Boston Breakers 2, Sky Blue FC 0
Lauren Cheney scored just 14 seconds into the match and then added another to lead the Boston Breakers to a 2-0 victory over Sky Blue. The victory moved Boston into a fourth place tie with Sky Blue, with the Breakers winning the final playoff berth by tiebreaker. The Breakers won the head-to-head matchup with Sky Blue for the season.
Cheney, who had just one goal entering the contest, wasted no time in putting Boston in the lead. Keelin Winters sent a cross to Cheney, who volleyed it one-time past Jen Branam and the Breakers led 1-0.
Cheney scored her second of the match in the 18th minute. Meghan Klingenberg sent a cross into the penalty area with Cheney getting a piece of it to redirect it into the goal for a 2-0 lead.
Sky Blue attempted to get back in the match by making early substitutions for offense. Coach Jim Gabarra brought Casey Nogueira in for defender Petra Hogewoning late in the first half, going to a three back formation. Later, Adriana subbed in for Danielle Johnson with Sky Blue going to a two back formation. But in spite of all efforts, they had dug themselves too big of a hole.
Alyssa Naeher picked up the shutout for Boston. It was her fifth of the season tying her with Jen Branam and Ashlyn Harris for the league best.
Boston ended a four game losing streak with this victory. They finish the regular season with a 5-9-4 record. It is the worst record of any team ever to make the WPS playoffs. Only two other teams with a losing record have made the playoffs. The 2010 Washington Freedom finished at 8-9-7 and were eliminated in the first round. The 2009 Sky Blue team finished 7-8-5, but went on to win three straight in the playoffs to capture the championship.
Sky Blue finishes the season with an identical 5-9-4 record, after coming within a couple minutes of clinching a playoff berth last weekend against Philadelphia.
Boston will now travel to Boca Raton to face magicJack in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday at 7:30 pm eastern time. The game will be televised on Fox Soccer.
magicJack 2, Philadelphia Independence 1
The duo of Lisa De Vanna and Ella Masar hooked up for two goals and magicJack was able to hold on for a 2-1 win over Philadelphia. The loss ended Philly's quest for first place in WPS.
Both teams rested several regulars for the match. Karina LeBlanc got her first start in goal for the season after being a mainstay in the league the past two seasons. She rewarded coach Abby Wambach with a victory.
De Vanna was making only her third start of the season as coach Abby Wambach elected to not start herself. She opened the scoring ten minutes into the match on an assist by Masar. De Vanna added another goal in the second half, once again from Masar, to make it 2-0.
Philadelphia cut the lead to 2-1, as Amy Rodriguez scored in the 79th minute, assisted by Laura del Rio. It was Rodriguez' second of the year.
MagicJack finishes the season at 9-7-2, making the playoffs for the third time in franchise history. They made the playoffs the previous two years as the Washington Freedom, but were eliminated in the first round on each occasion. Philadelphia drops to 11-4-3 and finishes in second place.
MagicJack will now host the first round playoff match against the Boston Breakers on Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm eastern. Philadelphia will host the winner of that match next Saturday in the semifinal match.
Western New York Flash 2, Atlanta Beat 0
Western New York clinched the regular season title and then went on to defeat Atlanta 2-0 on Sunday evening in Rochester. About a third of the way through the match, the Flash knew that Philly had lost to magicJack, thus giving the Flash the regular season title.
After Atlanta had played very well early on, Western New York took the lead in the 37th minute as Caroline Seger volleyed in a Alex Morgan cross to give the Flash the lead before the intermission.
While Atlanta had played tough for most of the first half, the second was literally dominated by the Flash who created chance after chance. Only a few offsides calls and some dicey finishing kept Atlanta in the match.
The Flash finally put the game away in the 75th minute as Christine Sinclair sent a through-ball to Marta who raced onto it and touched it past Allison Whitworth. For Marta, it was her 10th goal of the season, drawing her even with Sinclair for the league lead in that category.
The Flash finish with a 13-2-3 record and will now host the WPS Championship match on August 27. Ashlyn Harris picks up her fifth shutout of the season, tying her for the WPS lead in that category. The Flash became the first WPS team to average more than two goals per game, scoring 40 times in just 18 matches.
Atlanta finishes the season with 1-13-4 record, not having scored in the last 757 minutes of the season. Their last goal was in a June 11 game against magicJack and they failed to score a goal on the road during the season.
Final WPS Regular Season Standings
(1) Western New York 13-2-3, 42 pts; (2) Philadelphia 11-4-3, 36 pts; (3) magicJack 9-7-2, 28 pts; (4) Boston 5-9-4, 19 pts; (5) Sky Blue FC 5-9-4, 19 pts; (6) Atlanta 1-13-4, 7 pts.
magicJack was penalized a point during the season.
Boston won the tiebreaker over Sky Blue based on head-to-head points.
Showing posts with label Lisa De Vanna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lisa De Vanna. Show all posts
August 14, 2011
July 6, 2011
Australia 2, Norway 1
0
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Labels: Australia, Cecilie Pedersen, Elise Thorsnes, Erika Skarbo, Ingrid Hjelmseth, Ingvild Stensland, Kim Carroll, Kyah Simon, Lisa De Vanna, Melissa Barbieri, Norway, Trine Ronning
Labels: Australia, Cecilie Pedersen, Elise Thorsnes, Erika Skarbo, Ingrid Hjelmseth, Ingvild Stensland, Kim Carroll, Kyah Simon, Lisa De Vanna, Melissa Barbieri, Norway, Trine Ronning
In a winner take all battle for a quarterfinal berth, Australia defeated Norway 2-1 in a tense Group D match in Leverkusen. And it was the scoring touch of Kyah Simon that produced both goals for the Matildas.
Both teams made changes in their lineup for this match. Australia elected to get as much speed and offense into their lineup as possible, starting Caitlin Foord at right back, and the forward duo of Lisa De Vanna and Kyah Simon, with another forward, Samantha Kerr on the wing.
Norway moved Trine Ronning to the back line, starting Gry Tofte Ims and Lene Mykjaland in the midfield and Cecilie Pedersen at forward with Madeleine Giske, Nora Berge, and Isabell Herlovsen on the bench.
Norway held the early advantage in pressure and scoring chances, in fact for much of the first half. At the quarter hour mark, Norway were buzzing around the Australian penalty area, with Pedersen eventually blasting a shot from 12 yards. It appeared that Kim Carroll's cleat was the only thing that kept the ball from going into the net, as the Australian defender may just have gotten a piece of it.
Australia's first real effort was a long distance shot by Samantha Kerr which went harmlessly over the crossbar.
In the 26th minute, Norwegian keeper Ingrid Hjelmseth jumped to catch a high cross and landed awkwardly, apparently hurting her ankle. While she soldiered on for the remainder of the first half, she was replaced by Erika Skarbo at the intermission.
One of Norway's problems in the first two matches was putting shots on frame. Elise Thorsnes attempted to rectify that with three hard shots on goal within just a few minutes of the first half. But Matilda goalie Melissa Barbieri was able to stop and smother every shot. Thorsnes was certainly the most dangerous player on the pitch in the first half.
