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The U.S. Women’s National Team concludes its two-game “Celebration Series” against Canada on Thursday night. The match at JELD-WEN Field, which underwent massive renovations and has developed into one of the best soccer environments in MLS, will be shown live on ESPN2 and ESPN3 at 8 p.m. PT. After the game last Saturday ended in a 1-1 draw in Kansas City, the USA will be looking to wrap up the series with a win in front of what is sure to be a raucous atmosphere in the Rose City.
Date Opponent Time/Result Goal Scorers/TV Venue
Sept. 17 Canada 1-1 T Wambach LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
Sept. 22 Canada 8 p.m. PT ESPN2, ESPN3 JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence), Jill Loyden (magicJack), Hope Solo (magicJack)
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (magicJack), Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (magicJack), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (magicJack)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (magicJack)
RECAPPING SATURDAY: The U.S. Women’s National Team drew 1-1 with Canada in front of a boisterous crowd of 16, 191 in its first match since its dramatic run to the championship game of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. U.S. forward Abby Wambach buried a penalty kick in the 10th minute while Canadian forward Melissa Tancredi equalized just before halftime.
FAMILIAR CITY, NEW HOUSE: Portland is certainly a familiar area to the U.S. Women’s National Team, having played nine games in the Rose City since 1995. While this will be the USA’s first match at the newly renovated JELD-WEN Field, they have played six matches at the venue under its previous names of Civic Stadium and PGE Park. The only loss in the nine games in Portland was a particularly painful one as the USA was knocked out of the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil by Germany, losing 3-0 in the semifinal. Still, the USA has played Canada twice at the venue, coming away with wins both times, by a 4-2 score in 1999 and a 4-0 result in 2000.
GREAT HOSPITALITY: Nike has welcomed the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team to Oregon by hosting the team for training sessions in the build up to Thursday’s game. The WNT participated in Nike Elite Training 2.0 on Monday, and Studio 90 was there to get a glimpse of the action. On Tuesday the WNT opened training to Nike employees, friends and families and the atmosphere was one befitting of a “Celebration Series.” The WNT Blog got some behind-the-scenes photos and Studio 90 was on site for the memorable event.
PINOE BACK HOME: U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Megan Rapinoe has enjoyed an eventful return to Portland, the city where she starred for the University of Portland Pilots. In addition to being honored at Merlo Field, Rapinoe has been busy with media and fans who all want time with their hometown hero. On Tuesday night Rapinoe went to Kells, an Official U.S. Soccer Bar in downtown Portland, and conducted a Q & A session with eager fans who made the trip. Lori Lindsey was also there to provide judging assistance in a handshake contest, and there was even a surprise cameo from Abby Wambach.
ROSE CITY RECEPTION: The U.S. WNT has been made to feel welcome by fans who are rabid for soccer here in the Pacific Northwest. Some local youth soccer teams brought their best chants to PDX for the team’s arrival from Kansas City, and the entire WNT will be honored on the field before the Portland Timbers take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night. There was even a trip to city hall for Portland Pilots Megan Rapinoe and Stephanie Cox. It seems everyone in the Rose City is excited about Thursday night’s game with Canada.
DANCING WITH THE ‘KEEPER: If you have not heard already, U.S. Women’s National Team goalkeeper Hope Solo is participating in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Soccer fans around the country have been huge in supporting Solo through the first week of the show, and that includes her teammates back in Portland. After the entire team wished her good luck from the team dinner on Sunday night, Amy LePeilbet, Rachel Buehler and Carli Lloyd gathered together in the team hotel to watch the first week.
SOLO HONORED FOR 100TH CAP IN PORTLAND: On July 13 during the 2011 Women’s World Cup semifinal against France, U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo earned her 100th career cap, making her just the second ‘keeper in U.S. history to reach that milestone. (Briana Scurry retired with 173 games played). As there could be no ceremony in Germany during a FIFA event, in keeping with tradition, Solo will be honored in front of U.S. fans in her home region of the Northwest before the USA takes on Canada at JELD-WEN Field in Portland on Sept. 22. Solo hails from Eastern Washington and lives in Seattle, but Portland will surely be close enough to get some hometown appreciation from the fans.
