Sundhage Off To Sweden With An Easy 6-2 Win Vs. Australia

Pia Sundhage's last match as head coach of the U.S. women's national team was certainly memorable as they rolled to a 6-2 win over Australia this evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. It was the 14th straight win for the top women's side in the world.

Australia, who had lost to the U.S. 2-1 on Sunday in California, was actually up 2-1 in the first half but that lasted all of nine minutes as Alex Morgan scored her first of two goals right before halftime (43rd minute). From there, the Americans blitzed the Australians with four goals in the second half.

Now, Sundhage leaves for Sweden (her native country) with a four-year deal set to begin on December 1. It will be fascinating to see who the U.S. chooses as its next head coach. It's hard to argue with Sundhage's success since she took over in November 2007: 91-6-10 with two gold medals (2012, 2008), three Algarve Cups and runner-up in the 2011 World Cup.

The U.S.' next two matches are a month away against Germany: October 20 in Bridgeview, Illinois and October 23 in East Hartford, Connecticut. During this game, former national team member and ESPN2 commentator Julie Foudy speculated that the U.S. wanted to name a coach by Halloween but it is possible they won't have one in place by the Germany matches. In that case, an assistant would temporary hold the position.

Five different goal-scorers helped the U.S. improve to 22-0-2 all-time against Australia. In 2012, they are 23-1-1 (only loss to Japan) and they've outscored their opponents 100-17.

Morgan led the U.S. with two goals and two assists, Megan Rapinoe had two assists while Heather O'Reilly, Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx and Sydney Leroux all scored goals. Heather Mitts and Kelley O'Hara rounded out the scoring with assists.

O'Reilly opened the scoring with a deflected goal in the 25th minute. Morgan broke down the left flank but then passed it back to the top of the box. O'Reilly came from out of the picture and hit a low hard shot that nicked off an Australian defender.

Two defensive breakdowns in rapid succession gave Australia the brief 2-1 lead. Lisa de Vanna scored her second goal against the U.S. in as many games with a pretty toe poke past Hope Solo in the 32nd minute. Two minutes later, Sarah Walsh-who was playing her last match for Australia-found herself in alone on Solo and she deposited it into the net.

Morgan went to work in the 43rd minute with a top-notch goal, her 33rd in 51 international matches. O'Hara had the assist as Morgan placed the shot in the far corner with her preferred left foot. It was a big goal in terms of momentum since the U.S. nearly trailed at halftime. Instead, that must have pumped them up because they never looked back in the second half and Australia could do nothing to stop them.

Wambach was the recipient of a crazy bounce after she stuck her foot out and got a touch on Morgan's shot in the 53rd minute. It took a huge deflection and ended up in the goal. After that, the U.S. scored on three headers in a span of 19 minutes with each one more spectacular than the last.

Morgan bagged her second strike in the 63rd minute when she won a 50-50 cross from Mitts. It's easy to forget that Morgan is only 23-years-old. I'm having a hard time finding any holes in her game, she seems to do everything well: shoot, distribute, win headers, run off the ball. It is scary to think she'll most likely get even better the next few years.

Substitute Shannon Boxx got in on the action with a powerful header off Rapinoe's corner kick in the 69th minute. Leroux was the second sub to score a goal as she also connected on a cross from Rapinoe in the 82nd minute. What made Leroux's my favorite is that she dove toward the ground to head the ball rather than wait for it to come to her feet. At 22, the youngest player on the team, her skills are remarkable and she is definitely the most exciting prospect on the national team.

All that's left to do is wish Sundhage all the best and thank her for all her hard work over the years with the U.S. team. Good luck in Sweden Pia, haha except when you face the U.S.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Pia Sundhage's Farewell Tour Starts Out With The U.S. Dropping 8 Goals On Costa Rica In Rochester

Perhaps you've heard that U.S. women's national team head coach Pia Sundhage is stepping down. I have heard some additional information that she'll be at the helm for two more games, Sunday, September 16 vs. Australia at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA and Wednesday, September 19 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO.