Australia took one other shot from distance by De Vanna at the end of the half, but Hjelmseth caught the ball easily. The game went to halftime scoreless. Norway made two changes at the half, the aforementioned Skarbo for Hjelmseth switch and Kristine Hegland came in for Emilie Haavi who had played well, but had been nursing an injury.
Norway pressured to start the second half in an attempt to get the lead. But their goal came on a very innocuous looking play. A long ball was played by Ingvild Stensland with the ball rolling toward the Australian penalty area. Barbieri, got to the edge of the box and decided to wait for the ball rather than going forward and kicking it clear. Thorsnes stepped around a defender, intercepted the ball directly in front of Barbieri and safely deposited it into the net. Norway had the lead they needed to advance in the 56th minute.
But the lead lasted less than a minute. Australia worked the ball up the left side where Ronning appeared to gain possession for Norway in the corner. But De Vanna deftly dispossessed the Norwegian defender, dribbled inside the box on the left side, and centered the ball to Kyah Simon who was just left of the penalty mark. Simon couldn't have been more accurate as she placed her shot in the lower right corner of the net with Skarbo having no chance. The game was now even again.
In the 67th minute, Australia threatened as Heather Garriock crossed from the left side. With both Kerr for Australia and Maren Mjelde for Norway charging toward the net, Skarbo was somehow able to make a sliding save to clear the ball out and preserve the tie.
Australia had another chance just three minutes later as De Vanna dispossessed another Norwegian defender, this time Guro Mienna. She passed the ball to the left of the box, but this time Simon's shot went wide of the right post.
Norway desperately tried to regain the lead. Ronning headed a Stensland corner kick over the bar in the 76th minute, followed by Pedersen's 16 yard shot going wide of the net just a minute later. But they came closest in the 84th minute, when it looked like they had retaken the lead.
Norway was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and Trine Ronning took the kick. Her shot from 22 yards hit the bottom of the crossbar almost in the upper left corner, but it did not go in and Australia was able to clear.
Australia put the game away in the 87th minute. Second half substitute Laura Alleway chased the ball down in the right corner and passed it to Kim Carroll who was about 28 yards out on the right wing. Carroll one-timed it into to the six-yard box dead center and Simon headed the ball home for her second goal of the match.
The match ended 2-1 for Australia and the Matildas were through to the quarterfinals, finishing in 2nd place in Group D. They will now face Sweden, who defeated the United States in Group C action today.
Both teams made changes in their lineup for this match. Australia elected to get as much speed and offense into their lineup as possible, starting Caitlin Foord at right back, and the forward duo of Lisa De Vanna and Kyah Simon, with another forward, Samantha Kerr on the wing.
Norway moved Trine Ronning to the back line, starting Gry Tofte Ims and Lene Mykjaland in the midfield and Cecilie Pedersen at forward with Madeleine Giske, Nora Berge, and Isabell Herlovsen on the bench.
Norway held the early advantage in pressure and scoring chances, in fact for much of the first half. At the quarter hour mark, Norway were buzzing around the Australian penalty area, with Pedersen eventually blasting a shot from 12 yards. It appeared that Kim Carroll's cleat was the only thing that kept the ball from going into the net, as the Australian defender may just have gotten a piece of it.
Australia's first real effort was a long distance shot by Samantha Kerr which went harmlessly over the crossbar.
In the 26th minute, Norwegian keeper Ingrid Hjelmseth jumped to catch a high cross and landed awkwardly, apparently hurting her ankle. While she soldiered on for the remainder of the first half, she was replaced by Erika Skarbo at the intermission.
One of Norway's problems in the first two matches was putting shots on frame. Elise Thorsnes attempted to rectify that with three hard shots on goal within just a few minutes of the first half. But Matilda goalie Melissa Barbieri was able to stop and smother every shot. Thorsnes was certainly the most dangerous player on the pitch in the first half.
Australia took one other shot from distance by De Vanna at the end of the half, but Hjelmseth caught the ball easily. The game went to halftime scoreless. Norway made two changes at the half, the aforementioned Skarbo for Hjelmseth switch and Kristine Hegland came in for Emilie Haavi who had played well, but had been nursing an injury.
Norway pressured to start the second half in an attempt to get the lead. But their goal came on a very innocuous looking play. A long ball was played by Ingvild Stensland with the ball rolling toward the Australian penalty area. Barbieri, got to the edge of the box and decided to wait for the ball rather than going forward and kicking it clear. Thorsnes stepped around a defender, intercepted the ball directly in front of Barbieri and safely deposited it into the net. Norway had the lead they needed to advance in the 56th minute.
But the lead lasted less than a minute. Australia worked the ball up the left side where Ronning appeared to gain possession for Norway in the corner. But De Vanna deftly dispossessed the Norwegian defender, dribbled inside the box on the left side, and centered the ball to Kyah Simon who was just left of the penalty mark. Simon couldn't have been more accurate as she placed her shot in the lower right corner of the net with Skarbo having no chance. The game was now even again.
In the 67th minute, Australia threatened as Heather Garriock crossed from the left side. With both Kerr for Australia and Maren Mjelde for Norway charging toward the net, Skarbo was somehow able to make a sliding save to clear the ball out and preserve the tie.
Australia had another chance just three minutes later as De Vanna dispossessed another Norwegian defender, this time Guro Mienna. She passed the ball to the left of the box, but this time Simon's shot went wide of the right post.
Norway desperately tried to regain the lead. Ronning headed a Stensland corner kick over the bar in the 76th minute, followed by Pedersen's 16 yard shot going wide of the net just a minute later. But they came closest in the 84th minute, when it looked like they had retaken the lead.
Norway was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and Trine Ronning took the kick. Her shot from 22 yards hit the bottom of the crossbar almost in the upper left corner, but it did not go in and Australia was able to clear.
Australia put the game away in the 87th minute. Second half substitute Laura Alleway chased the ball down in the right corner and passed it to Kim Carroll who was about 28 yards out on the right wing. Carroll one-timed it into to the six-yard box dead center and Simon headed the ball home for her second goal of the match.
The match ended 2-1 for Australia and the Matildas were through to the quarterfinals, finishing in 2nd place in Group D. They will now face Sweden, who defeated the United States in Group C action today.
July 3, 2011
Australia 3, Equatorial Guinea 2
0
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Anonman, Australia, Collette McCallum, Emily Von Egmond, Equatorial Guinea, Leena Khamis, Lisa De Vanna, Lydia Williams, Miriam, Vania
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Anonman, Australia, Collette McCallum, Emily Von Egmond, Equatorial Guinea, Leena Khamis, Lisa De Vanna, Lydia Williams, Miriam, Vania
In what surely will go down as one of the stranger games of this year's World Cup, Australia was able to hold on for a 3-2 victory over Equatorial Guinea. The victory keeps Australia well alive going into their final Group D match against Norway on Wednesday. Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, are on the brink of elimination pending the outcome of the Brazil-Norway match later today.
But what this game will probably be most remembered for is one of the most bizarre missed calls one will ever see. Australia was robbed of what should have been a penalty kick early in the match on what was a very strange play indeed.
Australia opened up the scoring in the 8th minute of the match, as Emily Van Egmond sent a ball into the box on the left side. Heather Garriock's original shot was hard and low, with Miriam making the save, but unable to secure the ball. Leena Khamis put the rebound into the net and the Matildas held a 1-0 advantage.
