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| TICKETS |
VENUES | GAMES
SCHEDULE |
TELEVISION | USA TEAM SCHEDULE 98/99 | INTERVIEWS
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Road to WWCup '99 for
U.S. National Team |
August 26, 1998
DiCicco's 18 players for NIKE U.S. Women's Cup '98 roster includes
first time selection of midfielder Jill Rutten (read "An interview
with Jill Rutten" an exclusive feature in our Sept/Oct printed edition
of WSW out next week)
Head Coach Tony DiCicco has named 18 players who will represent the USA
in the NIKE U.S. Women's Cup `98. The start of the NCAA season means that
the USA will be without its college players. All eleven starters from the
1996 Olympic Gold Medal team will be available. Of those eleven, seven have
played more than 100 times for the USA, and an eighth, forward Tiffany Milbrett,
should record her 100th cap in the USA's second U.S. Women's Cup game against
Russia at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY on Sept. 18th.
"The legacy of the U.S. Women's Cup is that it has provided excellent
competition, exciting games, and a mechanism for developing our players
to the next level," said DiCicco. "This year's event is the most
global we've ever had with an outstanding team in Brazil, a Mexico team
trying to move up the ranks in CONCACAF, and an impressive Russian squad.
As always, this tournament will serve the U.S. team and our opponents well
as we all prepare for the Women's World Cup here in America in 1999."
DiCicco has named Robin Confer, and selected Jill Rutten for the first time.
Kate Sobrero, who has just nine caps, but started the Goodwill Games Gold
Medal match against China, is included along with Sara Whalen, Christie
Pearce and Debbie Keller.
United States National Team Roster NIKE U.S. Women's Cup `98 |
| USA vs. Mexico | Sept. 12 | Foxboro Stadium, Boston, Mass. |
| USA vs. Russia | Sept. 18 | Frontier Field, Rochester, N.Y. |
| USA vs. Brazil | Sept. 20 | Univ. of Richmond Stadium, Richmond, Va. |
| 1. Scurry, Briana 2. Rutten, Jill 3. Pearce, Christie 4. Overbeck, Carla 6. Chastain, Brandi 7. Whalen, Sara |
8. MacMillan,
Shannon 9. Hamm, Mia 10. Akers, Michelle 11. Foudy, Julie 13. Lilly, Kristine 14. Fawcett, Joy |
15. Venturini,
Tisha 16. Milbrett, Tiffeny 17. Confer, Robin 20. Sobrero, Kate 21. Keller, Debbie 24 .Ducar, Tracy |
August 13, 1998
Brazil, Russia and Mexico to play in Nike U.S. Women's Cup
Played in the summer during the first four tournaments, the NIKE U.S. Women's
Cup was moved to the Fall this year so as not to conflict with the 1998
World Cup in France.
NIKE U.S Women's Cup '98 Schedule
September, 12
Foxboro Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts
USA will play Mexico in a match that precedes the Major League Soccer game
between the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew. The game will
be televised tape delayed on ESPN2 on Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. ET.
September, 15
Elmore Field, Hartwick College, Oneonta, N.Y.
Brazil will play Russia in a game to be televised live on ESPN at 3 p.m.
ET. The match takes the place of the USA-New Zealand contest that was abandoned
due to lightning strikes and tornado warnings back on June 2 in the U.S.
Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Game. The Brazil-Russia match marks the first
time a U.S. Women's Cup game not featuring the USA will be broadcast.
September, 18
Frontier Field in Rochester, N.Y.
Mexico plays Brazil at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by USA against Russia at 8
p.m. ET. The USA match will be televised live on ESPN.
September, 20
University of Richmond Stadium, Richmond, Virginia
Mexico plays Russia at 12:30 p.m. ET. followed by the USA against Brazil
at 3 p.m. ET in a game televised live on ESPN2.
In a first for a U.S. Women's National Team game, Telemundo will also broadcast
the USA-Brazil match live in Spanish at 3 p.m. ET as well as tape-delayed
to the West Coast at 3 p.m. PT. In total, four of the six matches will be
on ESPN or ESPN2.
"This U.S. Women's Cup is a perfect launching point for us as we gear
up for intense preparation to win back the Women's World Cup," said
U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco. "The fact that ESPN is televising our
three games, and that we are having our first game broadcast in Spanish,
is another indication of the extent of commitment by everyone to make the
1999 Women's World Cup the biggest women's sporting event in history. We
have been playing some entertaining soccer this year and I'm sure the U.S.