The farewell tour got off to the perfect start for Sundhage (who is reportedly in the works to be Sweden's head coach) as her team pinned an 8-0 loss on Costa Rica this afternoon at Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, NY. It was the team's first match since winning the gold medal vs. Japan at the London Olympics.

Hometown hero Abby Wambach gave the people what they wanted as she scored twice, Megan Rapinoe had two goals while Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Carli Lloyd and Heather O'Reilly bagged single tallies.

The U.S. was never challenged as they led 5-0 at halftime. Rapinoe opened the barrage with a goal off a free kick in the 13th minute, her shot just grazed the crossbar and went in.

Not surprisingly, Wambach had not one but two headers for goals (putting her at 145 international strikes). Rachel Buehler crossed to her in the 24th minute then Rapinoe's corner kick eight minutes later found what has to be the greatest aerial player in women's soccer history.

Alex Morgan got in on the action in the 38th minute after a touch from Wambach, Morgan's left-footed shot left the Costa Rican goalkeeper with no chance to stop the high riser.

Rapinoe's second goal-in the 45th minute-was a complete gift as her shot from the edge of the area trickled in off the goalkeeper's hands.

Supersub Leroux kickstarted the late scoring as she ran onto a pass from Morgan, overpowered her defender and finished in the far corner in the 77th minute.

Lloyd kept up her hot streak as she scored on a bending free kick in the 84th minute and O'Reilly tapped in Leroux's cross in garbage time (89th minute).

Some interesting notes courtesy of ussoccer.com
In the 54th minute, goalkeeper Jill Loyden replaced starting goalkeeper Hope Solo, ending Solo’s consecutive minutes played streak at 1,163. That is a U.S. WNT goalkeeping record as Solo surpassed Briana Scurry’s previous mark of 990 minutes during the 2012 London Olympics.

The U.S. improved to 94-2-5 when Abby Wambach scores a goal.
The USA improved to 10-0-0 this year when Wambach and Alex Morgan both contribute at least one goal in the same match.

U.S. defender and team captain Christie Rampone played in her 267th career international match on Saturday. She now sits five behind third-place Julie Foudy (272) on the all-time list.

Pia Sundhage improved her USA coaching record to 89-6-10.

The next match against Australia will also be broadcast live on NBC like today's game. I gotta say that the new go-to announcer combination of ex-U.S. men's player Kyle Martino and Arlo White is great. Thank God they left Brandi Chastain and her needless yelling back in the UK or somewhere else far away from a microphone.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Alex Morgan Scores In 122nd Minute As U.S. Women Defeat Canada 4-3; Face Japan For Gold

I'm not sure what it is about them but the U.S. women's national team seems to love drama, in a good way of course. There have never been penalty kicks in the Olympics (for a women's game) but the U.S. (5-0-0) and Canada (2-2-1) looked set for that ultimate crapshoot as they were tied 3-3 this afternoon at Old Trafford (home of Manchester United) in the semifinals.

A moment of brilliance from substitute Heather O'Reilly (who entered in the 101st minute) and Alex Morgan saved the Americans from the format that haunted them last summer (see: 2011 Women's World Cup Final vs. Japan). The U.S. survived 4-3 and move on to the Gold Medal game on Thursday afternoon (2:45 p.m. ET, NBC Sports) at Wembley Stadium and a rematch vs. Japan. It is the fifth straight Olympics Final for the Red, White and Blue and they are the two-time defending champions.

In the 122nd minute, O'Reilly whipped a cross into the box and Morgan-who's not tall or particularly deadly in the air-was still able to rise up over her defender and head it over Canada's goalkeeper Erin McLeod. It was an incredible strike in literally the last seconds that was eerily reminiscent of Abby Wambach's goal vs. Brazil last summer in the World Cup quarterfinals.

By far their most dangerous player for the U.S. was midfielder Megan Rapinoe, who had a pair of goals in the second half. Wambach scored on a penalty kick that followed a handball by Canada on a shot by Rapinoe. Wherever she was on the field, she made things happen and that included being a wizard on the ball.

