Canada Wins the Cyprus Cup

They needed overtime to do it, but Canada won the Cyprus Cup championship by a 2-1 margin over Holland. Just three months ago, Canada had easily defeated Holland 5-0 in a match played in Brazil. This time proved to be much tougher.

The match was played in harsh weather, with rain and very windy conditions. The weather played a part in an early defensive error by the Dutch and Jonelle Filigno, the goal scoring hero against Italy last Friday, once again scored to make it 1-0 for Canada.

Holland was able to tie the match late in the first half. Claudia van den Heiligenberg scored to make it 1-1.

Late in regulation, Erin McLeod suffered a minor injury and had to be replaced by Stephanie Labbé. She was able to keep Holland from scoring any further goals.

Emily Zurrer scored the game winner off of a Diana Matheson corner kick in the 99th minute. Canada completed a solid tournament in which they defeated four strong European sides in the process.

3rd Place: France 3, Scotland 0

Marie-Laure Delie made it her second hat trick of the tournament as she scored all three goals in France's 3-0 victory over Scotland. Bérangèr Sapowicz recorded the shutout for France.

5th Place: England 2, South Korea 0

Sue Smith's brace led England to a 2-0 win over South Korea. After a disappointing run in the group stage of the tournament, England finished strong in taking fifth place.

Karen Bardsley and Siobhan Chamberlain shared the shutout for England.

7th Place: Mexico 5, New Zealand 0

After a scoreless first half, Mexico scored five times in the closing stanza to defeat New Zealand in the 7th place match. Stephany Mayor scored a hat trick to lead the way for Mexico, who finished the tournament unbeaten with two wins and two ties. Dinora Garza added a goal and the fifth was an own goal by New Zealand.

9th Place: Italy 2, Russia 0

Italy won 2-0 over Russia on goals by Patrizia Panico and Giulia Domenichetti.

11th Place: Switzerland 2, Northern Ireland 1

In a match between two teams searching for their first win at the Cyprus Cup, Switzerland edged Northern Ireland 2-1. Lara Dickenmann scored a first half goal to give Switzerland the lead. Northern Ireland tied the match early in the 2nd half, but Martina Moser scored the game winner in the 65th minute.

Canada and Holland Advance To Cyprus Cup Final

Canada won their third straight match at the Cyprus Cup with a 2-0 victory over England in Group A. For Canada, it was their third shutout, this one by Erin McLeod. It was a battle between the world's 9th and 10th ranked teams.

After most of the first half went by scoreless, Christine Sinclair scored on a rebound of Diana Matheson's shot giving the Canadians a 1-0 edge. Halftime substitution Brittany Timko made it 2-0 just ten minutes into the second half. Most of the second half of the match was played in fairly heavy rainfall.

Hope Powell's squad saw massive changes from Friday's match, with Canada also inserting new blood into the lineup.

For Canada, the victory continues an impressive run of soccer dating back to last September. They are 13 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws over that time. Canada will face Holland, ranked 15th in the world, in the final on Wednesday.

Scotland 0, Italy 0

Scotland and Italy played to a scoreless draw on Monday. It was enough for Scotland to finish in second place in Group A, just one point ahead of England.

It looked like Scotland might win the game late as they were awarded a penalty with just 10 minutes remaining in the match, but Chiara Marchitelli stopped Kim Little's penalty attempt to preserve the tie. Gemma Fay earned the shutout for the Scots.

Holland 6, Switzerland 0

Holland easily defeated Switzerland 6-0 and will play in the championship match against Canada. They were led by a Kirsten van de Ven hat trick and a Chantel de Ridder brace. The Swiss fell behind 2-0 in the first six minutes and never seriously threatened to make it a match.

Holland will now face Canada, a team they lost to by a 5-0 margin at the Torneia Internacional Cidade de Sao Paulo in December.

France 5, New Zealand 2

Marie-Laure Delie scored three times to lead France to a 5-2 victory over New Zealand. Delie scored twice in the first half to give her team a 3-2 lead at the break, after France had fallen behind in the game's opening minutes on an own goal.

Eugenie Le Sommer and Elise Bussaglia added goals for France, while Anna Green scored directly on a corner kick for the Ferns.

Because of their loss to Holland, France settles for a 3rd place match up against Scotland, while New Zealand will meet Mexico, in what should be an interesting 7th place match of two teams headed for the World Cup in June.

Mexico 3, Northern Ireland 1

Mexico was able to finish the Cyprus Cup group stage unbeaten with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland. However, the Mexicans still fell short of South Korea, who won Group C.

Maribel Dominguez opened the scoring in the 32nd minute on a penalty after Charlyn Corral had been fouled in the box. Corral scored just minutes later to make it 2-0 by halftime.

Northern Ireland cut the lead to one as Rachel Furness headed one home early in the 2nd half. Nancy Gandarilla scored for Mexico late in the match for the final tally. Gandarilla was making her debut for Mexico.

South Korea 2, Russia 1

Ji So-Yun and Yeo Min-Ji scored to lead South Korea to a 2-1 victory over Russia. Ji's goal came in the opening minutes of the match. South Korea led 1-0 at the half.

Russia briefly tied the score in the 77th minute on a goal by Ekaterina Sochneva, but the Koreans quickly answered with Yeo's goal just a minute later for the game winner.