Then, in the 15th minute, absurdity came to the forefront. The play started with Heather Garriock's cross from the left side, which was perfectly placed for Leena Khamis' run at the near post. Khamis hit the left post from close in and then, for some strange reason, Equatorial Guinean defender Bruna grabbed the ball with both hands...and held it for two or three seconds while everyone looked on in disbelief.
But unfortunately for Australia, the only people in the stadium that didn't see it were the refereeing crew. While Khamis and several of the Aussie players pointed at Bruna and she continued to hold the ball, the referee and AR's apparently had a lapse, because no call was made. Bruna dropped the ball and eventually it was cleared, with Equatorial Guinea escaping what should have been a clear penalty opportunity for the Matildas.
The only reasonable explanation that one could see is that Miriam's orange goalkeeping jersey was somewhat similar to the red kits that the rest of her team were sporting and the referee mistakenly thought it was the goalkeeper who had handled the ball. The non-call seem to change the momentum of the game, as Australia had clearly dominated the match up until that point.
Anonman continued her shooting rampage, putting two shots wide right of the net in the 17th and 19th minute. But her persistence paid off in the 21st minute.
Australian defender Servet Uzunlar got a bit too casual as she was working to pass the ball back to keeper Lydia Williams and Anonman came up behind her, stole the ball, faked around Williams and deposited it into the net and just like that, it was 1-1. Anonman had struck like lightning and Australia was surely stunned by what had just happened.
However, the goal seemed to strengthen Australia's resolve and they went back to attacking over the remainder of the first half. Van Egmond hit a low bouncer from 16 yards that was handled by Miriam. A few minutes later, Khamis headed McCallum's free kick wide just wide of the near post and in the 40th minute, another McCallum free kick went loose in the box, but Miriam was able to cover up.
In the 41st minute, Anonman received a yellow card, apparently for wagging her finger in the referee's face one too many times. Play on both sides was becoming more contentious by the end of the half and tempers were beginning to flare.
Australia came close yet again just before intermission. McCallum's free kick from just outside the box rattled the crossbar and with Lauren Colthorpe waiting for the rebound, the ball took a high bounce over her head and Equatorial Guinea survived the first half with a tie score.
At the half, Tom Sermanni subbed in Lisa De Vanna for Sally Shipard and the move paid dividends. De Vanna was menacing for much of the second half and she injected new energy into the Australian side.
Play had been getting progressively chippier and the second half began with De Vanna being taken out on the left sideline on what bordered on a brutal tackle by Ana Christina. De Vanna came up limping and was clearly incensed, while her teammates tried to calm her. But she certainly used it as incentive to cause Equatorial Guinea problems throughout the second half.
It didn't take long for Australia to get the go ahead goal. Elise Kellond-Knight released a long pass up the left side, which Khamis used her great speed to track down just before it crossed the end line. Her one touch cross came back across the center of the box, but it was just a bit out of De Vanna's reach. However, Van Egmond was making a late run and was in perfect position to put the ball into the left side of the net from 10 yards out and Australian had regained the lead.
Australia increased their lead in the 51st minute. Just as EG's Diala was down on the pitch injured, McCallum recovered the ball at the center line and found De Vanna making a run to the top of the box. De Vanna used her left foot to touch the ball down and underneath Miriam into the net. At that point, it appeared that Aussies had the match in hand with a 3-1 lead.
In the 70th minute, Anonman hit a shot from the right side of the box from 15 yards which may have been headed for the upper left corner of the net. Lydia Williams leaped, barely getting a fingertip on the ball and force it wide. The referee incorrectly ruled a goal kick and Equatorial Guinea was denied a corner opportunity.
Not only was chippy play the order of the day, but apparently so was arguing with the referee. After being taken down by Sinforosa from behind, De Vanna was carded for pushing her complaint too far in the 72nd minute.
Australia came up with two more chances as they nearly widened their lead. McCallum, who was dangerous with free kicks all day long, tried to curl a left-footed shot inside the left post, but Vania was able to get a glancing header on it from the wall and the ball sailed just wide. A McCallum cross landed on top of the bar and bounced over in the 77th minute.
Anonman continued to pressure the Australian back line and she was able to bring Equatorial Guinea back into the match in the 83rd minute, with Uzunlar being the unfortunate victim again. Uzunlar made the mistake of trying to dribble around Anonman out of the back and the Guinean striker picked her clean. Anonman walked in alone and hit a well-placed shot into the lower right corner of the net and it was 3-2.
Surprisingly, only two minutes of stoppage was given, considering there were three goals, a couple of injuries, and a few yellow cards in the second half, not to mention several discussions between the players and the referee. Equatorial Guinea's last opportunity came in stoppage time. Laetitia effort from 25 yards went well wide of the net and Australia had held on to a 3-2 victory.
For Uzunlar, it has to be a day she'd just as soon forget, but it was somewhat softened by the Matilda's victory. De Vanna's energy and fire helped inspire the Aussie's in the second half. Khamis, McCallum, Van Egmond, and Garriock had very strong games for Australia and except for the two mistakes, Australia's defense was solid.
One cannot say enough about the play of Anonman. She was perpetually running at the Australian defense with seemingly endless energy and her efforts were the only reason they were able to stay in the match. However, it just wasn't enough for Equatorial Guinea to win on this day.
For Equatorial Guinea, only a miracle would prevent them from being eliminated. They will face Brazil on Wednesday.
Australia will now meet Norway in what could be a winner take all match for a quarterfinal berth on Wednesday. At this point, Australia and Norway have one goal victories over Equatorial Guinea, with the Aussies also suffering a one goal defeat by Brazil. Norway and Brazil both have three points and they will meet later today.
If Brazil should beat Norway, the goal differential could have major implications for that final match. A tie would mean that Australia would need to defeat Norway to advance. A Norwegian victory complicates matters further.
But what this game will probably be most remembered for is one of the most bizarre missed calls one will ever see. Australia was robbed of what should have been a penalty kick early in the match on what was a very strange play indeed.
Australia opened up the scoring in the 8th minute of the match, as Emily Van Egmond sent a ball into the box on the left side. Heather Garriock's original shot was hard and low, with Miriam making the save, but unable to secure the ball. Leena Khamis put the rebound into the net and the Matildas held a 1-0 advantage.
Then, in the 15th minute, absurdity came to the forefront. The play started with Heather Garriock's cross from the left side, which was perfectly placed for Leena Khamis' run at the near post. Khamis hit the left post from close in and then, for some strange reason, Equatorial Guinean defender Bruna grabbed the ball with both hands...and held it for two or three seconds while everyone looked on in disbelief.
But unfortunately for Australia, the only people in the stadium that didn't see it were the refereeing crew. While Khamis and several of the Aussie players pointed at Bruna and she continued to hold the ball, the referee and AR's apparently had a lapse, because no call was made. Bruna dropped the ball and eventually it was cleared, with Equatorial Guinea escaping what should have been a clear penalty opportunity for the Matildas.