Canada probably deserved better as Christine Sinclair scored a hat trick (1st against the U.S. in 11 years) but her team managed to blow a halftime lead of 1-0, not to mention 2-1 and 3-2 advantages in the second half. The first 45 minutes weren't particularly thrilling but the second half plus extra time made this truly one of the craziest soccer matches (men's or women's, any level) that I've ever witnessed.

The U.S. defense which couldn't mark Sinclair all day had a collectively terrible performance yet they still found a win to get by Canada. Her first goal was the result of a wonderful buildup from her teammates. Marie-Eve Nault's through ball hit Melissa Tancredi who found Sinclair. She twisted Kelley O'Hara around before finishing past Hope Solo in the 22nd minute.

It was the first time Canada had led the U.S. since 2003. That goal didn't really wake up the U.S. until halftime although Morgan had a header go just wide in the 32nd minute off a free kick. Wambach tried a diving header in the 38th minute but that too skipped wide.

Rapinoe-a college teammate of Sinclair at the University of Portland (Oregon)-tied it in the 54th minute on a play that is extremely rare in soccer outside of the youth level. She bent a corner kick past McLeod, a Canadian defender had a slight touch on it but the ball had already crossed the line by then. Little did we know that would start a flurry of five goals in 26 minutes.

Sinclair went to work and answered with a header of her own off a cross in the 67th minute. Canada was up 2-1 for all of three minutes as Rapinoe scored an absolute highlight reel goal (her 3rd of the tournament) in the 70th minute. She was at the top of the box and her right-footed shot hit the far post and bounced into the other side. Unreal.

The U.S. could never figure out a way to stop Sinclair as she got her hat trick in the 73rd minute, off another header but this time from a corner kick. The good news was that the Americans had one more improbable rally left in their cleats.

After a bizarre six second call on McLeod, the refs topped that with a shaky penalty on a handball that appeared to hit a prone arm or hand that was against a Canadian's body. Whatever the case, Wambach stepped up and calmly tied it up in the 80th minute (her 143rd international goal, ironically tying Sinclair).

Both squads had great chances to end it in regulation but Wambach missed a tap-in following a pass from Morgan. Solo stepped up with her biggest save of the Olympics as she stuffed Canada after a terrible giveaway by the frazzled U.S. backline.

Sydney Leroux entered in the 76th minute and she had two decent chances. Her header went over at the end of regulation and in the first overtime, she was first to a 50-50 ball but sent it high of the mark.

The U.S. had never lost in the Olympic semifinals and were 5-1 in Olympic extra-time games. O'Reilly's hustle (thanks to her fresh legs) basically made something out of nothing and I'm not sure how Morgan had that much energy to score her first goal since the opening match vs. France. It was a play that we will be seeing for a long time, particularly if the U.S. captures the Gold Medal.

Japan held on for a 2-1 win vs. France in the first semifinal this afternoon. They were up 2-0 and were able to withstand some serious pressure from the French in the late going. The great thing about this match on Thursday is that it pits without question the top two women's teams in the world. The crazy part is that they have so much recent history which has helped mold this into the best rivalry in the game.

Japan beat the U.S. 1-0 on March 5 in Portugal; the U.S. tied them 1-1 in Japan on April Fool's Day and most impressively, they rolled 4-1 against the Japanese on June 18 in Sweden. I think that final result is an anomaly and I can basically guarantee that the Gold Medal match will be a one-goal game. These teams are so evenly matched, let's just hope that it doesn't go to penalty kicks since Japan would have the mental edge there after they beat the U.S. in them last July.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

See You On Monday: U.S. Women Blank New Zealand 2-0, Head To Olympic Semifinals

History was on the U.S. women's soccer team's side this afternoon as they met New Zealand in the London Olympic quarterfinals. Not only had the Americans reached the semifinals of every major tournament (6 World Cups, 4 Olympics, 7 CONCACAFs) they had ever played in but they were also 8-1-0 all-time against New Zealand.

It wasn't as easy as probably most expected but Pia Sundhage's squad got the job done with a 2-0 victory. Now, they'll meet neighborly rival Canada (2-0 winners vs. Great Britain) in Monday's semifinals (2:45 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network) at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United.

