Women's World Cup 2015

[Webster]

NBC ProSoccerTalk: Wambach, Rapinoe React To Historic SCOTUS Ruling On Marriage Equality

OTTAWA, Ontario — Friday brought celebrations both on and off the field for the United States women’s national team.

A 1-0 victory over China — and, finally, a win in convincing fashion — sent the U.S. into the semifinals for the seventh time in seven Women’s World Cups. There was a sense of relief among the Americans, a celebration of them finally finding their groove.

Earlier in the day, there was a different and even more important kind of joy.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled by majority (5-4) decision on Friday for same-sex marriage to be legalized nationwide, declaring that refusing to grant marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples violates the Constitution.

The news carried extra meaning for U.S. women’s national team players, several of whom are openly gay.

“Just amazing,” said U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe, one of the players who is out. She missed Friday’s quarterfinal due to suspension. “That’s an amazing feeling, obviously. Something that you can’t really put into words. It’s something that’s maybe a little overwhelming for them to just strike it totally across the board. I’m so proud to be American today, for that reason and many others.”

U.S. forward Abby Wambach said that the team had a Supreme Court-themed celebration planned for a potential second goal. “Obviously it impacts my life personally, but everybody on our team was super excited and happy about it,” Wambach said. “To cap it off with a win, moving on to the semis in the World Cup, for me, it doesn’t get better.”

Wambach married Sarah Huffman – a former U.S. national team player – in October 2013.

On the ruling, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote:

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were,” Kennedy wrote. “As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death.”

Before (Friday's) game, U.S. Soccer tweeted its “One Nation One Team” motto in a rainbow theme in recognition of the news.

More than ever, today we are #OneNationOneTeam. #LoveWins

U.S. coach Jill Ellis spoke openly after the match about the historic decision affecting all 50 states — and she was particularly impressed with how her employer treated the news.

“I was actually very honored with what U.S. Soccer put out,” United States . “When I saw it, I was very moved. Our players, they’re great role models, and to have that now be something that all of us can embrace, no matter where we live in the country, I think it’s tremendous. It’s a tremendous step for our country, and certainly as somebody who benefits from that I’m extremely pleased for everybody in our nation, in the LGBT community.”

 

[Webster]

NBC ProSoccerTalk: Top goalkeepers Hope Solo, Nadine Angerer clash in USA-Germany semifinal

MONTREAL – Among many odd, potentially lost-in-translation moments early in the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Germany coach Silvia Neid was asked about United States goalkeeper Hope Solo and her off-field issues, including domestic-violence allegations.

“(Germany goalkeeper) Nadine Angerer is very focused on the games, not much of a party-goer like I hear Hope is,” Neid told reporters on June 7. “I have players who are extravagant, intelligent and do have a life outside of soccer. I don’t know what the case is for Hope Solo.”

Translations always need to be taken with a grain of salt, especially in a press conference setting, but the remarks are ironically relevant three weeks later.

Solo and Angerer are considered the two best goalkeepers in the world. On Tuesday night, Germany and the United States – the two top-ranked teams in the world – meet in the Women’s World Cup semifinals. Both goalkeepers are likely to be called upon to execute the type-of game-changing saves that they are known to make. But only one will board a plane to Vancouver for Sunday’s World Cup final, with the other joining her teammates on the disappointing flight to the isolated Edmonton, Alberta, for the third-place game.

[KASSOUF: U.S. coach Jill Ellis faces tough lineup decisions vs. Germany]

Solo and her U.S. back-four enter the match in the best defensive form in the tournament, having not conceded a goal in 423 consecutive minutes. But it’s been a quiet World Cup for Solo, literally and figuratively. She hasn’t been called into action much since the first 30 minutes of the opening match against Australia; Colombia and China took 84 minutes and 80 minutes, respectively, to even put a shot on goal that she had to save. And Solo hasn’t spoken to reporters since briefly after that Australia game on June 8, a day after new reports regarding her June 2014 arrest surfaced.

Tuesday figures to be much different – on the field, at least.

Solo won’t go through this game without being tested, no matter how impermeable the U.S. defense may seem. Germany leads all teams at the World Cup with 20 goals scored and 134 shots. Germany’s Celia Sasic leads the tournament with six goals and teammate Anja Mittag is tied for second with five goals.

