USWNT Squad Announced for Friendlies vs. Mexico

Pia Sundhage has announced her 24 player squad for a pair of friendlies to be played later this month against Mexico. And once again, there are a lot of new faces, as well as the return of one very familiar face.

New additions to the team include defenders Whitney Engen (UNC, Chicago Red Stars), Brittany Taylor (Connecticut, Sky Blue FC), and forwards Kelley O'Hara (Stanford, FC Gold Pride) and Alex Morgan (California). Morgan is the only non-WPS player on the team. Additionally, Jill Loyden who was on the Algarve squad, but hasn't gotten her first cap yet, was named as one of three keepers for the matches against Mexico.

Fans will also welcome the return of veteran Kristine Lilly to the USWNT. Lilly is the most capped player in history with 342 and returns to the team for the first time since late 2008.

The US will play Mexico on March 28 at Torero Stadium at the University of San Diego and on March 31 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The last time the US played in San Diego was the match immediately preceding the 2008 Olympics when Abby Wambach broke her leg in a friendly against Brazil.

WPS Teams Announce Preseason Rosters and Schedules

Preseason camp for most WPS teams started today and the league has released a master schedule of all preseason matches, including scrimmages. Several of the teams will be heading south to Florida for varying lengths of time for training and scrimmages. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Sky Blue, and Washington will all play scrimmages or exhibitions in the Sunshine State.

Many of the matches are against college teams, however there are a few games where WPS teams face each other, notably:

March 12-Chicago Red Stars vs. Washington Freedom at Vero Beach, Florida.
March 20-Boston Breakers vs. Sky Blue FC at Gainesville, Florida.
March 23-Atlanta Beat vs. Boston Breakers at St. Augustine, Florida.
March 27-Philadelphia Independence at Washington Freedom (Boyds, Maryland).
April 3-Atlanta Beat vs. Saint Louis Athletica at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Teams are allowed to start with a 28 player roster. By March 16th, those rosters must be reduced to 24 players. On April 1, the final full rosters of 18 players plus 4 developmental players are finalized.

Damallsvenskan 2010 preview 1

League leaders lose a lot

Last year's top two teams in Damallsvenskan, Linköpings FC and Umeå IK, have both been hard hit by players moving, mostly to WPS teams. LFC loses their top three offensive players (Kosovare Asllani to Chicago Red Stars, Jessica Landström to New Jersey Sky Blue, and Caroline Seger to Philadelphia Independence). Linköping is hoping that forward Josefine Öqvist, who was injured for most of last year, will stay healthy and regain her scoring form; the club has also acquired Finnish forward Linda Sällström who played last at Djurgården. On defense, LFC retains the services of national team player Charlotte Rohlin and Nigerian international Faith Ikidi, both of whom who had good seasons last year, and goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren, who is currently third keeper for the national team.

LFC is out of the Women's Champions League after tying at home and then losing to the Frauenbundesliga's Duisburg last year; LFC's first game of the year will be against Umeå IK in the Supercup (a single game between last year's top two teams) on March 21. LFC's domestic season starts April 3 against Kopparbergs/Göteborg, which will be a challenging start for them. Sky Blue fans interested in getting a peek at what Landström can do might be interested in the brief highlights from last year's K/G v. LFC game (a longer match report in English).

Umeå IK loses their top goal scorer and point leader Ramona Bachmann (Atlanta Beat) as well as their second (Madeline Edlund, to St. Louis Athletica) and third (Johanna Ramussen, also to the Beat) top point getters. Their fourth most effective offensive player, long-time Umeå stalwart Hanna Ljungberg, retired in some haste in the middle of last season due to persistent injuries; Umeå also loses Mami Yamaguchi (Atlanta Beat) and Lisa Dahlkvist (Kopparbergs/Göteborg). Frida Östberg, who played last year for Chicago, has returned to her old club UIK after what must have been the shortest retirement in the history of women's football.

UIK will get long headstart on the domestic season, hosting French side Montpellier in the Women's Champions League quarterfinal on March 10 with the return a week later. Last year UIK crashed out of the same tournament (then known as the UEFA Women's Cup) by losing to Russian side Zvezda on a frozen pitch; like last year, Umeå (and most of the rest of Sweden) is still covered in plenty of snow, which might help UIK against Montpellier more than it did against Zvezda. UIK then has the Supercup match against Linköping on the 21st, and their league opener on April 5 against newcomers Jitex, which ought to be an easy win for them.

