United States dominated Colombia for most of 90 minutes, taking their second Group C match with a 3-0 victory and it really could have been much more. The Americans took 27 shots, nine of which were on goal and nearly all were dangerous.
The victory means that the United States have qualified for the quarterfinals, with only first and second place in Group C to be decided. The US will meet Sweden on Wednesday to settle that.
Both teams made changes to their starting lineups. Lori Lindsey started for Shannon Boxx in the midfield to give the veteran a bit of rest. Meanwhile, Colombian coach Ricardo Rozo elected not to start his young star Yoreli Rincon who had struggled in their first match.
The first chance came in just the third minute. Lauren Cheney played a ball into the left side of the box, but Amy Rodriguez's shot from a bad angle was saved by Sandra Sepulveda.
Just four minutes later, Heather O'Reilly's cross from the right side found Abby Wambach on the left side of the box. Wambach's shot was saved by Sepulveda and the rebound went to a wide open Rodriguez who skied the ball over the crossbar. Sepulveda injured her hand on the save on Wambach and the injury may have cost her later in the match.
Rodriguez had yet another chance in the 10th minute as a well-weighted ball from Lori Lindsey sent her in alone on the left side, but Sepulveda cut off the angle and Rodriguez fired wide.
A poor touch on a clearance led to the United States' first goal in the 13th minute. Heather O'Reilly picked up the loose ball and hammered a shot into the left side netting from 25 yards out. That goal had to take some of the pressure off of the USWNT.
A corner almost led to another goal, but Wambach's header went wide left in the 21st minute. That was followed by Rodriguez's curling shot from 20 yards that was saved by Sepulveda. In the 31st, another cross by O'Reilly from the right side found Wambach wide open, but her header went well over the bar. In the 36th minute, Sepulveda saved Lauren Cheney's blast from 12 yards. Chance after chance and the US still only led by one.
Colombia had very few chances in the first half, but they did put the ball into the net once. In the closing minute of the half, Diana Ospina put the ball through to Katerin Castro, who slipped the ball past Hope Solo, but Castro was well offside on the play.
Megan Rapinoe came on as a halftime substitution for Rodriguez and instantly brought energy and a goal to the US. A throw-in came to Cheney with her back to the net, about 30 yards out. She turned on her defender and slipped a pass just inside the penalty area to Rapinoe. Rapinoe worked her away along the top of the box toward the middle and drove the ball into the upper left corner of the net.
In the 57th minute, Carli Lloyd made it 3-0 on a long-range bomb from 28 yards that Sepulveda appeared to have saved, but it went off her hands into the goal. One had to wonder if the earlier injury might have been a factor there.
The United States continued to pile on the chances, but scored no more goals. Rapinoe rattled the crossbar in the 68th minute, just missing her second goal. In the 80th minute, Wambach blocked Sepulveda's attempted clearance and the ball squarely hit the right post, but stayed out of the goal.
Colombia appeared to have a golden opportunity in the 85th minute, but Orianica Velasquez took a bit too much time and the US defense was able to recover. It must be said that Velasquez had some very good moments as a second half substitute.
The two things the US didn't want in the closing minutes were injuries or yellow cards. Unfortunately, they got both. Heather O'Reilly came off in the 62nd minute and it was unclear what the nature of her injury was, but she was obviously in some discomfort as she was examined on the sideline.
Abby Wambach received a yellow card in the 84th minute as her foot caught Sepulveda in the side as the Colombian keeper was making a save.
Hope Solo posted her fifth straight World Cup shutout, making only four saves for the match.
The United States and Sweden have qualified for the quarterfinals. The order will be determined by the match between the two on Wednesday. In the event of a tie, the United States would win the group based on goal differential. Colombia will face Korea DPR in the other Group C match on Wednesday.
Showing posts with label Carli Lloyd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carli Lloyd. Show all posts
July 2, 2011
June 28, 2011
United States 2, Korea DPR 0
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, Carli Lloyd, Hong Myong Hui, Hope Solo, Jo Yun Mi, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lauren Cheney, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, USWNT
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, Carli Lloyd, Hong Myong Hui, Hope Solo, Jo Yun Mi, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lauren Cheney, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, USWNT
They say it's always a good idea to make your coach look brilliant and that's just what Lauren Cheney did in the United States' opening match against Korea on Tuesday. Cheney scored the winning goal in the 54th minute to lead the US to a 2-0 victory.
Cheney was placed in the starting lineup as a midfielder in place of the normal starter Megan Rapinoe and the move paid dividends to US coach Pia Sundhage. While Cheney was playing midfield, she appeared to be almost a third striker for much of the match.
The United States looked a bit nervous early on, perhaps a combination of opening match jitters and pressure. The first half was played pretty evenly between the two sides and the Koreans certainly had stretches were they held the advantage.
The way things went early on, especially for Cheney, it appeared that the Americans were out to play kick and catch with Korean keeper Hong Myong Hui. The first evidence of this was in the 11th minute as Cheney drilled a hard shot, but right at Hong.
Korea did not get any especially dangerous chances early on. Jon Myong Hwa did put one over the bar from distance in the 25th minute.
Cheney again placed a hard shot on frame from 15 yards, but again right at Hong in the 34th minute.
But later in the half, Korea were knocking at the door. Just a minute later, Kim Su Gyong nearly snuck one inside the right post, but Hope Solo was there to make the save. Then Song Jong Sun sent the ball past a diving Solo across the goal mouth, but no one was making a back post run and the ball rolled harmlessly away. In the closing minutes of the half JoYun Mi nearly tipped in a cross by Kim, but to no avail.
The second started with some beautiful passing from the US. Carli Lloyd sent the ball forward to Abby Wambach who sent it square to Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez then connected with a nice pass to Cheney. Once again, Cheney's shot was right at Hong.
But if the first half was pretty even, the second half was a dominating performance by the United States. They created chance after chance in the 2nd half. First, Shannon Boxx sent one just over the bar. Then Cheney again tested Hong from 12 yards, but the Korean keeper was up to task yet again. In the 51st minute, Rodriguez made a nice run up the right side, sending the ball across to Wambach who missed connecting from just in front of the goal.
The US broke through in the 54th minute. Lloyd sent a well-weighted ball up the left side with Wambach running onto it. Wambach settled, cut inside to give herself room and hit a right-footed cross. Lauren Cheney was waiting eight yards out and even with the back post. Unlike all of the shots off her foot, her header was perfectly placed, back across the goal and inside the left post. The United States led 1-0.
Korea came close to tying in the 56th minute as Ri's shot from distance glanced off the top of the crossbar. It was as close as the young Koreans would come to tying the match.
The United States continued to keep Hong busy. Amy LePeilbet's cross in the 65th minute found Wambach wide open. She headed the ball down hard, with the ball bouncing in front of Hong, then off Hong's hands and then hitting the underside of the crossbar, before bouncing out. Later, Rodriguez hit a bending shot that appeared might sneak inside the left post, but Hong was able to get a hand on that to keep it at one.
The United States put the game away in the 76th minute as Ali Krieger's shot from the left wing struck the crossbar, with the loose ball eventually coming to Rachel Buehler at the 18.. She neatly slotted the ball just inside the left post to give the US a safe 2-0 lead.
Korea did put some pressure on in the final five minutes, but Solo and the US were able to keep it at a shutout. Meanwhile, the US thought they had a third when Megan Rapinoe appeared to beat Hong to the ball and hammer it home from in close, but the referee ruled that Hong had gotten her hands on the ball just before Rapinoe connected. The goal was disallowed and a foul called on the American midfielder.
For the United States, several players had strong games, most notably Cheney and Rodriguez. The US were able to limit Korean star Jo's chances to just a few. Hope Solo was solid in goal, but really not overly tested. Hong did well to keep the score at 2-0 in goal for the Koreans.
The United States put themselves in a very favorable position in Group C with three points and a +2 differential. They will take on Colombia on Saturday, a match that they should enter as prohibitive favorites. North Korea meets Sweden on Saturday in a very important match for both teams.
Cheney was placed in the starting lineup as a midfielder in place of the normal starter Megan Rapinoe and the move paid dividends to US coach Pia Sundhage. While Cheney was playing midfield, she appeared to be almost a third striker for much of the match.
The United States looked a bit nervous early on, perhaps a combination of opening match jitters and pressure. The first half was played pretty evenly between the two sides and the Koreans certainly had stretches were they held the advantage.
The way things went early on, especially for Cheney, it appeared that the Americans were out to play kick and catch with Korean keeper Hong Myong Hui. The first evidence of this was in the 11th minute as Cheney drilled a hard shot, but right at Hong.
Korea did not get any especially dangerous chances early on. Jon Myong Hwa did put one over the bar from distance in the 25th minute.
Cheney again placed a hard shot on frame from 15 yards, but again right at Hong in the 34th minute.
But later in the half, Korea were knocking at the door. Just a minute later, Kim Su Gyong nearly snuck one inside the right post, but Hope Solo was there to make the save. Then Song Jong Sun sent the ball past a diving Solo across the goal mouth, but no one was making a back post run and the ball rolled harmlessly away. In the closing minutes of the half JoYun Mi nearly tipped in a cross by Kim, but to no avail.
The second started with some beautiful passing from the US. Carli Lloyd sent the ball forward to Abby Wambach who sent it square to Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez then connected with a nice pass to Cheney. Once again, Cheney's shot was right at Hong.
But if the first half was pretty even, the second half was a dominating performance by the United States. They created chance after chance in the 2nd half. First, Shannon Boxx sent one just over the bar. Then Cheney again tested Hong from 12 yards, but the Korean keeper was up to task yet again. In the 51st minute, Rodriguez made a nice run up the right side, sending the ball across to Wambach who missed connecting from just in front of the goal.
The US broke through in the 54th minute. Lloyd sent a well-weighted ball up the left side with Wambach running onto it. Wambach settled, cut inside to give herself room and hit a right-footed cross. Lauren Cheney was waiting eight yards out and even with the back post. Unlike all of the shots off her foot, her header was perfectly placed, back across the goal and inside the left post. The United States led 1-0.
Korea came close to tying in the 56th minute as Ri's shot from distance glanced off the top of the crossbar. It was as close as the young Koreans would come to tying the match.
The United States continued to keep Hong busy. Amy LePeilbet's cross in the 65th minute found Wambach wide open. She headed the ball down hard, with the ball bouncing in front of Hong, then off Hong's hands and then hitting the underside of the crossbar, before bouncing out. Later, Rodriguez hit a bending shot that appeared might sneak inside the left post, but Hong was able to get a hand on that to keep it at one.
The United States put the game away in the 76th minute as Ali Krieger's shot from the left wing struck the crossbar, with the loose ball eventually coming to Rachel Buehler at the 18.. She neatly slotted the ball just inside the left post to give the US a safe 2-0 lead.
