Soccer

MEXICO CITY (March 26, 2013) – For just the second time in U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup Qualifying history, the USA earned a point at Estadio Azteca with a 0-0 draw against Mexico in front of a massive crowd.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made three saves to record his second-straight clean sheet, and the young center back duo of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler showed tremendous poise and grit in helping the USA earn a historic result. The only other World Cup Qualifying point earned by the USA in Azteca came during another scoreless draw on Nov. 2, 1997.

The draw in the USA’s third of 10 matches in the Final Round of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying moved the Americans to 1-1-1 (4 points) in the Hexagonal and into a three-way tie for second place with Honduras and Costa Rica behind Panama (1-0-2, 5 points) at the top of the table. Mexico (0-0-3, 3 points) is in fifth place, and Jamaica (0-1-2, 2 points) sits in sixth. The top three finishers qualify directly to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

In other results tonight Panama blanked Honduras 2-0 at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City and Costa Rica moved up from last place with a 2-0 victory against Jamaica at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The U.S. will resume World Cup Qualifying on June 7 when it faces Jamaica at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica (beIN SPORT, time TBA). The USA’s next home game in World Cup qualifying will be June 11 against Panama at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. The match kicks off at 6:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on ESPN, WatchESPN and Univision.  Fans can also follow the game online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

Guzan made two saves in the first half, stopping a Giovani dos Santos shot in the 21st minute and turning away a Jesus Zavala header in the 28th minute as the Mexican forward slipped unmarked behind the U.S. defense on a free kick.

The USA’s best buildup of the first half came in the 39th minute with some quick passing between Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Bradley momentarily flashed free in the penalty area, but the play was broken up by Mexico’s Jorge Torres Nilo.

Mexico players pleaded with referee Walter Lopez for a penalty in the 76th minute after U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu bundled into Javier Aquino from behind in the box, but Lopez signaled for a corner kick instead.

Guzan’s biggest save came during a wild last few minutes of the match in which Mexico pushed hard for a game-winner and earned a series of corner kicks.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Guzan dove to his right to bat away Angel Reyna’s strike from distance that looked bound for the left corner. Guzan and the U.S. defense repelled every Mexican cross at the end of the game and kept the hosts off the board despite Mexico’s 15-2 advantage in corner kicks.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (April 9, 2013) – The U.S. Women’s National Team earned a comprehensive 3-1 win against the Netherlands as midfielder Tobin Heath opened the scoring in the 36th minute before Christen Press, who started at forward, nabbed goals in the 45th and 60th minutes to seal the victory. 

The U.S.-based players will now return to their National Women’s Soccer League clubs to prepare for the opening weekend of the new league. The Portland Thorns travel to FC Kansas City on April 13 for the inaugural match of the NWSL. 

The next match for the U.S. Women’s National Team is June 2, when they travel to Toronto to face Canada at BMO Field. The rematch of the thrilling 2012 Olympics semifinal at Old Trafford, can be seen live on ESPNews at 4:30 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the game on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt 

“There were a lot of positives from the game,” said U.S. head coach Tom Sermanni. “I thought tactically we did exactly what we tried to do. For much of the game, we pinned Holland in their own half which was our aim. We created a considerable number of chances and probably should have made the score line a little more decisive, but there was some spirited defending from Holland as we expect from these teams. But when you consider we made 10 changes from the team that played against Germany, I was very pleased with the performance.” 

Sermanni made 10 changes to the lineup that faced Germany on April 5, with right midfielder Heather O’Reilly the only holdover from that entertaining 3-3 tie last Friday. 

The USA out-shot the Dutch 25-9 for the match and had a series of chances in the early going, with midfielder Yael Averbuch and Press testing the Dutch goalkeeper Loes Geurts in the opening 20 minutes. 

In the 16th minute, Press was denied on back-to-back shots. The first came when Dutch defense closed down Tobin Heath at the top of the penalty area and after a deflection off a defender, Press found herself alone against Geurts, who did well cut down the angle and save the first shot. Press collected the rebound and sent it back toward goal from just a few yards out, but defender Daphne Koster recovered well to save it off the goal line. 