For a team that is so powerful offensively, let it be noted that the U.S. (4-0-0) hasn't allowed a goal since the first 15 minutes against France in their opening London Olympics match. Goalkeeper Hope Solo and her defense deserve credit for their third straight shutout but let's be real: it's hard for opponents to score when they simply can never possess the ball.

Abby Wambach scored in the 27th minute (her 142th all-time, 16 behind Mia Hamm for the No. 1 spot in U.S. history) and the youngest member of the team-Sydney Leroux-picked up her first Olympic goal (5th of her international career) in the 87th minute. Wambach has scored in five straight Olympic games, including all four in London.

Wambach's partner in crime up top-Alex Morgan-was also on the scoresheet since she provided the assist on Wambach's strike. Morgan worked down the left side of the box, used quick feet to get her defender wobbly before threading it into the perfect spot where only Wambach could get it. She redirected it in for the 1-0 lead.

Morgan had a great chance to score, before Wambach's goal, as she went in alone on New Zealand's goalkeeper Jenny Bindon but she put it into the side netting.

This was the first knockout round game for New Zealand in any competition and their inexperience finally started to pop up in the second half. They never really put any heat on Solo and Morgan had three good chances to increase the lead to 2-0. She put another shot into the side netting after she stole the ball from a defender. Shortly after that, she was taken down in the box in what could easily have been called a penalty kick. Finally, Bindon stuffed Morgan by going almost out of her 18-yard box.

Bindon showed her toughness when she was kneed right in the face by Morgan but didn't come out of the game. Carli Lloyd picked up a yellow card in the 79th minute for a clumsy challenge. New Zealand kept trying long shots on Solo but I guess they didn't know that those will never be successful. The best they could do was take a shameful dive in the box, attempting to draw a penalty kick.

Leroux subbed in for Morgan in the 81st minute and almost immediately, she made things happen. After making a great run, she crossed it to Heather O'Reilly, who couldn't get a shot off before being surrounded. Her goal was a glimpse of what makes her such a promising talent. Not only did she fight off a defender but then she had the calmness to take her time and get a somewhat powerful shot on goal that trickled through Bindon's legs.

France vs. Japan is the first semifinal on Monday (12 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network) and honestly, after watching Japan dismantle Brazil 2-0 this afternoon and remembering their recent history, I'm glad that the U.S. wouldn't face them until the final. They are clearly their biggest obstacle. Canada (2-1-1) is playing well and they looked good when they met the U.S. right before the World Cup in a friendly. Still, France (3-1-0)-who led 2-0 against the U.S. in the first match-and Japan (2-0-2) who beat them in the 2011 World Cup Final are more formidable as far as I'm concerned.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women's Soccer Completes 3-0-0 Group Play With 1-0 Win Vs. North Korea

The U.S. women's soccer team beat North Korea 1-0 this afternoon at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, in their third match of the 2012 London Olympics.

Pia Sundhage's squad finished 3-0-0 for the first time in their Olympic history and they'll meet New Zealand on Friday (9:30 a.m. EST) in the quarterfinals at Newcastle.

The final margin should have been much more as the Americans hit the post twice in the first half and also put countless great opportunities either wide of the net or over. Luckily, Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach were on top of their games as they created basically all the U.S. chances.

The moment of brilliance came in the 25th minute as midfielder Lauren Cheney dropped a long pass into the box for Morgan. As two North Korean defenders converged on her, she touched it to Wambach who blasted it in. It was Wambach's 141st career international goal, she is now only 17 behind Mia Hamm for No. 1 all-time in U.S. history.

U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo didn't have to work hard, she only really made one above-average play: intercepting a cross by North Korea in the second half. Her defense looked strong although truth be told, the U.S. dominated possession and North Korea barely ever controlled the ball. Odds are she was probably blasting Brandi Chastain on Twitter some more since she had so much downtime during the match.