Korea did put some pressure on in the final five minutes, but Solo and the US were able to keep it at a shutout. Meanwhile, the US thought they had a third when Megan Rapinoe appeared to beat Hong to the ball and hammer it home from in close, but the referee ruled that Hong had gotten her hands on the ball just before Rapinoe connected. The goal was disallowed and a foul called on the American midfielder.
For the United States, several players had strong games, most notably Cheney and Rodriguez. The US were able to limit Korean star Jo's chances to just a few. Hope Solo was solid in goal, but really not overly tested. Hong did well to keep the score at 2-0 in goal for the Koreans.
The United States put themselves in a very favorable position in Group C with three points and a +2 differential. They will take on Colombia on Saturday, a match that they should enter as prohibitive favorites. North Korea meets Sweden on Saturday in a very important match for both teams.
June 22, 2011
Group C Preview: United States
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, Pia Sundhage, Shannon Boxx, United States
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, Pia Sundhage, Shannon Boxx, United States
United States (#1)
Region: Concacaf
Coach: Pia Sundhage
How They Qualified: Finished 3rd in Concacaf Region Qualifying, then defeated Italy in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: 3rd Place
2003: 3rd Place
1999: Champions
1995: 3rd Place
1991: Champions
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barnhart, Solo, Cox, Rampone, Boxx, Lloyd, O’Reilly, Wambach.
Roster (Average Age: 27.71)
Recent Matches:
They are the number team in the world according to FIFA rankings. They have won the World Cup twice in their history and finished third three times. They might be the most experienced team at the World Cup. They are definitely the oldest team at the World Cup and it’s not even close. They are the United States.
And they have been criticized recently as too old, too slow, too this, too that. Some of the criticism is valid, some a little over-the-top. Whether this will give them a chip-on-the-shoulder, it’s us against the world mentality for this Cup, I don’t know.
The United States appeared to reach their pinnacle in May of 2010 when they easily defeated Germany by a 4-0 margin in Cleveland, Ohio. Truth be told, they haven’t looked nearly so dominating since. Their long unbeaten streak extended into November, when it looked like they were cruising to another easy qualification for yet another World Cup. And then, the unthinkable happened. They lost to Mexico.
For a short time, there was a possibility that they would not even qualify. They went on to defeat Costa Rica in the Concacaf third place match and then defeated Italy twice by 1-0 to become the 16th and final qualifier for the 2011 World Cup.
This year has brought mixed results. They won the Four Nations and the Algarve Cup, defeating Canada, Japan, and Norway in the process. However, they also dropped a match to Sweden at the Four Nations and were outplayed in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of England in April. So where will they finish in Germany?
One good sign is the return of Hope Solo, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Shoulder surgery last fall put this World Cup in doubt, but she appeared to be 100% in recent friendlies. She’s only been scored upon in one game out of her last 13 appearances dating back to early 2009.
Abby Wambach is the focal point of the US attack. One of the best target forwards in the world, she has no peers in the air. Joining her at forward will be the relatively young trio of Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney, and Alex Morgan. Morgan has become the “supersub” of the United States, scoring several important goals late in contests.
The midfield is very experienced with Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, and Megan Rapinoe. They did receive a blow when Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury just a month before the World Cup. It is the central midfield that will be one of the keys for the United States. Lloyd and Boxx need to be at the top of their game if the United States are to have a good tournament. They have started nearly every game over the last several years when they have been healthy.
Defense may be the biggest question mark. First, there are the injuries. Christie Rampone, Amy LePeilbet, and Heather Mitts have all been nursing injuries this year, with Mitts just barely making fitness under the deadline for Germany. Second, there is age. This is a fairly old group and they have been exposed in some matches recently, certainly in the loss to Mexico in November. Finally, there is left back, where Pia Sunhage has tried several players. Right now, it appears she will opt for either center back LePeilbet or natural outside back Stephanie Cox.
This will be a critical World Cup for the future of this team. A bad showing may signal a changing of the guard and the need for a substantial turnover in personnel. A good tournament would prove that Sundhage’s quiet confidence in her team was more than warranted.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained at www.fifa.com and www.ussoccer.com.
Region: Concacaf
Coach: Pia Sundhage
How They Qualified: Finished 3rd in Concacaf Region Qualifying, then defeated Italy in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: 3rd Place
2003: 3rd Place
1999: Champions
1995: 3rd Place
1991: Champions
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barnhart, Solo, Cox, Rampone, Boxx, Lloyd, O’Reilly, Wambach.
Roster (Average Age: 27.71)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Barnhart | GK | Philadelphia Indep. | 29 | 39/0 |
| Jillian Loyden | GK | magicJack | 26 | 1/0 |
| Hope Solo | GK | magicJack | 29 | 94/0 |
| Rachel Buehler | DF | Boston Breakers | 25 | 58/1 |
| Stephanie Cox | DF | Boston Breakers | 25 | 73/0 |
| Alex Krieger | DF | None | 26 | 17/0 |
| Amy LePeilbet | DF | Boston Breakers | 29 | 48/0 |
| Heather Mitts | DF | Atlanta Beat | 33 | 115/2 |
| Christie Rampone | DF | magicJack | 36 | 234/4 |
| Becky Sauerbrunn | DF | magicJack | 26 | 10/0 |
| Shannon Boxx | MF | magicJack | 33 | 145/22 |
| Tobin Heath | MF | Sky Blue FC | 23 | 27/2 |
| Lori Lindsey | MF | Philadelphia Indep. | 31 | 21/0 |
| Carli Lloyd | MF | Atlanta Beat | 28 | 110/27 |
| Kelley O’Hara | MF | Boston Breakers | 22 | 5/0 |
| Heather O’Reilly | MF | Sky Blue FC | 26 | 143/29 |
| Megan Rapinoe | MF | magicJack | 25 | 30/10 |
| Lauren Cheney | FW | Boston Breakers | 23 | 41/13 |
| Alex Morgan | FW | WNY Flash | 22 | 18/7 |
| Amy Rodriguez | FW | Philadelphia Indep. | 24 | 64/17 |
| Abby Wambach | FW | magicJack | 31 | 156/118 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5/11 | Mexico | Friendly | W 1-0 |
| 5/18/11 | Japan | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 5/14/11 | Japan | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 4/2/11 | England | Friendly | L 1-2 |
| 3/9/11 | Iceland | Algarve | W 4-2 |
| 3/7/11 | Finland | Algarve | W 4-0 |
| 3/4/11 | Norway | Algarve | W 2-0 |
| 3/2/11 | Japan | Algarve | W 2-1 |
| 1/25/11 | China | Four Nations | W 2-0 |
| 1/23/11 | Canada | Four Nations | W 2-1 |
| 1/21/11 | Sweden | Four Nations | L 1-2 |
| 11/27/10 | Italy | World Cup Playoff | W 1-0 |
| 11/20/10 | Italy | World Cup Playoff | W 1-0 |
| 11/8/10 | Costa Rica | Concacaf | W 3-0 |
| 11/5/10 | Mexico | Concacaf | L 1-2 |
| 11/1/10 | Costa Rica | Concacaf | W 4-0 |
| 10/30/10 | Guatemala | Concacaf | W 9-0 |
| 10/28/10 | Haiti | Concacaf | W 5-0 |
| 10/6/10 | China | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 10/2/10 | China | Friendly | W 2-1 |
| 7/17/10 | Sweden | Friendly | W 3-0 |
| 7/13/10 | Sweden | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 5/22/10 | Germany | Friendly | W 4-0 |
They are the number team in the world according to FIFA rankings. They have won the World Cup twice in their history and finished third three times. They might be the most experienced team at the World Cup. They are definitely the oldest team at the World Cup and it’s not even close. They are the United States.
And they have been criticized recently as too old, too slow, too this, too that. Some of the criticism is valid, some a little over-the-top. Whether this will give them a chip-on-the-shoulder, it’s us against the world mentality for this Cup, I don’t know.
The United States appeared to reach their pinnacle in May of 2010 when they easily defeated Germany by a 4-0 margin in Cleveland, Ohio. Truth be told, they haven’t looked nearly so dominating since. Their long unbeaten streak extended into November, when it looked like they were cruising to another easy qualification for yet another World Cup. And then, the unthinkable happened. They lost to Mexico.
For a short time, there was a possibility that they would not even qualify. They went on to defeat Costa Rica in the Concacaf third place match and then defeated Italy twice by 1-0 to become the 16th and final qualifier for the 2011 World Cup.
This year has brought mixed results. They won the Four Nations and the Algarve Cup, defeating Canada, Japan, and Norway in the process. However, they also dropped a match to Sweden at the Four Nations and were outplayed in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of England in April. So where will they finish in Germany?
One good sign is the return of Hope Solo, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Shoulder surgery last fall put this World Cup in doubt, but she appeared to be 100% in recent friendlies. She’s only been scored upon in one game out of her last 13 appearances dating back to early 2009.
Abby Wambach is the focal point of the US attack. One of the best target forwards in the world, she has no peers in the air. Joining her at forward will be the relatively young trio of Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney, and Alex Morgan. Morgan has become the “supersub” of the United States, scoring several important goals late in contests.
The midfield is very experienced with Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, and Megan Rapinoe. They did receive a blow when Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury just a month before the World Cup. It is the central midfield that will be one of the keys for the United States. Lloyd and Boxx need to be at the top of their game if the United States are to have a good tournament. They have started nearly every game over the last several years when they have been healthy.
Defense may be the biggest question mark. First, there are the injuries. Christie Rampone, Amy LePeilbet, and Heather Mitts have all been nursing injuries this year, with Mitts just barely making fitness under the deadline for Germany. Second, there is age. This is a fairly old group and they have been exposed in some matches recently, certainly in the loss to Mexico in November. Finally, there is left back, where Pia Sunhage has tried several players. Right now, it appears she will opt for either center back LePeilbet or natural outside back Stephanie Cox.
This will be a critical World Cup for the future of this team. A bad showing may signal a changing of the guard and the need for a substantial turnover in personnel. A good tournament would prove that Sundhage’s quiet confidence in her team was more than warranted.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained at www.fifa.com and www.ussoccer.com.
June 5, 2011
US Squeaks Past Mexico 1-0
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Carli Lloyd, Heather Mitts, Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney, Mexican National Team, USWNT
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Carli Lloyd, Heather Mitts, Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney, Mexican National Team, USWNT
It took nearly 92 minutes, but Lauren Cheney's strike gave the United States a 1-0 victory over Mexico. The goal came in spite of a brilliant effort by 16 year old goalkeeper Celia Santiago.
The United States dominated almost from the opening whistle, unlike the match last November where Mexico took it to the US early in the match. But a combination of missed opportunities and some great saves by the Mexican teenager kept the United States off the scoreboard until second half stoppage time.