Heather O’Reilly came close in the 27th minute, pouncing on a loose ball and firing a shot that forward Sherida Spitse had to clear off the line. 

The U.S. finally opened the scoring in the 36th minute as forward Sydney Leroux beat her defender on the right flank. Leroux cut it back past Press, who let it roll past here to an onrushing Heath, who spun the ball into the left side of the net past a diving Geurts. 

Press doubled the score seconds before halftime in the 45th minute. With the defense converging on Leroux, she played a perfect ball that allowed Press a first touch that beat the Dutch back line. With a one-on-one chance, Press calmly picked her spot and sent the ball into the lower right side of the net as Guerts tried to come out and cut down space. 

The Stanford product nabbed her second of the game in the 60th minute and a nice individual dribbling effort. She weaved her way free into the right sight of the penalty area before firing a right-footed shot that caromed off the post and in from 14 yards out. 

U.S. goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, who was making just the second start of her international career, did not have much to do but she was at her best in the 61st minute, springing to her left to keep out a bouncing header from Anouk Hoogendijk. 

Julie Johnston nearly added to the USA’s lead in the 73rd minute, but her goal was called back for offside. The 21-year-old midfielder, who was making her first career start in just her second cap, drifted into the area on a free kick and finished a textbook header, but the assistant referee’s flag prevented the former U-20 WNT captain from notching her first goal for the senior team. 

The Netherlands got on the board late in the match, with Manon Melis grabbing the consolation goal. Put through by Leonne Stentler into the left side of the U.S. penalty area, Melis chipped Harris with a beautiful first touch to the delight of the home crowd. It was the Netherland’s only shot on goal of the match. 

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PANAMA CITY, Panama (April 11, 2013) ­ The U.S. Under-17 Men¹s National Team won Group C of the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship after defeating Guatemala 1-0 at Estadio Rommel Fernández on Thursday. Midfielder Corey Baird scored the game's only goal off an assist from forward Rubio Rubin.

As the top seed from Group C, the USA heads into the all-important quarterfinal stage and will face the Group D runner-up, which will be either Mexico or Honduras, who play later tonight. Mexico entered that match needing a draw or win to take first place in Group D.

The U.S. U-17 MNT’s quarterfinal match kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14, at Estadio Rommel Fernández. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Soccer and Univision Deportes. Fans can also follow on ussoccer.com¹s MatchTracker and via Twitter @ussoccer_ynt .

Few chances were exchanged in the opening half hour, with both teams trying to find their way into the game. Guatemala generated their first real opportunity in the 26th minute, but defender Conor Donovan took up an excellent position to block a shot from 12 yards.

The USA's first major sniff at goal came in the 39th minute when Rubin tested the Guatemala goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen. The U.S. winger sidestepped his man in the area before unleashing a fierce shot that Hagen saved well, diving low to his left.

Moments later forward Ahinga Selemani tested the waters when he turned on the edge of the area and cracked a 20 yard drive, but Hagen was equal to the task. Just before halftime, Soñora drew another save out of Guatemala's ‘keeper, with a curling effort from 18 yards that Hagen tipped over the bar to ensure the match was scoreless at the break.

The USA took the lead in the 49th minute when Rubin skipped by his defender and then lifted a left-footed cross over Hagen to the far post. Baird was positioned perfectly to side foot the ball home on the full volley into the empty net and provide the USA a lead they would not relinquish.

Guatemala nearly got back into the match in the 62nd minute. Mario Hernandez was first to react to a cross at the far post but he headed his effort over the goal from a close angle.

In the 72nd minute Rubin, now out on the right, curled in another delightful cross to the far post that was just slightly too far for midfielder Junior Flores. Despite the effort, the midfielder failed to make good contact with his sliding, one-timed shot.

