Philadelphia Independence 1, Boston Breakers 0
Veronica Boquete's goal in the 83rd minute broke a scoreless tie and sent Philadelphia to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Breakers in Cambridge. The win moves the Independence into first place in WPS.
The goal was Boquete's fourth of the season. Laura del Rio, who had just come in as a late substitution, assisted on Boquete's goal.
Several national team players were getting their first start since returning from Germany. Amy LePeilbet, Rachel Buehler, and Stephanie Cox all saw their first action since the 2011 World Cup concluded. Aya Sameshima of the World Cup champion Japanese team made her first ever start for Boston as a midfielder.
For Philadelphia, Nicole Barnhart and Amy Rodriguez were in the starting lineup. Paul Riley decided to start Barnhart over Val Henderson and it paid off with a shutout for his team.
Philadelphia raises their record to 9-3-3, good for 30 points and a three point cushion over second place Western New York. However, the Independence have just three games remaining, while the Flash have five. Philadelphia will return to action on Sunday, at home against the Atlanta Beat.
Boston falls to 4-6-4 and are now tied for fourth place with magicJack. The Breakers presently have the edge in goal differential if it comes down to a tiebreaker. Next up for the Breakers is a Saturday clash against magicJack in Boca Raton.
Sky Blue FC 2, magicJack 0
Sky Blue took over sole possession of third place with a 2-0 victory over magicJack on Wednesday night. Midfielder Allie Long scored a first half goal to put Sky Blue in the lead and the New Jersey eleven used an own goal by Abby Wambach to seal the victory. It was the first road victory for Sky Blue this season and the first home loss for magicJack.
The first goal was set up by Therese Sjogran corner kick, with Long finishing in the 15th minute. It was Long's third goal of the season, with the first two came via penalty kick.
Sky Blue's second goal was also from a corner kick, this time in the second half. It was Casey Nogueira sending the ball into the penalty area, with Wambach's attempted clearance going into her own net.
MagicJack outshot Sky Blue by an overwhelming 27-6 margin, but the New Jersey team was able to secure the victory. Jen Branam recorded 13 saves in the shutout, her fifth of the season.
As in the night's other contest, a few national team players were seeing their first action since the World Cup. Shannon Boxx made her first start for magicJack since returning from Germany, while Megan Rapinoe was a second half substitution.
Sky Blue improves to 5-5-4 overall. They now have 19 points and are three points clear of both magicJack and the Boston Breakers for third place. They return home to play their last regular season home match on Saturday evening against the Western New York Flash.
MagicJack drops to 5-6-2. They are now winless in their last six outings. With the one point penalty assessed earlier in the season, they have just 16 points and are now tied for the fourth and final playoff spot with the Boston Breakers, a team they will face in a Saturday showdown at Florida Atlantic University.
Showing posts with label Therese Sjogran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Therese Sjogran. Show all posts
July 27, 2011
July 24, 2011
Sky Blue Stops Independence Streak at Six
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Adriana, Casey Nogueira, Jen Branam, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Therese Sjogran
Labels: 2011 WPS, Adriana, Casey Nogueira, Jen Branam, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC, Therese Sjogran
Philadelphia's six-game winning streak came to end on Saturday evening as Sky Blue defeated the Independence 2-0 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Casey Nogueira scored both goals for the victorious hosts.
As has been the case of most recent matches, several players returning from World Cup action did not start this match. Amy Rodriguez and Lori Lindsey started the match on the bench for Philly, as did Tobin Heath for Sky Blue. Philadelphia coach Paul Riley elected to go with the hot goalkeeper and started Val Henderson over Nicole Barnhart. Meanwhile, USWNT midfielder Heather O'Reilly was in the starting lineup for New Jersey.
After a scoreless first half, Adriana nearly put Sky Blue on top in the 61st minute, but her free kick struck the post.
But it was Nogueira, who came on at halftime for Eni Aluko, that provided the scoring. She scored her first goal of the match on a feed from Adriana in the 71th minute to put Sky Blue on top 1-0. She completed the brace just 10 minutes later, with Therese Sjogran getting the assist. For Nogueira, it was her 4th and 5th goals of the season.
Jen Branam picked up the shutout for Sky Blue, while Henderson suffered her first loss of the year in goal.
The loss means that Philadelphia could fall out of first place, pending the outcome of the Western New York-Boston match on Sunday. The Independence have a slim one-point lead heading into that action. Sky Blue improves their record to 4-5-4 and moves into a tie for third place with magicJack.
