USA Algarve team

In a closed door unofficial match, the USA beat china 3-0.

Different lineups in each half.

Megan takes a break from blond.
http://www.womenssoccerunited.com/group/algarvecup/forum/topics/us-women-s-national-team-beat-china-3-0-practice-match-in


First Half Team:
Barnhart
LePeilbet
Buehler
Rampone
O'Hara
O'Reilly
Boxx
Lloyd
Cheney
Morgan
Wambach
Second Half Team:
Harris
Mitts
Sauerbrunn
Engen
Cox
Rapinoe
Lindsey
Heath
Rodriguez
Cheney (Klingenberg, 60)
Leroux
Source: ussoccer.com

Here is a link to a pretty well researched article about why the US games in the Cup will not be televised or streamed.

No TV

A_Fan wrote:Here is a link to a pretty well researched article about why the US games in the Cup will not be televised or streamed.

No TV

Stay tuned on this. The Japanese are broadcasting the games, and my minions ( ok, other folks on BigSoccer) are looking to see if there will be live streaming possibilities. I watch games in Argentina all the time this way ( some are even legal) so, it is possible that we will get SOME View of the game.

USA - China highlights:

http://www.ussoccer.com/media-library/Videos/US-Women/2012/02/120226-WNT-v-China-Highlights.aspx

There is hope we can see the Japan game.

Today Japan played Norway 2:1 and it was broadcast on JustinTV
http://www.justin.tv

they have a new iPad/iPhone app that doesnt require Flash and allows you to navigate much more easily than the random searching you have to do otherwise. The quality wasn't HD, but that's to be expected with ordinary wifi connection speeds. It was about YouTube quality.

Just go to the app store and search for Justin TV. $9.95/ iPad , $4.95/iPhone.


The only downside is that you will have to get up at 5:30 to see it. It might fit right in with the Vegas schedule some of you folks might be keeping.

Thanks for the link, I just signed up for free on my Macbook.

Yeah, Justin tv is free.

The app just allows easier navigation and allows you to use it on iOS devices without flash.

Navigation does seem to be an issue.

On the regular site, finding what you want is a bit like hitting the lottery. The App gives you categories, and then thumbnails to scroll through. Much better.

The USA beat Denmark 5:0 in their opener which was not shown anywhere.

Goals from

Morgan (Ohara)
wambach (Morgan)
LLoyd
Morgan
LeRoux

Steph played the second half. I don't see that Megan played. Several younger player played.

Video highlights of the USA-Denmark match
http://www.wsoccernews.com/
Highlights of Other Algarve and Cyprus cup games are there also

Thanks for the link. It looked like Morgan was too much for the Danes to handle.

The USA's second group game is in the bank. Full-time Score: Norway 1-2 #USWNT (Goals: Wambach 52( Mitts)' Leroux 83'( Cox),
Thorsnes 90+4').

Steph played the whole game, Megan came on for the second half.

LeRoux came in as a late game sub and scored almost immediately.

Japan Sunday.

USA-Norway highlights.


http://www.ussoccer.com/media-library/Videos/US-Women/2012/03/120302-WNT-v-NOR-Highlights.aspx

Thanks for the link. I liked the way Stephanie stepped between O'Reilly and the defender who knocked her down. She and Megan got good screen time. Looking forward tomorrow's game, just hope I'll be able to find it on Justin TV. If it is indeed on Justin TV, I'll be in the Chatbox.

This might be the USA- Japan link.

http://fr.justin.tv/reds2021

Thanks for the link, it worked.

Japan does it again, scoring in the 85th minute to win it 1-0. Stephanie and Megan played the second half.

Glad it worked. I managed to sleep through this one. It was before noon.

Any thoughts on the USA performance, especially the new kids?

I thought the new kids played well. Japan had problems keeping up with Morgan and she had several shots, but just couldn't put one in. Leroux came in for Wambaugh part way through the second half and was very active. Cheney looked good out on the right wing as well, she was replaced by O'Reilly in the second half. O'Hara started at left defensive back and looked good on the offensive side of the field, but she doesn't seem have a defender's mentality. Stephanie came in for her in the second half. Unfortunately she was the closest player to the goal scorer who put in a header off a corner kick. I wasn't sure if she was Stephanie's player to defend or if she got away from someone else and Stephanie was helping out. I thought Megan played so-so. She took a couple of shots from outside the box which I think the team needed someone to do. She also took a penalty shot from a few yards outside the box right in front of the goal which she sent wide left and high. She had some errant passes that bothered me, but maybe it just me expecting perfection.

The US dominated the run of play. Late in the second half Japan really stepped it up, bringing in 4 new players at once. It seemed to make a difference.

Highlights US/Japan

US beats Sweden 4-0 for third place. Alex Morgan gets a hat trick. Hope Solo does not play nor did Stephanie. Megan came in at the 71st minutes. Here is a link to the video highlights:

Highlights

The USA will next return to action with two matches in Japan, taking on the hosts on April 1 from Sendai in a game that can be seen live on ESPN2 and ESPN3 at 6:30 a.m. ET. The U.S. team will then travel south to Chiba to meet Brazil in a game that will be broadcast at 7 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.

Thanks.

Didn't see any Swedes doing a jig this time.

It looks like the USA is still holding on to the #1 ranking despite the loss to Japan. 

The 4-0 spanking of the Swedes was worth enough extra points that it actually was worth more points in the FIFA points bonuses than the close 4-3 score in the Germany-Japan match. The top 7 teams held serve.

The official quarterly rankings come out on March 16, but here are the current stats.

March 2012 rank - Team - March 2012 points - +/- Ranking - +/- Points 


1 USA 2165 0 17
2 Germany 2162 0 19
3 Japan 2114 0 8
4 Brazil 2093 0 0
5 Sweden 2059 0 -14
6 France 2019 0 29
7 Canada 1970 0 -19
7 Korea DPR 1970 2 3
9 England 1966 -1 -17
10 Australia 1956 0 0
11 Italy 1936 0 -1
12 Denmark 1914 0 6
13 Norway 1900 -1 -8
14 Netherlands 1888 0 -9
15 Iceland 1851 0 -3
16 Spain 1842 1 1
17 Korea Republic 1840 -1 -5
18 China PR 1827 0 -4
19 Russia 1820 0 8
20 Finland 1797 0 -5
21 Scotland 1776 1 6
22 Mexico 1767 -1 -7
22 Ukraine 1767 1 0

http://www.football-rankings.info/2012/03/fifa-womens-ranking-usa-still-top.html