Final Group Standings:
Group A: Canada 3-0-0, 9 pts; Scotland 1-1-1, 4 pts; England 1-2-0, 3 pts; Italy 0-2-1, 1 pt.
Group B: Holland 3-0-0, 9 pts; France 2-1-0, 6 pts; New Zealand 1-2-0, 3 pts; Switzerland 0-3-0, 0 pts.
Group C: South Korea 2-0-1, 7 pts; Mexico 1-0-2, 5 pts; Russia 1-1-1, 4 pts; Northern Ireland 0-3-0, 0 pts.

Finals Day Matches:
Championship: Canada vs. Holland
3rd/4th Place: Scotland vs. France
5th/6th Place: England vs. South Korea
7th/8th Place: New Zealand vs. Mexico
9th/10th Place: Italy vs. Russia
11th/12th Place: Switzerland vs. Northern Ireland

Scotland and Holland Post Upsets at Cyprus Cup

Upsets were the order of the day at the Cyprus Cup. Scotland were able to shut out England by a 2-0 margin, while France was beaten by Holland 2-1. Canada won their second straight 1-0 shutout, this time over Italy.

Scotland 2, England 0

The Scots got their two goals from Arsenal Ladies players Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little to post a 2-0 victory over neighboring England on Friday. It was the first victory for Scotland against England in over 30 years.

Although it must be noted that England's best player, Kelly Smith, did not play in the match, it was still an impressive victory for Scotland.

Beattie, normally a defender, was moved forward in this match and it paid off handsomely for coach Anna Signeul. In addition to her goal, she also earned an assist on Little's goal in the 1st half.

Shannon Lynn picked up the shutout for Scotland, while a stout Scottish defense helped Lynn keep England off of the scoreboard.

Scotland will now face Italy on Monday, still with an outside chance to win Group A. They need help from England over Canada and then need to win their match by a greater margin.

Canada 1, Italy 0

Canada continued a pattern of strong performances, knocking off Italy 1-0. Young Jonelle Filigno scored the game's only goal, assisted by Christine Sinclair. Italy came close on a few occasions in the second half, but were unable to draw even.

Filigno, who is just 20 years old, scored her sixth career goal as member of the Canadian National Team.

Stephanie Labbé earned a shutout for the Canadians, who have not surrendered a goal in either match at Cyprus.

Canada will now face England on Monday, needing just a tie or a win to secure first place in Group A. Italy will play Scotland in their final Group A match.

Holland 2, France 1

Holland posted a 2-1 upset win over France in Group B action at the Cyprus Cup. Renee Slegers and Manon Melis scored for the victors. Camille Abily scored for France.

The victory over the 8th ranked team in the world puts Holland into the championship match next Wednesday. They will face Switzerland on Monday. France will play New Zealand to decide who finishes in second place for Group B.

New Zealand 2, Switzerland 1

The Football Ferns posted their first win at the Cyprus Cup, with a 2-1 win over Switzerland. New Zealand scored two late first half goals, one by Kirsty Yallop, the other by Betsy Hassett and took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Sandy Maendly scored a late goal for Switzerland to close within one, but New Zealand was able to finish with the win. Jenny Bindon got the victory in goal for New Zealand.

New Zealand will now face France on Monday with a chance to finish second in Group B.

Russia 2, Northern Ireland 1

After falling behind early, Russia was able to post a 2-1 win over Northern Ireland.

Ashley Hutton scored her second goal of the tournament to give Northern Ireland a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute. Tatiana Skotnikova answered to tie the score just before halftime. Elena Fomina converted a penalty in the 51st minute to give Russia the lead. A game Northern Ireland squad was unable to equalize.

Russia and South Korea both will enter the final contest with a win and a draw, with the two teams facing each other on Monday. Mexico has posted two ties and still has a chance should they defeat Northern Ireland and the other two teams tie.

Mexico 1, South Korea 1

For the second straight match, Mexico played to a draw, a 1-1 tie with South Korea. Jeon Ga-Eul scored in the 15th minute to give South Korea the early lead. Mexico got the tying goal in the 2nd half with Dinora Garza scoring on a free kick.

Mexico played the last 26 minutes of the match a player short, as Nayeli Rangel received a second yellow card. Erika Vanegas and the Mexican defense were able to keep South Korea off the board for the remainder of the match.

Mexico will face Northern Ireland on Monday and can still finish anywhere from first to fourth depending on the results of the two Group C matches. South Korea can win Group C with a victory against Russia.

Canada and England Open with Cyprus Cup Victories

Canada won their Cyprus Cup opener over Scotland on the strength of an Emily Zurrer goal in the 70th minute. The University of Illinois product scored her first international goal on the senior level.

Zurrer headed in a Diana Matheson corner kick for the game winner. Erin McLeod earned the shutout for Canada.

England 2, Italy 0

Hope Powell's team got off to promising start with a 2-0 victory over Italy in their Cyprus Cup opener. Goals by Ellen White and Kelly Smith led England to victory.

White took advantage of a defensive error by the Italians early on. Smith's goal was on a penalty after Jess Clarke had been tripped up in the box by Elisabetta Tona.

Holland 4, New Zealand 1

Holland scored three first half goals and coasted their way to a 4-1 victory over New Zealand. Sherida Spitse opened the scoring in the 20th minute and was followed by a Manon Melis brace before intermission.

Sara Gregorius was able to get New Zealand on the board in the 75th minute, before Renee Slegers finished the scoring in the 83rd minute.

France 2, Switzerland 0

Gaëtane Thiney and Camille Abily netted goals as France defeated Switzerland 2-0. Bérangère Sapowicz posted the shutout for the French.