The mysterious opponents got increasingly frustrated in the second half which culminated in Choe Mi Gyong picking up her second yellow in the 81st minute. With 11 players, North Korea didn't have much of a chance but that flicker of hope was gone after Gyong's clumsy challenge on Cheney.

Both Morgan and Wambach nearly scored in the first half since each hit the post. Morgan received a pass from Wambach and turned with her favored left foot to strike a low shot that deflected off the far post. The script was flipped from Wambach when she took a ball from Morgan and tried to place a shot past the diving North Korean goalkeeper.

Substitute Tobin Heath almost made it 2-0 early in the second half but she lofted her shot high after she found herself wide open. Likewise, Carli Lloyd had a good chance on a rebound but as she usually does, she couldn't get her body over it and it went harmlessly over the bar.

The best news for the U.S. is that nobody got hurt and other than a yellow card for Cheney, they didn't pick up any cards (not sure how they carry over to the knockout rounds). They will be heavy favorites against New Zealand and assuming that they can start finishing more consistently and at a higher rate, there is no reason they should have much of a problem with them.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Vs. Canada, 2nd Half Live Blog

Four halftime subs for the U.S.: Mitts for LePeilbet, O'Reilly for Heath, Lloyd for Boxx and Sauerbrunn for Rampone.

51st minute-Scary stuff for the U.S. and their fans as Morgan goes down with a knee injury. She gets subbed out but walks off on her own so hopefully it's not too bad. She sits on the bench with ice around her knee. Rodriguez came in for Morgan.

57th minute-Christie Sinclair finds Melissa Tancredi with a pretty through ball with the outside of her foot. Tancredi blasts it off the crossbar and past Solo (1-1).

60th minute-Rodriguez lays a nice pass across the goal mouth but Wambach just misses it.

61st minute-Wambach fights off multiple defenders and pulls it back for Rodriguez who shoots wide from outside the box.

70th minute-the U.S. has its second corner of the half (6th of the game) but nothing.

72nd minute-Jesus, Wambach went for a header and ran into the post with her back. Might want to take her out now Pia, wonder if she knows this game means nothing?

75th minute-Sydney Leroux subs in for O'Hara and the U.S. switches to a 3-4-3, I like it.

This proves how valuable Morgan is to the U.S., they haven't been nearly the same team since she departed. Granted, a bunch of other players were also subbed out. The U.S. only has one shutout in its last eight matches which is surprising. Their defense is the biggest issue heading into the 2012 London Olympics.

84th minute-Cheney shoots over from long range. Kyle Martino calls it a "great effort." Not sure I'd term a shot that isn't on net "great."

85th minute-Of course after I bashed her on Twitter, Rodriguez scores what will probably stand up as the game-winner. Rapinoe crossed it into traffic, Wambach deflected it and tried a backheel but Rodriguez was there for the rebound. Canada wanted an offside call but you can't be offside on a rebound ladies. Sorry. 25th international goal for A-Rod.

87th minute-Leroux gets taken down on a long pass. She has game-breaking speed, she's the only player on the U.S. Olympic team that wasn't on the 2011 World Cup team. A star in the making.

89th minute-Another U.S. corner kick (7-0).

4 minutes of added time. The Mormons are getting their money's worth today, haha seven minutes combined of added time in a friendly. Unheard of.

91st minute-Leroux is a beast, she fought off a defender then almost scored. Nice save by McCloud for a U.S. corner. If only the U.S. produced half as many world-class defenders as they do forwards and attacking players. Haha it's so uneven at this point.

Final: U.S. 2, Canada 1
Some shaky moments there but Rodriguez saved what would have been a lame way to be sent off to the Olympics. Fair result for the U.S.; they dominated in the first half, Canada woke up in the second half but the U.S. made enough plays to get it done. Onto London! Let's hope Morgan is alright, their first match is July 25 vs. France.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Step Right Up Folks, Plenty Of Room On The U.S. Women's Bandwagon Before The Olympics Start

It was only a friendly, so I won't start writing love letters and planning the parade route just yet but still you can't be anything but really impressed with the U.S. women's 4-1 thrashing of Japan at the Volvo Winners Cup this morning in Halmstad, Sweden. Pia Sundhage's squad improved to 13-1-1 in 2012.