The only reasonable explanation that one could see is that Miriam's orange goalkeeping jersey was somewhat similar to the red kits that the rest of her team were sporting and the referee mistakenly thought it was the goalkeeper who had handled the ball. The non-call seem to change the momentum of the game, as Australia had clearly dominated the match up until that point.
Anonman continued her shooting rampage, putting two shots wide right of the net in the 17th and 19th minute. But her persistence paid off in the 21st minute.
Australian defender Servet Uzunlar got a bit too casual as she was working to pass the ball back to keeper Lydia Williams and Anonman came up behind her, stole the ball, faked around Williams and deposited it into the net and just like that, it was 1-1. Anonman had struck like lightning and Australia was surely stunned by what had just happened.
However, the goal seemed to strengthen Australia's resolve and they went back to attacking over the remainder of the first half. Van Egmond hit a low bouncer from 16 yards that was handled by Miriam. A few minutes later, Khamis headed McCallum's free kick wide just wide of the near post and in the 40th minute, another McCallum free kick went loose in the box, but Miriam was able to cover up.
In the 41st minute, Anonman received a yellow card, apparently for wagging her finger in the referee's face one too many times. Play on both sides was becoming more contentious by the end of the half and tempers were beginning to flare.
Australia came close yet again just before intermission. McCallum's free kick from just outside the box rattled the crossbar and with Lauren Colthorpe waiting for the rebound, the ball took a high bounce over her head and Equatorial Guinea survived the first half with a tie score.
At the half, Tom Sermanni subbed in Lisa De Vanna for Sally Shipard and the move paid dividends. De Vanna was menacing for much of the second half and she injected new energy into the Australian side.
Play had been getting progressively chippier and the second half began with De Vanna being taken out on the left sideline on what bordered on a brutal tackle by Ana Christina. De Vanna came up limping and was clearly incensed, while her teammates tried to calm her. But she certainly used it as incentive to cause Equatorial Guinea problems throughout the second half.
It didn't take long for Australia to get the go ahead goal. Elise Kellond-Knight released a long pass up the left side, which Khamis used her great speed to track down just before it crossed the end line. Her one touch cross came back across the center of the box, but it was just a bit out of De Vanna's reach. However, Van Egmond was making a late run and was in perfect position to put the ball into the left side of the net from 10 yards out and Australian had regained the lead.
Australia increased their lead in the 51st minute. Just as EG's Diala was down on the pitch injured, McCallum recovered the ball at the center line and found De Vanna making a run to the top of the box. De Vanna used her left foot to touch the ball down and underneath Miriam into the net. At that point, it appeared that Aussies had the match in hand with a 3-1 lead.
In the 70th minute, Anonman hit a shot from the right side of the box from 15 yards which may have been headed for the upper left corner of the net. Lydia Williams leaped, barely getting a fingertip on the ball and force it wide. The referee incorrectly ruled a goal kick and Equatorial Guinea was denied a corner opportunity.
Not only was chippy play the order of the day, but apparently so was arguing with the referee. After being taken down by Sinforosa from behind, De Vanna was carded for pushing her complaint too far in the 72nd minute.
Australia came up with two more chances as they nearly widened their lead. McCallum, who was dangerous with free kicks all day long, tried to curl a left-footed shot inside the left post, but Vania was able to get a glancing header on it from the wall and the ball sailed just wide. A McCallum cross landed on top of the bar and bounced over in the 77th minute.
Anonman continued to pressure the Australian back line and she was able to bring Equatorial Guinea back into the match in the 83rd minute, with Uzunlar being the unfortunate victim again. Uzunlar made the mistake of trying to dribble around Anonman out of the back and the Guinean striker picked her clean. Anonman walked in alone and hit a well-placed shot into the lower right corner of the net and it was 3-2.
Surprisingly, only two minutes of stoppage was given, considering there were three goals, a couple of injuries, and a few yellow cards in the second half, not to mention several discussions between the players and the referee. Equatorial Guinea's last opportunity came in stoppage time. Laetitia effort from 25 yards went well wide of the net and Australia had held on to a 3-2 victory.
For Uzunlar, it has to be a day she'd just as soon forget, but it was somewhat softened by the Matilda's victory. De Vanna's energy and fire helped inspire the Aussie's in the second half. Khamis, McCallum, Van Egmond, and Garriock had very strong games for Australia and except for the two mistakes, Australia's defense was solid.
One cannot say enough about the play of Anonman. She was perpetually running at the Australian defense with seemingly endless energy and her efforts were the only reason they were able to stay in the match. However, it just wasn't enough for Equatorial Guinea to win on this day.
For Equatorial Guinea, only a miracle would prevent them from being eliminated. They will face Brazil on Wednesday.
Australia will now meet Norway in what could be a winner take all match for a quarterfinal berth on Wednesday. At this point, Australia and Norway have one goal victories over Equatorial Guinea, with the Aussies also suffering a one goal defeat by Brazil. Norway and Brazil both have three points and they will meet later today.
If Brazil should beat Norway, the goal differential could have major implications for that final match. A tie would mean that Australia would need to defeat Norway to advance. A Norwegian victory complicates matters further.
June 29, 2011
Brazil 1, Australia 0
0
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Andreia, Australia, Brazil, Collette McCallum, Cristiane, Kyah Simon, Lisa De Vanna, Marta, Maurine, Melissa Barbieri, Rosana, Tameka Butt
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Andreia, Australia, Brazil, Collette McCallum, Cristiane, Kyah Simon, Lisa De Vanna, Marta, Maurine, Melissa Barbieri, Rosana, Tameka Butt
In yet another low scoring, closely played match, Brazil was able to juggle their way to a 1-0 victory over Australia. These two teams played a close match in the 2007 World Cup as well, with Brazil winning 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Offense was not nearly so prevalent in this match.
Brazil had the first good opportunity of the match as Maurine crossed the ball in from the left side. Rosana was able to get her head on it, but from an awkward position and the ball landed on top of the net.
Australia played very well for the first 45 minutes. Kyah Simon was clipped by Erika in the 18th minute, but the referee ruled she was just outside of the penalty area. On the insuing free kick, Collette McCallum's effort was sent right into the middle. The ball fell to the ground, but in the scramble, Heather Garriock just couldn't quite get her foot on the ball and Brazil was able to clear.
A few minutes later, Simon's shot from 18 yards out appeared to be heading for the upper right part of the goal, but Brazilian keeper Andreia made a nice grab to keep Australia off the board.
On a long ball up the left side, Marta was able to beat a defender and then cross the ball from just shy of the end line. Her low cross found Cristiane 15 yards out, but her shot was not struck solidly. Rosana then gained possession but put the ball over the goal from eight yards away.
Lisa De Vanna was a worry for the Brazilian defense throughout the first half. A turnover by Brazil and De Vanna had a shot from 18 yards, but she mishit it and the ball rolled harmlessly off to the side.
Brazil had two chances late in the half. Marta's low drive from 22 yards went just wide right. Later, Maurine's cross came to Cristiane, who hit one high and wide from just ten yards away. Maybe Brazil was just a little rusty, having played very few matches over the last several months.
The game went into halftime with the score at 0-0, a recurring theme in this year's World Cup. But Cristiane's rather unusual play put the Brazilians up early in the second half.