South Korea 3, Northern Ireland 1

South Korea opened Cyprus Cup play with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland.

Mexico 0, Russia 0

Mexico and Russia played to a scoreless draw on Wednesday, with Erika Vanegas earning the shutout for Mexico.

Cyprus Cup - Group A Preview

The Cyprus Cup is set to kick off on March 2 and for many teams, it will be their last major competition before the 2011 World Cup. This year, the Cyprus Cup has a field of 12 teams, five of which will be among those competing in Germany come June.

The twelve teams have been divided into three groups:
Group A: Canada, England, Italy, Scotland
Group B: France, Holland, New Zealand, Switzerland
Group C: Mexico, Northern Ireland, Russia, South Korea

Eleven of the 12 teams are ranked in FIFA's top 26 teams, with only Northern Ireland being lower at #64.

The competition will have group stage matches on March 2nd, 4th, and 7th, before a final round is played on March 9th.

Here is a preview of Group A, with Groups B and C to follow shortly:

Canada
Coach: Carolina Morace
World Rank: #9
World Cup: Qualified by winning the CONCACAF region.

Latest Results:
Four Nations Tournament (China): Defeated China 3-2, Lost to United States 1-2, Defeated Sweden 1-0.
Torneia Internacional Cidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil): Defeated Holland 5-0, Defeated Mexico 1-0, Tied Brazil 0-0, Tied Brazil 2-2
CONCACAF WC Qualifiers: Defeated Trinidad & Tobago 1-0, Defeated Guyana 8-0, Defeated Mexico 3-0, Defeated Costa Rica 4-0, Defeated Mexico 1-0.

Preliminary Training Roster:
Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbé, Karina LeBlanc, Erin McLeod.
Defenders: Candace Chapman, Shannon Woeller, Emily Zurrer, Rhian Wilkinson, Melanie Booth, Marie-Eve Nault, Robyn Gale, Brittany Timko.
Midfielders: Carmelina Moscato, Desiree Scott, Chelsea Stewart, Jonelle Filigno, Kaylyn Kyle, Diana Matheson, Sophie Schmidt.
Forwards: Josée Bélanger, Chelsea Buckland, Christina Julien, Brooke McCalla, Jodi-Ann Robinson, Christine Sinclair, Melissa Tancredi.

The Canadians have been playing very good soccer over the past few months, going 10-1-2 over their last 13 matches, winning two major competitions and qualifying for the World Cup along the way.

Unfortunately, most of the talk surrounding the Canadian team lately concerns off-the-field issues. Coach Carolina Morace announced that she is resigning after the World Cup, citing differences with the Canadian Soccer Association. In response, her team threatened to strike because of what they perceive as the unfairness that CSA had dealt with Morace and because of other issues including compensation. All of this has put a cloud over a Canadian program that may be at its highest level in quite a few years.

As far as soccer goes, Canada hopes to continue the success they have had the past six months. They are led by their all-time leading scorer, Christine Sinclair, who has scored 115 goals in 151 international matches. She is often paired with veteran power forward Melissa "Tanc" Tancredi. They also have young offensive talent in MF Jonelle Filigno, F Josée Belanger, and Christina Julien.

The Canadians can also boast one of the deepest squads in their history. Other players include WPS goalkeepers Karina LeBlanc and Erin McLeod, WNY Flash defender Candace Chapman, Portland Pilot college star Sophie Schmidt, and Lillestrøm SK veterans Rhian Wilkinson and Diana Matheson.

England
Coach: Hope Powell
World Rank: #10
World Cup: Qualified by winning UEFA Group 5 and then defeating Switzerland 5-2 aggregate in two-game playoff.

Latest Results:
Peace Cup: Tied South Korea 0-0, Tied New Zealand 0-0.
UEFA Playoff Round: Defeated Switzerland 2-0, Defeated Switzerland 3-2.
UEFA WC Qualifiers (since July, 2010): Defeated Turkey 3-0, Defeated Austria 4-0.

Cyprus Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Karen Bardsley, Siobhan Chamberlain.
Defenders: Sophie Bradley, Lindsay Johnson, Alex Scott, Casey Stoney, Dunia Susi, Rachel Unitt, Faye White.
Midfielders: Anita Asante, Laura Bassett, Jess Clarke, Steph Houghton, Jill Scott, Sue Smith, Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey.
Forwards: Eniola Aluko, Kelly Smith, Ellen White.

Hope Powell and the English National Team are probably looking forward to some tough competition at this tournament. They have only played one other World Cup qualified team over the past year, that being New Zealand at the Peace Cup. Not that they haven't faced some tough sides in the interim, having played matches against Switzerland, South Korea, and Spain. England has not lost a match since their 1-0 loss at the hands of Canada in last year's Cyprus Cup.

England has a strong, veteran team. Any conversation about the Lionesses must start with perennial Player of the Year candidate Kelly Smith. The 15-year national team veteran has scored 42 international goals and her next cap will be her 100th. Smith is a smart, strong player who is a threat to score any time she takes the field.

If you like speed, young forward Eniola Aluko can give you plenty. With a couple of WPS seasons and a strong 2009 Euro Tournament under her belt, she is an emerging star.

Most of the English team is made up of veterans including Faye White, Casey Stoney, Alex Scott, and Fara Williams. Karen Bardsley has been seeing more and more time as the English goalkeeper and is competing for the number one job.