Not only had Japan beaten the U.S. in the 2011 World Cup Final but they were also riding a three-game win streak over the Americans. That is basically unheard of save for a run by Norway in the late 1990s and early 2000s (they beat the U.S. four times in a row).

The main reason that the U.S. will be favored to win gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics is because their two strikers-Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach-are playing on another level. It sounds weird to say since Morgan is at the beginning of what looks like a spectacular career for her country while Wambach probably should be slowing down but for whatever reason, they are both crushing it right now.

Morgan scored twice (6th time in 2012 that she's had multiple goals), giving her a team-leading 17 goals in 2012 and 27 in just 41 career CAPs. Wambach inched closer to Mia Hamm with the 137th and 138th goals of her highly-decorated U.S. career. She's only 20 goals behind Mia.

The U.S. didn't wait long to jump on top as Tobin Heath found Morgan in the 3rd minute with a through ball and the former Cal Bear did the rest as she roofed the left-footed shot into the far upper corner. It was a beautiful goal as you'll see in the above video (courtesy of ussoccer.com).

Wambach also got off to a fast start as she tallied her first strike in the 10th minute after a cross from Megan Rapinoe. Wambach was right in front of Japan's goal so all she had to do was redirect it.

Japan's offense could never really find a rhythm-they had seven corner kicks but only two shots on goal all game-but their one goal was highlight reel worthy. Aya Miyama crossed the ball to Yuki Nagasato in the 28th minute and she connected with a diving header past U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo.

Morgan and Wambach each had wonderful chances to bag their second goals of the game in the 30th minute. Morgan's shot was deflected by Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori and it went off the post. Wambach was there to side-volley the rebound but she hit it right into Kaihori's stomach.

No worries though as Morgan was able to earn her second in the 61st minute. It was basically the opposite of her first goal as she carried it alone down the right side then hit a shot with her right foot that was on the ground and into the lower left corner.

Solo was lucky to have a shot go off the crossbar but she also made a great diving save to keep the U.S. safely in front.

Wambach's goal in the 92nd minute (not sure why she was still in there?) wasn't pretty but it showed the workrate of a superstar that is never lazy. Heather O'Reilly crossed it and Wambach was able to partially head/shoulder it despite the fact that it bounced off the ground first.

After coming home from Sweden, the U.S. women will get some time off before they face Canada on June 30 in Sandy, Utah (2 p.m., NBC). That match serves as a proper send off for the Americans in front of their home fans before they head to London to get ready for the Olympics. We all remember what a great ride they took us on last summer with the thrilling run to the World Cup Final; with the U.S. men home for the Olympics, there really is no logical excuse not to go all in on this extremely likable group as they go for a three-peat of Gold at the Olympics.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Pick Up Impressive 3-1 Win In Sweden

There is a little less than one month left before the 2012 Olympics begin in London and the U.S. women appear to be in the right form.

They beat Sweden 3-1 this afternoon in Halmstad, Sweden. It was an important victory for the top-ranked women's team (who improved to 12-1-1 in 2012) as they beat the No. 4 team in the world on their home turf, a squad that they could very well see in London.

Abby Wambach scored an unbelievable goal in the 8th minute. She caught the Swedish goalkeeper too far off her line and beat her with a dipping shot that was from 35 yards away. It was Wambach's 136th of her career. She's only 22 behind the all-time U.S. leader-Mia Hamm.

Alex Morgan showed that she can score goals in many ways as she simply outworked a Swedish defender in the 22nd minute for her team-leading 15th of the year. She used her body to shield away the defender then coolly slotted it home.

Sweden's star striker Lotta Schelin scored on a pretty strike of her own in the 35th minute. She took advantage of a U.S. defender that slipped and ran onto the ball that had been one-touched into space. With U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo coming out of the net, Schelin chipped it in with the outside of her right foot.

