August 6, 2008 - Surprising results in the first round of games as women’s soccer got underway two days before the Olympic Games officially open.

Norway scored twice in the first five minutes against the U.S. and won the opening game 2-0; The loss was just the second-ever for the U.S. women in the Olympics, with the only other loss also coming to Norway in the 2000 Olympic Final in Sydney, Australia. A disappointing start for sure.

Japan went 2-0 down but fought back in the last 20 minutes to make it a 2-2 draw against New Zealand; and Germany and Brazil held each other to a 0-0 draw.

Group E:
China 2-1 Sweden
Canada 2-1 Argentina

Group F:
Germany 0-0 Brazil
North Korea 1-0 Nigeria

Group G:
Norway 2-0 US
Japan 2-2 New Zealand

The next matches will be played Saturday August 9th:

Sweden v. Argentina
Nigeria v. Germany
US v. Japan

Canada v. China
Brazil v. North Korea
New Zealand v. Norway

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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August 5, 2008 - As the media machine has undoubtedly made you aware, the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing will take place on August 8, 2008.  For women’s soccer fans, however, the Games commence Wednesday when first-round group-play action kicks off.

With all eyes on Beijing, there’s plenty being written about the Golden Girls - the U.S. Team.  The WNT opens defense of its Olympic title against Norway, the only other country to win a gold medal in the sport.

Here’s a roundup of what’s being said going into the Games (in no particular order): 

Women’s Football Kicks Off Beijing Olympics - VOA preview of the Olympic Games.

Swedish coach sings U.S. soccer back to contention  - Learn how Coach Pia Sundhage motivates the U.S. Women’s National Team.

U.S. should have the edge over Norway - ESPN’s pre-game analysis.

Lindsay Tarpley blog - WNT member updates fans with Tarpley’s Thoughts.

Amy Rodriguez is ‘A-Rod’ of U.S. soccer - LA Times profiles local girl Amy Rodriguez.

Chinese women’s soccer looking for Olympic rebirth - Can China dominate in front of a hometown crowd?

Women’s Soccer Olympic Overview - ESPN looks at how the top teams stack up.

Round One:

Argentina vs. Canada
China vs. Sweden
Germany vs. Brazil
DPRK vs. Nigeria
Japan vs. New Zealand
Norway vs. USA

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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August 1, 2008 - For 10 days in June, Stephanie (Lopez) Cox knew she wasn’t going to the Olympics. For the next days 10 days it appeared she might. And then she was headed to China. What caused the rollercoaster ride and how did the star soccer player deal with the ups and downs?

Stephanie’s story deals with personal setbacks, overcoming obstacles and second chances. It’s about playing with passion and reaching for the stars. It’s a story of inspiration and happily, one of triumph.

If you’re not familiar with Stephanie Cox, you should be. A leading player at the Univ. of Portland, she had an undefeated season and won an NCAA title. As a member of the Women’s National team, she started all six games of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup and was a more than likely candidate to make the 2008 Olympic roster.

But in a meeting with the U.S. coaching staff this spring, Cox was told that she had not made the final roster for the Summer Games. Head coach Pia Sundhage felt Cox had lost some passion for the game and that a break could help her recapture the vitality that had made her one of America’s top young players.

Devastated, Cox flew to Denver for a previously arranged speech on behalf of her sponsor Nike. The theme for the speech: Overcoming Obstacles.

On the podium in front of the Colorado Rush Soccer Club, Cox talked about playing in two youth world championships and not winning gold. She talked about her undefeated season at Portland, but also about falling short the other three years. She talked about the crushing semifinal loss at the Women’s World Cup. She spoke with passion and towards the end of the speech came the kicker.

“Despite all of these setbacks on the field, I’ve always made every team and continued up the ladder with the National Teams,” said Cox. “But just two days ago, I experienced my greatest personal loss as a soccer player. Two days ago, I found out that I didn’t make the roster for the Olympics, so I won’t be able to pursue a gold medal.”

Cox explained that she had given her best at every level and the fact she was at peace with that knowledge.

She finished to a standing ovation.

“It was one of my proudest personal moments to give that speech because I let it all out there,” she recalled. “It was hard to do, but I knew that even without the gold medals, it’s really about the process and the journey, about who you become as a person and the relationships you make along the way.”

Exactly a week later, Cox received a call informing her of the injury of a teammate and inviting her to play in the Peace Queen Cup. During the tournament, she was officially added to the final roster for the Summer Games and offered renewed hope of Olympic gold.

The lessons in all this? There are many. But surely not all goals are realized and many dreams don’t come true. But if you traverse the valleys as well as you celebrate the ascents to the mountain top, both journeys can be equally beneficial.

So true, and so well said.

Full story at ussoccer.com

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer, Profiles by jane
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July 17, 2008 - It started out a friendly soccer game Wednesday night between the U.S. Women’s National Team and Brazil. It was their second match this week, and final meeting before heading off to Beijing for the Summer Games.

With only 32 minutes played, team forward and former Gator star Abby Wambach - the crux of the U.S. offense - rushed to try to reach a ball defended by Brazilian player Maria Rosa.  And with the ensuing collision she suffered a midshaft oblique fracture on both her tibia and fibula.

This sucks on so many levels but most importantly: Wambach has a broken leg and will miss the Olympics! A year ago, the star forward broke her right big toe in the final game before the 2007 World Cup in China. Seems like Wambach should really sit out these tune-up games.

The U.S. beat Brazil 1-0 with Tasha Kai’s lone score but that’s little consolation.

Wambach is a great player known for scoring goals who seemed destined to be one of the stars of the Beijing Olympics. With 99 international goals to her name, she was eager to  reach her landmark hundredth goal. Looks like that goal will have to be put on hold - at least for the 12 weeks she’ll be sidelined after her surgery. 

It’s a crushing blow to Wambach and the United States’ women’s soccer team - especially with the recent losses of Cat Whitehill and Leslie Osborne to ACL injuries.

Current coach Pia Sundhage certainly has her work cut out for her when the U.S. begins their defense of the Olympic Gold medal on Aug. 6 against Norway. Oh, Abby - you’ll be missed.

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 24, 2008 - U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named the 18-player roster for the 2008 Olympic Team. Sundhage made her final selections after the USA’s 1-0 victory over Canada in the 2008 Peace Queen Cup championship game on June 21 in Suwon, South Korea.

Nine players on the roster were members of the U.S. team that won the gold medal four years ago in Athens, Greece, including team co-captains Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf, who will both be participating in their third Olympic Games.

The U.S. will open play at the 2008 Olympics on Aug. 6 against Norway. The U.S. will then face Japan on Aug. 9 before finishing Group G play against New Zealand on Aug. 12.

To see the roster and short bios of the players, go to ussoccer.com

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 21, 2008 - The United States won the Peace Queen Cup tournament Saturday, beating Canada 1-0 on a 92nd-minute goal by Angela Hucles.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo made two game-preserving saves at the end of the match for the American women, who tuned up for the Beijing Olympics by winning their fourth tournament of the year. The Olympic roster will be announced Monday.

“I think this is great preparation,” Hucles said. “This tournament has been high-quality games against top-level opponents.”

With the game seemingly headed to extra time, a Canadian defender committed a foul 35 yards from the goal. Noticing Lauren Cheney open inside the penalty area, Hucles quickly took the free kick, which caught goalkeeper Erin McLeod off-balance as Cheney distracted her. McLeod got a piece of the ball, but it skidded past her right leg and under her arms before rolling into the net.

Filed under: Int'l Soccer by admin
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June 17, 2008 - USC soon-to-be-senior Amy Rodriguez scored the only goal late in the first half as the United States women’s national team edged Brazil, 1-0, in the Peace Queen Cup on Tuesday.

The United States, which beat Australia in its first match 2-1, leads Group B. The U.S. plays winless Italy in its final group game on Thursday and a win or a tie will earn the Americans a berth in the championship game.

This was the first meeting between the United States and Brazil since the 2007 FIFA Womens World Cup semifinal, a 4-0 Brazil win.

It was also the first of three games the U.S. will play against Brazil before the 2008 Olympics. The two teams will also meet on July 13 at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. and then again on July 16 at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego.

In the other Group B game, Australia defeated Italy, 3-0, as Heather Garriock scored twice within a minute in the middle of the second half and Amy Chapman added a goal two minutes from the end of the game.

In Group A, the Kiwis soared to an historic victory over Argentina. It is the first win by the New Zealand national side over a team outside the Oceania Football Confederation in 15 years and, followed by some similar performances in Beijing, will go a long way to silencing critics who have challenged their Olympic selection.

Filed under: Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 12, 2008 - The three most dreaded letters in the alphabet for a female athlete are A. C. L.

Veteran soccer player Cat Whitehill learned the hard way. The star defender dreamed of playing in the Olympics this year, joining a new women’s pro league next year and then playing for the U.S. in the London Games in 2012.

But Whitehill’s dream of earning a second Olympic gold medal was at least put on hold Tuesday as she injured her left knee as the Women’s National Team trained in Seoul, South Korea. An MRI on Tuesday night indicated that Whitehill had torn an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will miss the 2008 Olympics.

Whitehill, 26, played every minute of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She has played 129 times for the USA and was a likely candidate for the USA’s 18-player roster for the 2008 Olympics. The two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and also played a key role for the USA at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“Obviously, it’s a huge disappointment coming so close to a major tournament,” Whitehill said in a U.S. Soccer release. “I’ve gotten a lot of hugs from my teammates and everyone on the team has been really supportive. It’s still a shock, especially since it’s the first major injury of my career, but now it’s time to go home, have surgery and spend time with my husband and be a good mom to my dog. I’ll be watching the team and cheering in front of the TV.”

The blow to the U.S. team comes just 19 days after the USA lost midfielder Leslie Osborne, also a likely Olympic Team member, to an ACL tear. Whitehill will have about an eight-month period of rehabilitation. Defender Stephanie Cox will travel to South Korea to replace Whitehill on the roster for the Peace Queen Cup as well as in the pool of 22 players being considered for spots on the 2008 Olympic Team.

Filed under: Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 11, 2008 - The U.S. Women’s National Team has a slew of games scheduled this summer to get ready for Olympic competition. Among other things, Coach Pia Sundhage needs to get her team focused on specific strategies to help prepare them against a diverse group of opponents. There may be new faces, but the team has the same goal. Win gold at the Olympics.

The new school (Rachel Buehler, Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney and Tobin Heath) is learning to learn to play seamlessly in the team’s lineup and the back line still needs some tweaking. Heather Mitts is back in training following her knee injury last year.

Drawn into Group G, the USA will face Norway, Japan and New Zealand during first round play in Beijing. “I’m very excited about the challenge of the draw overall,” said Sundhage in a U.S. Soccer press release. “It’s good to know who we will be facing in the Olympics…We have many things to work on, but the preparation schedule is excellent.”

The U.S. team has played well against Norway, recently defeating them 4-0 in the Algarve Cup, and 4-1 in the 2007 World Cup third place game. Japan will be difficult to pin down — they’re quick and very technical on attack. New Zealand has a new head coach and an up-and-coming squad so they may be a wild card.

The reigning World Cup champion Germany, and World Cup runner-up Brazil were drawn together against North Korea and Nigeria in Group F.  The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals. They are joined by the two best third-placed teams.

Sundhage recently selected a streamlined roster to travel to the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea, held in mid-June. The tournament will have the U.S. facing off against 13th-ranked Italy, and Australia for the third time in two months. As for the third group match against Brazil, the U.S. ladies will finally have the chance to redeem themselves in the most anticipated game of the year against Marta and Co.

(more…)

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 10, 2008 - Get Ready! On June 14, 2008 South Korea will host the second annual Peace Queen Cup.

The Peace Queen Cup is a women’s soccer tournament  created after the success of the Men’s Peace Cup. The goal of the Peace Cup is “to harness the splendor and energy of football, the most popular international sport, to promote the unity of mankind and help realize a World of Peace.” Cool mission.

Eight different teams from around the world compete with the hopes of becoming number one. This year participating teams include: Korea Republic USA, Brazil, Korea DPR, Canada, Australia, Italy, and Argentina (tough competition)!

Last year the US had a tough time playing against Denmark, where they tied 1-1. Luckily this year Denmark isn’t competing, so this could give US an edge. During the Peace Queen Cup of 2006, the final came down to Canada v. USA, with USA barely taking the win, 1-0.

USA’s first game takes places on June 15, 2008 against Australia. The second game will take place on June 17 against Brazil and the third game will take place on June 19 against Italy. New coach Pia Sundhage has chosen a roster consisting of three goalkeepers, six defenders, eight midfielders, and four forwards.

The Goalkeepers include: Hope Solo, Nicole Barnhart, and Briana Scurry. The Defenders are: Christie Rampone, Kate Markgraf, Cat Whitehill, Heather Mitts, Lori Chalupny, Rachel Buehler. Midfielders are: Aly Wagner, Angela Hucles, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly, Lindsay Tarpley, Tobin Heath, Kacey White. Last but not least the Forwards for this tournament are: Abby Wambach, Natasha Kai, Amy Rodriguez, and Lauren Cheney.

This year’s team has a very strong line up, with a solid midfield. They are the defending champs, so lets hope this is a good tune-up for the Olympics and they can bring home another gold medal.

For more information visit: Peace Queen Cup

Filed under: Int'l Soccer by amo
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