In the 54th minute, the ball was sent into the middle from the right side with Cristiane getting to the ball about 22 yards out left center. She first juggled the ball over one defender toward the center, then surrounded by two defenders, juggled the ball back into the air and then headed the ball forward to Rosana, whose timing gave her a half step on Australian defenders. Tameka Butt recovered only to have Rosana put a brilliant touch past her. Then Rosana sent the ball into the right corner of the net, with Melissa Barbieri having no chance.
Later, a Marta drive from 22 yards was blocked at six yard box by Kim Carroll in what could have been a danger for the Aussies.
Australia tried to come back in the final 15 minutes. Heather Garriock and Butt both attempted midrange shots, but neither troubled Andreia very much. A few minutes later, Butt was well inside the box near the end line, but her cross went all the way through without a teammate being able to reach it.
The last best chance came in the 87th minute, as a long ball got over the Brazilian defense with De Vanna running on to it. Andreia came out to defend and De Vanna attempted to chip it over Andreia from 15 yards out. Unfortunately for her, she hit it too high and too hard and the ball went harmlessly over the net.
In the closing seconds, the Matildas won a corner, but Samantha Kerr's attempt from inside the eighteen was blocked by the Brazilian defense and the referee's whistle signaled the end of the match.
Perhaps the Matildas deserved a better fate on this day, but Cristiane's magic and Rosana's finish brought the victory home for Brazil.
Group D will next be in action on Sunday and it should be two very interesting contests. Australia will take on the enigmatic, but exciting Equatorial Guinea team. Brazil will battle the winner of today's other match, Norway, for the lead in Group D.
Brazil had the first good opportunity of the match as Maurine crossed the ball in from the left side. Rosana was able to get her head on it, but from an awkward position and the ball landed on top of the net.
Australia played very well for the first 45 minutes. Kyah Simon was clipped by Erika in the 18th minute, but the referee ruled she was just outside of the penalty area. On the insuing free kick, Collette McCallum's effort was sent right into the middle. The ball fell to the ground, but in the scramble, Heather Garriock just couldn't quite get her foot on the ball and Brazil was able to clear.
A few minutes later, Simon's shot from 18 yards out appeared to be heading for the upper right part of the goal, but Brazilian keeper Andreia made a nice grab to keep Australia off the board.
On a long ball up the left side, Marta was able to beat a defender and then cross the ball from just shy of the end line. Her low cross found Cristiane 15 yards out, but her shot was not struck solidly. Rosana then gained possession but put the ball over the goal from eight yards away.
Lisa De Vanna was a worry for the Brazilian defense throughout the first half. A turnover by Brazil and De Vanna had a shot from 18 yards, but she mishit it and the ball rolled harmlessly off to the side.
Brazil had two chances late in the half. Marta's low drive from 22 yards went just wide right. Later, Maurine's cross came to Cristiane, who hit one high and wide from just ten yards away. Maybe Brazil was just a little rusty, having played very few matches over the last several months.
The game went into halftime with the score at 0-0, a recurring theme in this year's World Cup. But Cristiane's rather unusual play put the Brazilians up early in the second half.
In the 54th minute, the ball was sent into the middle from the right side with Cristiane getting to the ball about 22 yards out left center. She first juggled the ball over one defender toward the center, then surrounded by two defenders, juggled the ball back into the air and then headed the ball forward to Rosana, whose timing gave her a half step on Australian defenders. Tameka Butt recovered only to have Rosana put a brilliant touch past her. Then Rosana sent the ball into the right corner of the net, with Melissa Barbieri having no chance.
Later, a Marta drive from 22 yards was blocked at six yard box by Kim Carroll in what could have been a danger for the Aussies.
Australia tried to come back in the final 15 minutes. Heather Garriock and Butt both attempted midrange shots, but neither troubled Andreia very much. A few minutes later, Butt was well inside the box near the end line, but her cross went all the way through without a teammate being able to reach it.
The last best chance came in the 87th minute, as a long ball got over the Brazilian defense with De Vanna running on to it. Andreia came out to defend and De Vanna attempted to chip it over Andreia from 15 yards out. Unfortunately for her, she hit it too high and too hard and the ball went harmlessly over the net.
In the closing seconds, the Matildas won a corner, but Samantha Kerr's attempt from inside the eighteen was blocked by the Brazilian defense and the referee's whistle signaled the end of the match.
Perhaps the Matildas deserved a better fate on this day, but Cristiane's magic and Rosana's finish brought the victory home for Brazil.
Group D will next be in action on Sunday and it should be two very interesting contests. Australia will take on the enigmatic, but exciting Equatorial Guinea team. Brazil will battle the winner of today's other match, Norway, for the lead in Group D.
June 25, 2011
Group D Preview: Australia
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Collette McCallum, Heather Garriock, Kate Gill, Kim Carroll, Lisa De Vanna, Matildas, Melissa Barbieri
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Collette McCallum, Heather Garriock, Kate Gill, Kim Carroll, Lisa De Vanna, Matildas, Melissa Barbieri
Australia (#11)
Region: AFC
Coach: Tom Sermanni
How They Qualified: Won the Asian Cup in May, 2010.
Prior Cups:
2007: Lost in Quarterfinals
2003: Group Stage
1999: Group Stage
1995: Group Stage
1991: DNQ
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barbieri, Williams, Colthorpe, Garriock, McCallum, Polkinghorne, Shipard, De Vanna.
Roster (Average Age: 22.39)
Recent Matches:
Australia made it as far as the semifinals in 2007, before losing to Brazil 3-2. They return only eight players from that team and this year’s team is a fairly young squad with an average age of just over 22. This will be their fifth World Cup.
Australia qualified by winning a very tough and very competitive Asian Cup, featuring a strong AFC field that included Korea DPR, Japan, China, and the Korea Republic. They won the championship game of that tournament in penalty kicks over Korea DPR, in spite of missing top scorer Lisa De Vanna, who broke her leg earlier in that competition.
Since then, they have competed in the Peace Cup, winning their first two matches over Mexico and Taipei, before a disappointing loss to the Korea Republic. They then suffered a narrow loss to Germany 2-1, becoming one of the few teams that have played the Germans that closely. Their schedule for 2011 has been light to this point, with only four friendlies being played, two against neighboring New Zealand and matches this past week against Mexico and England. Australia won all four.
But perhaps the biggest news for Australia did not occur at one of their matches, but in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, where Kate Gill suffered a torn ACL in a late April match for Linkopings. Injuries are certainly a part of soccer, but this was surely one of the harshest blows dealt to any team. Gill is the current AFC Women’s Player of the Year and a leader on the Australian team. She will be missed at this year’s World Cup.
While Australia will miss Gill’s leadership and presence, the Matildas are deep at forward and as a group, they may be able to somewhat compensate for her absence. Australia has several talented young forwards including Kyah Simon, Samantha Kerr, and 16-year old Caitlin Ford who recently scored in her debut against New Zealand. They also have Leena Khamis, another dependable forward who has played exceedingly well in the Australian W-League.
Then there is Lisa De Vanna, who has scored 24 career goals for the Matildas and plays for magicJack in the WPS. While it sometimes appears that De Vanna marches to the beat of a different drummer, there can be no doubting her ability on the pitch. She is one of the fastest, most dangerous forwards in the world. She scored four goals in just four matches in the 2007 World Cup, including a late game-tying goal against Norway in the group stage.