Women's Cup will be a great preview of next summer."
Brazil comes into U.S. Women's Cup '98 as the South American champions,
overwhelming the competition during the Women's World Cup qualifying tournament
last March.
Russia is on the verge of qualifying for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup
and by the kickoff of the NIKE U.S. Women's Cup '98, will know its fate.
Currently tied atop European Qualifying Group 4 with Denmark, Russia faces
the Danes on Aug. 22 in a crucial match. The group winner earns a trip to
the USA in '99 while the second-place finisher must playoff against Finland
for a spot in the Women's World Cup.
Mexico comes with a chance of at least finishing second in the upcoming
COCACAF Qualfying Tournament, but is accompanied with some angry attitudes
from players in Mexico who feel that they have been shorthanged by the selection
of so many Mexican-American players who live in the United States, as does
their National Team Head Coach.
A second-place finish for Mexico would earn them a chance to play South
American runner-up Argentina in a two-game home-and-home series to determine
the Western Hemisphere's last spot for USA WWCup '99.
NIKE U.S Women's Cup '98 Ticket Information
FOXBORO STADIUM/NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION, Boston, Mass.
Ticket Numbers: Toll Free at 800/946-7287 or TicketMaster at 617/931-2222
Ticket Prices: $55, $30, $20 and Groups of 20 or More are $10 (reg. $20)
or $15 (reg. $30)
HARTWICK COLLEGE, Oneonta, N.Y.
Ticket Number: 607/432-3351
Ticket Prices: $6 Advance, $8 Day of Game
FRONTIER FIELD, Rochester, N.Y.
Ticket Number: 716/454-KICK (716/454-5425)
Ticket Prices: $8-$20
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Richmond, Va.
Ticket Number: 804/289-8388
Ticket Prices: $8-$20
August 3, 1998
First day results of Nordic Cup (U-21 National Teams) in Holland
At Hoogezand: Group A Holland 0 Sweden 2 (0-1) Goals by Therese Sjögran (41, 90) Norway 7 Denmark 1 At Roden: Group B Iceland 1 Germany 5 USA 1 Finland 0
1998 Nordic Cup Championship Final
| 1st: Norway 2 -- USA 1 |
|---|
| 3rd: Germany 2 -- Sweden 1 |
| 5th: Denmark 4 -- Holland 3 (OT) |
| 7th: Iceland 2 -- Finland 0 |
| Norway | USA |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 |
| Venue: Stadskanaal, Holland | |
| Date: Aug. 9, 1998 | Kickoff: 3 p.m. Local (9 a.m. ET) |
| Attendance: 250 | Weather: Sunny, 82°F |
| USA | Norway |
Head Coach: Lauren Gregg Scoring: Parlow (assist. Bush) 70 |
Scoring |
The Americans out-shot Norway 14-9, but numerous attacks fizzled in the final third of the field under the pressure of a well-organized Norwegian defense. Norway was more efficient in their attack, making U.S. goalkeeper Beene save seven of their nine shots, and scored against the run of play in the 14th minute. The U.S. lost possession in back and Norway chipped a pass into Ormen who finished from 10 yards out. In the 53rd minute Mellgren drove the ball into the upper corner from 22 yards out to make it 2-0.
The USA pulled a goal back in the 70th minute as Bush took a ball on the right flank and ran diagonally at Norway's defense. She combined on a give-and-go with Streiffer putting her behind the defense, then drew the goalkeeper to near post before slotting the ball on the ground to Parlow at the far post, who finished into the left corner from three yards out. The Americans had a chance to tie the game in the 85th minute, but a header by Schwoy was tipped off the crossbar by Norwegian goalkeeper Johannessen.
"I have mixed emotions about the game," said Gregg, who took her second straight Nordic Cup team to the final game. "We're very disappointed to lose, but I feel complete pride in the way we competed. We played great soccer and fought until the end. Although we were disappointed in not repeating as Nordic Cup champions, to reach the final in back-to-back years is a real credit to this young team and promising for the future of the United States," added Gregg. "The evolution of this team and of several individual players this year was tremendous. Many of them will be part of the Women's National Team residency program for the 1999 Women's World Cup. Our goals are to win and prepare are players for the next level," said Gregg. "We fell a game short, but the players really grew. Forwards Raven McDonald and Susan Bush, both in their first big international matches, had great tournaments and showed great promise."