And while all of those numbers are skewed by Germany’s paltry group opponents (Sasic and Mittag BOTH had hat tricks in a 10-0 win over Ivory Coast), the threat is real. Germany may have the best front six in the world, even without 2014 FIFA World Player of the Year Nadine Kessler, who missed the World Cup with a knee injury.

So Solo will be called upon. U.S. coach Jill Ellis recently described Solo as having “laser focus” over the past few months since returning from suspension. Solo was banned from the team for 30 days in late January after her husband, former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens, was pulled over under the suspicion of driving under the influence while operating a U.S. Soccer team vehicle. Solo was in the passenger’s seat and acted “belligerent,” according to the police report. The incident occurred one week after Solo’s domestic-violence abuse charges were dismissed (prosecutors are in the process of filing an appeal).

How active Angerer is on Tuesday night will be indicative of how productive a to-date tame United States attack will be. Seven goals on 70 shots across five matches has been underwhelming from a U.S. attack that got a whole lot of attention coming into this tournament.

U.S. forward Alex Morgan has one of those goals and plays with Angerer – who she calls “a gamer” – on Portland Thorns FC. (Angerer notably called Morgan “fragile” last year during the offseason, but all seems to have been smoothed over since.)

Angerer, the 2013 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, didn’t have much to say about Solo when asked on Monday.

“We are very different,” she said. “She is a very, very good goalkeeper. I am not interested in what she is doing privately. I focus on my game and she lives her own life.”

Solo was unavailable for comment.

Morgan describes Angerer as “a gamer” while noting that Solo is among the best, if not the best goalkeeper in the world. Angerer and Morgan both spoke about how they would sometimes have a shooting competition after Thorns practice and pretend it was the 90th minute of a World Cup final.

“That was always funny,” Angerer said. “But now it is the World Cup semifinal and it´s getting serious.”

Very serious, indeed.

 

[Webster]

Tuesday Roundup
-In a battle of world powers, the U.S. advance to the WWC final with a 2-0 victory over Germany
--United States 2, Germany 0
The U.S. will face either Japan-England in the Final, while Germany will face the losing side for 3rd place

 

[Webster]

Wednesday Roundup....
-An extra-time own goal sinks England's Women's World Cup final dreams as Japan advance to the final 2-1

-Japan 2, England 1
3rd Place Game: Germany vs. England, 4 July 2015
Championship: United States vs. Japan, 5 July 2015

 

[Webster]

3rd-Place Match Roundup
-"And a Red shall lead them to the Promised Land"....an extra-time penalty kick by England (and Liverpool Ladies striker) Fara Williams propelled England to a 3rd-place victory over Germany 1-0

-England 1, Germany 0
-England finishes 3rd, Germany finishes 4th

 

[Webster]

Yahoo Sports: Williams Seals English 3rd-Place Victory Agst. Germany

Edmonton (Canada) (AFP) - A 108th-minute penalty kick by Fara Williams gave England their first ever win over top ranked Germany and a third place finish at the Women's World Cup.

The 1-0 victory after 120 minutes of gritty battle at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday gave the sixth-ranked 'Lionesses' their first win over the European champions on their 21st attempt.

It also helped bury the heartache of the injury time own-goal by defender Laura Bassett which had ended their title bid during a 2-1 semi-final loss to defending champions Japan.

"It feels a lot better to be sitting here after that than it did the other day," said England coach Mark Sampson. "To bounce back from what was a real, real blow for us, it's an incredible result for the team. We knew the challenge we faced today from a world class Germany team.

"I'm just incredibly proud of all the players and staff, to achieve a third place finish, to go home as the top European nation, to finally beat Germany, it was a real big statement for us today. It's something that these players will be remembered for forever."

The third place play-off had gone into extra time after the teams were locked 0-0 at the end of 90 minutes. But England were awarded a penalty just minutes into the second period of extra time after Lianne Sanderson was pulled down by Tabea Kemme.

- England 'no surprise' -
And Williams slotted in past former world goalkeeper of the year Nadine Angerer, who playing her final match for Germany, dived the wrong way. "It didn't surprise me as we have seen what England could do over the course of this tournament," said Germany coach Silvia Neid. "They really wanted it today, they were very clever in their game."

Germany, winners in 2003 and 2007, lost 2-0 to the United States in their semi-final.

England had never gotten past Germany with their most recent loss a 3-0 drubbing at Wembley Stadium last year during which World Cup top scorer Celia Sasic scored twice.