Guatemala had a quality chance for the equalizer in the 88th minute when Christopher Ortiz cut in on his left foot and unleashed a shot on goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell, but the U.S. ‘keeper was able to make the save – his only of the match

Soccer

MEXICO CITY (March 26, 2013) – For just the second time in U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup Qualifying history, the USA earned a point at Estadio Azteca with a 0-0 draw against Mexico in front of a massive crowd.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made three saves to record his second-straight clean sheet, and the young center back duo of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler showed tremendous poise and grit in helping the USA earn a historic result. The only other World Cup Qualifying point earned by the USA in Azteca came during another scoreless draw on Nov. 2, 1997.

The draw in the USA’s third of 10 matches in the Final Round of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying moved the Americans to 1-1-1 (4 points) in the Hexagonal and into a three-way tie for second place with Honduras and Costa Rica behind Panama (1-0-2, 5 points) at the top of the table. Mexico (0-0-3, 3 points) is in fifth place, and Jamaica (0-1-2, 2 points) sits in sixth. The top three finishers qualify directly to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

In other results tonight Panama blanked Honduras 2-0 at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City and Costa Rica moved up from last place with a 2-0 victory against Jamaica at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The U.S. will resume World Cup Qualifying on June 7 when it faces Jamaica at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica (beIN SPORT, time TBA). The USA’s next home game in World Cup qualifying will be June 11 against Panama at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. The match kicks off at 6:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on ESPN, WatchESPN and Univision (TICKETS). Fans can also follow the game online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

Guzan made two saves in the first half, stopping a Giovani dos Santos shot in the 21st minute and turning away a Jesus Zavala header in the 28th minute as the Mexican forward slipped unmarked behind the U.S. defense on a free kick.

The USA’s best buildup of the first half came in the 39th minute with some quick passing between Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Bradley momentarily flashed free in the penalty area, but the play was broken up by Mexico’s Jorge Torres Nilo.

Mexico players pleaded with referee Walter Lopez for a penalty in the 76th minute after U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu bundled into Javier Aquino from behind in the box, but Lopez signaled for a corner kick instead.

Guzan’s biggest save came during a wild last few minutes of the match in which Mexico pushed hard for a game-winner and earned a series of corner kicks.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Guzan dove to his right to bat away Angel Reyna’s strike from distance that looked bound for the left corner. Guzan and the U.S. defense repelled every Mexican cross at the end of the game and kept the hosts off the board despite Mexico’s 15-2 advantage in corner kicks.

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The USA finished first in the Group B with seven points from three matches, followed by Sweden with five points, China with four points and Iceland with zero points. China defeated Iceland, 1-0, in the other Group B match. 

It was the first match the United States has played against Sweden since former U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage took over her native country. Sweden will face Norway, a 2-0 loser to Germany in Group A match, for third place. 

Ashlyn Harris, the USA’s starting goalkeeper at the 2002 and 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup tournaments, earned her first-career cap at the senior level and played well despite giving up an early goal. 

Sweden got off to that fast start with a wonder striker from Lisa Dahlkvist in the fourth minute. The goal came after Sweden’s star striker Lotta Schelin chased down a ball over the top and Harris was quick off her line to clear for what the U.S. team thought was out of danger. 

But with Harris scrambling back to her net, Dahlkvist ran onto the ball and hit a superb first-time strike, blasting the ball into the top corner from a full 40 yards out. 

The teams traded scoring opportunities throughout a spirited first half. Wambach headed wide with her first chance in the eighth minute while at the other end Boxx executed a vital challenge on Caroline Seger to block a shot at the top of the penalty area. 

The U.S. did its best to unlock a stout Sweden defense, but the hosts of the 2013 European Women’s Championships played as physical as they ever have. In the 18th minute, Megan Rapinoe took a nice touch to round her defender, before firing a shot from distance – well within her considerable range – that skimmed just wide from 20 yards. 

Sweden meanwhile was a constant threat to launch counterattacks. The dangerous Schelin was the focal point of the attack and she nearly latched on to another ball over the top in the 29th minute before firing right at Harris with a shot from 16 yards in the 38th minute. 