U.S. WNT QUICK HITS:
Pia Sundhage is 18-1-2 against CONCACAF teams during her almost four years as head coach of the USA. The team has scored 62 goals and allowed seven during that time.
The USA is 12-3-3 in 2011 coming off the Women’s World Cup. The losses came in the first game of the year to Sweden, in an April friendly to England and in the Women’s World Cup to Sweden. The first two ties came in the Women’s World Cup as the USA’s penalty kick win over Brazil and penalty loss to Japan both count officially as ties. The third tie was on Sept. 17 against Canada.
The USA’s leading scorer this year is Abby Wambach with six goals and four assists. Carli Lloyd has six goals and three assists.
Megan Rapinoe has the most assists in 2011 with five, including three in the Women’s World Cup. Lauren Cheney has four assists, three coming in the WWC.
The USA is 78-2-5 all-time when Abby Wambach scores a goal.
Wambach, who has 123 career goals, is just seven away from tying Kristine Lilly for second on the all-time U.S. scoring list. Mia Hamm tops the list with 158.
The USA’s 37 goals this year have been scored by 10 different players: Wambach (6), Carli Lloyd (6), Cheney (5), Alex Morgan (5), Amy Rodriguez (4), Heather O’Reilly (3), Rapinoe (3), Lindsay Tarpley (2), Shannon Boxx, and Rachel Buehler (plus one own goal by Brazil in the Women’s World Cup).
Goalkeeper Jill Loyden is the least-capped player on the World Cup roster with one game to her name. Kelley O’Hara, who played one match in the World Cup, coming on against Sweden, has six caps, making her the least capped field player. Becky Sauerbrunn, whose only action of the WWC came during 90 excellent minutes in the World Cup semifinal against France, earned her 12th cap in Germany and now has 13 after playing against Canada on Sept. 17.
Five players scored their first Women’s World Cup goals this summer in Germany: Rachel Buehler, Cheney (2), Lloyd, Morgan (2) and Rapinoe.
Seven players on the U.S. roster have surpassed 100 caps with Rampone leading the way with 242. Hope Solo earned her 100th cap in the Women’s World Cup semifinal against France.
Morgan is the youngest player on the squad at 21 (Tobin Heath is 23) while Rampone is the oldest at 36.
Morgan is the only member of the World Cup Team that won the 2011 WPS title, taking the championship with the Western New York Flash.
27 players have played in an international match for the USA this year.
OPPONENT CAPSULE: Canada
Current FIFA World Ranking: 8
USA All-time record vs. Canada: 41-3-5
Last Meeting vs. USA: Sept. 17, 2011 (a 1-1 draw in Kansas City, Kan.)
Head Coach: John Herdman
Key Players: G Erin McLeod, D Emily Zurrer, M Diane Matheson, M Sophie Schmidt, F Melissa Tancredi
Canada Women’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Justine Bernier (University of Alabama), 21-Stephanie Labbé (Piteå IF, SWE), 1-Karina LeBlanc (magicJack), 18-Erin McLeod (Dalsjöfors G.o.I.F., SWE)
DEFENDERS (6): 17-Lexi Marton (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 2-Emily Zurrer (Dalsjöfors G.o.I.F., SWE), 3-Melanie Booth (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 5-Robyn Gayle (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 16-Lauren Sesselmann (Atlanta Beat), 7-Rhian Wilkinson (Lillestrøm SK Kvinner, NOR)
MIDFIELDERS (10): 6-Kaylyn Kyle (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 8-Diana Matheson (Lillestrøm SK Kvinner, NOR), 4-Carmelina Moscato (Piteå IF, SWE), 15-Kelly Parker (Atlanta Beat), 9-Tina Romagnuolo (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 12-Jaclyn Sawicki (University of Victoria), 13-Sophie Schmidt (magicJack), 11-Desiree Scott (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), 20-Diamond Simpson (Hamilton FC), 19-Chelsea Stewart (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
FORWARDS (2): 10-Christina Julien (Ottawa Fury), 14-Melissa Tancredi (Piteå IF)
WPS YEAR III: The members of the USA’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup missed quite a few WPS matches this season due to national team commitments, but several still had stellar seasons and Abby Wambach was named to the league’s Best IX after going on a goal-scoring tear following the WWC that saw her end with nine. Following are the regular season stats for the U.S. players in WPS. Wambach added two goals in the playoffs while Rapinoe, who was sold during the Women’s World Cup to magicJack, added one. Amy Rodriguez also added two goals in the playoffs, including her team’s lone goal in the WPS title game.