The winning goal started with Heather O'Reilly's long pass up the center of the field to Abby Wambach who received the ball 10 yards outside of the penalty area. She dropped the ball back to Cheney, who worked her way to her right before releasing a blistering shot from 30 yards out into the upper left corner of the net, just beyond the outstretched arms of Santiago.
The United States outshot Mexico 34-4 for the match, but far too many of those were not on frame. They still put enough on goal to keep Santiago busy for most of the match. The US thought they surely had a goal in the 70th minute when Stephanie Cox sent a perfect pass to a cutting Carli Lloyd. Lloyd's shot had good pace and was heading just inside the near post before Santiago was able to reach out and deflect the ball away at the last possible moment.
Mexico found it very hard to muster any kind of an attack, unlike the Concacaf semifinal when they were consistently able to find space between the US defense. The US passing game was much improved from their two recent matches with Japan. Mexico did show some improvement in the attack later in the match, but were unable to produce any chances beyond a few shots from distance.
Hope Solo got the shutout for the United States, but was tested with very few chances.
Heather Mitts, who has been suffering from injuries for most of the past few months, saw her first action in the second half. It was later confirmed that Mitts will keep her roster spot for the World Cup.
The United States will next head to Austria for training camp before arriving in Germany for their first round match on June 28.
Before the match, Kristine Lilly was honored for her extraordinary USWNT career, which include 352 caps and 130 goals.
The United States dominated almost from the opening whistle, unlike the match last November where Mexico took it to the US early in the match. But a combination of missed opportunities and some great saves by the Mexican teenager kept the United States off the scoreboard until second half stoppage time.
The winning goal started with Heather O'Reilly's long pass up the center of the field to Abby Wambach who received the ball 10 yards outside of the penalty area. She dropped the ball back to Cheney, who worked her way to her right before releasing a blistering shot from 30 yards out into the upper left corner of the net, just beyond the outstretched arms of Santiago.
The United States outshot Mexico 34-4 for the match, but far too many of those were not on frame. They still put enough on goal to keep Santiago busy for most of the match. The US thought they surely had a goal in the 70th minute when Stephanie Cox sent a perfect pass to a cutting Carli Lloyd. Lloyd's shot had good pace and was heading just inside the near post before Santiago was able to reach out and deflect the ball away at the last possible moment.
Mexico found it very hard to muster any kind of an attack, unlike the Concacaf semifinal when they were consistently able to find space between the US defense. The US passing game was much improved from their two recent matches with Japan. Mexico did show some improvement in the attack later in the match, but were unable to produce any chances beyond a few shots from distance.
Hope Solo got the shutout for the United States, but was tested with very few chances.
Heather Mitts, who has been suffering from injuries for most of the past few months, saw her first action in the second half. It was later confirmed that Mitts will keep her roster spot for the World Cup.
The United States will next head to Austria for training camp before arriving in Germany for their first round match on June 28.
Before the match, Kristine Lilly was honored for her extraordinary USWNT career, which include 352 caps and 130 goals.
May 18, 2011
US Defeats Japan 2-0 in Rematch
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Labels: Alex Morgan, Amy Rodriguez, Ayumi Kaihori, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Hope Solo, Japan WNT, Shannon Boxx, USWNT
Labels: Alex Morgan, Amy Rodriguez, Ayumi Kaihori, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Hope Solo, Japan WNT, Shannon Boxx, USWNT
The result was the same as four days earlier, but it was much better performance out of the USWNT tonight as they defeated Japan by a 2-0 margin in Cary, North Carolina.
Pia Sundhage went with the exact same lineup as she did Saturday and early on, the game appeared much the same as well. Japan put high pressure on the United States' defense early on and this created a bit faster tempo. The Japanese had the better of possession for the first 20 minutes of the match, but the American defense was solid and Japan was unable to get a good scoring chance.
The United States appeared to grow stronger as the first half progressed and once again, they were able to strike first in the 28th minute of the match. Shannon Boxx sent a long cross-field pass to Heather O'Reilly who gained possession on the right side near the end line. O'Reilly was able to beat a defender to the outside and sent a beautiful cross back to an open Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished, in spite of Japanese keeper Ayumi Kaihori getting her hand on it, and the United States led 1-0.
Sundhage made one halftime substitution, sending in Amy LePeilbet at left back for Stephanie Cox. LePeilbet had been nursing an injury and did not appear in Saturday's match. The United States turned up the pressure in the second half, creating chance after chance.
Two more substitutions were forthcoming in the 60th minute as Alex Morgan and Lori Lindsey entered the match for Rodriguez and Boxx. Boxx had one of her best all around performances in this match.
It didn't take long for Morgan to get into the mix, as Carli Lloyd sent a long ball over the top of the Japanese back line. Morgan timed her run perfectly and was able to beat Kaihori to the ball tipping it past her. Morgan gained control just outside the six-yard box on the left side, but took a bit long to set up her shot as defender Azusa Iwashimizu made a great sliding save just before the ball reached the goal.
Three minutes later, it was the Lloyd-Morgan connection again, this time with Lloyd sending a beautiful ball through to Morgan who got within eight yards of the goal. This time it was Kaihori making a great save to rob Morgan.
The Americans kept knocking on the door and it finally opened in the 69th minute. Lloyd sent a ball wide right to O'Reilly, who this time cut inside with the ball. She hit a well-placed strike from 15 yards out just inside the left post to put the US up by a 2-0 score.
USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo got her sternest test in the 81st minute as Karina Maruyama hit a solid strike that appeared to be heading just under the crossbar as a leaping Solo tipped the ball over the net.
The match ended in a well-earned US victory. Their next match will be June 5, in what will be a rematch of the Concacaf semifinal where Mexico stunned the US and nearly put American World Cup hopes on the ropes.
Other World Cup teams in action today:
Mexico 3 (Morales, Perez, Cuellar), Costa Rica 0
France 1 (Bussaglia, pk), Scotland 1 (Ross)
Canada 2 (own goal, Julien), Switzerland 1 (Crnogorcevic)
Pia Sundhage went with the exact same lineup as she did Saturday and early on, the game appeared much the same as well. Japan put high pressure on the United States' defense early on and this created a bit faster tempo. The Japanese had the better of possession for the first 20 minutes of the match, but the American defense was solid and Japan was unable to get a good scoring chance.
The United States appeared to grow stronger as the first half progressed and once again, they were able to strike first in the 28th minute of the match. Shannon Boxx sent a long cross-field pass to Heather O'Reilly who gained possession on the right side near the end line. O'Reilly was able to beat a defender to the outside and sent a beautiful cross back to an open Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished, in spite of Japanese keeper Ayumi Kaihori getting her hand on it, and the United States led 1-0.
Sundhage made one halftime substitution, sending in Amy LePeilbet at left back for Stephanie Cox. LePeilbet had been nursing an injury and did not appear in Saturday's match. The United States turned up the pressure in the second half, creating chance after chance.
Two more substitutions were forthcoming in the 60th minute as Alex Morgan and Lori Lindsey entered the match for Rodriguez and Boxx. Boxx had one of her best all around performances in this match.
It didn't take long for Morgan to get into the mix, as Carli Lloyd sent a long ball over the top of the Japanese back line. Morgan timed her run perfectly and was able to beat Kaihori to the ball tipping it past her. Morgan gained control just outside the six-yard box on the left side, but took a bit long to set up her shot as defender Azusa Iwashimizu made a great sliding save just before the ball reached the goal.
Three minutes later, it was the Lloyd-Morgan connection again, this time with Lloyd sending a beautiful ball through to Morgan who got within eight yards of the goal. This time it was Kaihori making a great save to rob Morgan.
The Americans kept knocking on the door and it finally opened in the 69th minute. Lloyd sent a ball wide right to O'Reilly, who this time cut inside with the ball. She hit a well-placed strike from 15 yards out just inside the left post to put the US up by a 2-0 score.
USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo got her sternest test in the 81st minute as Karina Maruyama hit a solid strike that appeared to be heading just under the crossbar as a leaping Solo tipped the ball over the net.
The match ended in a well-earned US victory. Their next match will be June 5, in what will be a rematch of the Concacaf semifinal where Mexico stunned the US and nearly put American World Cup hopes on the ropes.
Other World Cup teams in action today:
Mexico 3 (Morales, Perez, Cuellar), Costa Rica 0
France 1 (Bussaglia, pk), Scotland 1 (Ross)
Canada 2 (own goal, Julien), Switzerland 1 (Crnogorcevic)
April 24, 2011
Beat and Flash Play to a 2-2 Draw
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Lipsher, Ashlyn Harris, Atlanta Beat, Carli Lloyd, Christine Sinclair, Lori Chalupny, Marta, Western New York Flash
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Lipsher, Ashlyn Harris, Atlanta Beat, Carli Lloyd, Christine Sinclair, Lori Chalupny, Marta, Western New York Flash
In the battle for the early lead in WPS, the Atlanta Beat and Western New York Flash played to a 2-2 draw at FSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. The game featured a scintillating 2nd half after a slow and fairly uneventful first half.
Western New York drew first blood and it didn't take long. Brittany Bock was able to force a turnover in the Atlanta midfield and passed it to Christine Sinclair. Sinclair unleashed a shot from 22 yards out that beat Beat keeper Ali Lipsher lower left to make it 1-0 before the match was two minutes old.
Atlanta nearly forced a penalty in the 5th minute. On a set piece from 30 yards, Cat Whitehill tried to thread a low pass through to Keeley Dowling. Dowling went down in the box, but no call was made and it was inconclusive just how much contact had been made.
The rest of the half saw little action, with the Flash getting the majority of possession and scoring opportunities, but unable to crack the Beat's defense. Atlanta was unable to mount any attack of substance and seemed content to keep the Flash from increasing their lead with strong team defense. Both Carli Lloyd and Lauren Sesselmann earned yellow cards late in the half.
Halftime substitutions brought Marta into the match in place of Gemma Davison. She was seeing her first action of the WPS season. Atlanta sent India Trotter in for Sesselmann.
The game continued at much the same pace for the first ten minutes of the 2nd half, but a hard-working Lori Chalupny started challenging the right side of the Flash back line and her hard work paid off in the 57th minute.
Cat Whitehill sent a ball from the center circle to the left side to Chalupny. Chalupny cut back to the middle of the field, beating defender Kandace Wilson. From 25 yards, Chalupny struck a perfectly placed, slicing shot that grazed the inside of the right post and into the net.
That goal seemed to ignite both teams and the pace picked up considerably thereafter. In fact, the final 35 minutes of this match were among the most exciting played in WPS.
Western New York nearly answered in the 60th minute as a high corner got loose in the box, with Ali Lipsher making a save from close range on Sinclair.