Italy
Coach: Pietro Ghedin
World Rank: #11
World Cup: Just missed qualifying after winning UEFA Group 7 and losing by 3-2 aggregate to France. Then defeated Ukraine and Switzerland, before falling 2-0 aggregate to the USA in playoff.

Latest Results:
World Cup Qualifying Playoff: Lost to the United States 1-0, Lost to the United States 1-0.
World Cup UEFA Playoffs: Defeated Switzerland 1-0, Defeated Switzerland 4-2, Defeated Ukraine 3-0, Tied Ukraine 0-0, Tied France 0-0, Lost to France 3-2.

Cyprus Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Chiara Marchitelli, Anna Maria Picarelli, Katia Schroffenegger.
Defenders: Elisa Bartoli, Alia Guagni, Elisabetta Tona, Viviana Schiavi, Roberta D'Adda, Sara Gama, Laura Neboli.
Midfielders: Alessia Tuttino, Elisa Camporese, Giulia Domenichetti, Pamela Conti, Alice Parisi, Carolina Pini.
Forwards: Patrizia Panico, Melania Gabbiadini, Ilario Mauro, Evelyn Vicchiarello, Daniela Sabatino.

One thing that must be said about this Italian side is that they have been well-tested. They took the longest route of any team to World Cup qualifying only to fall just short in the end after two 1-0 losses to the United States.

After a grueling fall schedule where every match had so much on the line, this year's Cyprus Cup must almost seem like a holiday to them. The Italian squad has a nice mixture of young players and veterans. They are a very competitive side, with all of their losses over the past year being by just one goal.

Long-time veteran Patrizia Panico, now 36 years old, is nearing 100 career goals. She is the Italian's primary scoring threat. Melania Gabbiadini is back from an injury that sidelined her from the matches against the US. Playmaking midfielder Elisa Camporese is also a player to watch.

The Italians have a sturdy defense that can be very hard to score on. Young Sara Gama is a threat from the outside back position going forward. Short, but scrappy, Anna-Maria Picarelli holds down the goalkeeper's position.

Scotland
Coach: Anna Signeul
World Rank: #24
World Cup: Failed to qualify, finishing second in UEFA Group 3, just behind Denmark.

Latest Results:
Friendlies: Defeated Wales 4-2, Defeated Poland 2-1.
UEFA WC Qualifiers (Since July, 2010): Tied Denmark 0-0, Defeated Greece 4-1.

Cyprus Cup Roster:
Goalkeepers: Gemma Fay, Shannon Lynn.
Defenders: Jennifer Beattie, Frankie Brown, Rachel Corsie, Ifeoma Dieke, Emma Fernon, Rhonda Jones, Rachael Small.
Midfielders: Hayley Lauder, Kim Little, Joanne Love, Leanne Ross, Megan Sneddon.
Forwards: Diana Barry, Rebecca Dempster, Christie Murray, Suzanne Grant, Jane Ross.

Scotland just missed getting out of their group stage in UEFA World Cup qualifying, falling just a point shy of Denmark. Since the last qualifying matches in August, the team has been fairly inactive, playing just one match, a victory over Wales. They will get thrown into the fire in a tough group stage at the Cyprus Cup.

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Scottish star, Julie Fleeting, was not on the roster released to the press for the Cyprus Cup. Fleeting, who just gave birth to her first child, may not be quite ready from a fitness standpoint.

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Ifeoma Dieke is probably the player with whom WPS fans are most familiar. The veteran defender has played 32 matches for the Chicago Red Stars and Boston Breakers over the past two seasons. Gemma Fay has over 100 caps in goal for the Scots.

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Scotland has several talented young players such as Rachael Small, Kim Little, and Rebecca Dempster, that will give a bright future to the team.

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Cyprus Cup-Group A Schedule

Wednesday, March 2

Canada vs. Scotland (Ammochostos/Larnaca)

England vs. Italy (GSZ/Larnaca)

Friday, March 4

England vs. Scotland (GSP/Nicosia)

Italy vs. Canada (GSP/Nicosia)

Monday, March 7

Scotland vs. Italy (GSZ/Larnaca)

Canada vs. England (GSP/Nicosia)

Wednesday, March 9

Finals Day.

US Qualifies for World Cup with 1-0 Victory

The United States were able to overcome a poor start and defeat Italy 1-0 to become the 16th and final qualifier for the 2011 World Cup. The US took the aggregate by a 2-0 margin in the home-and-home series against the 5th place UEFA team.

It wasn't always easy as the Italians, who seemed content to defend and counterattack in the first leg, came out as the aggressor in the opening minutes of this match. They created several great chances early on. Meanwhile, Coach Pia Sundhage described her team's first 20 minutes as "crap". Indeed, the Italians came close several times as the United States played very sloppily throughout the early stages of the opening stanza.

The first chance came in just the 3rd minute of the match as a Patrizia Panico cross to Carolina Pini was broken up at the last second on a great defensive play by Rachel Buehler. Panico had a golden opportunity just a few minutes later as Elisa Camporese played a square ball to her and she was unmarked 12 yards from the goal. Panico's low shot went right to US goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. A US turnover in their own end gave Panico yet another chance in the 17th minute, but again, her shot from 10 yards on the left side went straight to Barnhart.

An apparent miscommunication almost led to a goal for Italy in the 32nd minute as the ball was rolling towards the US penalty area. Buehler was trying to shield Giulia Domenichetti off the ball, thinking that Barnhart would handle it. The ball had not yet reached the box as Barnhart, Buehler, and Domenichetti all came together at the same time. With Barnhart unable to handle the ball with her hands, a scramble ensued, but Italy was unable to get a shot at the open net and the ball was finally cleared.