Kelley O’Hara had a nice chance at the end of the half when she went on a swashbuckling run from her left back position, cutting inside and beating two defenders before striking a right-footed shot just past the left post. 

The USA closed out the first half the better of the two sides, but still with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. 

U.S. head coach Tom Sermanni’s team started the second half as it finished the first, putting Sweden on its heels and finding the breakthrough goal in the 56th minute. 

It came off a corner kick from the left side as Rapinoe whipped in a dangerous in-swinger. Morgan lost her mark in front of the Swedish goalkeeper and the U.S. forward was quickest to react, getting her head to the ball and powering home her first goal of the year to bring the U.S. level. 

The WNT was firmly the better side now and went in search of the victory against their former coach. Wambach went close in the 57th minute, sliding to meet Rapinoe’s curling cross but sending it just wide from seven yards. 

Heather O’Reilly, who menaced Sweden with hard work all game, had a trademark thundering run in the 60th minute, scampering past the Sweden defense down the left side and curling a shot toward the right corner of the goal. Sweden goalkeeper Kristin Hammarstrom punched it clear and Morgan’s follow up was blocked well by a defender. 

Sweden was still dangerous on the break but failed to really test Harris in the U.S. net. Emma Berglund had two rapid fire chances in the 69th minute. The first was knocked down by Rampone and the second was fired miles over the goal by the Swedish defender. 

As the USA worked hard to preserve the draw and the berth to the title game, central defender Becky Sauerbrunn snuffed out an end-to-end counterattack well in the 80th minute by getting back into the six-yard box to make a vital clearance. 

The USA would fashion two more chances before the final whistle. Morgan blazed a shot over the goal in the 86th minute and Rapinoe forced a nice save from Hammarstrom in the 88th with the Sweden goalkeeper diving low to her right to keep out a sizzling strike. 

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"FARO, Portugal (March 13, 2013) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won the Algarve Cup for the ninth time after Alex Morgan’s two goals earned a 2-0 victory against Germany this afternoon in Faro, Portugal. The U.S. forward scored twice in the first half and head coach Tom Sermanni’s team put in a comprehensive performance to defeat the second-ranked team in the world.

The USA made six changes to the lineup that faced Sweden two days earlier, with Sermanni forced to withdraw Megan Rapinoe at the last moment. The U.S. midfielder, who would later be named Player of the Tournament, sustained an injury at the last moment and was replaced by Tobin Heath. 

Looking to earn its first trophy under Sermanni, who took the reins of the team in late 2012, the U.S. dictated the pace against Germany from the opening whistle.

Morgan started the scoring in the 13^th minute after some hard work on the right wing from strike partner Sydney Leroux. Leroux got to the byline before whipping in a dangerous cross that Germany’s center defender Josephine Henning tried to head clear. But the ball fell to Morgan just inside the area and the U.S. forward was lethal: taking one touch before firing into the top corner with her left foot.

The Europeans were a constant threat for an equalizer but the U.S. defense was strong as a unit. A nice move in the 22^nd minute freed up Anja Mittag in the area, but right back Ali Krieger made a superb tackle to prevent a shot and snuff out the danger.

Twelve minutes later the U.S. doubled its lead, with Morgan again doing the damage. Germany should have dealt with a routine ball over the top from Tobin Heath but a mix up between goalkeeper Almuth Schult and her defense let Morgan steal the ball. She had the easiest of finishes and stayed composed, rolling the ball home into the empty net from the edge of the box for her second on the day.

Nicole Barnhart was at her best throughout the match but particularly in the second half. She was called into action in the 69^th minute after a Germany free kick was headed toward the goal by substitute Alexandra Popp. Barnhart sprung to her right to claw out the initial effort, before reacting brilliantly to keep out Celia Okoyino da Mbabi on the rebound. She also made a huge save in the final minute to secure the shutout when she dove to her left to deny Mbabi.

The U.S. Women will return to Europe in about two weeks for matches against Germany in Offenbech on April 5 and against the Netherlands in The Hague on April 9."

To read more check out ussocer.com.

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