Up next in part 2: preview for LdB FC Malmö and Kopparbergs/Göteborg

US Defeats Germany for Algarve Title 3-2

The United States got goals from Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, and Lauren Cheney to defeat Germany 3-2 in the Algarve Cup final. Germany was led by Inka Grings, who scored both of their goals, giving her 7 for the tournament.

In the 3rd place game, Sweden defeated China 2-0. Other finals:

5th: Denmark 2, Norway 1.
7th: Romania 1, Finland 0.
9th: Iceland 3, Portugal 0.
11th: Austria 6, Faroe Islands 0.

Canada win Cyprus Cup

Canada beat New Zealand 1-0 in Cyprus Cup final today.

Cyprus Cup is 8 nations tournament that take place every year in Cyprus.

Standings :

1. Canada
2. New Zealand
3. Netherlands
4. Switzerland
5. England
6. Italy
7. Scotland
8. South Africa

Red Stars Sign Formiga

The Chicago Red Stars have completed the international portion of their roster, adding Brazilian midfielder Formiga. She is a veteran of three World Cups and four Olympics.

Last season, Formiga was a member of FC Gold Pride, playing in 16 matches for the Bay Area side. In September, FCGP waived the 2010 option on her, making her a free agent. She joins Karen Carney, Katie Chapman, Kosovare Asllani, and Cristiane as Chicago's international players. Tomorrow is her 32nd birthday.

It's Number 1 vs. Number 2 in Algarve Cup Final

The two top ranked teams in the world according to FIFA rankings will meet to decide the championship of the 2010 Algarve Cup. The US will meet Germany on Wednesday at 11 am eastern time.

The last time these two teams met was in October at Augsburg, Germany before a huge crowd of over 30,000. The US came out on top in that match by a 1-0 score. Strangely enough, the two teams did not meet in either the 2007 World Cup or 2008 Olympics.

Germany had very little trouble getting out of Group A in the competition at Algarve, winning all three matches by a combined score of 16-0. Ten different players have scored for the Germans. Inka Grings has scored 5 of those goals and has moved into 3rd on Germany's all-time leading scorer list with 55 goals. Teammate and three-time FIFA Player of the Year, Birgit Prinz is at the top of that list with 126 goals.

The US were able to defeat three strong opponents in Group B, including last year's Algarve champion, Sweden. The Americans have been led by Lauren Cheney and Abby Wambach, with 3 and 2 goals respectively. Lori Lindsey has added 3 assists for the US.

The two teams met in both the 2005 and 2006 Algarve Cup finals, splitting the two decisions.

US and Germany Advance to Algarve Final

Lauren Cheney's brace led the US to a 2-0 victory over Sweden and a berth in the Algarve Cup final. Germany advanced to the final from Group A with an easy 5-0 victory over China.


The US and Sweden played a scoreless first half, but Cheney subbed in at the break and it proved to be a fortuitous move by Pia Sundhage. Cheney scored her first in the 56th minute and added another in the waning moments of the match. For Cheney, it was her 2nd and 3rd goals of the competition. Lori Lindsey assisted on Cheney's second goal, giving her an assist in each match of the tournament.

The Germans were dominating in Group A, outscoring their three opponents by 16-0. The final will be played on Wednesday.

In other Algarve action, Norway edged Iceland 3-2 and Denmark won over Finland by a 2-1 margin.

US Faces Sweden for a Berth in Algarve Final

The United States Women's National Team will face Sweden on Monday, with a spot in the Algarve Cup final at stake. The US would advance to the final with a win or a tie against Sweden. In Group A, Germany is in virtually the same position, needing only a win or tie over China to make the final.

The schedule organizers did the US no favors by placing them in the same group with Sweden and Norway, coincidentally, the last two teams to defeat the US in international competition. The US lost to Sweden in last year's Algarve Cup final and to Norway in the opening round of the 2008 Olympic Games.

A year ago, Sweden defeated the US in the Algarve Final which was decided on penalty kicks. Sweden had the upper hand for most of that game, with great goalkeeping by Hope Solo keeping the match close, before a late Shannon Boxx goal sent the game into penalties. It then took 7 penalty rounds to decide a winner.