Australia features a very experienced midfield with veterans Heather Garriock, Collette McCallum, and Lauren Colthorpe. Garriock has over 120 caps for the Matildas and has played in the last two World Cups. McCallum is a consistent player, who usually sets up her teammates, but can score as well. She recently scored twice in a friendly against England.
The defense is very young, with the oldest player being 23-year old Kim Carroll. Carroll is a steady defender and can be counted on to lead the back line. Other mainstays on the back line include Servet Uzunlar and Elise Kellond-Knight.
Melissa Barbieri, the senior member of the Matildas, is their number one goalkeeper and has been for many years. Her experience should help calm the youthful defense in front of her. She gave up just two goals in her three starts at the Asian Cup. Lydia Williams is a dependable backup and the Matilda’s starter of the future.
The Aussies will need fortitude entering this tournament without Gill. They recently showed their composure after falling behind 2-0 against Mexico and coming back for a 3-2 victory. They will face two tough, veteran teams in Brazil and Norway, plus Equatorial Guinea in the group stage. It will be interesting to see if they can advance to the quarterfinals.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com, www.the-afc.com, and www.footballaustralia.com.au.
Region: AFC
Coach: Tom Sermanni
How They Qualified: Won the Asian Cup in May, 2010.
Prior Cups:
2007: Lost in Quarterfinals
2003: Group Stage
1999: Group Stage
1995: Group Stage
1991: DNQ
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barbieri, Williams, Colthorpe, Garriock, McCallum, Polkinghorne, Shipard, De Vanna.
Roster (Average Age: 22.39)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melissa Barbieri | GK | Melbourne Victory | 31 | 76/0 |
| Casey Dumont | GK | Brisbane Roar | 19 | 0/0 |
| Lydia Williams | GK | Canberra Utd. | 23 | 25/0 |
| Teigen Allen | DF | Sydney FC | 17 | 8/0 |
| Laura Alleway | DF | Brisbane Roar | 21 | 2/0 |
| Kim Carroll | DF | Brisbane Roar | 23 | 39/2 |
| Elise Kellond-Knight | DF | Brisbane Roar | 20 | 20/0 |
| Ellyse Perry | DF | Canberra Utd. | 20 | 13/2 |
| Servet Uzunlar | DF | Sydney FC | 22 | 21/1 |
| Tameka Butt | MF | Brisbane Roar | 20 | 20/1 |
| Lauren Colthorpe | MF | Brisbane Roar | 25 | 50/7 |
| Heather Garriock | MF | LdB FC Malmo | 28 | 120/21 |
| Collette McCallum | MF | Perth Glory | 25 | 63/9 |
| Clare Polkinghorne | MF | Brisbane Roar | 22 | 44/2 |
| Sally Shipard | MF | Canberra Utd. | 23 | 53/4 |
| Emily Van Egmond | MF | Canberra Utd. | 17 | 4/0 |
| Lisa De Vanna | FW | magicJack | 26 | 66/24 |
| Caitlin Foord | FW | Sydney FC | 16 | 1/1 |
| Samantha Kerr | FW | Perth Glory | 17 | 14/3 |
| Leena Khamis | FW | Sydney FC | 25 | 17/4 |
| Kyah Simon | FW | Sydney FC | 20 | 25/5 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23/11 | England | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 6/20/11 | Mexico | Friendly | W 3-2 |
| 5/15/11 | New Zealand | Friendly | W 2-1 |
| 5/12/11 | New Zealand | Friendly | W 3-0 |
| 10/28/10 | Germany | Friendly | L 1-2 |
| 10/23/10 | Korea Republic | Peace Cup | L 1-2 |
| 10/19/10 | Chinese Taipei | Peace Cup | W 1-0 |
| 10/17/10 | Mexico | Peace Cup | W 3-1 |
| 5/30/10 | Korea DPR | Asian Cup | W 1-1 (5-4pk) |
| 5/27/10 | Japan | Asian Cup | W 1-0 |
| 5/23/10 | China | Asian Cup | L 0-1 |
| 5/21/10 | Korea Republic | Asian Cup | W 3-1 |
| 5/19/10 | Vietnam | Asian Cup | W 2-0 |
Australia made it as far as the semifinals in 2007, before losing to Brazil 3-2. They return only eight players from that team and this year’s team is a fairly young squad with an average age of just over 22. This will be their fifth World Cup.
Australia qualified by winning a very tough and very competitive Asian Cup, featuring a strong AFC field that included Korea DPR, Japan, China, and the Korea Republic. They won the championship game of that tournament in penalty kicks over Korea DPR, in spite of missing top scorer Lisa De Vanna, who broke her leg earlier in that competition.
Since then, they have competed in the Peace Cup, winning their first two matches over Mexico and Taipei, before a disappointing loss to the Korea Republic. They then suffered a narrow loss to Germany 2-1, becoming one of the few teams that have played the Germans that closely. Their schedule for 2011 has been light to this point, with only four friendlies being played, two against neighboring New Zealand and matches this past week against Mexico and England. Australia won all four.
But perhaps the biggest news for Australia did not occur at one of their matches, but in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, where Kate Gill suffered a torn ACL in a late April match for Linkopings. Injuries are certainly a part of soccer, but this was surely one of the harshest blows dealt to any team. Gill is the current AFC Women’s Player of the Year and a leader on the Australian team. She will be missed at this year’s World Cup.
While Australia will miss Gill’s leadership and presence, the Matildas are deep at forward and as a group, they may be able to somewhat compensate for her absence. Australia has several talented young forwards including Kyah Simon, Samantha Kerr, and 16-year old Caitlin Ford who recently scored in her debut against New Zealand. They also have Leena Khamis, another dependable forward who has played exceedingly well in the Australian W-League.
Then there is Lisa De Vanna, who has scored 24 career goals for the Matildas and plays for magicJack in the WPS. While it sometimes appears that De Vanna marches to the beat of a different drummer, there can be no doubting her ability on the pitch. She is one of the fastest, most dangerous forwards in the world. She scored four goals in just four matches in the 2007 World Cup, including a late game-tying goal against Norway in the group stage.
Australia features a very experienced midfield with veterans Heather Garriock, Collette McCallum, and Lauren Colthorpe. Garriock has over 120 caps for the Matildas and has played in the last two World Cups. McCallum is a consistent player, who usually sets up her teammates, but can score as well. She recently scored twice in a friendly against England.
The defense is very young, with the oldest player being 23-year old Kim Carroll. Carroll is a steady defender and can be counted on to lead the back line. Other mainstays on the back line include Servet Uzunlar and Elise Kellond-Knight.
Melissa Barbieri, the senior member of the Matildas, is their number one goalkeeper and has been for many years. Her experience should help calm the youthful defense in front of her. She gave up just two goals in her three starts at the Asian Cup. Lydia Williams is a dependable backup and the Matilda’s starter of the future.