FINISHING 2011: Following this match against Canada, the U.S. players will have about a six-week break before getting back together for a training camp in early November that may also feature an international match, which would be the last one of the year for the squad. The U.S. team will also have a training camp in December. Both camps will feature a larger squad of players as U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage formulates her 20-player roster for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying that will get started on January 19 in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the USA getting together in a warmer site (most likely The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.) about two weeks before the competition kicks off.
USA WNT BY THE NUMBERS:
0.86 Average goals allowed per game by the USA in 2011
1 World ranking of the U.S. Women’s National Team
1 Number of players who have started all 18 games for the USA this year (Carli Lloyd)
1.98 Average goals scored per game by the USA in 2011
4 Number of games the USA has played inside USA so far this year
5 Number of assists for Megan Rapinoe in 2011, most on the team
5 Number of players in the USA’s top-20 on the all-time caps list to get a cap this year
6 Number of different goalkeepers who have played for the USA since the end of the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup
8 Shutouts the USA has earned in 18 matches so far this year
10 Number of different players to score a goal for the USA this year
14 Number of games the USA has played outside USA this year
27 Number of players who have earned 100 or more caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team
30 Career goals for Heather O’Reilly, making her one of just 13 players to reach that mark and trying her with Brandi Chastain for 13 th on the all-time U.S. scoring list
53 The current unbeaten streak for the USA in domestic matches in which they are 47-0-6.
102 Number of minutes in which Abby Wambach averages a goal for the national team.
123 Career goals by Wambach, putting her third on the USA’s all-time list at age 30 and fourth all-time in world history
130 Number of minutes in which Mia Hamm averaged a goal for the national team.
194 Players who have earned a cap for the U.S. Women’s National Team since the program’s inception in 1985, the most recent being Whitney Engen, who earned her first cap against Norway at the Algarve Cup on March 4.
LAST TIME…
Sept. 17, 2011 – LIVESTRONG Sporting Park – Kansas City, Kan. – International Friendly
USA 1 Abby Wambach (pk) 10
Canada 1 Melissa Tancredi 42
Lineups:
USA: 1-Hope Solo (18-Nicole Barnhart, 46); 11-Ali Krieger, 19-Rachel Buehler (4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 46), 3-Christie Rampone (capt.), 6-Amy LePeilbet; 9-Heather O’Reilly, 10-Carli Lloyd, 12-Lauren Cheney, 15-Megan Rapinoe (17-Tobin Heath, 46), 8-Amy Rodriguez; 20-Abby Wambach (13-Alex Morgan, 57)
Subs not used: 2-Heather Mitts , 5-Kelley O’Hara, 14-Stephanie Cox, 16-Lori Lindsey, 21-Jill Loyden
Head coach: Pia Sundhage
CAN : 18-Erin McLeod; 7-Rhian Wilkinson (5-Robyn Gayle, 76), 2-Emily Zurrer, 4-Carmelina Moscato, 16-Lauren Sesselmann; 6-Kaylyn Kyle (11-Desiree Scott, 69), 8-Diana Matheson, 13-Sophie Schmidt; 10-Christina Julien (19-Chelsea Stewart, 68), 14-Melissa Tancredi (3-Melanie Booth, 76), 15-Kelly Parker (12-Jaclyn Sawicki, 90)
Subs not used: 9-Tina Romagnuolo, 17-Lexi Marton, 22-Justine Bernier, 21-Stephanie Labbé, 1-Karina LeBlanc, 20-Diamond Simpson
Head coach: John Herdman
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