Both Pia Sundhage of the US and Thomas Dennerby of Sweden have experimented with their lineups in their first two matches. Expect both to start their A-listers on Monday. The US has not trailed in either of their matches, although the game against Norway went down to the wire, with Abby Wambach scoring in stoppage time for the victory. By contrast, Sweden has trailed early in both matches, falling behind Norway 2-0 before fighting back for a tie, and trailing Iceland 1-0 at halftime before disposing of them by a 5-1 score.

In last year's meeting, Swedish strikers, most particularly Lotta Schelin, got behind American defenders repeatedly. The US cannot afford a repeat of that performance, although goalkeeper Hope Solo appears to be on top of her game, stopping two penalties against Iceland. One thing that is different from last year's matchup is that Abby Wambach is back and healthy for the US squad. After scoring her 100th career USWNT goal last year and finishing the 2009 WPS season on a scoring spree, she appears to be back in form. Wambach scored both goals in the US victory over Norway on Friday.

In the other Group B match, Norway will face Iceland. Meanwhile in Group A, the mighty Germans have outscored their two opponents by an 11-0 margin and only China stands in their way for a berth in Wednesday's final. Denmark and Finland will meet in the other Group A matchup.

Wambach Scores Two as US Edges Norway

Abby Wambach scored both goals, the second deep into stoppage, as the US defeated Norway 2-1. For Wambach, it was her 102nd and 103rd career USWNT goals. The US held a 1-0 edge at halftime, but Norway was able to tie the game on a goal by Isabel Herlovsen in the 63rd minute. The winning goal was set up by Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers). Nicole Barnhart got the win in goal for the US in a game that was played in sloppy conditions.

In other Group B action, Sweden trailed at the half, but scored 5 times after the break to defeat Iceland 5-1. The US will now play Sweden in the final Group B game, needing only a tie to clinch a spot in the finals. Sweden defeated the US in penalty kicks for last year's Algarve championship.

Meanwhile, Germany is cruising in Group A, defeating Finland by a 7-0 margin. China defeated Denmark 2-0 in the other Group A match up.

US, Germany Win at Algarve; Norway & Sweden Draw

The USWNT took a 2-0 decision over Iceland in their opening game at the Algarve Cup. The US scored two 2nd half goals, one by Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers) and the other on an own goal. US goalie, Hope Solo, stopped two penalty kicks, one in each half.

In the other game in Group B, Sweden and Norway played to a 2-2 draw. Norway jumped to a quick 2-0 lead, but Sweden was able to close the gap to 2-1 by the 20th minute. Jessica Landström (Sky Blue FC) scored the tying goal early in the 2nd half.

In Group A action, Germany had no trouble disposing of Denmark 4-0, while Finland and China played to a 1-1 draw. In other Algarve action, Portugal defeated Faeroe Islands 5-0 and Romania blanked Austria 2-0.

Walsh to Breakers

The Boston Breakers have announced the signing of Australian forward Sarah Walsh. To make room for an international player, Canadian forward Christine Latham was waived.

Walsh was originally drafted by Sky Blue FC in the WPS International Draft back in 2008. She played in 5 games, scoring a goal and an assist, before injuries sidelined her. She was then traded to Saint Louis for Kerri Hanks and Francielle. She had one assist in 6 games for Athletica. She played during the fall for Sydney FC in the Australian W-League where she scored 6 goals. For the 27-year old Walsh, Boston will be her third WPS team.

Latham scored two goals for Boston last season, both against the Washington Freedom. Boston has had a nearly complete turnover of forwards from last year's team. In addition to Latham, Amy Rodriguez was sent to Philadelphia in a trade, Kelly Schmedes was taken in the expansion draft by Philadelphia, and Jenny Nobis is suffering an injury and will miss at least part of the upcoming season.

The Los Angeles Sol-An All Too Short History Part 4

Part 4 - Demise and Legacy

After a disappointing finish to an otherwise great season, players and fans were looking forward to 2010. The Sol were in the process of overhauling their international cast and were positioning themselves well for the January draft. Behind the scenes, with AEG on their way out, WPS officials were working on getting a new ownership group in place. Unfortunately, they quite simply ran out of time. A look at the last few months of the Los Angeles Sol.

November, 2009-WPS takes over operations of the Los Angeles Sol and continues attempts to find another ownership group.

Late, 2009-Abner Rogers is dismissed as head coach of the Los Angeles Sol, earning the Coach of the Year award in his only season.