"The team felt we played well enough win," said U.S. captain Michelle French. "All tournament we went forward well, but we struggled in the final third and that's what happened today. I felt we had a stronger team this year, but in a championship game at this level, you only get a couple of quality chances. Norway finished, we didn't."
It was the first international loss for U.S. U-20 Head Coach Lauren Gregg in her two years with the team. This was the fifth trip to the Nordic Cup for the U.S. U-20s, and first time it had advanced to the final two years in a row.
| Results August 7 | |
|---|---|
| Group A | Group B |
| Norway 5 -- Iceland 2 | USA 1 -- Sweden 0 |
| Denmark 1 -- Germany 1 | Holland 2 -- Finland 2 |
August 7, 1998
USA 1 Sweden 0 Puts US Team
Through To Nordic Cup Final Against Norway
| USA | Sweden |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| Venue: Beilen, Holland | |
| Date: Aug. 7, 1998 | Kickoff: 6 p.m. Local (Noon ET) |
| Attendance: 75 | Weather: Sunny, 77°F |
| USA | Sweden |
Head Coach:Lauren Gregg Scoring:Parlow (assist McDonald) 75th minute. |
Yellow Card: Axelsson (caution) 60th minute. |
| Referee: J.S. Boringa | |
The USA had much of the possession during the game and swung numerous crosses into the goal area, only to see most of them cut off by Swedish goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson, who made nine saves in the match. Early in the game McDowell slammed a header off the crossbar. Parlow had a breakaway in 49th minute, but shot it right at Jonsson who made a kick-save.
Late in the first half, Sweden's Nordlund cracked a shot off the crossbar from 22 yards, but the U.S. defense, backed by sweeper Grubb and marshaled by McDowell at defensive midfield, was able to put the clamps on Sweden's attack for most of the match.
The winning goal began with 17-year old forward Bush Tex.) on the right flank, as she fed forward McDonald down the right wing. McDonald dribbled the ball to the end line and slotted a cross on the ground back to Parlow, who on the dead run, first-timed her shot into the left corner from six yards out.
In the 80th minute, the USA had a chance to bury the Swedes, but Michelle French (Portland/Kent, Wash.) had her breakaway chance kicked away by Johnsson again.
"It was an exciting match today and a solid performance by the U.S.," said U.S. Head Coach Lauren Gregg. "The score does not reflect the personality and dominance displayed, both individually and as team. Rebekah McDowell set the tone for our team with her phenomenal defensive effort," added Gregg. "Her work rate was world class. The wonderful part of this victory was that it was a total team effort. The players who came off the bench were vital to the outcome."
"Beating Sweden was a tremendous victory for us because from the beginning of the year, it was our goal to repeat as Nordic Cup champions," said Parlow, who also played on last year's Nordic Cup team. "This team has really come together and a match against Norway for the championship is a game that all of us dream about playing. You play soccer to play in matches like this."
A draw or a loss would have relegated the Americans to the third place match or worse, instead they will face a powerful Norwegian team on Sunday in Stadskanaal. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET).
In other placement games on Sunday, Germany will play Sweden for 3rd place, Denmark will play Holland for 5th place and Iceland will face Finland for 7th place.
| HOLLAND | USA |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| Competition: 1998 Nordic Cup | Venue: Dwingelo, Holland |
| Date: Aug. 5, 1998 | Kickoff: 6 p.m. Local -- Noon ET |
| Attendance: 125 | Weather: Overcast 67°F |
| USA | HOLLAND |
|---|---|
Head Coach: Lauren Gregg Scoring: Fair (Penalty kick) 26mins Yellow Card: McDowell (caution) 18th minute. |
Scoring: Smith (Unassisted) 57 min Yellow Card: Goudena (caution) 30 min |
| Referee: E. Odlund | |
In a cautious match with a combined 10 total shots, the USA controlled the first half and won nine total corner kicks to Holland's zero. The Americans got their lone goal in the 26th minute, when forward Clemens was taken down in the penalty box. Fair, L converted the penalty kick to give the USA the lead.
Holland gained more of the play in the second half as the USA's possession broke down at times, and the Dutch pulled even in the 57th minute through a scramble in the goal area. U.S. goalkeeper Beene knocked down the first shot, but couldn't smother the rebound, and Smith converted from close range to equalize.