The Aussies will need fortitude entering this tournament without Gill. They recently showed their composure after falling behind 2-0 against Mexico and coming back for a 3-2 victory. They will face two tough, veteran teams in Brazil and Norway, plus Equatorial Guinea in the group stage. It will be interesting to see if they can advance to the quarterfinals.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com, www.the-afc.com, and www.footballaustralia.com.au.
April 8, 2011
2011 magicJack Preview
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Abby Wambach, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press, Christie Rampone, Ella Masar, Hope Solo, Lindsay Tarpley, Lisa De Vanna, magicJack, Meghan Klingenberg, Shannon Boxx
Labels: 2011 WPS, Abby Wambach, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press, Christie Rampone, Ella Masar, Hope Solo, Lindsay Tarpley, Lisa De Vanna, magicJack, Meghan Klingenberg, Shannon Boxx
magicJack
Coach: Mike Lyons (1st year)
2010 Record: 8-9-7 (4th place)
Home Stadium: FAU Soccer Field (Boca Raton, FL)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Jillian Loyden, Brett Maron, Hope Solo.
Defenders (6): Marian Dalmy, Tina Ellertson, Nikki Marshall, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Schnur.
Midfielders (8): Shannon Boxx, Amanda DaCosta(R), Omolyn Davis(R), Sarah Huffman, Meghan Klingenberg(R), Sophie Schmidt(R), Lindsay Tarpley, Kacey White.
Forwards (6): Lisa De Vanna, Ella Masar, Rebecca Moros, Christen Press(R), Johanna Rasmussen, Abby Wambach.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Solo, Rampone, Boxx, Schmidt, Tarpley, De Vanna, Wambach, and possibly Sauerbrunn.
Pretty much everything is new with this team…ownership, location, general manager, coach, name, and most of the team. If it weren’t for Freedom veterans like Abby Wambach, Sarah Huffman, and Becky Sauerbrunn, one could almost call this a completely new franchise.
Lost in all of the changes and confusion of the offseason is that magicJack has put together quite a solid team. They are reasonably strong at every position and have actually added a number of offensive players that should make them even more dangerous. Add Lindsay Tarpley, Kacey White, Ella Masar, Christen Press, and Johanna Rasmussen to an already solid offense with Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna and you have the makings of a very potent attack.
Even though this team has four rookies, it is a largely veteran team. But this team will be missing a lot of key players during the World Cup and continuity could be a problem. Even so, magicJack appears to have players to step in at every position and still be competitive.
Goalkeepers: Once magicJack brought Hope Solo into the fold, it really just becomes a question of how many games will she be able to play for her new team. Still recovering from shoulder surgery, she just made her first game appearance against England last weekend. It is a bit of a quandary from a USWNT point of view. She needs the game action, but how much can she risk the shoulder for the time being?
Last season was a year of distractions, between Athletica folding, tweetgate, and the surgery. But absent all of that, when Solo is on top of her game, there isn’t a better goalkeeper in the world. Backing her up will be two keepers that are used to that role. Jill Loyden, last year’s Red Star starter, backed Solo up in Saint Louis during 2009. Brett Maron was Solo’s backup in Atlanta. Both have experience as a starter, with Loyden being called up for national team duty on occasion.
Defenders: There won’t be many teams that can boast the veteran back line that magicJack will field coming into the 2011 season. Marshall is probably the only one you couldn’t call a seasoned veteran and the only one that hasn’t appeared on the senior national team. But what a rookie season she had. Overlooked when it came to rookie of the year voting, she made an impact both on defense and at striker.
The other five defenders are all experienced. Christie Rampone brings her 234 national team caps to magicJack after captaining (and sometimes coaching) Sky Blue for two seasons. A great leader on and off the field, Rampone is a professional in every sense of the word. Becky Sauerbrunn, also a candidate for the WC team, is the only other returnee. She has not missed a minute of action in two WPS seasons, the only player that can say that.
Three more defenders were brought in as free agents and all are excellent players. Marian Dalmy was a strong right back, with good height and the ability to make overlapping runs. Meghan Schnur played left back for Sky Blue and is very solid. Veteran Tina Ellertson joins her Washington Huskie teammate Solo with magicJack. Ellertson is a two-time WPS All-Star, is good in the air and has great speed, especially for a center back.
Midfielders: Here you have your classic blend of experience and youth, long-time national team players like Shannon Boxx and Lindsay Tarpley with young college talent like Klingenberg and Schmidt. The only returning player in the group is Sarah Huffman.
Boxx and Tarpley have combined for 265 caps on the USWNT. Boxx has been the starter at defensive mid for the USWNT for several years. She is strong in the air and has become more of an offensive threat since WPS has started. Tarpley is one of the most intelligent players on the field. Whether playing midfield or forward, she is always looking for the best option and is very unselfish.
The other two veterans on the team, Sarah Huffman and Kacey White, have both had short stints on the national team. Huffman is a consistent, hard-working midfielder, and has been with this franchise back to its W-League days. To me, White has always been underrated. She has good speed, attacks well from the outside and usually serves the ball into her forwards with accuracy.
The rookies on this team are quite intriguing as well. It’s really hard to call Sophie Schmidt a rookie. After all, she does have 58 caps with the Canadian National Team. Ultimately, Schmidt may be the best midfielder this team has. Meghan Klingenberg also has national team experience, both on the junior and senior levels. There is a possibility that Klingenberg may move to outside back for magicJack. Jamaican Omolyn Davis has a lot of talent, which hopefully coach Mike Lyons will be able to harness, while Amanda DaCosta had an excellent career at Florida State and looks to move up to the next level.
Forwards: Abby Wambach has been the focus of this team’s offense for the past two years and that probably won’t change. But Wambach has more weapons around her now, which may give her more room to operate in the middle. Unfortunately, nagging injury problems with her foot seem to have slowed her, although she is gamely trying to play through it. When healthy, she is the best in the world in the air and has scored well over 100 goals for the USWNT.
Lisa De Vanna’s 2010 WPS season got cut short following a broken leg in the Asian Cup. Her speed is a nice complement to Wambach’s strength. De Vanna scored six goals for the Freedom back in 2009. One player that had a strong 2010 season was Ella Masar. Masar scored eight goals for the Red Stars last year and quickly became a fan favorite.
In what could be regarded as a steal, magicJack obtained Johanna Rasmussen from Atlanta. Rasmussen was the Beat’s best player at times last year, and she can switch between forward and wing with relative ease. MagicJack also gets help from the draft in Stanford’s Christen Press. Press scored 26 goals for the Cardinal last year. Rounding out the forwards is returnee Rebecca Moros who adds versatility to the roster. Moros has played defense, midfielder, and forward for the Freedom over the past two years.
Outlook: In spite of the huge roster turnover, this team has the elements to compete for the title. They have a nice blend of youth and veterans and are strong at every position. But will this team ever be at full strength. Wambach’s injury could be a problem and she did not appear to be fully healthy in the recent match against England. Solo also made an appearance in that match, but is coming off from a long recovery from shoulder surgery. In addition, several key players will be absent during the World Cup.
You also have to wonder if some of the older veterans on the team will start to slow down. Talented as they are, Rampone is now 35, Boxx is 33, Wambach is 30, while Solo and Ellertson are fast approaching 30. And Boca Raton is not going to be the coolest spot to play summer matches. Their home advantage may not be as strong either, with the smallest seating capacity in a new home. Over the last two seasons, the Freedom had an excellent home record at 12-4-6 and a fairly dismal road record at 4-12-6.
This team is strong enough to compete. They have the talent, leadership, speed, strength, and depth necessary. But they are also going to need things to break their way, especially with respect to health and quickly developing into a cohesive unit.
Coach: Mike Lyons (1st year)
2010 Record: 8-9-7 (4th place)
Home Stadium: FAU Soccer Field (Boca Raton, FL)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Jillian Loyden, Brett Maron, Hope Solo.
Defenders (6): Marian Dalmy, Tina Ellertson, Nikki Marshall, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Schnur.
Midfielders (8): Shannon Boxx, Amanda DaCosta(R), Omolyn Davis(R), Sarah Huffman, Meghan Klingenberg(R), Sophie Schmidt(R), Lindsay Tarpley, Kacey White.
Forwards (6): Lisa De Vanna, Ella Masar, Rebecca Moros, Christen Press(R), Johanna Rasmussen, Abby Wambach.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Solo, Rampone, Boxx, Schmidt, Tarpley, De Vanna, Wambach, and possibly Sauerbrunn.
Pretty much everything is new with this team…ownership, location, general manager, coach, name, and most of the team. If it weren’t for Freedom veterans like Abby Wambach, Sarah Huffman, and Becky Sauerbrunn, one could almost call this a completely new franchise.
Lost in all of the changes and confusion of the offseason is that magicJack has put together quite a solid team. They are reasonably strong at every position and have actually added a number of offensive players that should make them even more dangerous. Add Lindsay Tarpley, Kacey White, Ella Masar, Christen Press, and Johanna Rasmussen to an already solid offense with Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna and you have the makings of a very potent attack.
Even though this team has four rookies, it is a largely veteran team. But this team will be missing a lot of key players during the World Cup and continuity could be a problem. Even so, magicJack appears to have players to step in at every position and still be competitive.
Goalkeepers: Once magicJack brought Hope Solo into the fold, it really just becomes a question of how many games will she be able to play for her new team. Still recovering from shoulder surgery, she just made her first game appearance against England last weekend. It is a bit of a quandary from a USWNT point of view. She needs the game action, but how much can she risk the shoulder for the time being?
Last season was a year of distractions, between Athletica folding, tweetgate, and the surgery. But absent all of that, when Solo is on top of her game, there isn’t a better goalkeeper in the world. Backing her up will be two keepers that are used to that role. Jill Loyden, last year’s Red Star starter, backed Solo up in Saint Louis during 2009. Brett Maron was Solo’s backup in Atlanta. Both have experience as a starter, with Loyden being called up for national team duty on occasion.
Defenders: There won’t be many teams that can boast the veteran back line that magicJack will field coming into the 2011 season. Marshall is probably the only one you couldn’t call a seasoned veteran and the only one that hasn’t appeared on the senior national team. But what a rookie season she had. Overlooked when it came to rookie of the year voting, she made an impact both on defense and at striker.
The other five defenders are all experienced. Christie Rampone brings her 234 national team caps to magicJack after captaining (and sometimes coaching) Sky Blue for two seasons. A great leader on and off the field, Rampone is a professional in every sense of the word. Becky Sauerbrunn, also a candidate for the WC team, is the only other returnee. She has not missed a minute of action in two WPS seasons, the only player that can say that.
Three more defenders were brought in as free agents and all are excellent players. Marian Dalmy was a strong right back, with good height and the ability to make overlapping runs. Meghan Schnur played left back for Sky Blue and is very solid. Veteran Tina Ellertson joins her Washington Huskie teammate Solo with magicJack. Ellertson is a two-time WPS All-Star, is good in the air and has great speed, especially for a center back.
Midfielders: Here you have your classic blend of experience and youth, long-time national team players like Shannon Boxx and Lindsay Tarpley with young college talent like Klingenberg and Schmidt. The only returning player in the group is Sarah Huffman.
Boxx and Tarpley have combined for 265 caps on the USWNT. Boxx has been the starter at defensive mid for the USWNT for several years. She is strong in the air and has become more of an offensive threat since WPS has started. Tarpley is one of the most intelligent players on the field. Whether playing midfield or forward, she is always looking for the best option and is very unselfish.
The other two veterans on the team, Sarah Huffman and Kacey White, have both had short stints on the national team. Huffman is a consistent, hard-working midfielder, and has been with this franchise back to its W-League days. To me, White has always been underrated. She has good speed, attacks well from the outside and usually serves the ball into her forwards with accuracy.
The rookies on this team are quite intriguing as well. It’s really hard to call Sophie Schmidt a rookie. After all, she does have 58 caps with the Canadian National Team. Ultimately, Schmidt may be the best midfielder this team has. Meghan Klingenberg also has national team experience, both on the junior and senior levels. There is a possibility that Klingenberg may move to outside back for magicJack. Jamaican Omolyn Davis has a lot of talent, which hopefully coach Mike Lyons will be able to harness, while Amanda DaCosta had an excellent career at Florida State and looks to move up to the next level.
Forwards: Abby Wambach has been the focus of this team’s offense for the past two years and that probably won’t change. But Wambach has more weapons around her now, which may give her more room to operate in the middle. Unfortunately, nagging injury problems with her foot seem to have slowed her, although she is gamely trying to play through it. When healthy, she is the best in the world in the air and has scored well over 100 goals for the USWNT.
Lisa De Vanna’s 2010 WPS season got cut short following a broken leg in the Asian Cup. Her speed is a nice complement to Wambach’s strength. De Vanna scored six goals for the Freedom back in 2009. One player that had a strong 2010 season was Ella Masar. Masar scored eight goals for the Red Stars last year and quickly became a fan favorite.
In what could be regarded as a steal, magicJack obtained Johanna Rasmussen from Atlanta. Rasmussen was the Beat’s best player at times last year, and she can switch between forward and wing with relative ease. MagicJack also gets help from the draft in Stanford’s Christen Press. Press scored 26 goals for the Cardinal last year. Rounding out the forwards is returnee Rebecca Moros who adds versatility to the roster. Moros has played defense, midfielder, and forward for the Freedom over the past two years.
Outlook: In spite of the huge roster turnover, this team has the elements to compete for the title. They have a nice blend of youth and veterans and are strong at every position. But will this team ever be at full strength. Wambach’s injury could be a problem and she did not appear to be fully healthy in the recent match against England. Solo also made an appearance in that match, but is coming off from a long recovery from shoulder surgery. In addition, several key players will be absent during the World Cup.
You also have to wonder if some of the older veterans on the team will start to slow down. Talented as they are, Rampone is now 35, Boxx is 33, Wambach is 30, while Solo and Ellertson are fast approaching 30. And Boca Raton is not going to be the coolest spot to play summer matches. Their home advantage may not be as strong either, with the smallest seating capacity in a new home. Over the last two seasons, the Freedom had an excellent home record at 12-4-6 and a fairly dismal road record at 4-12-6.
This team is strong enough to compete. They have the talent, leadership, speed, strength, and depth necessary. But they are also going to need things to break their way, especially with respect to health and quickly developing into a cohesive unit.
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