January 7, 2010-The Sol trade Camille Abily to FC Gold Pride for Tina DiMartino. Abily was the league's 2nd leading scorer, while DiMartino was a 1st round selection for FCGP in 2009. The trade startles many LA fans.

January, 2010-Los Angeles adds three new international players. Dutch players Cathrine Paaske-Sorensen and Julie Rydahl Bukh and Czech forward Pavlina Scasna are the new additions. They are to replace Abily, Han Duan, and Johanna Frisk.

January 15, 2010-At the WPS Draft in Philadelphia, Los Angeles selects Nikki Washington, Casey Nogueira, and Kiersten Dallstream with their three 1st round picks. They also add Michelle Enyeart, Kiki Bosio, Estelle Johnson, Mary Casey, and Lindsey Browne in later rounds.

January 19, 2010-GM Charlie Naimo is named acting head coach of the Los Angeles Sol.

Late January, 2010-Negotiations between WPS and a potential buyer break down, leaving the league with no alternatives for the 2010 season.

January 28, 2010-WPS announces that the operation of the Los Angeles Sol has been discontinued. The league also announces that a dispersal draft would be held the following week.

February 4, 2010-The Sol's players are selected by the remaining 8 franchises in the Los Angeles Sol dispersal draft.

The end came with stunning swiftness to those of us not privy to negotiations that had been going on for months. While this signals the end of the Los Angeles Sol for now, the league will certainly make expanding to Los Angeles a priority for the future, maybe as soon as 2011. And former Sol players will be helping other WPS teams to the playoffs and for one team, a championship in 2010.

An incomplete list of the records and accomplishments of the 2009 Los Angeles Sol:

First WPS Goal in history-Allison Falk (March 29, 2009 vs. Washington)
First WPS Assist in history-Aya Miyama (March 29, 2009 vs. Washington)
First WPS Shutout-Karina LeBlanc (March 29, 2009 vs. Washington)
First WPS Win-Los Angeles 2, Washington 0 (March 29, 2009)
First 2-goal game-Marta (April 5, 2009 vs. Sky Blue FC)
Longest Winning Streak-Los Angeles 4 (June 21 through July 5, 2009)
Longest Unbeaten Streak- Los Angeles 11 (May 9 through July 5, 2009)
Most Wins in a Season-Los Angeles 12
Most Points in a Season-Los Angeles 41
Most Goals by a Player in a Season-Marta 10
Most Consecutive Games with a Goal-Camille Abily 4 (May 24 through June 7, 2009) and Marta 4 (June 21 through July 5, 2009)
Most Assists by a Player in a Season-Aya Miyama 6 (tied with Sonia Bompastor)
Most Shutouts by a Goalkeeper in a Season-Karina LeBlanc 12
Most Consecutive Shutouts by a Goalkeeper-Karina LeBlanc 4 (March 29 through April 25, 2009)
Best Goals Against Average in a Season-Karina LeBlanc 0.53
Golden Boot Award-Marta
Player of the Year Award-Marta
Coach of the Year Award-Abner Rogers
WPS All-Stars-Shannon Boxx, Karina LeBlanc, Marta, Aya Miyama, and Camille Abily (unable to play)

The Los Angeles Sol, at least in their first incarnation, had a short, but very memorable history. The WPS will continue with eight teams, each having committed ownerships for the 2010 WPS season. I am looking forward to a very exciting 2010 season, but there will certainly be something missing without the Los Angeles Sol. May we see women’s professional soccer in Los Angeles again in 2011.

Beat Sign Shelley Thompson

The Atlanta Beat have signed German forward Shelley Thompson as their 5th international player. Thompson, a veteran of the Frauen Bundesliga, scored 30 goals for her club team, FCR Duisburg, back in 2004-05. She has played for Vfl Wolfsburg for the last three years. She has scored 2 goals in 3 appearances for the 2009-10 season.

Thompson, who just turned 26, will be the first German to play in WPS.

Sinclair Scores 100th National Team Goal

Canadian star Christine Sinclair has scored her 100th international goal in a 3-0 victory over Poland at the Cyprus Cup. Only 10 players in women's soccer history have accomplished that feat. Sinclair also became Canada's all-time leader in caps with 133.

Sinclair, who plays for FC Gold Pride, was one of the leading scorers last year in WPS with 6 goals and she scored two more in the WPS All-Star Game. Sinclair is just about three weeks shy of the 10th anniversary of her first cap, back on March 12, 2000.