However, in the 66th minute, Marta made her presence felt and Lipsher was unable to stop that one. Christine Sinclair sent a beautiful cross from the left side to the near post. Marta was able to get inside Keeley Dowling on a run to the net and headed the ball past Lipsher with a stunning flick to put the Flash back on top 2-1.
Just when Western New York appeared to be in control again, Atlanta answered quickly in the 68th minute. Off of a throw in, Lloyd got the ball to Chalupny who in turn sent it back to Lloyd. Lloyd dribbled to within 25 yards without defenders challenging and blasted a shot just under the crossbar and out of the reach of a leaping Ashlyn Harris. The game was once again tied.
Both goalkeepers made big saves in the closing minutes of the contest. Two Atlanta 2nd half substitutions, Analisa Marquez and Kristina Larsen, nearly connected for a goal in the 78th minute. Marquez crossed the ball to Larsen at the 18. Larsen turned in heavy traffic and shot to the top center of the net with Harris making a brilliant save tipping the ball over the net.
It was Lipsher's turn to make a game-saving stop in the 87th minute as Caroline Seger shot from 12 yards appeared to be heading just under the crossbar, but the Beat goalkeeper was able to tip it over the net. Just two minutes later, a Sinclair blast was deflected either by an Atlanta defender or Lipsher and rattled off the top of the post and over.
The game ended 2-2 after a furious tempo over the final third of the match that had to exhaust all involved.
So both teams end the evening where they started it, tied atop the WPS table. Western New York is now 1-0-1 with four points. Atlanta is 1-1-1 with four points. The two teams will meet in a rematch next Sunday in Rochester.
WPS Standings after three weeks:
Western New York Flash 1-0-1, 4 pts.
Atlanta Beat 1-1-1, 4 pts.
magicJack 1-0-0, 3 pts.
Boston Breakers 1-2-0, 3 pts.
Philadelphia Independence 0-0-1, 1 pt.
Sky Blue FC 0-1-1, 1 pt.
Western New York drew first blood and it didn't take long. Brittany Bock was able to force a turnover in the Atlanta midfield and passed it to Christine Sinclair. Sinclair unleashed a shot from 22 yards out that beat Beat keeper Ali Lipsher lower left to make it 1-0 before the match was two minutes old.
Atlanta nearly forced a penalty in the 5th minute. On a set piece from 30 yards, Cat Whitehill tried to thread a low pass through to Keeley Dowling. Dowling went down in the box, but no call was made and it was inconclusive just how much contact had been made.
The rest of the half saw little action, with the Flash getting the majority of possession and scoring opportunities, but unable to crack the Beat's defense. Atlanta was unable to mount any attack of substance and seemed content to keep the Flash from increasing their lead with strong team defense. Both Carli Lloyd and Lauren Sesselmann earned yellow cards late in the half.
Halftime substitutions brought Marta into the match in place of Gemma Davison. She was seeing her first action of the WPS season. Atlanta sent India Trotter in for Sesselmann.
The game continued at much the same pace for the first ten minutes of the 2nd half, but a hard-working Lori Chalupny started challenging the right side of the Flash back line and her hard work paid off in the 57th minute.
Cat Whitehill sent a ball from the center circle to the left side to Chalupny. Chalupny cut back to the middle of the field, beating defender Kandace Wilson. From 25 yards, Chalupny struck a perfectly placed, slicing shot that grazed the inside of the right post and into the net.
That goal seemed to ignite both teams and the pace picked up considerably thereafter. In fact, the final 35 minutes of this match were among the most exciting played in WPS.
Western New York nearly answered in the 60th minute as a high corner got loose in the box, with Ali Lipsher making a save from close range on Sinclair.
However, in the 66th minute, Marta made her presence felt and Lipsher was unable to stop that one. Christine Sinclair sent a beautiful cross from the left side to the near post. Marta was able to get inside Keeley Dowling on a run to the net and headed the ball past Lipsher with a stunning flick to put the Flash back on top 2-1.
Just when Western New York appeared to be in control again, Atlanta answered quickly in the 68th minute. Off of a throw in, Lloyd got the ball to Chalupny who in turn sent it back to Lloyd. Lloyd dribbled to within 25 yards without defenders challenging and blasted a shot just under the crossbar and out of the reach of a leaping Ashlyn Harris. The game was once again tied.
Both goalkeepers made big saves in the closing minutes of the contest. Two Atlanta 2nd half substitutions, Analisa Marquez and Kristina Larsen, nearly connected for a goal in the 78th minute. Marquez crossed the ball to Larsen at the 18. Larsen turned in heavy traffic and shot to the top center of the net with Harris making a brilliant save tipping the ball over the net.
It was Lipsher's turn to make a game-saving stop in the 87th minute as Caroline Seger shot from 12 yards appeared to be heading just under the crossbar, but the Beat goalkeeper was able to tip it over the net. Just two minutes later, a Sinclair blast was deflected either by an Atlanta defender or Lipsher and rattled off the top of the post and over.
The game ended 2-2 after a furious tempo over the final third of the match that had to exhaust all involved.
So both teams end the evening where they started it, tied atop the WPS table. Western New York is now 1-0-1 with four points. Atlanta is 1-1-1 with four points. The two teams will meet in a rematch next Sunday in Rochester.
WPS Standings after three weeks:
Western New York Flash 1-0-1, 4 pts.
Atlanta Beat 1-1-1, 4 pts.
magicJack 1-0-0, 3 pts.
Boston Breakers 1-2-0, 3 pts.
Philadelphia Independence 0-0-1, 1 pt.
Sky Blue FC 0-1-1, 1 pt.
April 10, 2011
Boston Defeats Atlanta in Opener 4-1
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Alyssa Naeher, Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carli Lloyd, Jordan Angeli, Kasey Moore, Keelin Winters, Kelley O'Hara
Labels: 2011 WPS, Allison Whitworth, Alyssa Naeher, Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carli Lloyd, Jordan Angeli, Kasey Moore, Keelin Winters, Kelley O'Hara
The Boston Breakers used a strong first half to capture the opening match of the 2011 season by a 4-1 margin over the Atlanta Beat. Four different players scored for the Breakers, two in each half.
Jordan Angeli opened the scoring 18 minutes into the match, followed by a goal from rookie Keelin Winters just five minutes later. Angeli later suffered a knee injury and had to leave the game. The Breakers will have an MRI done on Angeli's knee on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.
Down 2-0 at the half, the Beat inserted USWNT midfielder Carli Lloyd into the lineup for the second half and for awhile, Atlanta looked as though they might get back into the contest. Atlanta pressured Breakers' keeper Alyssa Naeher throughout the second half, but she was able to make some key saves to keep the margin safe.
Former Gold Pride forward Kelley O'Hara scored in the 72nd minute to stretch the lead to three goals.
Atlanta finally got on the board in the 78th minute as they were awarded a penalty, which Lloyd converted to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Beat were never able to get any closer.
Kasey Moore concluded the scoring in stoppage, after Allison Whitworth was red-carded after colliding with O'Hara outside the box. Moore scored on the ensuing kick, after defender Cat Whitehill had taken over in goal.
Atlanta outshot Boston by a 14-8 margin for the match, but Naeher was able to keep all but the penalty out of the net.
The Breakers return to Boston where they will host the Western New York Flash next Sunday, in what will be Boston's home opener and the Flash's inaugural match. Atlanta hosts Sky Blue FC next Saturday.
Jordan Angeli opened the scoring 18 minutes into the match, followed by a goal from rookie Keelin Winters just five minutes later. Angeli later suffered a knee injury and had to leave the game. The Breakers will have an MRI done on Angeli's knee on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.
Down 2-0 at the half, the Beat inserted USWNT midfielder Carli Lloyd into the lineup for the second half and for awhile, Atlanta looked as though they might get back into the contest. Atlanta pressured Breakers' keeper Alyssa Naeher throughout the second half, but she was able to make some key saves to keep the margin safe.
Former Gold Pride forward Kelley O'Hara scored in the 72nd minute to stretch the lead to three goals.
Atlanta finally got on the board in the 78th minute as they were awarded a penalty, which Lloyd converted to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Beat were never able to get any closer.
Kasey Moore concluded the scoring in stoppage, after Allison Whitworth was red-carded after colliding with O'Hara outside the box. Moore scored on the ensuing kick, after defender Cat Whitehill had taken over in goal.
Atlanta outshot Boston by a 14-8 margin for the match, but Naeher was able to keep all but the penalty out of the net.
The Breakers return to Boston where they will host the Western New York Flash next Sunday, in what will be Boston's home opener and the Flash's inaugural match. Atlanta hosts Sky Blue FC next Saturday.
April 3, 2011
2011 Atlanta Beat Preview
Atlanta Beat
Coach: James Galanis (2nd year)
2010 Record: 5-13-6 (7th place)
Home Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium (Kennesaw, Georgia)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (4): Keri Butler (R), Katie Fraine(R), Allison Lipsher, Allison Whitworth.
Defenders (6): Keeley Dowling, Colleen Flanagan(R), Analisa Marquez, Heather Mitts, Kat Reynolds, Cat Whitehill.
Midfielders (8): Lori Chalupny, Bianca D’Agostino(R), Megan Jesolva(R), Carli Lloyd, Angela Salem, Vendula Strnadova(R), India Trotter, Kylie Wright(R).
Forwards (4): Katie Bethke(R), Kristina Larsen, Meghan Lenczyk(R), Lauren Sesselmann.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Mitts and Lloyd.
The Beat enter the season hoping to make improvements on last year’s 7th place finish. Almost the entire roster has changed since last September. Gone is the complete international cast. What’s left is a combination of rookies and older USWNT players, both current and former.
The roster is very heavy on young players, with no fewer than nine of the players being right out of college and several more with very limited WPS experience. That’s going to place a heavy burden on the veteran players such as Lori Chalupny, Cat Whitehill, Heather Mitts, and Carli Lloyd.
Goalkeepers: As of last word, the two Allisons, Lipsher and Whitworth, were vying for the number one keeper’s spot. Lipsher has 10 career WPS starts, but none last year. Whitworth has eight career starts over two seasons. Both have showed positive signs in their WPS experience. Lipsher posted an 0.58 goals against average in 2009 for Boston. Whitworth has three career shutouts.
Atlanta kept four goalkeepers, at least for the time being. The other two are rookies Katie Fraine (Florida) and Keri Butler (West Virginia).
Defenders: Atlanta doesn’t have a lot of veterans on the team, but one position they do have experience is on defense. Heather Mitts and Cat Whitehill have combined for nearly 250 national team caps. Keeley Dowling was a two-year starter for Sky Blue FC.
With Mitts beset with injuries, coach James Galanis has experimented with Analisa Marquez at right back, moving Dowling inside. Kat Reynolds could start at the left back position. Rookie Colleen Flanagan is listed as a defender, but can also play midfielder. Lauren Sesselman, who played a lot of outside back for Atlanta last season, is another option although Galanis seems to prefer her at midfield or forward.