While the Italians were unable to take advantage of their chances, the US made good on one of theirs in the 40th minute. Abby Wambach sent the ball outside left to Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe made a move to the goal, beating defender Roberta D'Adda, and hit a hard low shot from the side of the penalty area. Italian keeper Anna Maria Picarelli made the save, but was unable to control the rebound as it rolled a few feet away. Amy Rodriguez beat a defender to the loose ball and was able to send it into the empty net putting the US on top 1-0.

Wambach nearly got on the board just before intermission, as she got behind the Italian defense. While being hounded by defender Elisabetta Tona, she was able to get a shot off from the 18 but an onrushing Picarelli was able to make the save and deflect the ball wide.

Italian coach Pietro Ghedin went to his bench much earlier in this match, substituting Alia Guagni for D'Adda at the half and Silvia Fuselli for Pini just minutes into the second half.

But if anybody thought the US would be content to sit on their lead, they were mistaken. The United States dominated the 2nd half, controlling possession and creating chance after chance as the Italians were unable to get anything going themselves. Italy spent a good deal of the 2nd half back on their heels as the US threw numbers forward in a menacing fashion.

Just a couple minutes into the half, Rodriguez sent a beautiful cross onto the head of a diving Wambach, but Picarelli made the save at point blank range, perhaps her best of the match.

Lauren Cheney entered the game for Rapinoe in the 59th minute and her first touch of the match was a shot off the crossbar which just missed putting the US up 2-0. Midway through the 2nd half, there was a scramble off of a US corner kick with Amy LePeilbet getting off a shot from inside the box, but Alessia Tuttino blocked the shot just a few feet in front of the goal to keep the margin at one.

As the second half wore on, the Italians mounted a few brief spurts of offense, but nothing particularly dangerous. It was obvious that they were tiring, probably the result of the constant US pressure, the physical nature of this contest, and the long qualifying schedule which they had to endure. In addition, they were playing without forward Melania Gabbiadini for the second consecutive game.

The final whistle led to a US celebration...and probably a sigh of relief...as they became the final team to qualify for next year's World Cup. The United States outshot the Italians by a 17-5 margin for the match, in front of a crowd of 9508 at Toyota Park.

The draw for the World Cup will be held on Monday. The 16 qualifiers are:

CONCACAF: Canada, Mexico, United States
CONMEBOL: Brazil, Columbia
UEFA: Germany (host nation), Sweden, Norway, England, France
AFC: Australia, Japan, North Korea
CAF: Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea
OFC: New Zealand

World Cup or Bust? USWNT vs. Italy (Updated)

By late Saturday afternoon, we will know the fate of the United States Women's National Team. Will they be headed to the 2011 World Cup in Germany or will they become perhaps the biggest bust in the history of women's soccer. Number one teams might get beaten at the World Cup, but they always qualify to get there.

The United States will meet Italy in the second leg of their playoff on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park in Chicago. The US was quite fortunate to escape Padova with a 1-0 victory or Saturday's task would have been even more daunting. As it stands, a US victory or a tie will send them to Germany for the 2011 World Cup. A 0-1 loss to the Italians will force overtime and possibly penalties. Any other loss and Italy will be come the 16th and final team to qualify for Germany 2011.

To be sure, Alex Morgan's stoppage time goal makes the road to Germany a tad bit easier. Had she not scored in the 94th minute last Saturday, the US would have been forced to score against a strong Italian defense in the second leg in order to gain a favorable result. As it stands, the US can now slip through with a scoreless tie, or any tie for that matter.

Italy played the last game without two starters, forward Melania Gabbiadini and defender Sara Gama. With those two players out, the lack of depth showed in the late stages of last week's contest against the United States. After 80 minutes of nearly flawless soccer, things started to unravel in the final ten minutes. Coach Pietro Ghedin used only one substitution in the match and then very late, as his team appeared to wear down in the closing minutes of the match.

After playing a strong match for most of the day, Italian keeper Anna Maria Picarelli twice got caught out of her net in the closing minutes giving the US several golden chances to take the lead. The Italian defense stopped three shots, one right off the line, in order to preserve the 0-0 score, until Alex Morgan broke free on the right side and slipped one past Picarelli as seconds ticked down in stoppage.

The Italians were content to sit back on defense while waiting for opportunities to counterattack in the opener. Now trailing by a goal, they no longer have that luxury. Leading scorer Patrizia Panico will be the focal point of the Italian attack on Saturday, but Ghedin will likely make some changes to give her more help up front.

Should Gabbiadini and Gama be available on Saturday, they would be welcome additions to the Italian lineup. Gabbiadini scored seven goals in qualifying and is one best offensive players for Italy. Gama, one of the youngest players on the team, is a solid defender who can get forward into the attack. It would also not be surprising to see Pamela Conti, an attacking midfielder and the second leading scorer in qualifying matches with 9 goals.

On the US side, I expect very few, if any, changes from Pia Sundhage. Had the first contest ended in a scoreless draw, I might have expected Ali Krieger to start over Heather Mitts at outside defender. However, Sundhage will likely stay with Mitts, considered the stronger defender of the two, over the more offensive-minded Krieger.

The only other change I could see possible is at forward, where Morgan has had great success, scoring three goals and one assist in just 227 minutes of action for the US team this year. But Sundhage seems to favor using Morgan in the role of supersub, leaving the starting position to Amy Rodriguez or Lauren Cheney, with Rodriguez's speed the most likely complement to Abby Wambach's strength at forward.