With just four games remaining on their schedule, the Independence will travel to Boston to meat the Breakers in a Wednesday night match. Sky Blue heads to Florida where they will play a crucial Wednesday night game againt magicJack in a battle for third place.
As has been the case of most recent matches, several players returning from World Cup action did not start this match. Amy Rodriguez and Lori Lindsey started the match on the bench for Philly, as did Tobin Heath for Sky Blue. Philadelphia coach Paul Riley elected to go with the hot goalkeeper and started Val Henderson over Nicole Barnhart. Meanwhile, USWNT midfielder Heather O'Reilly was in the starting lineup for New Jersey.
After a scoreless first half, Adriana nearly put Sky Blue on top in the 61st minute, but her free kick struck the post.
But it was Nogueira, who came on at halftime for Eni Aluko, that provided the scoring. She scored her first goal of the match on a feed from Adriana in the 71th minute to put Sky Blue on top 1-0. She completed the brace just 10 minutes later, with Therese Sjogran getting the assist. For Nogueira, it was her 4th and 5th goals of the season.
Jen Branam picked up the shutout for Sky Blue, while Henderson suffered her first loss of the year in goal.
The loss means that Philadelphia could fall out of first place, pending the outcome of the Western New York-Boston match on Sunday. The Independence have a slim one-point lead heading into that action. Sky Blue improves their record to 4-5-4 and moves into a tie for third place with magicJack.
With just four games remaining on their schedule, the Independence will travel to Boston to meat the Breakers in a Wednesday night match. Sky Blue heads to Florida where they will play a crucial Wednesday night game againt magicJack in a battle for third place.
July 15, 2011
3rd Place Match: France vs. Sweden
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Bruno, Bruno Bini, France, Gaetane Thiney, Lisa Dahlkvist, Marie-Laure Delie, Sandrine Soubeyrand, Sweden, Therese Sjogran, Thomas Dennerby
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Bruno, Bruno Bini, France, Gaetane Thiney, Lisa Dahlkvist, Marie-Laure Delie, Sandrine Soubeyrand, Sweden, Therese Sjogran, Thomas Dennerby
France (#7) vs. Sweden (#5)
Sinsheim (11:30 am eastern)
Last Meeting: Sweden 3, France 1 (March 14, 2007)
France
Coach: Bruno Bini
WC Matches: Defeated Nigeria 1-0; Defeated Canada 4-0, Lost to Germany 2-4, Defeated England 1-1 (4-3 PK); Lost to United States 1-3.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Berangere Sapowicz (4 gms, 1.34 gaa, 2 shutouts); Celine Deville (2 gms, 1.90 gaa), Laetitia Philippe.
Defenders: Laura Georges (5 gms, 1 goal); Laure LePailleur (5 gms); Sonia Bompastor (4 gms, 1 goal); Sabrina Viguier (2 gms); Ophelie Meilleroux (2 gms); Wendie Renard (2 gms), Corine Franco.
Midfielders: Elise Bussaglia (5 gms, 1 goal); Gaetane Thiney (5 gms, 2 goals); Camille Abily (5 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist); Louisa Necib (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Soubeyrand (5 gms, 2 assists); Laure Boulleau (2 gms); Caroline Pizzala.
Forwards: Marie-Laure Delie (5 gms, 2 goals); Elodie Thomis (5 gms, 1 goal); Eugenie LeSommer (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Bretigny (1 gm).
Sweden
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
WC Matches: Defeated Colombia 1-0; Defeated Korea DPR 1-0; Defeated United States 2-1; Defeated Australia 3-1; Lost to Japan 1-3.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl (5 gms, 1.00 gaa, 2 shutouts); Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren.
Defenders: Charlotte Rohlin (5 gms); Sara Thunebro (5 gms); Sara Larsson (5 gms); Annica Svensson (5 gms); Linda Sembrandt (1 gm); Lina Nilsson (1 gm).
Midfielders: Lisa Dahlkvist (5 gms, 3 goals); Therese Sjogran (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Linda Forsberg (5 gms); Caroline Seger (3 gms); Nilla Fischer (4 gms, 1 goal); Marie Hammarstrom (2 gms); Sofia Jakobsson (2 gms); Antonia Goransson (2 gms).
Forwards: Lotta Schelin (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Josefine Oqvist (4 gms, 1 goal); Jessica Landstrom (3 gms, 1 goal); Madelaine Edlund (2 gms).
Both of these two teams have to be disappointed that they are not playing Sunday for the World Cup, instead of Saturday for 3rd place. Sweden grabbed the early lead against Japan and were tied until the 60th minute, but just didn't look to be the same team that won their first four matches in Germany.
France tied their match against the United States in the 2nd half and certainly looked to be outplaying them, before giving up two goals in the last 15 minutes. France can take heart in that their two defeats in this tournament were to the two top ranked teams in the world heading in. They can also be proud in that this will be their highest World Cup finish ever.
One never knows quite how coaches will approach a third place match. Certainly the pressure is now off for Bruno Bini and Thomas Dennerby. Caroline Seger has been nursing an injury and sadly missed Wednesday's semifinal match. Her presence was greatly missed by Sweden.
It will be interesting to see if the two coaches try to play some of their younger players or if they attempt to get everyone into the match that hasn't played yet. Of course, everyone has played in at least one match for Sweden, save for their two backup goalkeepers, Kristin Hammarstrom and Sofia Lundgren. For France, third keeper Laetitia Philippe, defender Corine Franco, and midfielder Caroline Pizzala have not yet seen action.
For some of these players, it will be their last World Cup game. Certainly, that is the case for Sandrine Soubeyrand of France, who will be the oldest player for either team at age 37. She now has over 160 caps in her great career. Sweden's all-time cap leader, Therese Sjogran, will likely be playing in her last World Cup match as well. Probably the same could be said of defender Sara Larsson.
It is very surprising that these two European powers have not met since the 2007 Algarve Cup, over four years ago. Sweden won that meeting 3-1. Josefine Oqvist scored the first goal in that match.
Another prize up for grabs is the Adidas Golden Boot award. Heading into this weekend's matches, Marta and Homare Sawa are tied with four goals. Sawa has one game remaining. Just one goal behind them is Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist with three. Both Gaetane Thiney and Marie-Laure Delie have two for France and are certainly not out of the running.
While third place is the prize for this match, the two teams will really be playing more for pride than anything else. The winner will finish third and can claim to be the top finishing European team in the tournament.
Sinsheim (11:30 am eastern)
Last Meeting: Sweden 3, France 1 (March 14, 2007)
France
Coach: Bruno Bini
WC Matches: Defeated Nigeria 1-0; Defeated Canada 4-0, Lost to Germany 2-4, Defeated England 1-1 (4-3 PK); Lost to United States 1-3.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Berangere Sapowicz (4 gms, 1.34 gaa, 2 shutouts); Celine Deville (2 gms, 1.90 gaa), Laetitia Philippe.
Defenders: Laura Georges (5 gms, 1 goal); Laure LePailleur (5 gms); Sonia Bompastor (4 gms, 1 goal); Sabrina Viguier (2 gms); Ophelie Meilleroux (2 gms); Wendie Renard (2 gms), Corine Franco.
Midfielders: Elise Bussaglia (5 gms, 1 goal); Gaetane Thiney (5 gms, 2 goals); Camille Abily (5 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist); Louisa Necib (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Soubeyrand (5 gms, 2 assists); Laure Boulleau (2 gms); Caroline Pizzala.
Forwards: Marie-Laure Delie (5 gms, 2 goals); Elodie Thomis (5 gms, 1 goal); Eugenie LeSommer (5 gms, 1 assist); Sandrine Bretigny (1 gm).
Sweden
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
WC Matches: Defeated Colombia 1-0; Defeated Korea DPR 1-0; Defeated United States 2-1; Defeated Australia 3-1; Lost to Japan 1-3.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl (5 gms, 1.00 gaa, 2 shutouts); Kristin Hammarstrom, Sofia Lundgren.
Defenders: Charlotte Rohlin (5 gms); Sara Thunebro (5 gms); Sara Larsson (5 gms); Annica Svensson (5 gms); Linda Sembrandt (1 gm); Lina Nilsson (1 gm).
Midfielders: Lisa Dahlkvist (5 gms, 3 goals); Therese Sjogran (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Linda Forsberg (5 gms); Caroline Seger (3 gms); Nilla Fischer (4 gms, 1 goal); Marie Hammarstrom (2 gms); Sofia Jakobsson (2 gms); Antonia Goransson (2 gms).
Forwards: Lotta Schelin (5 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists); Josefine Oqvist (4 gms, 1 goal); Jessica Landstrom (3 gms, 1 goal); Madelaine Edlund (2 gms).
Both of these two teams have to be disappointed that they are not playing Sunday for the World Cup, instead of Saturday for 3rd place. Sweden grabbed the early lead against Japan and were tied until the 60th minute, but just didn't look to be the same team that won their first four matches in Germany.
France tied their match against the United States in the 2nd half and certainly looked to be outplaying them, before giving up two goals in the last 15 minutes. France can take heart in that their two defeats in this tournament were to the two top ranked teams in the world heading in. They can also be proud in that this will be their highest World Cup finish ever.
One never knows quite how coaches will approach a third place match. Certainly the pressure is now off for Bruno Bini and Thomas Dennerby. Caroline Seger has been nursing an injury and sadly missed Wednesday's semifinal match. Her presence was greatly missed by Sweden.
It will be interesting to see if the two coaches try to play some of their younger players or if they attempt to get everyone into the match that hasn't played yet. Of course, everyone has played in at least one match for Sweden, save for their two backup goalkeepers, Kristin Hammarstrom and Sofia Lundgren. For France, third keeper Laetitia Philippe, defender Corine Franco, and midfielder Caroline Pizzala have not yet seen action.
For some of these players, it will be their last World Cup game. Certainly, that is the case for Sandrine Soubeyrand of France, who will be the oldest player for either team at age 37. She now has over 160 caps in her great career. Sweden's all-time cap leader, Therese Sjogran, will likely be playing in her last World Cup match as well. Probably the same could be said of defender Sara Larsson.
It is very surprising that these two European powers have not met since the 2007 Algarve Cup, over four years ago. Sweden won that meeting 3-1. Josefine Oqvist scored the first goal in that match.
Another prize up for grabs is the Adidas Golden Boot award. Heading into this weekend's matches, Marta and Homare Sawa are tied with four goals. Sawa has one game remaining. Just one goal behind them is Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist with three. Both Gaetane Thiney and Marie-Laure Delie have two for France and are certainly not out of the running.
While third place is the prize for this match, the two teams will really be playing more for pride than anything else. The winner will finish third and can claim to be the top finishing European team in the tournament.
July 10, 2011
Sweden Gains Semifinals with 3-1 Win over Matildas
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Ellyse Perry, Hedvig Lindahl, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Melissa Barbieri, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Ellyse Perry, Hedvig Lindahl, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Melissa Barbieri, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Sweden scored two early goals and cruised to a 3-1 victory over Australia on Sunday. And it's fair to say that they were very opportunistic, taking advantage of every opening that their opponent gave them.
Miscues in the back once again cost Australia, a recurring theme over the past two weeks. Lotta Schelin pounced on one such opportunity and finally got her first goal of this World Cup.
Thomas Dennerby went with nearly the same eleven as the last match, except for the returning Caroline Seger who was back in the lineup after her suspension for yellow card accumulation. Tom Sermanni elected to move Caitlin Foord into a midfield position and inserted Ellyse Perry at right back.
Australia nearly handed Sweden a goal in the opening minutes. They played the ball back from the midfield to the back line with Kim Carroll getting there first. Carroll meekly hit the ball back toward Melissa Barbieri in goal, but didn't get anything on the pass and Lotta Schelin intercepted, but her first touch was a bit heavy and Barbieri came sliding out to cover it up.
Australia had their first chance with a Perry cross from the right side being sent into the box, with Charlotte Rohlin redirecting the ball wide with a header in the 7th minute.
Sweden opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Lotta Schelin beat Perry around the left side and dribbled toward the box along the endline. She sent a cross back toward the center, where veteran Therese Sjogran was waiting unmarked. Sjogran hit her 12 yard shot low inside the left post. Barbieri dived and might have gotten a hand on it, but it got through and Sweden were on top 1-0.
Just six minutes later, it was Sjogran in possession on the left wing. She cut back on Perry and hit a right-footed cross to a totally unmarked Lisa Dahlqvist at the six yard box, centered perfectly in front of the goal. Dahlkvist put her uncontested header into the right side of the net and Australia was down 2-0 just 16 minutes into the match.
Schelin almost had her first goal in the 26th minute, but her drive from a steep angle on the left side went high and wide to the right.
Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made an adventure of a few plays today. In the 38th minute, Collette McCallum sent in a free kick from 35 yards that Lindahl appeared to misjudge, running up as the ball sailed over her head...and luckily for her, just wide of the right post.
But Perry, who had been somewhat victimized earlier in the match, gave the Matildas life in the 40th minute. McCallum played a short corner from the right side to Perry, who touched the ball toward the corner of the penalty area. Her left-footed shot from 22 yards couldn't have been more perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the goal, beating Lindahl and bringing Australia to within one. The halftime score was Sweden 2, Australia 1.
The Aussies looked dangerous to start the second half, as they tried to target the Swedish right side defense. However, a couple of half chances didn't quite come to fruitition and they were unable to tie the match.
Australia gift-wrapped a goal for the Swedes in the 52nd minute and once again, it was a defensive miscue that led to it. Carroll had possession near the center line and under some pressure, elected to play the ball back, apparently to Barbieri, although that is somewhat unclear. As it turned out, Carroll's pass hit Schelin perfectly in stride and she walked in alone on Barbieri. Schelin touched the ball to the right of Barbieri, while she went to the left. The two met behind the Australian keeper and it was just a matter of touching it into the goal. Schelin finally had her goal and Sweden had a safe two goal lead once again.
Tom Sermanni used his first two subs in the 58th minute, sending in Tameka Butt and Clare Polkinghorne for Perry and Emily Van Egmond.
Australia certainly did not give up and probably created more chances than Sweden in the last 45 minutes, but they just couldn't get back in the match. Butt, made her presence known in the 63rd minute, crossing the ball to the back post to Kyah Simon, but the striker put her header wide of the left post.
Lindahl once again made things interesting in the 66th minute as Lisa De Vanna broke into the left side of the penalty area. She tried to slide out, but the ball eluded her and De Vanna was able to get off an unmolested cross from the left side. Unfortunately for her, nobody was making a run to the goal and the ball harmlessly flew through to the other side and was cleared.
Sweden made their first change in the 67th minute sending in Nilla Fischer, who had had such a strong game against the US a few days ago, to replace Linda Forsberg.
The teams traded chances over the next 15 minutes. A Heather Garriock shot was partially blocked going right into the hands of Lindahl in the 71st minute. Later, Tameka Butt hit a blast from distance, with Lindahl tipping the ball wide just to be safe.
Meanwhile, Sweden had opportunities as well. Josefine Oqvist had back-to-back chances in the 78th minute, with her first shot being blocked by Barbieri and then her rebound shot was blocked by Servet Uzunlar. A minute later, Caroline Seger hit a shot from the right corner, which forced Barbieri to make a leaping save at the near post. She nearly lost her balance and reached backwards, holding the ball even with the goal line before bracing herself against the post and not allowing the ball to cross.
Sweden was able to play through the last few minutes without much pressure and they held on for the 3-1 victory, which by quarterfinal standards in this World Cup, was relatively easy. They have done a very good job of taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes in the last couple of games. Sweden appears to be on a roll right now and will now face Japan on Wednesday in the semifinals in what should be a very good matchup.
As for the Matildas, they must be given a lot of credit for a good run in this tournament. They are one of the younger squads at this World Cup and as they gain more experience and if they can address their defensive problems, should be a force to contend with in the future.
Miscues in the back once again cost Australia, a recurring theme over the past two weeks. Lotta Schelin pounced on one such opportunity and finally got her first goal of this World Cup.
Thomas Dennerby went with nearly the same eleven as the last match, except for the returning Caroline Seger who was back in the lineup after her suspension for yellow card accumulation. Tom Sermanni elected to move Caitlin Foord into a midfield position and inserted Ellyse Perry at right back.
Australia nearly handed Sweden a goal in the opening minutes. They played the ball back from the midfield to the back line with Kim Carroll getting there first. Carroll meekly hit the ball back toward Melissa Barbieri in goal, but didn't get anything on the pass and Lotta Schelin intercepted, but her first touch was a bit heavy and Barbieri came sliding out to cover it up.
Australia had their first chance with a Perry cross from the right side being sent into the box, with Charlotte Rohlin redirecting the ball wide with a header in the 7th minute.
Sweden opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Lotta Schelin beat Perry around the left side and dribbled toward the box along the endline. She sent a cross back toward the center, where veteran Therese Sjogran was waiting unmarked. Sjogran hit her 12 yard shot low inside the left post. Barbieri dived and might have gotten a hand on it, but it got through and Sweden were on top 1-0.
Just six minutes later, it was Sjogran in possession on the left wing. She cut back on Perry and hit a right-footed cross to a totally unmarked Lisa Dahlqvist at the six yard box, centered perfectly in front of the goal. Dahlkvist put her uncontested header into the right side of the net and Australia was down 2-0 just 16 minutes into the match.
Schelin almost had her first goal in the 26th minute, but her drive from a steep angle on the left side went high and wide to the right.
Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made an adventure of a few plays today. In the 38th minute, Collette McCallum sent in a free kick from 35 yards that Lindahl appeared to misjudge, running up as the ball sailed over her head...and luckily for her, just wide of the right post.
But Perry, who had been somewhat victimized earlier in the match, gave the Matildas life in the 40th minute. McCallum played a short corner from the right side to Perry, who touched the ball toward the corner of the penalty area. Her left-footed shot from 22 yards couldn't have been more perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the goal, beating Lindahl and bringing Australia to within one. The halftime score was Sweden 2, Australia 1.
The Aussies looked dangerous to start the second half, as they tried to target the Swedish right side defense. However, a couple of half chances didn't quite come to fruitition and they were unable to tie the match.
Australia gift-wrapped a goal for the Swedes in the 52nd minute and once again, it was a defensive miscue that led to it. Carroll had possession near the center line and under some pressure, elected to play the ball back, apparently to Barbieri, although that is somewhat unclear. As it turned out, Carroll's pass hit Schelin perfectly in stride and she walked in alone on Barbieri. Schelin touched the ball to the right of Barbieri, while she went to the left. The two met behind the Australian keeper and it was just a matter of touching it into the goal. Schelin finally had her goal and Sweden had a safe two goal lead once again.
Tom Sermanni used his first two subs in the 58th minute, sending in Tameka Butt and Clare Polkinghorne for Perry and Emily Van Egmond.
Australia certainly did not give up and probably created more chances than Sweden in the last 45 minutes, but they just couldn't get back in the match. Butt, made her presence known in the 63rd minute, crossing the ball to the back post to Kyah Simon, but the striker put her header wide of the left post.
Lindahl once again made things interesting in the 66th minute as Lisa De Vanna broke into the left side of the penalty area. She tried to slide out, but the ball eluded her and De Vanna was able to get off an unmolested cross from the left side. Unfortunately for her, nobody was making a run to the goal and the ball harmlessly flew through to the other side and was cleared.
Sweden made their first change in the 67th minute sending in Nilla Fischer, who had had such a strong game against the US a few days ago, to replace Linda Forsberg.
The teams traded chances over the next 15 minutes. A Heather Garriock shot was partially blocked going right into the hands of Lindahl in the 71st minute. Later, Tameka Butt hit a blast from distance, with Lindahl tipping the ball wide just to be safe.
Meanwhile, Sweden had opportunities as well. Josefine Oqvist had back-to-back chances in the 78th minute, with her first shot being blocked by Barbieri and then her rebound shot was blocked by Servet Uzunlar. A minute later, Caroline Seger hit a shot from the right corner, which forced Barbieri to make a leaping save at the near post. She nearly lost her balance and reached backwards, holding the ball even with the goal line before bracing herself against the post and not allowing the ball to cross.
Sweden was able to play through the last few minutes without much pressure and they held on for the 3-1 victory, which by quarterfinal standards in this World Cup, was relatively easy. They have done a very good job of taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes in the last couple of games. Sweden appears to be on a roll right now and will now face Japan on Wednesday in the semifinals in what should be a very good matchup.
As for the Matildas, they must be given a lot of credit for a good run in this tournament. They are one of the younger squads at this World Cup and as they gain more experience and if they can address their defensive problems, should be a force to contend with in the future.
June 23, 2011
Group C Preview: Sweden
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Charlotte Rohlin, Hedvig Lindahl, Josefine Oqvist, Lotta Schelin, Sara Larsson, Sara Thunebro, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Charlotte Rohlin, Hedvig Lindahl, Josefine Oqvist, Lotta Schelin, Sara Larsson, Sara Thunebro, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Sweden (#5)
Region: UEFA
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Denmark in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: 2nd Place
1999: Lost in Quarterfinals
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: 3rd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) K. Hammerstrom, Lindahl, Lundgren, Larsson, Rohlin, Thunebro, Fischer, Seger, Sjogran, Forsberg, Edlund, Schelin.
Roster (Average Age: 27.33)
Recent Matches:
Sweden has appeared in every Women’s World Cup, finishing as high as second place in 2003, when they lost to Germany by a 2-1 score in the final. In 2007, they failed to get out of the group stage in spite of a 1-1-1 record, the only time that has happened in their history. They return 12 players from 2007.
The soccer gods have deemed it so that Sweden be grouped with the United States and North Korea for the third consecutive World Cup. Sweden plays the United States frequently. Both teams are usually at the Algarve Cup and earlier this year, they were both at the Four Nations, where Sweden won 2-1. And like the United States, Sweden will field a veteran team in Germany, the second oldest to their Group C opponent.
It has been a rollercoaster year for Sweden. Their victory over the US at the Four Nations was followed by defeats to Canada and China. They lost to both Iceland and Japan at the Algarve Cup. They recently lost a friendly to England. Their record for the year stands at just 5-5-1. They had to go into extra time to defeat Denmark in order to qualify for the World Cup. If there is one thing Sweden has been over the past year, it is consistently inconsistent.
On the player front, Sweden lost defensive starter Stina Segerstrom to injury. Another defender, Sara Larsson, has been bothered by injuries as well, but she did appear in the team’s last two friendlies.
One never knows quite what to expect from Sweden, a team that always appears on the doorstep of breaking through, but never quite seem to get there. Sweden is currently ranked fifth, but have been as high as third during stretches of 2007-08.
Veteran midfielder Therese Sjogran is the all-time leader in caps for Sweden. This will be her third World Cup. Sjogran and fellow midfielder Caroline Seger form the heart of this Swedish team. Both are familiar to American fans from their WPS play.
As far as scoring goes, Sweden’s two biggest scorers over the past year have been Lotta Schelin and Josefine Oqvist. Schelin, who plays for Lyon, is considered one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the world. She will challenge defenses with her size, speed, and well-timed runs.
After a long scoring drought, Oqvist scored a hat trick against Wales in qualifying and followed that up with goals against China, Iceland, and Denmark in 2011. Jessica Landstrom, who scored six goals in Sweden’s qualifying group stage, has cooled off considerably, although she did score a pair of goals against Denmark earlier this year.
Sweden has a veteran back line with Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro, and Larsson. They will miss Segerstrom’s presence in back, but they are still a solid group. Hedvig Lindahl is Sweden’s top goalkeeper and was their starter for all three matches in China four years ago.
Most of Sweden’s players are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. This has to be the time for them to shine on the world’s stage. If they don’t, one would suspect a large turnover on the roster before Canada 2015. The group stage will not be easy with the United States and North Korea. They can ill-afford to give up many goals in this competition, so Lindahl and her defense will need to be at their best. Is this the year Sweden finally goes to the top?
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com and www.svenskfotboll.se.
Region: UEFA
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Denmark in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: 2nd Place
1999: Lost in Quarterfinals
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: 3rd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) K. Hammerstrom, Lindahl, Lundgren, Larsson, Rohlin, Thunebro, Fischer, Seger, Sjogran, Forsberg, Edlund, Schelin.
Roster (Average Age: 27.33)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin Hammarstrom | GK | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 29 | 12/0 |
| Hedvig Lindahl | GK | Kristianstad DFF | 28 | 69/0 |
| Sofia Lundgren | GK | Linkoping FC | 28 | 23/0 |
| Sara Larsson | DF | Orebro DFF | 32 | 102/8 |
| Lina Nilsson | DF | LdB FC Malmo | 24 | 26/0 |
| Charlotte Rohlin | DF | Linkoping FC | 31 | 44/6 |
| Linda Sembrant | DF | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 24 | 22/1 |
| Annica Svensson | DF | Tyreso | 28 | 12/0 |
| Sara Thunebro | DF | FFC Frankfurt | 32 | 72/3 |
| Lisa Dahlkvist | MF | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 24 | 35/3 |
| Nilla Fischer | MF | LdB FC Malmo | 26 | 70/10 |
| Linda Forsberg | MF | LdB FC Malmo | 26 | 25/4 |
| Antonia Goransson | MF | Hamburger SV | 20 | 9/0 |
| Marie Hammarstrom | MF | Orebro DFF | 29 | 9/0 |
| Sofia Jakobsson | MF | Umea IK | 21 | 1/0 |
| Caroline Seger | MF | WNY Flash | 26 | 78/12 |
| Therese Sjogran | MF | Sky Blue FC | 34 | 168/17 |
| Madelaine Edlund | FW | Tyreso | 25 | 19/1 |
| Jessica Landstrom | FW | FFC Frankfurt | 26 | 50/16 |
| Josefine Oqvist | FW | Tyreso | 27 | 64/17 |
| Lotta Schelin | FW | FCF Lyon | 27 | 88/37 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23/11 | Japan | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 6/16/11 | Mexico | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 5/17/11 | England | Friendly | L 0-2 |
| 4/2/11 | Canada | Friendly | W 1-0 |
| 3/9/11 | Japan | Algarve | L 1-2 |
| 3/7/11 | China | Algarve | W 1-0 |
| 3/4/11 | Denmark | Algarve | W 3-1 |
| 3/2/11 | Iceland | Algarve | L 1-2 |
| 1/25/11 | Canada | Four Nations | L 0-1 |
| 1/23/11 | China | Four Nations | L 1-2 |
| 1/21/11 | United States | Four Nations | W 2-1 |
| 10/26/10 | Norway | Friendly | W 3-1 |
| 9/16/10 | Denmark | UEFA Playoff | T 2-2(a.e.t) |
| 9/11/10 | Denmark | UEFA Playoff | W 2-1 |
| 8/25/10 | Wales | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 5-1 |
| 8/21/10 | Czech Republic | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 1-0 |
| 7/17/10 | United States | Friendly | L 0-3 |
| 7/13/10 | United States | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 6/23/10 | Azerbaijan | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 17-0 |
| 6/19/10 | Czech Republic | UEFA WC Qualifier | T 0-0 |
Sweden has appeared in every Women’s World Cup, finishing as high as second place in 2003, when they lost to Germany by a 2-1 score in the final. In 2007, they failed to get out of the group stage in spite of a 1-1-1 record, the only time that has happened in their history. They return 12 players from 2007.
The soccer gods have deemed it so that Sweden be grouped with the United States and North Korea for the third consecutive World Cup. Sweden plays the United States frequently. Both teams are usually at the Algarve Cup and earlier this year, they were both at the Four Nations, where Sweden won 2-1. And like the United States, Sweden will field a veteran team in Germany, the second oldest to their Group C opponent.
It has been a rollercoaster year for Sweden. Their victory over the US at the Four Nations was followed by defeats to Canada and China. They lost to both Iceland and Japan at the Algarve Cup. They recently lost a friendly to England. Their record for the year stands at just 5-5-1. They had to go into extra time to defeat Denmark in order to qualify for the World Cup. If there is one thing Sweden has been over the past year, it is consistently inconsistent.
On the player front, Sweden lost defensive starter Stina Segerstrom to injury. Another defender, Sara Larsson, has been bothered by injuries as well, but she did appear in the team’s last two friendlies.
One never knows quite what to expect from Sweden, a team that always appears on the doorstep of breaking through, but never quite seem to get there. Sweden is currently ranked fifth, but have been as high as third during stretches of 2007-08.
Veteran midfielder Therese Sjogran is the all-time leader in caps for Sweden. This will be her third World Cup. Sjogran and fellow midfielder Caroline Seger form the heart of this Swedish team. Both are familiar to American fans from their WPS play.
As far as scoring goes, Sweden’s two biggest scorers over the past year have been Lotta Schelin and Josefine Oqvist. Schelin, who plays for Lyon, is considered one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the world. She will challenge defenses with her size, speed, and well-timed runs.
After a long scoring drought, Oqvist scored a hat trick against Wales in qualifying and followed that up with goals against China, Iceland, and Denmark in 2011. Jessica Landstrom, who scored six goals in Sweden’s qualifying group stage, has cooled off considerably, although she did score a pair of goals against Denmark earlier this year.
Sweden has a veteran back line with Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro, and Larsson. They will miss Segerstrom’s presence in back, but they are still a solid group. Hedvig Lindahl is Sweden’s top goalkeeper and was their starter for all three matches in China four years ago.
Most of Sweden’s players are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. This has to be the time for them to shine on the world’s stage. If they don’t, one would suspect a large turnover on the roster before Canada 2015. The group stage will not be easy with the United States and North Korea. They can ill-afford to give up many goals in this competition, so Lindahl and her defense will need to be at their best. Is this the year Sweden finally goes to the top?
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com and www.svenskfotboll.se.
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