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.

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Who Doesn't Enjoy The Algarve Cup? (Crickets)

I'm not in PR so I won't sit here and try to tell you that the Algarve Cup is famous or important. Haha I honestly was spelling it wrong before I just double-checked it earlier tonight. Still, it's a good tuneup for the U.S. women's national team since it's their first tournament of the year. They meet Iceland, China and Sweden in group play on March 6-11 in Portugal. There are 12 teams and the U.S. finished in third-place last year at it, their 1-0 loss to Japan in group play turned out to be their only setback of 2012.

Today, Tom Sermanni named his 23-player roster for these matches.

U.S. Women’s National Team Training Camp Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Ashlyn Harris (Duisburg), Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC)
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), Whitney Engen (Liverpool), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Yael Averbuch (Göteborg FC), Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), Lauren Cheney (FC Kansas City), Tobin Heath (PSG), Carli Lloyd (Western NY Flash), Kristie Mewis (FC Kansas City), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Lyon)
FORWARDS (5): Lindsey Horan (PSG), Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Tyresö), Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)


The big news for the Americans is that goalkeeper Hope Solo is out since she's getting wrist surgery. The U.S. medical staff recommended she take care of that now so she'll be fine for the 2015 World Cup qualifying which starts next year. Ashlyn Harris will be looking for her first cap but she'll probably be the third goalkeeper. The other player looking for her first cap is Lindsey Horan, who is 18 but skipped college to play professionally in France. She's an interesting story which I got up to speed on today, check it out for yourself. I had no idea an American had done that in women's soccer before.

UPDATE 3/13: The injuries continue to pile up for the U.S. women's national team. Backup goalkeeper Jill Loyden broke her hand in training last week and then today it was announced that midfielder Carli Lloyd will be out 6-8 weeks after breaking a bone in her shoulder during the opening match of the Algarve Cup vs. Iceland.

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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.



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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?



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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.

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