While the Italians will be on the road, this has not fazed them one bit in qualifying. They have won tough away matches against Portugal (3-1), Finland (3-1), Ukraine (3-0), Switzerland (4-2), and forced a scoreless draw on the road against France. They almost seem to revel in the role of the visitor. However, the United States has not lost a home match since November 6, 2004 against Denmark, a 3-1 defeat in Philadelphia.

So it comes down to 90 minutes of soccer for the US women, with a World Cup berth on the line. Another goal by the US and the Italians will face a very uphill battle. However, an early Italian goal changes everything and could present the US with the same problem they had last week, scoring on an Italian defense that is totally committed to stopping the American attack. Will the USWNT spend next June and July in front of huge crowds in Germany or will they spend it in front of their television sets, watching the other top teams from around the world compete for the biggest prize of all?

USWNT vs. Italy at Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois
Time: November 27 (1 pm central, 2 pm eastern)
Forecast: Partly cloudy, 33 degrees, 14 mph winds at game time (per http://www.weather.com/).

Possible Starting Lineups:
USWNT (Coach Pia Sundhage)
GK-Nicole Barnhart
DF-Rachel Buehler
DF-Amy LePeilbet
DF-Christie Rampone
DF-Heather Mitts
MF-Shannon Boxx
MF-Carli Lloyd
MF-Heather O'Reilly
MF-Megan Rapinoe
FW-Abby Wambach
FW-Amy Rodriguez

Bench-Alex Morgan (F), Lauren Cheney (F), Yael Averbuch (M), Kristine Lilly (M), Lori Lindsey (M), Ali Krieger (D), Stephanie Cox (D), Jill Loyden (GK).

Italy (Coach Pietro Ghedin)
GK-Anna Maria Picarelli
DF-Sara Gama (if healthy)
DF-Roberta D'Adda
DF-Elisabetta Tona
DF-Raffaella Manieri
MF-Alessia Tuttino
MF-Giulia Domenichetti
MF-Pamela Conti
MF/FW-Elisa Camporese
FW-Patrizia Panico
FW-Melania Gabbiadini (if healthy)

Bench-Silvia Fuselli (F), Evelyn Vicchiarello (F), Carolina Pini (M), Marta Carissimi (M), Tatiana Zorri (M), Laura Neboli (D), Viviana Schiavi (D), Chiara Marchitelli (GK).

Update: It has been reported by Associated Press, ESPN, and other sources that Melania Gabbiadini will not play tomorrow due to her ankle injury.

Alex Morgan Sends US to Chicago Happy: USA 1, Italy 0

It certainly had the look of a frustrating day for the USWNT. While they had the majority of possession and chances, it appeared that the first leg of the playoff with Italy would end in a scoreless draw. But in the 93rd minute, Carli Lloyd sent a long ball from the US side of midfield which was flicked to the right side by Abby Wambach. Alex Morgan ran onto the ball perfectly, touched it forward and then sent a low shot to the far post, just past Italian goalkeeper Anna Maria Picarelli, to give the US a 1-0 victory.

Morgan, the youngest player on the US team, did not enter the game until the 84th minute when she subbed in for Amy Rodriguez as the final US substitution. The University of California senior has been an impact player for the national team through Concacaf qualifying and again today. She scored twice in Mexico, but the goal today may have saved the United States' chances for the 2011 World Cup.

Pia Sundhage stayed with the same basic lineup that used in Mexico, with Barnhart in goal, Buehler, LePeilbet, Rampone, and Mitts across the back, Boxx, Lloyd, Rapinoe, and O'Reilly in the midfield, and Rodriguez with Wambach up front. The Italians started Picarelli, D'Adda, Neboli, Tona, Manieri, Tuttino, Carissimi, Domenichetti, Pini, Camporese, and Panico.

The US controlled the first 25 minutes of the game as the Italians seemed content to defend and wait for counterattacking opportunities. In spite of their edge, the US would get very few chances with most being weak shots from bad angles. Elisabetta Tona did a fine job in marking Abby Wambach, giving her little room to operate. The US failed to take advantage of several set pieces in the opening half. Italy, which has rarely given up a first half goal, stayed true to form in blanking the US through 45 minutes.

Toward the end of the half, the Italian attack became more lively, but they seemed unable to make the final pass that would set up a good scoring chance. Alessia Tuttino was able to get a shot from long range in the 27th minute, forcing Nicole Barnhart to make a jumping save, which she handled easily.

After a fairly well played first half, the second half started out with some ragged play. Neither team looked sharp or appeared to have any control over the tempo of the match. The US tried several wayward long balls, with little coming from it. And while the Italians had been guilty of some shirt-tugging early on, the Americans started committing some frustration fouls as the game wore on.

The US had a prime opportunity in the 58th minute as Shannon Boxx split two defenders on the right side of the box and appeared to have a clear shot on net. She elected to go square with a pass instead, and the US were unable to get a good shot off, with the Italians clearing. At that point, Lauren Cheney became the first substitution, in for Heather O'Reilly in the 62nd minute to add some offense.

But it was also at this point that the Italians started to assert themselves. The US got caught back on their heels, taking some time before clearing a Elisa Camporese cross and shortly thereafter, Nicole Barnhart was forced to make a diving save on Patrizia Panico's shot from 20 yards. In the 72nd minute, Giulia Domenichetti appeared to have a step on the US defense, but Rachel Buehler made a nice recovery and neatly dispossessed Domenichetti to save a potentially dangerous chance for the Italians.

Sundhage's second move appeared to be with offense in mind as well, sending Ali Krieger in for Heather Mitts at outside back in the 75th minute. Krieger, who plays professionally in Germany, is probably the most offensive-minded defender for the United States team.

It appeared that the US were ready for a breakthrough in the 80th minute as Picarelli got caught well out of her goal while trying to punch a ball clear, but Amy Rodriguez's shot was headed away by an Italian defender just a few feet short of the net.

A few minutes later, Domenichetti was handed a yellow for hauling down Lloyd by the shirt as it appeared the American midfielder was moving in for a shot from about 30 yards out. Lori Lindsey managed to get a yellow card from the bench just before the end of regulation time.

Again, at the close of regulation, Picarelli got caught out, but consecutive shots by Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach were blocked by the Italian defense and the ball was ultimately cleared out of trouble.

Referee Silvia Reyes Juarez of Peru added just two minutes of stoppage and as the clock ticked into the 93rd minute, it appeared the match would end scoreless. The Italians made what was perhaps an ill-advised substitution in stoppage, which apparently added time to the match. It may have given the US the extra time they needed for the play that would lead to Morgan's heroics. Even after Morgan's goal, the game continued on well into five minutes of stoppage before the final whistle blew.

This was the first time that the United States had defeated Italy on the Italians' home soil. The Americans are 6-0-1 lifetime against Italy at home, with the lone blemish being a 2-2 tie in Kansas City, Missouri in 2003.

The 1-0 victory made the United States' task a little easier than a 0-0 tie would have. Now they will win the playoff with a tie or a win at home next weekend and a 0-1 loss would only force an overtime. The second leg of the match will be played next Saturday at Toyota Park in Chicago. Game time is scheduled for 1 pm central, 2 pm eastern time.

USWNT vs. Italy: Two Teams, Two Games, One Berth

Just over a month ago, very few people thought the USWNT would be sweating out a World Cup berth in late November, but one upset loss to Mexico has put a hold on their ticket to Germany 2011. A two-leg playoff against UEFA's 5th place finisher, Italy, starts tomorrow in Padova, Italy at 10:30 am eastern time. The second leg will be played at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois on November 27.

The US leads the all-time series by an 8-4-1 margin, but they have lost all four matches on Italian soil. To be fair, three of those games came in the 1980's. The fourth was a 2001 match in which the US featured a team made up entirely of college and high school players, basically a U-21 team. The last two meetings between these two teams were in 2008 and both ended in 2-0 victories for the US, with Abby Wambach scoring both goals in one match and Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly doing the honors in the other match.

The two teams involved have taken quite different paths to this match. The US were overwhelming favorites to be one of the two Concacaf automatic qualifiers. They swept through their group stage with a fair amount of ease, only to fall to a spirited Mexican team in the semifinals in Cancun. They recovered with a solid, if unspectacular, 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in the 3rd place match.

Italy, on the other hand, had to go through a brutal UEFA qualifying schedule. First they had to win their group over the likes of Finland and Portugal, which they did with a 7-0-1 record, with the only blemish being a tie to the Finns. They lost a chance to take an easier road to the World Cup, losing to France 3-2 in the 2nd leg of a playoff, after the first leg had ended in a scoreless tie. They then had to fight through Ukraine and Switzerland to make it to this playoff with the US. All told, they went 10-1-3 over 14 qualifying matches, with the lone loss being to a very tough French side which features WPS stars Sonia Bompastor and Camille Abily.

Make no mistake about it, this Italian side is tough, experienced, and tested. They feature a veteran lineup, with most of their starters being in the prime of their careers between 25 and 30 years old. They are led, however, by a veteran captain whose name is very familiar to WPS fans. Patrizia Panico, who spent a fair amount of time sporting a Sky Blue FC jersey last season, is the Italian captain and leading scorer. At age 35, she is still a force to be reckoned with, scoring 11 goals and 7 assists in the 14 qualifying matches.

The other top offensive threats for the Italians are rising star Elisa Camporese, midfielder Pamela Conti, and forward Melania Gabbiadini. Camporese scored two goals against Switzerland in the final match that sent Italy into this playoff. It is reported on the UEFA website that Gabbiadini might miss the first leg of this playoff, with the same being true of defender Sara Gama.

Anna Maria Picarelli will be the Italian starter in goal. She played college soccer at Pepperdine here in the states and was once called up to the US U-23 team, but at 5-5, was deemed to be too short to be a keeper for the United States. She has been solid in goal for the Italians, playing every single minute of their 14 qualifying matches, posting nine shutouts and surrendering more than one goal only twice, in the loss to France and in the final playoff match against Switzerland.

The United States have tried to put on a brave face since the loss to Mexico, while admitting that the loss was a setback, still confident and in control of their own destiny. Coach Pia Sundhage added four players to the roster for the Italian playoff, goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, midfielder Leslie Osborne, midfielder/striker Lindsay Tarpley, and midfielder Tina DiMartino. They join the 20 players that represented the US at Concacaf. From this, one can gather that the midfield is the one area likely to see change, while the defense and attack will stay much the same as in Cancun.

Mexico was able to breakdown the US through good passing, strong technical play, and solid defense. The problem for the Americans is that they are likely to see more of the same on Saturday. And unlike the Mexican squad, the Italians add far more experience to the mix.

From a defensive standpoint, Osborne can be one of the best in the midfield. But she missed the end of the WPS season with injury, ironically from a tackle by Panico, and has played little competitive soccer since. DiMartino and Tarpley could certainly help the US passing game, but will their few days training with the squad in Italy be enough to influence Sundhage to let either see significant playing time? Passing and possession were a problem for the US midfield against Mexico.

From an attacking standpoint, Abby Wambach will lead the way. Unfortunately, she has been the only consistent goal scorer for the US side. Lauren Cheney, Amy Rodriguez, and Alex Morgan will battle for the other attacking position. Cheney was great early in 2010, scoring numerous goals for the US at Algarve and in friendlies, but lately the goals have been fewer and farther between. She is the strongest of three, Rodriguez is the fastest, but Alex Morgan has shown brightest of late. Still, Sundhage appears to prefer Morgan off the bench, leading one to believe that either Cheney or Rodriguez will be Wambach's running mate up front.

The US must shore up defensively, after Mexico was able to exploit some weaknesses and mistakes in the Concacaf semifinal. The middle is patrolled by veterans Amy LePeilbet and Christie Rampone, but the outside has been problematic. Rachel Buehler is essentially a center back playing outside left, while Heather Mitts and Ali Krieger have been playing outside right, with neither being impressive enough to win over Sundhage on a permanent basis. Nicole Barnhart suffered her first loss as a USWNT goalkeeper in the match to Mexico, but has been solid otherwise.

The winner will be decided by aggregate goals, with the first tiebreaker being goals on the road. If all is still even, overtime and potentially penalties will follow the second leg. My feeling is that the US needs to win the first leg or at least score two goals in a tie to put themselves in good position for the second leg. And scoring against the Italians can be a problem. In their last six matches, against the likes of France, Ukraine, and Switzerland in pressure situations, they have not surrendered a first half goal.

In any event, what would have been shocking just a short time ago is now a possibility. The United States, the world's number one ranked team and defending Olympic champions, may not qualify for the 2011 World Cup. They control their destiny with a tough Italian side standing firmly in their way. What will we be talking about 8 days from now, the US team heading to the World Cup with time to regroup before next June or the US team being home alone and wondering how this all happened?

Fact Summary:

USWNT vs. Italy at Padova, Italy (Saturday, November 20 at 10:30 am eastern time)
Telecast: ESPN3.com

All-time record: USWNT 8 wins, Italy 4 wins, with one tie.
Last meeting: June 19, 2008 in South Korea with the US winning 2-0.

Possible lineups (with qualifying statistics):
USWNT
GK: Nicole Barnhart (5 games, 4 shutouts, 0.40 GAA)
DF: Amy LePeilbet (5 games)
DF: Christie Rampone (5 games)
DF: Rachel Buehler (4 games, 1 goal)
DF: Heather Mitts (3 games) or Ali Krieger (2 games)
MF: Shannon Boxx (5 games, 1 assist)
MF: Carli Lloyd (5 games, 2 goals, 5 assists)
MF: Heather O'Reilly (4 games, 3 assists)
MF: Megan Rapinoe (3 games, 2 goals, 1 assist)
FW: Abby Wambach (5 games, 8 goals, 1 assist)
FW: Amy Rodriguez (4 games, 4 goals) or Lauren Cheney (3 games, 2 goals, 1 assist)

Others: Alex Morgan-FW (4 GP, 2 G, 1 A), Kristine Lilly-MF (3 GP, 2 A), Lori Lindsey-MF (3 GP, 2 A), Yael Averbuch-MF (3 GP, 1 G), Becky Sauerbrunn-DF (1 GP), Stephanie Cox-DF (1 GP), Jill Loyden-GK (did not play). Leslie Osborne-MF, Tina DiMartino-MF, Lindsay Tarpley-MF/FW, and Ashlyn Harris-GK were not on the roster for Concacaf qualifying.

Italy (assuming Gabbiadini and Gama are injured)
GK: Anna Maria Picarelli (14 games, 9 shutouts, 0.57 GAA)
DF: Roberta D'Adda (14 games, 1 assist)
DF: Elisabetta Tona (12 games, 4 goals, 2 assists)
DF: Raffaella Manieri (8 games)
DF: Viviana Schiavi (9 games, 1 goal)
MF: Alessia Tuttino (11 games, 1 goal)
MF: Giulia Domenichetti (10 games, 2 goals) or Tatiana Zorri (11 games, 1 assist)
MF: Pamela Conti (13 games, 9 goals, 2 assists)
MF/FW: Elisa Camporese (11 games, 5 goals, 5 assists)
FW: Patrizia Panico (14 games, 11 goals, 7 assists)
FW: Silvia Fuselli (8 games, 2 goals)

Others: Melania Gabbiadini-FW (11 GP, 7 G, 5 A), Sara Gama-DF (13 GP, 2 G), Carolina Pini-MF (5 GP, 1 G), Marta Carissimi-MF (5 GP, 1 G), Evelyn Vicchiarello-FW (2 GP), Laura Neboli-DF (3 GP), Chiara Marchitelli-GK (did not play), Maria Sorvillo-DF (did not play), Elisa Bartoli-DF (did not play).

Friendly Matches

Finland beat Italy surprisingly 3-2 in a friendly in Finland on Thursday.

Ukraine won 2-0 at home against Russia in a friendly on Friday.

Both matches are warm up for Euro 2009.

Czech Rep won 2-1 against Poland.