Rio 2016: Medal Round

I was looking forward to watching the USWNT take on Brazil in the semi-finals of the Olympic games today at 12 p.m. ET, but sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. On Saturday, the team lost to Sweden on penalties. I was working at a music festival and was unable to watch. I tried my best to follow along on twitter when I wasn’t busy. It was still upsetting regardless of the fact that I wasn’t totally enamored with the game on a TV in front of me.

Saturday’s loss was the earliest Olympic exit for the USWNT since they began competing in the games in 1996. The U.S. won gold at the previous 3 Olympic tournaments. The game was scoreless through the first half. Mid-way through the second frame in the 61st minute Sweden’s Stina Blackstenius put her team up 1-0. The U.S. tied it up 15 minutes later on a goal from Alex Morgan. Neither team was able to score through 90 minutes plus stoppage time. In the 30 minutes of added extra time again neither team was able to find the back of the net so the match went to penalties.

Alex Morgan took the first shot for the U.S. It was saved by Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl. Lotta Schelin (SWE), Lindsey Horan (USA), Kosovare Asllani (SWE), and Carli Lloyd (USA) all scored on their PK’s. Linda Sembrant stepped up next for Sweden but was denied by Solo, igniting a surge for the U.S. At that point the score was 2-2 after 3 rounds. Then Morgan Brian put the U.S. up 3-2, but Sweden countered quickly with a goal by Caroline Seger. Christen Press was the final kicker for the USWNT (unless of course the score still remained tied) but her shot sailed over the cross bar leaving it to Lisa Dahlkvist to seal the deal for Sweden, which she did. The U.S. fell 4-3 ending their chances to medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

No matter what the situation it’s always a surprise when the USWNT loses, especially at this point in the competition. They’ve set the standard for so long in the women’s soccer world that it’s expected for them to compete in every final in every major tournament. This time that wasn’t the case. For the first time ever the U.S. failed to medal in a major tournament, but a part of me believes this was coming. Since winning the World Cup last summer the USWNT went through some major changes. The lineup changed drastically with retirements, pregnancies, and injuries, but also with healthy players. Heather O’Reilly, a 14 year USWNT veteran wasn’t part of the active roster. Her status on the USWNT seemed to drop off last year playing in only a handful of matches including once in the World Cup for no visible purpose. She was named as an alternate on the Olympic squad. Ali Krieger, the States’ most consistent and reliable right outside back, began riding the bench some time during Olympic qualifiers for no explicit reason as well. She was a major part of the back line that almost broke the record for scoreless minutes in last year’s World Cup.

When it came to retirements, veterans Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx, Lauren Holiday, and Lori Chalupny hung up their boots. Forwards Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez were left off the roster because both were pregnant. Megan Rapinoe tore her ACL back in December and worked her way back into the lineup and Olympic roster but still wasn’t 100 percent ready to go. Injuries to Morgan Brian and Tobin Heath right before the Olympics and Julie Johnston and Mallory Pugh during the first match of the games happened too. It seems that the USWNT didn’t have the right lineup and game plan formula for winning which puts Coach Jill Ellis to blame and rightfully so.

At one point in the match on Saturday she had midfielder, Tobin Heath at right back, a move that made most shake their heads. Her philosophy of having a more offensive team backfired. The U.S. barely outscored opponents during the tournament, never scoring more than 2 goals in any match. Relying heavily on rookies and injured players to perform against some of the best teams in the world was another blunder. Good rookies are important to have on any roster but there needs to be a core group of healthy veterans involved as well. In my opinion, Ellis wasted a roster spot on Megan Rapinoe. She wasn’t ready. She may have been healthy enough to play, but she wasn’t in her element at all. Without playing since December, it’s tough to come back strong and perform at your best in a major tournament. It seems to me that their were more politics at play than anything in this tournament, which caused for the early exit.

Now it’ll be another 2 years until the USWNT begins preparing for the 2019 Women’s World Cup. It’ll be time to focus on the NWSL and growing the women’s game in that regard. It was around this time 4 years ago that my love of women’s soccer grew and inspired me. It inspired me in so many ways. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without the game and incredible players/humans that are a part of the U.S. women’s soccer team. Missing the game Saturday was slightly disappointing, but I missed it for great reason as I continue to follow my own dreams. I wouldn’t be doing that without “the Gals” and for that I’m grateful. Win or lose I’ll always be proud of the USWNT players and the way they compete. They’re incredible both on the field and off, and I’m glad to support them. I believe that we will win, but another day and time from now.

Rio 2016: Group Stage

The 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil kicked off on Friday night. Before the opening ceremonies, the United States Women’s National Team began their tournament Wednesday in Belo Horizonte, Brazil against New Zealand. “The Gals” then squared off against number three ranked France Saturday afternoon again in Belo Horizonte and Colombia last evening in Manaus. Through three games the USA women’s soccer team had a record of 2-0-1 earning them 7 points and the top spot in their group, Group G. The first place seed sets them up for a quarterfinals match-up with former Coach Pia Sundhage and Sweden on Friday.

In the first match against New Zealand the U.S. came away with a 2-0 win. The goals came from the feet of Carli Lloyd in the 9th minute and Alex Morgan in the 46th minute. The U.S. wasn’t tested much against New Zealand, but that changed quickly when the team played France in their second Olympic Group Stage match.

The U.S. squeaked away from France with a 1-0 win. The game could have gone either way, but France failed to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities. It also could have ended in a tie, if not for 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd. Lloyd scored off a rebound of a Tobin Heath shot that was saved and hit off the post. France exposed the USWNT back line several times during the match, but U.S. Goalkeeper, Hope Solo, stepped up when needed.

In their third and final group stage match against Colombia last evening, the U.S. succeeded in winning the group but not in the way they would have liked. The game finished in a 2-2 tie with the game tying goal coming from Colombia in the 90th minute. The U.S. fell behind early in the match in the 26th minute when Colombia’s Catalina Usme sent in a free kick that slipped through the five hole of Hope Solo. The U.S. equalized in the 41st minute when Crystal Dunn cleaned up the rebound of a Carli Lloyd shot that was saved and hit off the crossbar. Then shortly into the second half Mallory Pugh beat out several Colombia defenders and kicked the ball through the Colombia defense to the back netting. Her goal came in the 60th minute and put the U.S. up 2-1. Then right before the game went to stoppage time, Catalina Usme again sent in a beautiful free kick from the right side that beat Hope Solo far post. The USWNT failed to hold on for the win and Usme’s brace gave Colombia their first tie against the U.S. after losing their previous 5 meetings. The goals for Dunn and Pugh marked their first ever major tournament goals for the senior national team since both are making their Olympic debuts this summer.

In my opinion, the USWNT is not playing their best soccer. They’re not taking advantage of their scoring chances and their defense doesn’t seem as strong as it was last summer in Canada at the World Cup. Fortunately being as good as they are, they were able to pull out of the group stage with a number one seed. The medal round will be a whole different animal though. If they make it past Sweden on Friday and Brazil beats Australia, the stage will be set for a semi-final between the top ranked team in the world and the host nation. The culture behind the USWNT is a winning mentality. The ladies in the red, white, and blue are going to give it their all to try to win gold for their country. They just need to start peaking to make it a little easier on themselves.

Of note from the group stage, Julie Johnston’s been out with a slight groin injury. Whitney Engen filled in at center back the past two matches. Pugh also took a knock in the first match that kept her out of the France contest. Morgan Brian has seen limited action due to a prior injury. She only played some of the first three matches. Lastly and finally, Megan Rapinoe made her return from being out due to an ACL tear that happened in December. As you can tell, the U.S. has some injury concerns to be aware of going forward too. Hopefully they’ll be able to manage, improve, and secure their third straight Olympic gold.

Road to Rio: Roster Release

I told you the next time I’d blog about the USWNT it would be after the Olympic roster was released. Well the release happened around noon today. With months since qualifiers and a tournament and friendlies in between, there were no surprises, just a few disappointments.

The 2016 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Olympic Roster is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Hope Solo and Alyssa Naeher

Defenders: Meghan Klingenberg, Whitney Engen, Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Julie Johnston

Midfielders: Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Allie Long, Megan Rapinoe

Forwards: Crystal Dunn, Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Mallory Pugh

I think the only question anyone had about this roster as time went forward was whether or not Megan Rapinoe would be healthy for the Olympics. She tore her ACL back in December, had surgery, and rehabbed post-op. She made it back though, just in time. My only concern is that she probably won’t be at 100 percent, despite what sources say. She hasn’t played in a match since October (she was injured prior to the U.S. Victory Tour matches in December). It’s almost like Alex Morgan at the World Cup last year. Morgan was injured twice for extended time periods over the past 2 years prior to the World Cup. At the World Cup, her performance suffered. She wasn’t at her peak. I feel like that might be the case for Rapinoe come August.

Two of the biggest disappointments of this roster are the exclusion of long-time USWNT veteran Heather O’Reilly (HAO) and 2015 Women’s World Cup back-up goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. O’Reilly’s playing time began to drop when Jill Ellis took over the reigns of the national team in the spring of 2014. She only played in one match last summer at the Women’s World Cup coming in as a sub in the quarterfinals against China PR. Harris on the other hand was named back-up goalkeeper in the months prior to the Women’s World Cup. After the World Cup, somewhere along the way during the Victory Tour, Harris’s status dropped. It became noticeable following the Victory Tour match in Orlando, FL, a city only about an hour away from Harris’s hometown of Satellite Beach. Harris didn’t receive any playing time, which isn’t common when a friendly gets played in or near a player’s hometown. It was disappointing and rather odd, raising a red flag for anyone who paid attention to the team. Coach Ellis also stated prior to the three December matches that each goalkeeper would receive playing time. Unfortunately the Hawaii match was cancelled because the field was deemed unplayable. In the other two matches Naeher and Solo played. Harris again didn’t receive any minutes, which was another red flag. Maybe she was supposed to play in Hawaii, but we may never know. Since the Victory Tour, Harris hasn’t played in any matches and has repeatedly not dressed for games, which was a sure indication of her third keeper status. Harris and O’Reilly will serve as alternates for the team along with Emily Sonnett and Samantha Mewis. Both are world class players who would undoubtedly be starters on any other national team in the world. What caused their status to drop on the USWNT is unknown and therefore a disappointment for this year’s Olympic Tournament.

On a happier note, the final cut from last year’s World Cup roster, Crystal Dunn, has finally made the USWNT for a major tournament. Dunn’s response to being left off the World Cup roster last summer was nothing short of inspirational. She lead the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with 15 goals and received the 2015 Player of the Year Award. She’s also scored 13 goals and had 7 assists since rejoining the national team during the Victory Tour. She’s been on fire and was a guarantee going into the Olympics. Her comeback was incredible and if you want to read more about that from Crystal, herself, check out this article in the Players’ Tribune.

Another happy note from the roster is the 31 year old, USWNT veteran, first time Olympian, Ali Krieger. In 2012 during Olympic qualifying, Krieger tore her right ACL and MCL and didn’t make it back in time to be on the Olympic roster, despite efforts of surgery and rehab. At the time, she was an integral part of the USWNT as the only player who played every minute in the 2011 Women’s World Cup and scored the winning penalty kick against Brazil in the legendary quarterfinal match that put the USWNT in the headlines.Her exclusion on the 2012 roster was expected but also a disappointment. Since then, she has stated numerous times that being an Olympic athlete was always a dream of hers. Now that dream is finally coming true. As a world class defender/right outside back, there’s no doubt that Krieger will be an impact if this team is to win gold, despite her playing time in the last few months being much less than normal (another questionable decision to say the least).

Lastly three other players (in addition to Dunn) on this Olympic roster were not part of the World Cup Champion team last summer. The youngest of those three is Mallory Pugh. She received her first call to the national team during January camp and has been lights out since receiving her first cap. The catch is that she just turned 18. She’s about to start college at UCLA in the fall. She’s also scored 2 goals and added 7 assists since her debut for the senior national team. Her 7 assists actually lead the team this year. She’ll be a quality play-maker for the USWNT going forward.

Lindsey Horan is another of the other three who wasn’t part of the World Cup last summer. Horan is the only player on the national team to pass on college and go straight to the pros. She played 4 seasons for Paris Saint-Germain in France before joining the Portland Thorns of the NWSL this year. Since coming in this year Horan has played as a holding center mid, occupying the spot most previously held by recent retiree Lauren Holiday (Cheney). There were questions of who would take on that role after Holiday retired, but Horan has fit into the spot well, even if she played forward all her life. Allie Long, the last of the other three players not a part of the World Cup, has also been competing for that spot with Horan. Long has been in and out of the national team for years. She could never quite secure a spot until now making her roster spot a “long” awaited accomplishment.

The rest of the roster contains players who won gold in Canada last summer including 2015 FIFA World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd, 2015 Women’s World Cup Golden Glove Winner Hope Solo, and the face of the USWNT since 2011, Alex Morgan. Hopefully these 18 players will be able to bring back gold in the Olympics. If the USWNT wins gold, they will be the first team to ever win World Cup gold and Olympic gold back to back. They’ll face plenty of tough tasks along the way, including France, who beat the U.S. back in February 2015. Host country Brazil will also be a tough task if they meet at some point as well as Germany and the 2012 Olympic bronze medal winning team, Canada.

Only time will tell what happens this summer to the reigning world champion USWNT, but it will surely be entertaining no matter what. I’ll probably update a couple times during the Olympics, but I doubt it will be as much as when I covered the World Cup last summer. Look for updates nonetheless. See you in Rio!

Road To Rio: CONCACAF Qualifiers

Last year I chronicled the United States Women’s National Team’s 2015 Women’s World Cup journey from qualifiers in the fall of 2014 to July 5, 2015 where “The Gals” dominated Japan in a 5-2 victory to secure the U.S.’s first World Cup victory in 16 years. Fortunately for the USWNT, there’s another major tournament this summer, the 2016 Rio Olympics. Unlike in men’s soccer where the U-23 national teams compete in the games, the women send their senior national teams to battle for Olympic gold. You see, in soccer, the Olympics aren’t as important as the World Cup, which is the reason the men only send their U-23 squads. Of course, the men in general have more tournaments to compete in, and like in most sports, men have more opportunities financially and physically (but hopefully that begins to change). Nonetheless, women’s soccer has and will be a bright spot for the United States in the Olympics this summer as the U.S. punched their ticket to Rio Friday night with a 5-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago.

Like I said, the Olympics aren’t as big of a deal as the World Cup so I’m not going to hype this summer tournament like I did last year. Before the U.S. women won the World Cup, they hadn’t won it since 1999, whereas the U.S. has won gold at the past 3 Olympic games. However, that being said, no women’s team has ever won a World Cup and then won gold at the Olympics the following year. If the U.S. wins gold in Rio, they will be the first team to do it. So if you’re looking for any story lines, there’s that.

Since the World Cup victory though, the roster has changed greatly for the USWNT. Shannon Boxx, Lori Chalupny, Lauren Holiday, and Abby Wambach have all retired. Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez will be skipping the Olympics this summer due to the births of their first and second children, respectively. Then there’s Christie Rampone and Megan Rapinoe whose Olympic roster statuses are in question due to injury. Through 2015 Rampone dealt with nagging knee and back injuries that paved way for defender Julie Johnston to take center stage in Canada last summer. Since December, she has been out with a bone bruise in her left knee. Megan Rapinoe tore her ACL during training in December before a match between the USA and Trinidad & Tobago that was ultimately cancelled because of poor field conditions at Hawaii’s Aloha Stadium. Rapinoe had surgery back in December and has been in rehab mode since to hopefully be well enough to earn a spot on the Rio 2016 roster and play in the games. In total though, 8 out of 23 players from the WWC roster are either out for the Olympics or in question. The Olympics has a catch though. Only 18 players are allowed on the official roster (with 3 alternates available). Despite the smaller roster number, U.S. Coach Jill Ellis brought a few new players into the mix during January camp. She also opted for many fresh faces to compete in the qualifying tournament in favor of active and healthy veterans Heather O’Reilly and Whitney Engen (both part of the World Cup winning team) and there’s a few you should watch out for leading up to the Olympics.

17 year old Mallory Pugh earned her first senior national team call-up during January camp and was subsequently named to the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament roster. She got her first cap when the USA played the Republic of Ireland in a friendly on January 23rd in front of 23,000+ at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. She entered the game in the 58th minute for Alex Morgan who earned her 100th cap that day. In a passing of the torch moment, the future UCLA Bruin became the youngest player to debut for the USWNT since 2005. She also scored a goal during the 83rd minute to put the USA up 5-0. During qualifying, Pugh played in all 5 matches and settled into the level of play. Her speed and play-making ability sparked the U.S. offensive attack on several occasions. She even earned 3 assists throughout the tournament. By the end of the tournament, Pugh played as a starter. If she makes the Olympic roster, she’ll definitely be a name to watch out for in Rio.

Lindsey Horan is another name to pay attention to as time progresses. Horan, only 21 years of age, opted to forego college at women’s soccer powerhouse, UNC, to play professionally for the past 3 years in France for Paris-Saint Germain. She saw time with the USWNT during camps in the past and earned her first cap back in 2013 at the Algarve Cup. Playing her whole life as a forward, Horan has recently stepped into the defensive center mid spot left vacant by retiree Lauren Holiday. At first with Holiday’s, retirement I was a little concerned because of the tough shoes to fill, but I’ve been incredibly impressed with Horan’s play. She’s created a chemistry on the pitch with fellow center-mid Morgan Brian, who played her way into a starting role during the World Cup last summer. She’s also maintained possession, created offense, and quarterbacked the best team in the world throughout her time on the field. Not to mention, her 5’9 frame and goal-scoring/heading capabilities create an offense threat on the attack and set pieces. At this point I would be shocked if Horan didn’t make the Olympic roster because she seems to have the defensive center mid position on lock and as recent camp call-up Rose Lavelle would say, she’s “The Great Horan”.

Massachusetts born Stephanie McCaffrey and Samantha Mewis were also two new additions to the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament roster. Both players saw limited time during tournament play but made an impact on the national team leading up to Olympic qualifying. McCaffrey earned her first cap in October during the Victory Tour where she also notched her first goal during the final minute of stoppage time in the match against Brazil in Orlando. For the national team, most of McCaffrey’s appearances have been as a forward/mid on the wings, predominantly the right side. She makes great runs and expands the width of the offense, while aiding in the attack. Mewis has played a center mid role in her recent national team appearances. It seems like she’s been in a competition for that center mid field role along with Lindsey Horan and Morgan Brian. At 6’0 tall, Mewis has a height advantage much like Horan when it comes to set pieces, but Horan has been crushing any competition she has for the position, including Mewis. Unlike her fellow “masshole”, Steph McCaffrey, Mewis’s first cap came in December 2014, but during qualifying last week, she finally scored her first goal against Puerto Rico.

Defenders Jaelene Hinkle and Emily Sonnett made the qualifying tournament roster as well. Like McCaffrey and Mewis, both saw limited action in the tournament since the USWNT already has a strong defensive core with Ali Krieger, Kelley O’Hara, Julie Johnston, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg getting much of the defensive playing time. Both players did earn starts in the match against Puerto Rico, which saw a much different back line than in prior matches. Hinkle, an outside back, earned her first cap during the Victory Tour and has been a call-up ever since. With Chalupny retiring, the USWNT seems to be looking to fill a void left by the former outside back, which is where Hinkle fits into the mix. Sonnett also earned her first cap during the Victory Tour and was recently drafted first overall in the 2016 NWSL Draft to the Portland Thorns. It seems the center back made the Olympic qualifying roster in favor of Whitney Engen who has been in the national team system for a while and was on the 2015 WWC roster. She has a ways to go before she replaces Johnston and Sauerbrunn, but she gained experience during the tournament and played solid throughout.

Lastly, the  new additions to the tournament roster wouldn’t have been complete without the familiar face of Crystal Dunn. As the final cut from the 2015 WWC roster, the UNC grad seems to have finally guaranteed her place on the national team. Dunn’s ride on the team so far has been bumpy. She received her first cap in 2013 and primarily played in the outside back position. She experienced some injuries during 2014 which slightly set her back and was left off the World Cup roster in favor of several veterans. Her response was one of the most inspiring efforts of the past year. Instead of defense, she played in the forward position for her NWSL team, the Washington Spirit, during the 2015 season and lead the league in scoring with 15 goals earning her the 2015 NWSL Golden Boot and MVP awards. Dunn was called up to the national team as a mid/forward during the Victory Tour in September and had a goal and 2 assists in her first game back after being left off the World Cup roster. Since being left off the roster, Dunn has appeared in every match the USWNT has played since September and has scored 10 goals and 4 assists in that time. During qualifying, Dunn recorded a five goal performance against Puerto Rico becoming the third player to achieve that mark on the USWNT and winning her the Golden Boot Award for the tournament. As you can see, she’s back with fire and she’s here to stay. Like Horan, there’s no question in my mind about Dunn making the Olympic roster, so keep your eye out for her and an abundance of puns using her last name.

With the mix of old and new at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament the USWNT not only guaranteed their spot at the Olympics but also won in the final 2-0 yesterday against a gritty Canadian team, who will also appear in Rio. The goals came from former PSG teammates Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath during the second half of play. Becky Sauerbrunn also received her 100th cap by playing in the match.

Unlike last year, I won’t be summarizing each match leading up to Rio, but I will be posting here and there with news and developments on the team, especially once the roster is released. In the following months USWNT fans can look forward to the She Believes Cup, which will take the place of the USWNT’s typical beginning of March trip to the Algarve Cup in Portugal. It starts next week. The She Believes Cup takes place Stateside and will feature matches against three of the world’s top ten teams, Germany (March 9th), France (March 6th), and England (March 3rd). It should be a great test for the USWNT leading up to Rio. Both France and Germany will be at the Olympics as well (England cannot compete in the Olympics because England competes under the name of Great Britain during the games which also includes Scotland and Wales, two countries with separate national women’s soccer teams). The USWNT also has a friendly scheduled for April 6th. The Olympic roster is expected to be announced in May. I’m sure there will be matches between then and the Olympics, which take place August 3-20, as well. The Road to Rio should be fun, new, and exciting so follow the World Champs on their journey to see if they can win the gold once again and become the first women’s national team to win a World Cup and Olympic gold back to back.

USWNT: 2015 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS

“Carli Lloyd who scored both goals and was named Woman of the Match was an absolute beast on Wednesday. She’s a special player. ….She’s a key piece for this team to be successful at the Women’s World Cup. They’ll need her to be on top of her game and on the pitch as much as possible this summer so hopefully she’ll be up for the challenge. With a mentality like Carli’s though, I have no doubt she will.”
-Me from a blog post dated 3/11/15

Four years ago, I sat in my basement on July 17, 2011 and watched the USWNT lose to Japan on penalty kicks. After that match as I watched players walk around the pitch in devastation and disbelief, I proclaimed that this team would win the next World Cup for sure. Almost four years later on July 5, 2015, I sat in basement with a USWNT jersey on my back and watched the USWNT beat Japan 5-2 to win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (it feels so good to be right!). Yes, I’ve been hyping this team since I started this blog. I’ve been following them so closely for the last 2 1/2-3 years and now…WORLD CHAMPS! THREE STARS ABOVE THE CREST! THEY DID IT!

I could not be more happy and proud of these women. They’re incredible humans on and off the pitch. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their inspiration. True story. It’s difficult to really recap the game and try to analyze it like I always do because I don’t feel like talking about stats or what they did well or could’ve done better. They didn’t need to do anything better. They got it done. They won the World Cup. Since I was so amped every time they put the ball in the net though, I guess I should at least recap the goals.

Last night was the Carli Lloyd show. She comes up in big games as I stated back on March 11th. She scored the goals in the last two Olympic gold medal matches but, last night she was on another level. For a team that was all about defense and not conceding goals, only allowing 1 in their first 6 matches, they could have fooled me. The offense came alive last night early in a large part due to the absolute beast that is Carli Lloyd. On a beautiful set piece corner in the 3rd minute, Megan Rapinoe sent a low ball into the box that made its way through defenders and to Lloyd’s foot as she put the ball into the back netting. Two minutes later Lloyd struck again. It was off a set piece free kick taken by Lauren Holiday. Lloyd found herself in the right place at the right time as she tapped in a ball that was headed forward by Julie Johnston off the Holiday cross. Holiday, herself, found the back of the net in the 14th minute. She volleyed in a shot from an attempted Japanese clear. Then Lloyd recorded the first ever Women’s World Cup Final hat trick two minutes later from just beyond the midline when she chipped Japanese goalkeeper, Ayumi Kaihori, who was off her line. 16 minutes into the game and the U.S. were up 4-0. They were going to win. There was no doubt in my mind at the start of the match, but after the first 16 minutes, it was certain. I think the goals caused the team to let off a bit on the defensive end. In a way, they kind of lost focus as the emotion from going up by so many goals so early took hold. Japan broke their shutout streak in the 28th minute. Before the Japanese goal, the defense went 540 minutes without conceding a goal. They were seconds away from breaking Germany’s 2007 shutout streak record, which also stands at 540 minutes.

In the second half, Japan recorded another goal. It was an own goal by Julie Johnston when she tried to clear a Japanese free kick. The ball found its way to the net to make the score 4-2. There wasn’t anything to worry about though. Two minutes later Tobin Heath one-timed a Morgan Brian pass into the net to put the U.S. up by three once again, which is how the score stayed until the final whistle blew after 90 minutes plus 3 minutes of stoppage time.

After the U.S. beat Germany Tuesday night, it was pretty much written in the cards that they would win last night. As fate would have it, nothing stopped them. They won the World Cup. There’s a new legacy. 1999 was great, but now it’s all about 2015. The 15ers earned that third star that will be above the USWNT crest forever. It was incredible to follow this journey that began almost four years ago. Women’s soccer truly changed my life.

It feels like a new chapter begins today. Even though the Olympics is next summer, a new World Cup cycle begins. Players will retire. The team will change. I will change. A lot can happen in four years and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. But until then, it’s time to celebrate a championship four years in the making. To perfectly quote the band Queen, “WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!”

The USWNT lifts the World Cup trophy after defeating Japan 5-2 to win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final at BC Place.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. GER

Before the game last night, I knew I would be feeling some kind of emotion when it was over. It would either be pure elation or some sort of numbness. Honestly, a part of me felt like if any team in this tournament could beat the USWNT, it would be Germany. Germany had been playing awesome. The U.S.A. had been average with glimpses of awesome. For the first time during this tournament, I was unsure of the outcome. Needless to say, I shouldn’t have been so worried because last night when the USWNT played the number one team in the world, Germany, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, they won 2-0. The win secured their spot in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final on Sunday at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hell yes. They made it. One more win to go for World Cup glory.

The game last night was a roller coaster of sorts, but the USWNT was on top of the hills most often. The match started out in Germany’s favor for about the first few minutes or so. Germany controlled the play and attempted to create scoring opportunities. The unstoppable defense of the USWNT was able to thwart away any chances though. After that short spurt of German momentum, the red, white, and blue took over the possession and got chances in their attacking third. The chances they had were some of their best of the entire tournament too. Julie Johnston almost headed home a Megan Rapinoe corner kick in the 7th minute. Alex Morgan split two defenders and had a chance at the first goal in the 15th minute, but Germany’s goalkeeper Nadine Angerer came up with a huge stop on her shot. For the entire first half, the USWNT disallowed Germany to do what they’ve been so good at doing since their opening match, dictating the game through their skilled play and scoring ability. Again, however, the U.S. was unable to convert their chances and went to the locker rooms tied 0-0.

The break seemed to disrupt the flow of the game for the USWNT. After the teams took the field for the second half, Germany controlled early again. This time it seemed they had control for longer than they had in the first half. In fact, it seemed they were on the verge of breaking through the defensive wall, also known as the USWNT back line, but just when they had it cracked, momentum swung the other way. In the 59th minute, German forward Alexandra Popp broke through the back line and U.S. defender Julie Johnston hauled her down inside the 18 yard box, which drew a yellow card and a Germany penalty kick. Celia Sasic attempted the kick for Germany against U.S.A. goalkeeper, Hope Solo. Sasic missed the net. Had she not, Germany would have taken the lead because Solo dove to her left in the opposite direction of Sasic’s shot. Ten minutes later, a Germany defender was called for taking down Alex Morgan inside the penalty area and a PK was awarded to the USWNT. Carli Lloyd, who converted a penalty in the Round of 16, took the kick for the U.S. She scored. 1-0 U.S.A. They then took control for the last 20 minutes of the match. In the 75th minute, Kelley O’Hara, who started the quarterfinal in place of Rapinoe, came on for Tobin Heath. The switch was an important one because 9 minutes later O’Hara put up the insurance goal when she tapped in a Carli Lloyd pass from the endline. It was O’Hara’s first ever international goal (what a time to put up your first goal right?!). With only 6 minutes plus stoppage time left after the goal, the World Cup final was in their grasp. They closed out the game and earned the right to play for the trophy.

In an interesting strategic decision for this #1 versus #2 showdown, the USWNT came out in a 4-3-3 formation in favor of the standard 4-4-2 they had played in their other 5 matches. It proved to be a great tactical move. It opened up the midfield for the U.S., which allowed space for the midfielders to create opportunities going forward. The game also saw Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday back in the lineup after missing the quarterfinal for yellow card accumulation. Rapinoe played on the left side of Alex Morgan at the top of the 4-3-3. Holiday played the midfield along with Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd.

The USWNT back line of Ali Krieger, Julie Johnston, Hope Solo, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg continued their shutout streak, which is currently at 513 minutes. Hope Solo received her 5th consecutive shutout, 10th in World Cup play, and 89th overall in her career. The back line has proved time and time again to be the biggest difference maker for the USWNT in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. If the U.S.A. is destined to win Sunday night, the defense will be a guaranteed factor.

As I sit here, now, writing this, I can’t help but feel overjoyed for this team. I can’t believe how far they’ve come since Germany in 2011. I can’t believe how far the women’s game has come since then as well. If they win the World Cup, more progress will be made for soccer in America and for women’s soccer in America. We can only hope that the progress will impact women’s soccer in a more permanent way than in the past. This World Cup journey four years in the making is quickly coming to a close. One game remains for the USWNT. It’s the biggest one of all. It’s the Women’s World Cup final. See you Sunday night in Vancouver. It’s time. Let’s get it!

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. CHN

Last evening at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario the USWNT continued their World Cup journey with a quarterfinals match-up against China PR. From the get-go the match was in the USA’s favor. They created more chances and had better possession early in the match. Within the first few minutes, Amy Rodriguez, who started the match in favor of Abby Wambach, slipped through the China defense with the ball and took a shot that went just wide. Despite the heavy U.S. attack, they again failed to score in the first half. Before the team took the field for the second half, Wambach, who stood at the center of the huddle, had some inspiring words for her teammates, “First 10 minutes, we get a fucking goal!” (And no it wasn’t bleeped when she initially said it.) The USWNT did just that.

In the 51st minute, Julie Johnston sent a soaring cross from near the right center of the field after receiving the ball on a free kick from Meghan Klingenberg. Carli Lloyd, playing in her 200th cap, beat her defender and headed the cross into the back of the net to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead. From there the U.S. continued their strong play from the first half. The defense put up another strong showing which limited China from ever having a great chance to score. So far in 5 matches, the defense has allowed only 1 goal and has gone through 423 consecutive scoreless minutes. Later in the 73rd minute, the U.S. just missed the chance to go up 2-0 when a strong strike from just outside the box by right back Ali Krieger hit the crossbar. Overall, the USA proved to be too much for China though. They held on to their lead to win the match and move on to the semifinals against the number one team in the world, Germany.

Along with the insertion of Rodriguez at the forward spot, the lineup saw a few other changes from the previous matches. Since both Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday were unavailable for the match due to yellow card suspensions, Kelley O’Hara started her first 2015 Women’s World Cup match in the midfield on the right side and Morgan Brian started in the defensive center midfield position. The game also saw longtime veteran Heather O’Reilly get her first 2015 Women’s World Cup action by subbing in for Alex Morgan in the 81st minute (right side, strong side!).

The last time the USWNT met China in a World Cup match it was an extremely positive outcome. It was in the 1999 World Cup final. The USA beat China on penalty kicks to win the World Cup. It was a win that inspired a nation and boosted the rise of women’s soccer in this country. Most of the players on the current USWNT roster have memories of that match and were inspired by it to reach their greatest soccer goals. The team hopes to do the same for a new generation in about a week. But first, Germany.

The German squad is pure offensive, attacking power. They’ve already posted 20 goals in this tournament. Forwards Celia Sasic and Anja Mittag have combined for 11 of the 20 goals scored. It’s not just the forwards who make Germany so strong either. Midfielders like Lena Goessling, Dzsenifer Marozsan, and Simone Laudehr can both score and create scoring opportunities for their teammates. They have a strong goalkeeper in Nadine Angerer, 2013 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, who came up with the deciding save in penalty kicks against France yesterday afternoon to send Germany to the semifinals. There’s also plenty of other talented players willing to step in and step up when called upon. They’re not ranked as the best team in the world for nothing.

They will be the toughest test for the USWNT thus far and maybe in the entire tournament. It will be a match between the best offense of the World Cup (Germany) versus the best defense of the World Cup (United States). Winning against them will require an incredible performance from the entire U.S. team. However, it has been said that defense wins championships. We’ll just have to see if this defense can play to the challenge that is the German Women’s National Team. We’ll also have to see if the offense can manage to put some goals in the net. One thing is certain. The USWNT is one game away from playing for the ultimate prize that has eluded them for 16 years. They won’t go down without a fight. So prepare for battle Germany because Tuesday night…it’s on!

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. COL

Last evening at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, AB the first match of the Knockout Stage for the USWNT in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup took place. The U.S.A. came away with a 2-0 victory against Colombia allowing them to move on to the quarterfinals on Friday night in Ottawa, ON. As heavy favorites to hoist the trophy at the end of the tournament, it was expected that the #2 FIFA ranked American women would have a dominant all-around performance against the #28 ranked Colombian women, just as fellow favorites (#1 ranked) Germany and (#4 ranked) France did against their opponents the previous day. Although the team did manage to keep a clean slate and put up two goals of their own, their performance was less than convincing compared to the other international powerhouses.

Head coach Jill Ellis stuck with the same lineup as featured in the Nigeria match, opting to switch sides for midfielders Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe (Heath switched from left to right and Rapinoe from right to left). In the first half, the U.S. attack started a bit stronger than in previous matches as they managed to get a few scoring opportunities early. In the 4th minute Heath sent in a shot from about 8 yards out that was tipped away by Colombia’s goalkeeper, Catalina Perez. The rebound was knocked in the net by Abby Wambach, who was called offside shortly after which disallowed the apparent U.S. goal. As the half went on, frustration set in for the Americans. Colombia seemed to take charge at times possessing the ball to try to gain opportunities. Also, the U.S. attack seemed to dwindle. At half time, the teams entered the locker rooms in 0-0 deadlock with an energy that seemed to favor Colombia.

The momentum switched shortly after the second half began though. In the 47th minute a through ball made it’s way to the feet of a sprinting Alex Morgan who was in the clear for a sure goal scoring opportunity. As she reached the top of the 18, Colombia’s Perez made a tackle that took Morgan down causing the referee to hand out a red card to the keeper and award the U.S. with a penalty kick for the take down in the box. Although the U.S. failed to score on the penalty (Wambach’s shot went wide), the red card which caused Perez to be removed from play took a toll on the game. Six minutes later the USWNT made their first dent on the scoreboard when Ali Krieger found Morgan just outside the right of the box. Morgan made a few touches to get inside and took a shot that deflected in off new goalkeeper, Stefany Castaño, near post. Later, in the 66th minute, Rapinoe was fouled inside the box and another penalty kick was awarded to the U.S. This time Carli Lloyd took the shot and converted putting the USWNT up 2-0. From there the game was controlled by the U.S.A. Colombia seemed to lose their flow that they had during the first half and the Americans came away with the win.

Of note, Rapinoe and center midfielder Lauren Holiday will be unavailable for the USWNT’s next match on Friday as both received their second yellow cards in the tournament thus far. It’s funny how that worked out considering Rapinoe and Holiday were the only two players on the team to receive yellow cards in previous matches. Also of note, the strong defensive effort by the U.S. back line continued through this match as they limited Colombia to only 2 shots on goal. The USWNT’s defense has consistently proved through four of the possible seven games in this tournament that it is the strongest aspect of their team’s play. The same cannot be said for the offense, which has been inconsistent since the beginning of this year.

Through the first four World Cup matches the USWNT has scored only 6 goals, the least amount ever to be scored through four games by a U.S. team in Women’s World Cup competition. Granted, the competition has gotten a lot tougher through the years, but the U.S. women’s soccer program is expected to be the best in the world. Their success at the international level has proved it. It’s time to stop making excuses and start providing the dangerous attack that we know so well from the USWNT. I have heard since the start of this World Cup year about how the U.S. needs to “peak at the right time”. I’ve talked about it on this blog. I’ve been expecting it each match. But right now, we’re three games from the World Cup Final and I have yet to see these talented soccer players reach or even be near that level they keep referencing. I guess frustration has set in for me. It’s because I believe in this team so much and I know what they’re capable of. I also think I just enjoy seeing them create opportunities and score goals. It makes matches so much more exciting to watch. I feel like that dominance hasn’t been a part of their games recently and I miss it. One thing is for sure though. Friday is a new opportunity. To win this tournament, each game needs to be taken one at a time. It’s win and move on. Lose and go home. So far, the USWNT has done the former. I guess that’s all that really matters and only time will tell what happens next on this World Cup journey.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. NGA

Last night, the United States Women’s National Team played Nigeria in their final match of the Group Stage at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In front of 52,193 spectators at a sold out BC Place in Vancouver, BC, the red, white, and blue (or white, black, and volt) sealed first place in Group D with a 1-0 over the Super Eagles. The U.S. limited the dangerously quick Nigerian attack to only 7 shots, 2 shots on goal through the duration of the match. Their ball possession was better than it had been in the first two matches. They also seemed to be creating a few more scoring chances, but they had trouble finishing, which stuck with the recurring theme of the last few months. Their lone goal in the match came from, surprisingly, the foot (not the head) of Abby Wambach when she directed a Megan Rapinoe corner kick into the back netting right before the end of the first half (45th minute).

This game saw a few lineup changes from the first two games. The most notable one being that Alex Morgan started at forward alongside Abby Wambach. It was Morgan’s first World Cup start. Even though she was sidelined with an injury since April and played 23 minutes plus stoppage time through the first two matches, she made a noticeable impact on the game. Morgan has a natural instinct to find and create opportunities. She has great chemistry with Wambach and she has incredible finishing capability. She was denied on a few scoring chances by Nigeria’s keeper Precious Dede, including one golden opportunity off a well placed low cross by right outside back Ali Krieger in the 62nd minute. She was an offensive threat until she was subbed out in the 66th minute. Although she didn’t make an impact on the score sheet last night, it was evident why she is an essential piece to the USWNT and their offensive attack. To be successful in this tournament, they will need her.

Another change from the last two matches was that center midfielders, Carli Lloyd and Lauren Holiday, swapped roles. Holiday who sat back in a defensive central midfielder position played in a more attacking role versus Nigeria, while Lloyd, who took charge of the attacking role against Australia and Sweden, played the defensive position. The change seemed to help Holiday who played better than she had in the first two matches.

Once again the USWNT back line kept up their solid play and continued to be a strong asset to the team. All four defenders as well as goalkeeper Hope Solo have played every minute of the tournament so far. The former starting center back, Christie Rampone, also saw action during this match. She entered the game in the 80th minute for Tobin Heath making her the oldest player to ever appear in a World Cup match. She played at the left outside back position while Meghan Klingenberg stepped into the left midfield spot.

With last night’s win, the U.S. will play in the Round of 16 on Monday in Edmonton, AB against the third place winner from either group B, E, or F, which will be determined after play finishes today. From now on, every game for the USWNT becomes a lot more interesting. They enter the Knockout Stage of the tournament meaning each match is win and move on or lose and go home. Also unlike the Group Stage where games can end in a tie, the Knockout Stage will feature extra time, which is another 30 minutes added on to the game if the game is tied after 90 plus stoppage time. If the match is still tied after 120 minutes plus stoppage time, it will go to a best of five shootout where a winner will inevitably be determined (if there’s still a tie after five players from each team shoot, then the shootout goes to sudden death). The matches from here on out become more intense and exciting than ever (plus nerve-racking for fans). Stars will shine, goals will be scored, shots will be saved, tears will be shed, and at the end of it all the last team remaining will crowned champions of the world. The pressure is on for the USWNT and it should be a fun ride.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. SWE

On Friday night in front of a packed house at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the #2 ranked USWNT matched up against #5 ranked Sweden and former coach, Pia Sundhage. It was quite the battle, but ended in a 0-0 draw giving each team 1 point in their second match of the group stage (Sweden had 1 in the first game, U.S.A. had 3). The game (like one of the Fox announcers said) was a chess match. It was patient, strategic, and well-played by both sides who were unwilling to budge. Both teams had their fare share of possession and chances, the best being off a Sweden corner kick late in the game. For the U.S.A. what stood out the most in this match was the play of the backline. Defenders, Meghan Klingenberg, Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Johnston, and Ali Krieger, were relentless defending the Swedish attack and proved to be the biggest difference makers for the American side. Megan Rapinoe continued her solid play from Monday night by creating chances and keeping possession on the left flank. In the first half, the game started slow with a back-and-forth settled attack for both sides that didn’t really result in any close chances. Towards the end of the first half though, the U.S. attack was sparked by the undeniable chemistry from Rapinoe and Krieger, even though both play on opposite sides of the pitch. From the left, Rapinoe switched the play by finding Krieger on the right flank, who had space to push the ball forward and send crosses to the box. Despite the effort though, none of their opportunities were converted.

In the second half, the game’s intensity picked up as the scoring chances became more frequent and more dangerous for both teams. As mentioned, the best chance overall came from Sweden in the 77th minute. They were awarded a corner kick that was sent to the middle of the box and headed down by a Swedish attacker to the feet of Sweden’s Caroline Seger. She took a left-footed shot that curled to the far post which was covered by Klingenberg, who headed the ball away. The header hit the underside of the crossbar before it bounced away for a U.S. clearance. If Klingenberg did not make the stop, it would have been a sure goal for Sweden as the diving Hope Solo wouldn’t have got a finger on the ball. It was the play of the game for sure. It was also one of several times the USWNT’s backline came up huge. Julie Johnston, who started her first World Cup match Monday night, played with confidence as she thwarted away any attack that came at her. She also maintained possession well and tried to make plays to ignite the U.S. offense. Two-time NWSL Defender of the Year, Becky Sauerbrunn, who played almost every minute of the every match for the USWNT since the beginning of 2015, made a couple huge plays in the U.S. defensive end. Being a centerback, her play often goes unnoticed by many media personnel and fans alike. However, she is one of the most integral pieces of the USWNT. In a tournament like this though, her efforts will surely not go unrecognized for long as the games will get tougher and she will get called upon to make strong defensive plays to stop opposing attacks.

Of note, Morgan Brian made her first World Cup start as she was selected to play in place of Abby Wambach. Also of note, for the last two matches the play of the U.S. central midfielders, Carli Lloyd and Lauren Holiday (Cheney) has been average at best. For the USWNT to succeed as the tournament progresses, these two will need to get better (Yep, I’m calling you out Cheney and Carlos!).

The U.S.A. currently sits atop Group D with 4 points and one match left to play in the Group Stage against Nigeria on Tuesday night in Vancouver. Right now, they have a pretty good shot at qualifying for the Round of 16, but they’ll still need to put in a strong effort against a fast Nigerian team. In the meantime, there’s another 3 days of agonizing waiting until women’s football’s finest take the pitch again. Another battle begins Tuesday at 8:00 ET on Fox as the USWNT continues their journey to settle the score. I hope you’ll be watching.