England skipper Steph Houghton did well to back clear a goal-ward bound shot after just nine minutes in an evenly matched first half. The defender, who had just received treatment for a painful ankle knock, lunged to clear after Jo Potter headed past her own goalkeeper Karen Bardsley following a Bianca Schmidt header across goal.

Within a minute Sasic had a chance to extend her tournament leading six goals but her weak shot was held by Bardsley.

Forward Ellen White headed over the bar after 26 minutes, and Germany's Sara Daebritz missed a chance to break the deadlock just before halftime but Potter blocked her shot.

After the break Germany had the best scoring chance on 53 minutes when Sasic crossed to Daebritz whose volley was kept out by a diving Bardsley.

Eniola Aluko came off the bench on 61 minutes and had a solo run towards goal three minutes from time but Angerer recovered the ball. But England continued to push with Jill Scott failing to finish with only Angerer to beat, while Williams saw her goal-bound effort cleared by a defender.

But the game was finally decided with the clocking ticking when was Kemme was judged to have pulled down substitute Sanderson, and Williams scored from the spot.

A Sophie Schmidt header and Anja Mittag freekick failed to grab an equaliser for Germany in the final World Cup game for illustrious coach Neid, who lead Germany to the 2007 title, three European championships and an Olympic bronze.

She had been criticised for her campaign but blamed injuries before the tournament for disrupting their preparations. "I don't know why there was this constant criticism when we were in a match for third place," said the 51-year-old. "The players were in a catastrophic state before the tournament, we had a lot of injuries. I'm quite happy we came this far. Next year we'll have the Olympics games and were looking forward to that."

 

[DrLeftover]

US and Japan for the title.

On Now.

 

[DrLeftover]

US up 4 - 1 at the half.

 

[DrLeftover]

5 - 2 final, and the game wasn't that close.

 

[Webster]

World Cup Final Roundup
Yahoo Sports: Lloyd Hat-Trick Leads U.S. Women To Victory Over Japan

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The history of soccer in America will not be written without this name: Carli Lloyd.

The United States star midfielder scored three times in the first half to vault the Americans to their third Women's World Cup title on Sunday with a 5-2 victory over Japan at B.C. Place. Lloyd scored from close, she scored from far and she scored a place in U.S. sports lore for a team that came together beautifully to vanquish all comers and now will stand aside the 1999 team as most cherished ever by a still-growing soccer nation.

The theme of the team has been "She believes" and Lloyd made everyone believe within the first five minutes of the match, redirecting a shot from Megan Rapinoe at three minutes and then knocking in a second goal two minutes later.

Lauren Holiday scored on a volley in the 14th minute to make it 3-0, and then Lloyd's missile from the halfway line sailed over Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori to make it 4-0 in just the 16th minute.

The elated roar from Lloyd as she sprinted toward her teammates will be replayed for years and years. She is the first ever to score a hat trick in a World Cup final and was the second American to win Golden Ball honors as the tournament's top player.

Japan fought back gamely, cutting it to 4-2 before Morgan Brian found Tobin Heath in the box for a lovely goal that squelched any momentum for good.

It is hard to fathom that Lloyd, who scored six goals in seven matches, looked completely lost in the early stages of this tournament. Head coach Jill Ellis added Morgan Brian into the lineup halfway through the fortnight and Lloyd took flight, bringing an overpowering shot that opponents simply could not stop.

"If you hit it hard enough," Lloyd said two days before the final, "and if you hit it in the right place, there aren't many goalies who can stop it."

Lloyd's creativity, quickness and spark turned a dull U.S. attack into something startling. She is the first American ever to score in four straight World Cup matches.

"It's crazy," said Glenn Crooks, Lloyd's former coach at Rutgers. "She's 32, and she's still getting better."

And backing her up was a midfield and defense that suffocated opponents almost without fail. The Americans' shutout streak ended Sunday at 540 minutes – the equivalent of six full matches – but it was every bit as important and historic as Lloyd's tournament.

A sweet signature moment came late in the match, when Abby Wambach subbed in and Lloyd took off her captain's armband and placed it on the U.S. legend. It was a gesture of gratitude from America's new sweetheart to a star who has carried the women's soccer torch for many years.

-United States 5, Japan 2

 

[nomad]

I have never watched women playing sports, except tennis, of course. Well, I have watched a 10-20 minute game of football, basketball, cricket, or volleyball but I have never watched the entire match. I think a lot of people will find themselves in my shoes.