Midfielders: The midfield starts with captain Lori Chalupny. Chalupny is usually right in the middle of the action, as her fouls suffered totals over the first two WPS seasons would attest. Always a top defensive player, she is getting more of a chance to show off her offensive skills these days. She will be joined by USWNT starter Carli Lloyd, owner of one of the hardest shots in women’s soccer. However, in her first two WPS seasons, that shot has been highly inaccurate. That’s something that will need to improve if Atlanta is going to make any noise this year.
India Trotter is the only other experienced midfielder, having played both in WPS and abroad. Only second year player Angela Salem has limited experience among the rest. Rookie Kylie Wright out of UCLA is a defensive specialist that could develop into a solid WPS player. Both Megan Jesolva (California) and Vendula Strnadova (Memphis) have had good preseason camps. Bianca D’Agostino (Wake Forest) is another option in the midfield. Lauren Sesselmann has also seen action at midfield in the preseason.
Forwards: There is not another team even close to being this inexperienced at forward. Meghan Lenczyk, Katie Bethke, Lauren Sesselmann, and Kristina Larsen have a total of 10 WPS games played, with four starts and no goals among them. And those are all Sesselmann. Lenczyk and Bethke are rookies and Larsen might as well be as she suffered a season-ending injury in the 2010 preseason with Athletica.
Larsen and Lenczyk have showed potential in preseason, but again, it’s just preseason. Larsen, like her teammate Carli Lloyd, has a powerful shot. Galanis really likes what he sees in Lenczyk, but says she needs to get physically stronger. Bethke scored 26 career goals at the University of Minnesota.
Outlook: I just can’t see this team scoring many goals. Lloyd is probably their most dangerous offensive player and she will miss a good part of the season with national team duties. Chalupny, Larsen, and Lenczyk have score quite a few goals in preseason, but that’s against college competition. And their defense, while experienced, is not the fastest group in WPS by a long shot.
This team is very young and very inexperienced and we’ve all seen how hard it is for rookies to score a lot of goals. There does seem to be a positive attitude surrounding the team, probably in large part due to the amount of young players, but that will carry the team only so far.
This team is going to have to win a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 games and scratch and claw for every point they can get. They will lose fewer players to the World Cup than every other team in the league, but even with World Cup losses, the other five teams will still be more experienced. I wish I could be more positive about this team’s chances, and I could certainly be wrong, but it’s hard to see this team showing improvement over last year’s record.
Coach: James Galanis (2nd year)
2010 Record: 5-13-6 (7th place)
Home Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium (Kennesaw, Georgia)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (4): Keri Butler (R), Katie Fraine(R), Allison Lipsher, Allison Whitworth.
Defenders (6): Keeley Dowling, Colleen Flanagan(R), Analisa Marquez, Heather Mitts, Kat Reynolds, Cat Whitehill.
Midfielders (8): Lori Chalupny, Bianca D’Agostino(R), Megan Jesolva(R), Carli Lloyd, Angela Salem, Vendula Strnadova(R), India Trotter, Kylie Wright(R).
Forwards (4): Katie Bethke(R), Kristina Larsen, Meghan Lenczyk(R), Lauren Sesselmann.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Mitts and Lloyd.
The Beat enter the season hoping to make improvements on last year’s 7th place finish. Almost the entire roster has changed since last September. Gone is the complete international cast. What’s left is a combination of rookies and older USWNT players, both current and former.
The roster is very heavy on young players, with no fewer than nine of the players being right out of college and several more with very limited WPS experience. That’s going to place a heavy burden on the veteran players such as Lori Chalupny, Cat Whitehill, Heather Mitts, and Carli Lloyd.
Goalkeepers: As of last word, the two Allisons, Lipsher and Whitworth, were vying for the number one keeper’s spot. Lipsher has 10 career WPS starts, but none last year. Whitworth has eight career starts over two seasons. Both have showed positive signs in their WPS experience. Lipsher posted an 0.58 goals against average in 2009 for Boston. Whitworth has three career shutouts.
Atlanta kept four goalkeepers, at least for the time being. The other two are rookies Katie Fraine (Florida) and Keri Butler (West Virginia).
Defenders: Atlanta doesn’t have a lot of veterans on the team, but one position they do have experience is on defense. Heather Mitts and Cat Whitehill have combined for nearly 250 national team caps. Keeley Dowling was a two-year starter for Sky Blue FC.
With Mitts beset with injuries, coach James Galanis has experimented with Analisa Marquez at right back, moving Dowling inside. Kat Reynolds could start at the left back position. Rookie Colleen Flanagan is listed as a defender, but can also play midfielder. Lauren Sesselman, who played a lot of outside back for Atlanta last season, is another option although Galanis seems to prefer her at midfield or forward.
Midfielders: The midfield starts with captain Lori Chalupny. Chalupny is usually right in the middle of the action, as her fouls suffered totals over the first two WPS seasons would attest. Always a top defensive player, she is getting more of a chance to show off her offensive skills these days. She will be joined by USWNT starter Carli Lloyd, owner of one of the hardest shots in women’s soccer. However, in her first two WPS seasons, that shot has been highly inaccurate. That’s something that will need to improve if Atlanta is going to make any noise this year.
India Trotter is the only other experienced midfielder, having played both in WPS and abroad. Only second year player Angela Salem has limited experience among the rest. Rookie Kylie Wright out of UCLA is a defensive specialist that could develop into a solid WPS player. Both Megan Jesolva (California) and Vendula Strnadova (Memphis) have had good preseason camps. Bianca D’Agostino (Wake Forest) is another option in the midfield. Lauren Sesselmann has also seen action at midfield in the preseason.
Forwards: There is not another team even close to being this inexperienced at forward. Meghan Lenczyk, Katie Bethke, Lauren Sesselmann, and Kristina Larsen have a total of 10 WPS games played, with four starts and no goals among them. And those are all Sesselmann. Lenczyk and Bethke are rookies and Larsen might as well be as she suffered a season-ending injury in the 2010 preseason with Athletica.
Larsen and Lenczyk have showed potential in preseason, but again, it’s just preseason. Larsen, like her teammate Carli Lloyd, has a powerful shot. Galanis really likes what he sees in Lenczyk, but says she needs to get physically stronger. Bethke scored 26 career goals at the University of Minnesota.
Outlook: I just can’t see this team scoring many goals. Lloyd is probably their most dangerous offensive player and she will miss a good part of the season with national team duties. Chalupny, Larsen, and Lenczyk have score quite a few goals in preseason, but that’s against college competition. And their defense, while experienced, is not the fastest group in WPS by a long shot.
This team is very young and very inexperienced and we’ve all seen how hard it is for rookies to score a lot of goals. There does seem to be a positive attitude surrounding the team, probably in large part due to the amount of young players, but that will carry the team only so far.
This team is going to have to win a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 games and scratch and claw for every point they can get. They will lose fewer players to the World Cup than every other team in the league, but even with World Cup losses, the other five teams will still be more experienced. I wish I could be more positive about this team’s chances, and I could certainly be wrong, but it’s hard to see this team showing improvement over last year’s record.
January 25, 2011
US Takes Four Nations Tournament with 2-0 Victory
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Labels: Amy Rodriguez, Canada WNT, Carli Lloyd, China WNT, Christine Sinclair, Sweden, USWNT
Labels: Amy Rodriguez, Canada WNT, Carli Lloyd, China WNT, Christine Sinclair, Sweden, USWNT
The United States captured the final match of the Four Nations Tournament with a 2-0 victory over China. Canada defeated Sweden 1-0, but the US wins the tournament on tiebreakers.
Carli Lloyd scored in the first half off a corner kick with the US playing it short and then Lloyd hammering home a blast. Amy Rodriguez scored in the 67th minute to up the lead at 2-0 which is where it finished.
It was Christine Sinclair scoring the winning goal in Canada's 1-0 victory. A long header out of the back started the play, with Sinclair beating three Swedish defenders to the ball and hitting a low shot past the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.
Carli Lloyd scored in the first half off a corner kick with the US playing it short and then Lloyd hammering home a blast. Amy Rodriguez scored in the 67th minute to up the lead at 2-0 which is where it finished.
It was Christine Sinclair scoring the winning goal in Canada's 1-0 victory. A long header out of the back started the play, with Sinclair beating three Swedish defenders to the ball and hitting a low shot past the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.
December 18, 2010
Lloyd and Trotter Join Beat
Atlanta added two more players to the fold on Friday. USWNT midfielder Carli Lloyd and India Trotter were signed by the Beat.
Lloyd has been a regular starter for the national team for several years and is probably most known for her overtime goal against Brazil in the 2008 Olympics which gave the gold medal to the United States.
She was allocated to Chicago in 2008, but had a fairly disappointing season for them in 2009, scoring just two goals in 16 matches for the Red Stars. She was then signed by Sky Blue FC, but an injury put her out for most of the season, as she managed just 200 minutes of action in five matches.
Lloyd is known to have one of the most powerful shots in women's soccer. She recently celebrated her 100th cap with the USWNT in Chicago against Italy. She has scored 22 goals for the national team, with none being any bigger than the game winner in the Olympic finals.
Trotter was originally drafted by Saint Louis in the 2008 general draft, but opted not to play in WPS during the 2009 season. She did finally join Athletica for the 2010 campaign. She played sparingly for Athletica before their demise, but did start seven matches for Sky Blue after being signed midseason by the New Jersey franchise.
Trotter is multi-dimensional, able to play several positions on the field. She has played with FFC Frankfurt of the Frauen Bundesliga, after completing a very successful college career at Florida State University.
Lloyd has been a regular starter for the national team for several years and is probably most known for her overtime goal against Brazil in the 2008 Olympics which gave the gold medal to the United States.
She was allocated to Chicago in 2008, but had a fairly disappointing season for them in 2009, scoring just two goals in 16 matches for the Red Stars. She was then signed by Sky Blue FC, but an injury put her out for most of the season, as she managed just 200 minutes of action in five matches.
Lloyd is known to have one of the most powerful shots in women's soccer. She recently celebrated her 100th cap with the USWNT in Chicago against Italy. She has scored 22 goals for the national team, with none being any bigger than the game winner in the Olympic finals.
Trotter was originally drafted by Saint Louis in the 2008 general draft, but opted not to play in WPS during the 2009 season. She did finally join Athletica for the 2010 campaign. She played sparingly for Athletica before their demise, but did start seven matches for Sky Blue after being signed midseason by the New Jersey franchise.
Trotter is multi-dimensional, able to play several positions on the field. She has played with FFC Frankfurt of the Frauen Bundesliga, after completing a very successful college career at Florida State University.