The U.S. nearly added to its lead in the dying seconds of the first half as Megan Rapinoe found Morgan in front with a cross but Morgan uncharacteristically hit it over. In the beginning of the second half, Heather Mitts headed the ball off the crossbar.

Substitute Tobin Heath was the unlikely goal-scorer in the 56th minute for the Americans as she headed in Wambach's cross for a 3-1 lead.

The U.S. women meet their biggest threat-No. 3 Japan-on Monday morning (7 a.m. on Universalsports.com; 10 a.m. tape delayed on Universal Sports Network) in Sweden.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Pick Up Where The U.S. Men Left Off Last Night Vs. Scotland With 4-1 Win Over China

There was a time, not that long ago, that China was the U.S. women's biggest rival and threat on a global level. I'm not sure what has happened to China, I mean they're not that bad now but they've definitely taken a few giant steps back while the U.S. continues to rebuild (but still win) under a solid young core (Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, Lauren Cheney, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, etc.).

The U.S. beat China 4-1 in a friendly tonight at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. The game wasn't on TV so I didn't catch it although it was streamed on ussoccer.com.

Morgan scored twice, China had an own goal and Abby Wambach closed it out. This was the second-to-last match in the United States (June 30 vs. Canada in Sandy, Utah) before the squad departs for the 2012 Olympics in London this summer.

China actually opened the scoring with a goal in the 22nd minute against the run of play. Morgan scored 12 minutes later with a left-footed shot. Wambach's pressure two minutes later following her header forced the own goal by a Chinese defender.

Morgan got her second of the game and 14th of the year (to lead the team) in the 50th minute after a long ball from Christie Rampone and another lethal blast off her impressive left foot. Wambach scored in the 83rd minute after a throw-in by Morgan and a nice spin move by Abby around her defender followed by a wicked shot.

From ussoccer.com
Additional Match Notes:

The USA’s own goal was its first since July 10, 2011, against Brazil in the quarterfinal of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The USA upped its record to 11-1-1 on the year and will return to action next on June 16 against Sweden in Halmstad, Sweden. The USA also faces Japan on June 18 at the same venue.

Abby Wambach’s goal was the 135th of her international career. She sits only behind Mia Hamm (158) on the USA all-time scoring list.
Alex Morgan upped her career goal total to 24 in just 39 caps.

China had just one shot on goal during the match, and scored on it.

Sydney Leroux picked up the first yellow card of her career for a harsh tackle in the first minute of stoppage time.

Get used to seeing both the U.S. men's and women's team often this summer since they'll basically be on TV every time you turn it on. I know this makes me very happy and if you're reading this, you most likely feel the same way.

PS. That jersey looks a little better on Morgan. I'm still not a fan of it but seeing her in it is a much easier way to win me over with that lame combination of stripes.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

U.S. Women Hold Off Norway 2-1 At 2012 Algrave Cup

The U.S. women won their second straight match at the 2012 Algrave Cup in Portugal, once again over a European foe as they beat Norway 2-1 earlier today.

After a scoreless first half, superstar striker Abby Wambach made it 1-0 in the 51st minute with her 133rd career goal for the U.S. Her shot from 15 yards out went off the post and in (something which I swear happens every game for the U.S. women). The lovely Heather Mitts (a former teammate of Wambach's at the University of Florida) had the assist.

While we take Wambach's incredible talents for granted, 21-year-old Sydney Leroux is quickly establishing herself at the international level. She scored what turned out to be the game-winner in the 81st minute. Amy Rodriguez crossed it to Leroux and the former Stanford star headed it in.

Norway ruined Hope Solo's shutout as they scored in the 93rd minute. It was so late in the game that the U.S. didn't even have a chance to kick off following the goal before the match ended.

Up next, the U.S. meets Japan for the first time since the 2011 World Cup final last summer. Japan beat Denmark 2-0 today as well but the U.S. has a better goal differential (+6) so all they have to do is beat or tie Japan (+3) to win the group and advance to the championship game.

No doubt Pia Sundhage's squad will be looking for some measure of revenge after they lost in such heartbreaking fashion (disastrous penalty kicks) to Japan last time around.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate