USWNT

GUANGZHOU, China( January 18, 2008) - The U.S. Women's National team dispatched Finland with little drama in its second match of the Four Nations Tournament, cruising to a 4-1 victory Thursday. Lindsay Tarpley scored two more goals, and Angie Woznuk and Lauren Cheney each added goals setting the stage for a January 20 clash with China for the Championship. More shortly.


Great to see so many different players scoring.

[FSM]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article ... cjb8ZxdhUg

In Friday's other game, Lindsay Tarpley scored two goals to lead the U.S. to victory. Lauren Cheney and Angela Woznuk also scored for the Americans while Essi Sainio replied for the Finns.

The Americans played most of the game in Finland's half, firing 19 shots to the Finns' four. The U.S. also had 16 corner kicks to Finland's two.

The United States took the lead in the 37th minute when Tarpley poked the ball home in a goal-mouth scramble. Two minutes later, the forward struck again with a shot from 15 yards to make it 2-0.

"I'm very satisfied with the way they knocked it around," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "They kept possession in the first half. They did very well with swinging from one side to another. We had problems penetrating. We didn't create as many chances as I wanted to."

Finland pulled within a goal in the 54th when Sainio drilled a shot at U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who let the ball slip through her hands. Scurry had one save, while Finland's Korpela Tinja-Riikka had seven.

The Finns almost tied it in the 67th when a shot by Anna-Kaisa Rantanen hit the cross bar and bounced out.

But the Americans overcame that scare to extend the lead in the 69th when forward Cheney shot the ball into the left corner of the net. Midfielder Woznuk sealed the win with a goal in the 80th from about 10 yards.

The Americans play China on Sunday.

It will be very interesting to see if we, the fan, can see Pia's impact thru a much different style of play.

[FSM]

Women's National Team

Lindsay Tarpley Scores Twice and U.S. Women Defeat Finland 4-1; USA Takes on China on Sunday, Jan. 20 For Four Nations Title

- Wambach Notches Two Assists, Heath Earns First Cap
- Woznuk Scores First Goal With The Senior Team, Earns Second Cap
- DiMartino Gets First Cap, First Assist



GUANGZHOU, China (January 18, 2008) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dispatched Finland with little drama in its second match of the 2008 Four Nations Tournament, getting two goals from Lindsay Tarpley, one from Lauren Cheney and one from Angie Woznuk in a 4-1 victory that set up a clash with host China on January 20 for the championship.

In the first match of the day, China tied Canada, 0-0, giving the hosts four points after two games. That means a win or tie for the United States (six points) against China on Sunday will give the Americans the 2008 Four Nations title. It will be the third consecutive year that the two countries have met for the title at this tournament. Kickoff at Guangdong Olympic Center Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. ET)

U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage made four changes from the starting lineup that defeated Canada 4-0 two days ago, inserting outside backs Stephanie Cox and debutante Tobin Heath as well as goalkeeper Briana Scurry, while giving Tarpley a run as an attacking midfielder. The move paid off as Tarpley banged in back-to-back goals within a three minute span late in the first half after the U.S. had peppered the Finland goal with shots during the first half hour.

Carli Lloyd, who played a fine match in the center of the U.S. midfield, started the movement on the first goal, weaving around a defender before slipping a pass to Tarpley, who played a quick touch to Abby Wambach in the middle of the penalty area. Wambach bulled her way through a defender before both players went down in a heap, but the ball settled perfectly for the trailing Tarpley, who poked the ball into the net from seven yards out in the 37th minute.

Wambach served up the second goal as well, dribbling into right side of the penalty area and rolling a perfect pass to the onrushing Tarpley, who manufactured a perfect first-time finish, powering her right-footed shot across the goal mouth and into the lower left corner from 15 yards out for her second goal of the game.

The goals, which gave Tarpley four for the tournament and 21 for her career, marked the first time she has scored two goals in back-to-back games. She also becomes the 16th player in U.S. history to score 20 or more goals in her career.

Amy Rodriguez, making her second career start for the USA, was dangerous running at the Finland defense and had a breakaway snuffed at her feet by Finland goalkeeper Tina-Riika Korpela just before halftime, which the USA entered with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

In the second half Finland gave the U.S. a scare, cutting the lead in half in the 54th minute on a rare foray into the USA’s defensive third. The ball ended up at the feet of Essi Sainio just inside the penalty box at the right of the arc, and her spinning shot squirted through U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry’s hands and into the net, giving Finland its first goal against the USA since 1999 and only its second-ever score in 13 all-time meetings.

The only other scary moment for the USA came in the 67th minute with the score still at 2-1 when Finland almost tied the game an Anna-Kaisa Rantanen’s free-kick from 35 yards out that thundered off the crossbar, but bounced away.

Two minutes later, the USA went up 3-1 on Lauren Cheney’s second career goal. Substitute Tina DiMartino, in her first-ever appearance for the full National Team, skillfully maneuvered around a Finnish player on the right wing, beat another to the end line and then sent a perfect rolling cross into the seam for Cheney, who buried her shot into the left corner from eight yards out. The combination of the two college teammates at UCLA gave Cheney her second career goal in just her third career cap.

The USA out-shot Finland 15-2 in the first half and 19-4 overall, creating 16 total corner kicks, most won through the hard work of Heather O’Reilly down the right wing. The Americans found little success on their corner kicks until the 15th attempt was drilled into the middle by Cox with 10 minutes left in the game. Woznuk, who was playing in just her second international match and first since 2005, hit a sizzling first-time volley with the inside of her right foot. Korpela could only get a palm on the ball, sending it into the roof of the net and giving Woznuk her first-ever international goal. That goal was also the work of college teammates as Cox and Woznuk played their season seasons at the University of Portland last fall.

Sundhage made all five allowed substitutions in the match, also sending on Lori Chalupny in the 72nd minute and Leslie Osborne in the 74th. Playing 90 minutes at left back, the 19-year-old Heath showed early in the game that the naiveté of youth can breed confidence, nut-megging a Finland player 30 yards from the U.S. goal on left wing with her first-ever touches at the full international level before connecting with a midfielder. Central defenders Christie Rampone and Ali Krieger, who was playing in just her second-ever international game, both went 90 minutes for the second consecutive match.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Match-up: USA vs. Finland
Competition: 2008 Four Nations Tournament
Venue: Guangdong Olympic Sports Center Stadium; Guangzhou, China.
Date: January 18, 2008; Kickoff – 4:30 p.m. local / 3:30 a.m. ET
Attendance: 500
Weather: Cloudy, cool – 66 degrees

Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
USA 2 2 4
FIN 0 1 1

USA – Lindsay Tarpley (Abby Wambach) 37th minute.
USA – Lindsay Tarpley (Abby Wambach) 39.
FIN – Essi Sainio (not available) 54.
USA – Lauren Cheney (Tina DiMartino) 69.
USA – Angie Woznuk (Stephanie Cox) 80.

Lineups:
USA: 1-Briana Scurry; 14-Stephanie Cox, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 26-Ali Krieger, 6-Tobin Heath; 7-Shannon Boxx (10-Angie Woznuk, 46), 11-Carli Lloyd (12-Leslie Osborne, 74), 5-Lindsay Tarpley, 9-Heather O’Reilly (17-Lori Chalupny, 72); 19-Amy Rodriguez (25-Tina DiMartino, 63), 20-Abby Wambach (8-Lauren Cheney, 46)
Subs not used: 18-Hope Solo, 4-Cat Whitehill, 16-Angela Hucles, 27-Becky Sauerbrunn.
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage

FIN: 1-Tina-Riika Korpela; 14-Tuija Hyyrynen, 3-Jessica Julin (13-Anna Westerlund, 76), 4-Sanna Valkonen, 2-Petra Vaelma; 5-Tiina Salmén – Capt., 7-Essi Sainio, 8-Leena Puranen (20-Katri Nokso-Koivisto, 76), 10-Anna-Kaisa Rantanen (18-Annica Sjölund, 83), 19-Heidi Lindström; 9-Sanna Tolonen (11-Linda Sällström, 46).
Subs not used: 6-Miia Niemi, 12-Haikka Tinja, 15-Maija Saari, 16-Sanna Malaska, 17-Susanna Lehtinen.
Head Coach: Michael Kald

Statistical Summary:
USA / FIN
Shots: 19 / 4
Shots on Goal: 11 / 3
Saves: 1 / 7
Corner Kicks: 16 / 2
Fouls: 9 / 6
Offside: 6 / 1

Misconduct Summary: None.

Jan. 20
Finland vs. Canada
USA vs. China

Great to see so many different players scoring.

So far Wambach has not scored a single goal.

Great to see so many different players scoring.

So far Wambach has not scored a single goal.

I see that as a positive. Some depth is starting to show or be uncovered finally.

Goal Highlights

http://translate.google.com/translat...54749583.shtml

[keeper]

This maybe easier for some to view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXwbyP-1FrA

Thanks!!

[keeper]

I don't know if anyone really follows the WNT close enough to watch the matches, but if you want to watch the match with Finland, here's a link to match downloads. Not as much fun as watching live-on-line with pbp, but still fun.

USA vs FIN part 1

USA vs FIN part 2

[keeper]

1-0 USA over China

The final game was fun to watch. Very physical match and the first half was a little shaky, but things settled down in the second half. China really packed in defensively. Except for Solo, the team looked a little panicky and tired at times and the midfield needs more time to gel.

This was the toughest match for the team and considering the number of new members and a new style of play, it was a good win.

Pia is a GREAT change.

Boxxy's goal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBM_52TJv0





.

Terrific goal!!!

[FSM]

Good day for US soccer. Men beat Sweden, Women win Four Nations. Reading the posts in another forum of those who watched the game, the US play in the first half like Ryan was coaching again. Abby Wambach only had 2 assists in the entire tournament and was subbed out before Boxx's goal. Do you think this will affect her confidence under Sundhage?

An earlier goal by Tobin Heath was called offside. It doesn't look to me that it was when the ball was served; however, if you watch the replay, the AR's flag was up before the play. Should the goal have been called back?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6A9Vzswn1I

[TheStatsGuy]

Not offsides

If you watch the video at around the 21 second mark you can see it really clear. The flag was up before the US player at around the 20 yard mark even kicks the ball in towards the six to Heath. The flag was most likely for coming back from an offside position to play the ball, BUT Heath was clearly back in an on-side position before the player out at the 20 even struck the ball back into the box. Should have been a goal.

Thats why officials have such a hard job. We don't get replay or slow motion views. That was a bang bang play and unfortunately the AR got that one wrong. Lord knows I've been there and probably will be again real soon! Is it April yet?

[keeper]

Re: Not offsides

If you watch the video at around the 21 second mark you can see it really clear. The flag was up before the US player at around the 20 yard mark even kicks the ball in towards the six to Heath. The flag was most likely for coming back from an offside position to play the ball, BUT Heath was clearly back in an on-side position before the player out at the 20 even struck the ball back into the box. Should have been a goal.

Thats why officials have such a hard job. We don't get replay or slow motion views. That was a bang bang play and unfortunately the AR got that one wrong. Lord knows I've been there and probably will be again real soon! Is it April yet?

The flag was up before the ball was struck. The AR had flagged the original pass and the CR didn't see it. The sequence of the two passes was just too fast. But didn't the AR do what she was supposed to do? Doesn't the flag stay raised until it's acknowledged?

These kinds of errors balance out over time, I rather not see instant replay come to soccer.




.

This is why some of the flags used today have a beeper so that the ref can be contacted immediately