November 5, 2010
MEXICO UPSETS US in World Cup Qualifying 2-1
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Maribel Dominguez, Mexican National Team, USWNT, Veronica Perez
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Maribel Dominguez, Mexican National Team, USWNT, Veronica Perez
A game Mexican squad, playing in front of a boisterous home crowd, upset the USWNT 2-1 tonight in Cancun, Mexico. For most of the evening, the underdog Mexicans outhustled and outplayed a US team that hadn't lost since a penalty kick decision at the 2009 Algarve Cup to Sweden.
Mexico had their foot on the gas peddle from the opening whistle, catching a sluggish looking US squad back on their heels. They struck first in the 3rd minute on a set piece. A long free kick was sent forward and Nayeli Rangel headed the ball toward the goal. Mexican star Maribel Dominguez slipped behind the defense and chipped the ball neatly over Nicole Barnhart's head for a 1-0 lead.
The US equalized in the 25th minute. A corner kick came loose in the box after Mexican goalkeeper Erika Vanegas was unable to handle it. Carli Lloyd slotted the loose ball into the net to knot the score at one.
It was only a minute later, however, that Mexico regained the lead. A high cross was sent into the box and former Saint Louis Athletica developmental player, Veronica Perez, headed it home past Barnhart.
The rest of the half saw the US often resorting to long passes and ill-advised shots, none of which came remotely close to scoring. Mexico headed into the intermission with a 2-1 lead. Little did anyone realize that there would be no more scoring.
The US would get very few good opportunities during the match. While they controlled the pace of the match much better in the 2nd half, the Mexican defense was more than up to the task, keeping most of the pressure away from their keeper. The Mexican team looked surprisingly poised compared to the far greater experienced USWNT. A frustrated US side was very ragged with their passing game and from a defensive standpoint, resorted to shirt-tugging all too often.
Perhaps the best chance for the US came well into the 2nd half as Alex Morgan corralled a loose ball off of a corner and turned with a hard shot that went right into the gut of Vanegas.
In stoppage time, Abby Wambach collided with Kenti Robles on a header that left both women bleeding, with blood gushing from Wambach's head. She got taped up, but the 4th official was unable to get the head referee's attention and Wambach was never able to rejoin the match.
A joyous Mexican crowd counted down the seconds to victory and the closing whistle set off quite the celebration. Mexico will now face Canada for the Concacaf championship, although both teams have already qualified for the World Cup. Canada broke open a close game late to win by a 4-0 margin over Costa Rica. Canadian goals were scored by Josee Belanger, Jonelle Foligno, Christine Sinclair, with a fourth coming on an own goal in stoppage time.
As for the US, the road just got a lot more difficult. They must now defeat Costa Rica once again in the 3rd place match. If they win that, they would face Italy in a home-and-home on November 20 and 27 for the final World Cup berth. Italy finished in 5th place in UEFA qualifying.
Mexico had their foot on the gas peddle from the opening whistle, catching a sluggish looking US squad back on their heels. They struck first in the 3rd minute on a set piece. A long free kick was sent forward and Nayeli Rangel headed the ball toward the goal. Mexican star Maribel Dominguez slipped behind the defense and chipped the ball neatly over Nicole Barnhart's head for a 1-0 lead.
The US equalized in the 25th minute. A corner kick came loose in the box after Mexican goalkeeper Erika Vanegas was unable to handle it. Carli Lloyd slotted the loose ball into the net to knot the score at one.
It was only a minute later, however, that Mexico regained the lead. A high cross was sent into the box and former Saint Louis Athletica developmental player, Veronica Perez, headed it home past Barnhart.
The rest of the half saw the US often resorting to long passes and ill-advised shots, none of which came remotely close to scoring. Mexico headed into the intermission with a 2-1 lead. Little did anyone realize that there would be no more scoring.
The US would get very few good opportunities during the match. While they controlled the pace of the match much better in the 2nd half, the Mexican defense was more than up to the task, keeping most of the pressure away from their keeper. The Mexican team looked surprisingly poised compared to the far greater experienced USWNT. A frustrated US side was very ragged with their passing game and from a defensive standpoint, resorted to shirt-tugging all too often.
Perhaps the best chance for the US came well into the 2nd half as Alex Morgan corralled a loose ball off of a corner and turned with a hard shot that went right into the gut of Vanegas.
In stoppage time, Abby Wambach collided with Kenti Robles on a header that left both women bleeding, with blood gushing from Wambach's head. She got taped up, but the 4th official was unable to get the head referee's attention and Wambach was never able to rejoin the match.
A joyous Mexican crowd counted down the seconds to victory and the closing whistle set off quite the celebration. Mexico will now face Canada for the Concacaf championship, although both teams have already qualified for the World Cup. Canada broke open a close game late to win by a 4-0 margin over Costa Rica. Canadian goals were scored by Josee Belanger, Jonelle Foligno, Christine Sinclair, with a fourth coming on an own goal in stoppage time.
As for the US, the road just got a lot more difficult. They must now defeat Costa Rica once again in the 3rd place match. If they win that, they would face Italy in a home-and-home on November 20 and 27 for the final World Cup berth. Italy finished in 5th place in UEFA qualifying.
April 27, 2010
WPS - Injury Update & Change in Injured Reserve Rules
Carli Lloyd of Sky Blue FC has been placed on 30-day injured reserve with a broken ankle, suffered in the match with the Chicago Red Stars. Lloyd suffered the injury to her left ankle in the 27th minute of last Sunday's win when she slipped on the surface at Toyota Park and landed awkwardly on her ankle. After getting herself to the Sky Blue FC sideline, she was unable to return to the match. She is expected to fully recover and return to action later this season.
Tobin Heath of Atlanta suffered an injury to her right ankle in the 18th minute of Saturday night's match at FC Gold Pride. The latest word on her is that the ankle was not broken, but further tests will be made to determine the full extent of the injury.
Athletica midfielder, Daniela, has now joined the team, but the exact timetable for her return is unknown at this point. She had been placed on the 60-day injured reserve list, however, that rule has just been changed to a new 30-day injured reserve status.
League Approves Changes to Injured Reserve Policy to “30-day Injured Reserve List”
from WPS press release...
At April’s WPS Board meeting, the league owners approved changes to the WPS Injured Reserve Policy from the previous 60-day Injured Reserve List.
Now, an injured reserve list called “30-day Injured Reserve” is available for players who experience a major injury. Once placed on the list, a player may not play in a league game for a minimum of 30 days. After the initial 30 days, up to a maximum number of days until June 30 (the day before player contracts are guaranteed), the player may remain on the IR or be activated, if the team chooses to do so.
For a player on the IR as of the last day before semi-guaranteed player contracts become guaranteed, the team must either activate the player or declare her to be a season-ending injury. During the time the player is on the IR, the player’s salary continues to count against the in-season total team salary compensation. If the team elects to replace the player while she is on the IR, they may do so, and the salary of the replacement player does not count against the cap.
The 60-day Injured Reserve policy is no longer in place. However, the season-ending injury policy remains unaltered: rostered players who are listed with season-ending injuries will not have their salaries count towards total team compensation and can be replaced by replacement players.
Tobin Heath of Atlanta suffered an injury to her right ankle in the 18th minute of Saturday night's match at FC Gold Pride. The latest word on her is that the ankle was not broken, but further tests will be made to determine the full extent of the injury.
Athletica midfielder, Daniela, has now joined the team, but the exact timetable for her return is unknown at this point. She had been placed on the 60-day injured reserve list, however, that rule has just been changed to a new 30-day injured reserve status.
League Approves Changes to Injured Reserve Policy to “30-day Injured Reserve List”
from WPS press release...
At April’s WPS Board meeting, the league owners approved changes to the WPS Injured Reserve Policy from the previous 60-day Injured Reserve List.
Now, an injured reserve list called “30-day Injured Reserve” is available for players who experience a major injury. Once placed on the list, a player may not play in a league game for a minimum of 30 days. After the initial 30 days, up to a maximum number of days until June 30 (the day before player contracts are guaranteed), the player may remain on the IR or be activated, if the team chooses to do so.
For a player on the IR as of the last day before semi-guaranteed player contracts become guaranteed, the team must either activate the player or declare her to be a season-ending injury. During the time the player is on the IR, the player’s salary continues to count against the in-season total team salary compensation. If the team elects to replace the player while she is on the IR, they may do so, and the salary of the replacement player does not count against the cap.
The 60-day Injured Reserve policy is no longer in place. However, the season-ending injury policy remains unaltered: rostered players who are listed with season-ending injuries will not have their salaries count towards total team compensation and can be replaced by replacement players.
April 4, 2010
Sky Blue 2010 - Defending Champs Have Depth and Talent
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Labels: 2010 WPS, Carli Lloyd, Christie Rampone, Jen Branam, Jessica Landstrom, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC
Labels: 2010 WPS, Carli Lloyd, Christie Rampone, Jen Branam, Jessica Landstrom, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC
Coach: Paula Miettinen
2009 Record: 7-8-5 (4th place)
Postseason: Defeated Washington 2-1, Saint Louis 1-0, and Los Angeles 1-0 for the WPS Championship.
Returnees (11): Anita Asante, Yael Averbuch, Karen Bardsley, Jenni Branam, Keeley Dowling, Natasha Kai, Heather O’Reilly, Christie Rampone, Rosana, Meghan Schnur, Kacey White.
Draft Choices (4): Brittany Taylor, Danielle Johnson, Katie Schoepfer, Meagan Snell
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Kiersten Dallstream
International Signings ( 3): Laura Kalmari, Daphne Koster, Jessica Landström
Free Agents (3): Carli Lloyd, Ashley Thompson, Angela Salem.
For Sky Blue FC, the 2009 season was a tumultuous one. They got out to a terribly slow start, went through two coaching changes, and were in last place as late as early July. They made the playoffs on the last day of the season by the skin of their teeth and then put together a great playoff run to win the championship.
The orange clad team from Jersey start the 2010 season with yet another new coach, Paula Miettinen of Finland. But unlike early 2009, there is a confident mood surrounding the Sky Blue organization. Sky Blue has as many returning starters as any team in the league and they have added four big name free agents to the fold. Domestically, they plucked Carli Lloyd away from Chicago and then on the international front, they looked toward Europe to add a trio of talented players in Laura Kalmari, Daphne Koster, and Jessica Landström. Indeed, Miettinen appears to have the deepest squad in the league.
Goalkeeping-Sky Blue is one of the few teams in WPS to return their top two keepers from ’09. Leading the way is Jen Branam, who had a stellar run to finish the season. Short in stature, Branam relies on guts, quickness, and mobility. And after watching her venture 40 yards out during SBFC’s playoff run, it’s safe to say she may be the league’s most aggressive goalkeeper. Karen Bardsley gives Sky Blue a quality backup. A member of the English National Team, Bardsley shared starting duties with Branam early last year. Ashley Thompson, who played for Hudson Valley of the W-League in 2009, will be Sky Blue’s developmental keeper.
Defenders-Sky Blue returns all four starters from last season's back line and they are a strong group. It starts in the middle with Christie Rampone and Anita Asante. Rampone has been a mainstay on the USWNT for years and the team's captain. Asante is a member of the English National Team and has over 40 caps. Keeley Dowling returns at outside right back. Dowling had a very good season in 2009, capping it off with a game winning goal against Saint Louis in the playoffs. Not to mention, she also has one the biggest vertical leaps in WPS. Meghan Schnur had a solid 2009 season at outside left and now has international experience of her own.
However, defense became an area of concern with Christie Rampone's pregnancy and Anita Asante injured, leaving SBFC looking woefully thin on the back line. In addition, they lost versatile role players Jen Buczkowski and Julianne Sitch. But Sky Blue quickly moved to fix that problem by adding Daphne Koster, captain of the Dutch National Team, and top college prospect Brittany Taylor out of Connecticut. Koster is one of the best defenders in Europe and she brings over 90 caps of international experience to Sky Blue. Taylor just got her first cap with the USWNT and she played last year with Sky Blue’s Hudson Valley affiliate. In addition to Taylor, Sky Blue drafted Danielle Johnson out of Ole Miss. When Rampone and Asante return, the problem will be finding playing time for everyone. Once everyone is back, this could be the best defense in WPS.
Midfielders-It will be interesting to see how Miettinen uses her many talented midfielders in the formation. Yael Averbuch finished strong in 2009 after seeing little playing time early on and has played her way onto the USWNT. She was especially effective in the postseason, assisting on 2 of SBFC’s 4 playoff goals. Heather O’Reilly, Kacey White, and Rosana gives Sky Blue a trio of talented attacking midfielders. They combined for 10 goals and four assists in 2009.
Perhaps the biggest question here will be how much the addition of Carli Lloyd will help. After her Olympic heroics in 2008, she had a fairly disappointing season for the Red Stars in ’09. However, her play at the Algarve Cup was praised by national team coach, Pia Sundhage, and she has already proven to be a big offensive contributor in the preseason.
Forwards-After managing to score 6 goals in an injury filled 2009 season, Natasha Kai returns with a clean bill of health and ready to menace opposing defenses. Sky Blue has added Jessica Landström, who scored 12 goals last year with Linköpings in Sweden, and Laura Kalmari, Finland’s all-time leading scorer. At nearly 6 feet tall, Landström gives Sky Blue one of the tallest strikers in the league. For depth, SBFC drafted Katie Schoepfer (Penn St.) and Meagan Snell (Santa Clara). In a pinch, Sky Blue could always move Rosana or White forward.
Summary-There is a lot to like about this Sky Blue team. They now have the deepest team in the league. They've brought back as good a nucleus from last year as any other team and they made some nice international signings which should fill in areas that could have been weaknesses. They also have a lot of size and speed on this team. And they return one of the league’s top goalkeepers as of the end of the season. The wait for Rampone and Asante to join the team could lead to a little anxiety, but Sky Blue’s depth should provide them with suitable alternatives in the interim.
The one thing I can’t get out of my head, though, is that this team came within an eyelash of being a 5th place also ran last season. If Kerri Hanks doesn’t score in stoppage against Chicago or if Boston holds on to its 1-0 lead over LA on the final day of the season, we would be talking about a team that missed the playoffs in 2009. Sky Blue made the playoffs and the rest is history. But which team are they, the one that started painfully slow last season and finished with a losing record in the regular season or the team that swept through the playoffs with amazing efficiency to the championship? Only time will tell.
2009 Record: 7-8-5 (4th place)
Postseason: Defeated Washington 2-1, Saint Louis 1-0, and Los Angeles 1-0 for the WPS Championship.
Returnees (11): Anita Asante, Yael Averbuch, Karen Bardsley, Jenni Branam, Keeley Dowling, Natasha Kai, Heather O’Reilly, Christie Rampone, Rosana, Meghan Schnur, Kacey White.
Draft Choices (4): Brittany Taylor, Danielle Johnson, Katie Schoepfer, Meagan Snell
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Kiersten Dallstream
International Signings ( 3): Laura Kalmari, Daphne Koster, Jessica Landström
Free Agents (3): Carli Lloyd, Ashley Thompson, Angela Salem.
For Sky Blue FC, the 2009 season was a tumultuous one. They got out to a terribly slow start, went through two coaching changes, and were in last place as late as early July. They made the playoffs on the last day of the season by the skin of their teeth and then put together a great playoff run to win the championship.
The orange clad team from Jersey start the 2010 season with yet another new coach, Paula Miettinen of Finland. But unlike early 2009, there is a confident mood surrounding the Sky Blue organization. Sky Blue has as many returning starters as any team in the league and they have added four big name free agents to the fold. Domestically, they plucked Carli Lloyd away from Chicago and then on the international front, they looked toward Europe to add a trio of talented players in Laura Kalmari, Daphne Koster, and Jessica Landström. Indeed, Miettinen appears to have the deepest squad in the league.
Goalkeeping-Sky Blue is one of the few teams in WPS to return their top two keepers from ’09. Leading the way is Jen Branam, who had a stellar run to finish the season. Short in stature, Branam relies on guts, quickness, and mobility. And after watching her venture 40 yards out during SBFC’s playoff run, it’s safe to say she may be the league’s most aggressive goalkeeper. Karen Bardsley gives Sky Blue a quality backup. A member of the English National Team, Bardsley shared starting duties with Branam early last year. Ashley Thompson, who played for Hudson Valley of the W-League in 2009, will be Sky Blue’s developmental keeper.
Defenders-Sky Blue returns all four starters from last season's back line and they are a strong group. It starts in the middle with Christie Rampone and Anita Asante. Rampone has been a mainstay on the USWNT for years and the team's captain. Asante is a member of the English National Team and has over 40 caps. Keeley Dowling returns at outside right back. Dowling had a very good season in 2009, capping it off with a game winning goal against Saint Louis in the playoffs. Not to mention, she also has one the biggest vertical leaps in WPS. Meghan Schnur had a solid 2009 season at outside left and now has international experience of her own.
However, defense became an area of concern with Christie Rampone's pregnancy and Anita Asante injured, leaving SBFC looking woefully thin on the back line. In addition, they lost versatile role players Jen Buczkowski and Julianne Sitch. But Sky Blue quickly moved to fix that problem by adding Daphne Koster, captain of the Dutch National Team, and top college prospect Brittany Taylor out of Connecticut. Koster is one of the best defenders in Europe and she brings over 90 caps of international experience to Sky Blue. Taylor just got her first cap with the USWNT and she played last year with Sky Blue’s Hudson Valley affiliate. In addition to Taylor, Sky Blue drafted Danielle Johnson out of Ole Miss. When Rampone and Asante return, the problem will be finding playing time for everyone. Once everyone is back, this could be the best defense in WPS.
Midfielders-It will be interesting to see how Miettinen uses her many talented midfielders in the formation. Yael Averbuch finished strong in 2009 after seeing little playing time early on and has played her way onto the USWNT. She was especially effective in the postseason, assisting on 2 of SBFC’s 4 playoff goals. Heather O’Reilly, Kacey White, and Rosana gives Sky Blue a trio of talented attacking midfielders. They combined for 10 goals and four assists in 2009.
Perhaps the biggest question here will be how much the addition of Carli Lloyd will help. After her Olympic heroics in 2008, she had a fairly disappointing season for the Red Stars in ’09. However, her play at the Algarve Cup was praised by national team coach, Pia Sundhage, and she has already proven to be a big offensive contributor in the preseason.
Forwards-After managing to score 6 goals in an injury filled 2009 season, Natasha Kai returns with a clean bill of health and ready to menace opposing defenses. Sky Blue has added Jessica Landström, who scored 12 goals last year with Linköpings in Sweden, and Laura Kalmari, Finland’s all-time leading scorer. At nearly 6 feet tall, Landström gives Sky Blue one of the tallest strikers in the league. For depth, SBFC drafted Katie Schoepfer (Penn St.) and Meagan Snell (Santa Clara). In a pinch, Sky Blue could always move Rosana or White forward.
Summary-There is a lot to like about this Sky Blue team. They now have the deepest team in the league. They've brought back as good a nucleus from last year as any other team and they made some nice international signings which should fill in areas that could have been weaknesses. They also have a lot of size and speed on this team. And they return one of the league’s top goalkeepers as of the end of the season. The wait for Rampone and Asante to join the team could lead to a little anxiety, but Sky Blue’s depth should provide them with suitable alternatives in the interim.
The one thing I can’t get out of my head, though, is that this team came within an eyelash of being a 5th place also ran last season. If Kerri Hanks doesn’t score in stoppage against Chicago or if Boston holds on to its 1-0 lead over LA on the final day of the season, we would be talking about a team that missed the playoffs in 2009. Sky Blue made the playoffs and the rest is history. But which team are they, the one that started painfully slow last season and finished with a losing record in the regular season or the team that swept through the playoffs with amazing efficiency to the championship? Only time will tell.
January 3, 2010
Sky Blue FC - The Offseason So Far
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Labels: Carli Lloyd, Christie Rampone, Jen Branam, Jessica Landstrom, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC
Labels: Carli Lloyd, Christie Rampone, Jen Branam, Jessica Landstrom, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC
When Last We Left Them...
Sky Blue finished 4th in the WPS regular season with 26 points. A very slow start left them in last place with a 2-5-3 record by midseason. At that point, they had scored only 6 goals and already had a coaching change behind them. Under new coach Kelly Lindsey, SBFC made a strong move going 3-0-1 to start July. Just when things were going well, Lindsey resigned and defender Christie Rampone was named as Sky Blue's 3rd coach. A loss to Washington in their last regular season match put them in the precarious position of needing help from Los Angeles, which they received as Boston dropped a 2-1 decision, putting Sky Blue in the playoffs.
So let's see, two coaching changes, a losing record in the regular season, a terrible record against the other three playoff teams (0-7-2) and what does that mean. Well, in Sky Blue's case, it means a WPS Championship. They put together a memorable playoff run of 3 one-goal victories, defeating Los Angeles 1-0 in the final. So what changed?
For one thing, Jen Branam became the league's hottest keeper in the playoffs, in spite of her 40 yard adventures into the midfield. After spending most of the early season on the bench, Yael Averbuch finally got a chance to start and became a big part of their playoff run. After missing the first 3 games of the season, Rosana became a consistent force in the offensive end. Natasha Kai's ailing shoulders held together just long enough and two seldom used subs, acquired in late June from Saint Louis, both got key game winning goals. Kerri Hanks scored in stoppage to defeat Chicago in mid-July and Francielle scored the game winner in the 1st round playoff match against Washington.
And then there was Rampone, whose leadership on and off the field enabled Sky Blue to weather a lot of storms, overcome adversity, and win a championship.
Roster Moves
It wouldn't be Sky Blue if we didn't start off this section by mentioning that they have hired their 4th head coach, Paula Miettinen of Finland. The 2010 version of Sky Blue will have a decidedly more European flavor to it on the field as well.
Back will be 12 players from their championship roster, including their top 4 goal scorers, Rosana, Natasha Kai, Heather O'Reilly, and Kacey White. They will also return their entire back line with Rampone, Anita Asante, Keeley Dowling, and Meghan Schnur.
Sky Blue did lose Jen Buczkowski and Noelle Keselica in the expansion draft. Buczkowski was a key factor in New Jersey's playoff run. She held down Asante's back line position in the playoffs and did a great job. She started 8 regular season games and all 3 playoff matches, seeing action at defensive mid and center back. Keselica played in 5 regular season contests at forward. Sky Blue also lost Julianne Sitch, who was signed by Chicago. Sitch played in 16 and started 11 games for Sky Blue, scoring one goal.
Sky Blue's first acquisition was to sign free agent midfielder Carli Lloyd. Lloyd is coming off of a disappointing season in Chicago, where she scored 2 goals and an assist for the Red Stars. She has a powerful shot, but will need to focus on better accuracy. Only 7 of her 40 shots last year were on goal.
Then Sky Blue turned its attention to the international market. Gone from last year's international group are Kelly Parker, Francielle, and Collette McCallum. SBFC signed Dutch defender Daphne Koster in October. Koster will be 29 when the 2010 season opens and she has nearly 100 caps for the Dutch National Team. Next, Sky Blue signed two Scandanavian strikers, Jessica Landström of Sweden and Laura Kalmari of Finland. In two seasons at Linköping, Landström scored 23 goals. The 25-year old has been on the Swedish National Team since 2007 and has earned 30 caps, while scoring 9 goals. Kalmari has 119 caps and 36 goals in her career with the Finnish National Team and is their all-time leading goal scorer.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (2)- Karen Bardsley, Jen Branam.
Defenders (6)- Anita Asante, Keeley Dowling, Ashleigh Gunning, Daphne Koster, Christie Rampone, Meghan Schnur.
Midfielders (5)- Yael Averbuch, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Rosana, Kacey White.
Forwards (4)- Kerri Hanks, Natasha Kai, Laura Kalmari, Jessica Landström.
Additions- Gunning, Kalmari, Koster, Landström, and Lloyd.
Subtractions- Jen Buczkowski (drafted by Philadelphia), Noelle Keselica (drafted by Atlanta), Julianne Sitch (signed by Chicago), Collette McCallum (waived), Kelly Parker (waived), Francielle (waived).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster- Cori Alexander, Mele French, Katie Hooker, and Lauren Sesselmann.
Internationals-Asante, Kalmari, Koster, Landström, and Rosana.
Draft Choices (in first 3 rounds)- Nos. 6, 26, and 29.
Needs To Address
Quite frankly, there aren't many because Sky Blue has already addressed their most pressing needs. On defense, there is certainly some doubt as to when Rampone would be ready after coming back from her pregnancy, but Sky Blue signed Koster, so that problem is solved. With McCallum, Parker, and Francielle gone out of the midfield, there might have been a need there, but SBFC signed Carli Lloyd. There also had to be concern about Natasha Kai's shoulder surgery and their lack of scoring in 2009, but Sky Blue has added Kalmari and Landström. In fact, Sky Blue already has 17 players under contract for 2010, so there aren't many openings.
In light of this, Sky Blue should be able to use the 6th overall pick to choose the proverbial "best player available." Or it could mean that they could take more of a chance on a player with a lot of raw ability that still needs to develop. In either case, it's an enviable position to be in.
One thing that Sky Blue will miss is the solid play they got out of role players like Buczkowski and Sitch. These are the type of players that aren't big headliners, but that every championship team needs, the ultimate team players if you will. Who will take on that role for Sky Blue in 2010?
Sky Blue finished 4th in the WPS regular season with 26 points. A very slow start left them in last place with a 2-5-3 record by midseason. At that point, they had scored only 6 goals and already had a coaching change behind them. Under new coach Kelly Lindsey, SBFC made a strong move going 3-0-1 to start July. Just when things were going well, Lindsey resigned and defender Christie Rampone was named as Sky Blue's 3rd coach. A loss to Washington in their last regular season match put them in the precarious position of needing help from Los Angeles, which they received as Boston dropped a 2-1 decision, putting Sky Blue in the playoffs.
So let's see, two coaching changes, a losing record in the regular season, a terrible record against the other three playoff teams (0-7-2) and what does that mean. Well, in Sky Blue's case, it means a WPS Championship. They put together a memorable playoff run of 3 one-goal victories, defeating Los Angeles 1-0 in the final. So what changed?
For one thing, Jen Branam became the league's hottest keeper in the playoffs, in spite of her 40 yard adventures into the midfield. After spending most of the early season on the bench, Yael Averbuch finally got a chance to start and became a big part of their playoff run. After missing the first 3 games of the season, Rosana became a consistent force in the offensive end. Natasha Kai's ailing shoulders held together just long enough and two seldom used subs, acquired in late June from Saint Louis, both got key game winning goals. Kerri Hanks scored in stoppage to defeat Chicago in mid-July and Francielle scored the game winner in the 1st round playoff match against Washington.
And then there was Rampone, whose leadership on and off the field enabled Sky Blue to weather a lot of storms, overcome adversity, and win a championship.
Roster Moves
It wouldn't be Sky Blue if we didn't start off this section by mentioning that they have hired their 4th head coach, Paula Miettinen of Finland. The 2010 version of Sky Blue will have a decidedly more European flavor to it on the field as well.
Back will be 12 players from their championship roster, including their top 4 goal scorers, Rosana, Natasha Kai, Heather O'Reilly, and Kacey White. They will also return their entire back line with Rampone, Anita Asante, Keeley Dowling, and Meghan Schnur.
Sky Blue did lose Jen Buczkowski and Noelle Keselica in the expansion draft. Buczkowski was a key factor in New Jersey's playoff run. She held down Asante's back line position in the playoffs and did a great job. She started 8 regular season games and all 3 playoff matches, seeing action at defensive mid and center back. Keselica played in 5 regular season contests at forward. Sky Blue also lost Julianne Sitch, who was signed by Chicago. Sitch played in 16 and started 11 games for Sky Blue, scoring one goal.
Sky Blue's first acquisition was to sign free agent midfielder Carli Lloyd. Lloyd is coming off of a disappointing season in Chicago, where she scored 2 goals and an assist for the Red Stars. She has a powerful shot, but will need to focus on better accuracy. Only 7 of her 40 shots last year were on goal.
Then Sky Blue turned its attention to the international market. Gone from last year's international group are Kelly Parker, Francielle, and Collette McCallum. SBFC signed Dutch defender Daphne Koster in October. Koster will be 29 when the 2010 season opens and she has nearly 100 caps for the Dutch National Team. Next, Sky Blue signed two Scandanavian strikers, Jessica Landström of Sweden and Laura Kalmari of Finland. In two seasons at Linköping, Landström scored 23 goals. The 25-year old has been on the Swedish National Team since 2007 and has earned 30 caps, while scoring 9 goals. Kalmari has 119 caps and 36 goals in her career with the Finnish National Team and is their all-time leading goal scorer.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (2)- Karen Bardsley, Jen Branam.
Defenders (6)- Anita Asante, Keeley Dowling, Ashleigh Gunning, Daphne Koster, Christie Rampone, Meghan Schnur.
Midfielders (5)- Yael Averbuch, Carli Lloyd, Heather O'Reilly, Rosana, Kacey White.
Forwards (4)- Kerri Hanks, Natasha Kai, Laura Kalmari, Jessica Landström.
Additions- Gunning, Kalmari, Koster, Landström, and Lloyd.
Subtractions- Jen Buczkowski (drafted by Philadelphia), Noelle Keselica (drafted by Atlanta), Julianne Sitch (signed by Chicago), Collette McCallum (waived), Kelly Parker (waived), Francielle (waived).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster- Cori Alexander, Mele French, Katie Hooker, and Lauren Sesselmann.
Internationals-Asante, Kalmari, Koster, Landström, and Rosana.
Draft Choices (in first 3 rounds)- Nos. 6, 26, and 29.
Needs To Address
Quite frankly, there aren't many because Sky Blue has already addressed their most pressing needs. On defense, there is certainly some doubt as to when Rampone would be ready after coming back from her pregnancy, but Sky Blue signed Koster, so that problem is solved. With McCallum, Parker, and Francielle gone out of the midfield, there might have been a need there, but SBFC signed Carli Lloyd. There also had to be concern about Natasha Kai's shoulder surgery and their lack of scoring in 2009, but Sky Blue has added Kalmari and Landström. In fact, Sky Blue already has 17 players under contract for 2010, so there aren't many openings.
In light of this, Sky Blue should be able to use the 6th overall pick to choose the proverbial "best player available." Or it could mean that they could take more of a chance on a player with a lot of raw ability that still needs to develop. In either case, it's an enviable position to be in.
One thing that Sky Blue will miss is the solid play they got out of role players like Buczkowski and Sitch. These are the type of players that aren't big headliners, but that every championship team needs, the ultimate team players if you will. Who will take on that role for Sky Blue in 2010?
September 30, 2009
WPS Teams Announce Player Transactions
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Labels: Aly Wagner, Carli Lloyd, Cristiane, Formiga, Heather Mitts, Leslie Osborne, WPS Free Agents
Labels: Aly Wagner, Carli Lloyd, Cristiane, Formiga, Heather Mitts, Leslie Osborne, WPS Free Agents
With September 30 being a deadline to exercise options or re-sign players for the 2010 season, all WPS teams released lists of which players would be under contract for 2010 and which players would become free agents.
There are several big names among those who are now free agents. Among them, 15 of the 34 international players from the 2009 season and several US National Team players. Notable among the international players who became free agents are WPS All-Stars Formiga and Cristiane. Among the US National Team players who will be free agents are Carli Lloyd, Leslie Osborne, Aly Wagner, and Heather Mitts. This could make for a very interesting offseason for the young league.
A complete list of transactions can be found at the WPS website.
There are several big names among those who are now free agents. Among them, 15 of the 34 international players from the 2009 season and several US National Team players. Notable among the international players who became free agents are WPS All-Stars Formiga and Cristiane. Among the US National Team players who will be free agents are Carli Lloyd, Leslie Osborne, Aly Wagner, and Heather Mitts. This could make for a very interesting offseason for the young league.
A complete list of transactions can be found at the WPS website.
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