Parlow had a chance to win the match with about two minutes left, but dribbling from the left, missed her breakaway chance wide right from a sharp angle.
"Holland is a much-improved team," said U.S. Head Coach Lauren Gregg. "They fought hard and although they only had three shots on us, they did well to tie the match. I was pleased with the way we were able to get behind their defense consistently, but we didn't convert any of our chances."
"We were not satisfied with the tie," said U.S. sweeper Jen Grubb, who has worn the captain's band in the absence of the injured Michelle French, who saw her first action against Holland today, but is still recovering from a injured hamstring. "However, we're still in good position on Friday against Sweden. It adds pressure, but it's a situation we welcome and accept as one of the top teams in the world."
A draw or a loss against Sweden on Friday will relegate the USA to the third-place match or worse, while a win by any score will earn a place in the final.
| USA | Finland |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| 1998 Nordic Cup | |
| Venue: Roden, Holland | Date: Aug. 3, 1998 |
| Kickoff: 6 p.m. Local -- Noon ET | Attendance: 100 |
| Weather: Overcast, 70 °F | |
| USA | FINLAND |
|---|---|
Head Coach: Lauren Gregg Scoring: Susan Bush-( assist Clemens) 65th minute |
|
| Officials: Referee: K. Kramer Assistant Referee: P. van Beelen Assistant Referee: A.J. Walters 4th Official: H. Abrahams | |
Game Report
The U.S. controlled the match against a physical Finland team that sat back and looked for counter-attacks, but could not break down the U.S. back-line of Jen Grubb and identical twins Ronnie and Lorrie Fair.
17 year old Bush, who will be a senior in high school this fall came in at halftime for Roberts and 20 minutes later scored the winning goal. The play started when forward Clemens fed Bush behind the defense on the left flank. Bush cut toward goal, and from a steep angle, toe-poked the ball at the net. The ball bounced off the Finish goalkeeper and rolled into the lower left corner.
In the 75th minute Confer hit the crossbar off a cross from Parlow, but Bush's goal was to be the only one. U.S. goalkeeper Beene who was also the starter on last year's Nordic Cup champions, was forced to make just two saves but controlled her penalty box well.
The USA out shot their opponents 9-2 for the game and earned 10 corner kicks to just one for Finland.
"This game was a good early test for the U.S.," said U.S. Head Coach Lauren Gregg, who also serves as the assistant head coach for the U.S. National Team. "Finland is a very combative, well-organized team. We worked hard for our goal and the win. Cindy Parlow and Mandy Clemens gave us relentless mobility on the forward line," added Gregg. "Overall, our team defense was strong and crucial to this win. Our bench was important in this victory," added Gregg, who used all five of her allowed substitutes. "I was excited to see our young star, Susan Bush, come in and score the game winner."
The U.S. starting lineup featured three players with extensive experience with the full Women's National Team. Lorrie Fair, Roberts and Parlow joined the U-20s after helping the USA win the gold medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
At the end of round-robin play within the groups, the group-winners will meet for the Nordic Cup title on Aug. 9. The U.S. team will next face host Holland on Wed., Aug. 5, in its second Group B game. In other Group B action, Sweden defeated Holland, 2-0. In Group A, Norway hammered Denmark, 7-1 and Germany routed Iceland, 5-1, showing that should the USA make the final, it will face a stiff challenge to repeat. Norway faces Germany on Wednesday in a crucial Group A contest.
July 29, 1998
Head Coach Lauren Gregg and U.S. Under-20 National team leaves
for Holland in defense of their 1997 Nordic Cup Title
The U.S. Under-20 National Team, under the guidance of Head Coach Lauren Gregg, left today for the Nordic Cup to be held in Holland from Aug. 3-9. The Nordic Cup, held annually in Northern Europe, brings together the world's top Under-21 National Teams for the most important women's youth tournament for this age group.
The eight competing teams are divided into two groups of four, with first-round play consisting of round-robin matches within the group. The group winners will then play for the championship. The two second-place group finishers will play for third place, the third-place finishers for fifth and the last-place finishers will play for seventh. The games will take place in several towns in northern Holland, located about a two-hour bus ride from Amsterdam.
"We have a talented and committed group of players," said Gregg. "We are one of the younger teams in the tournament, but as always, our goal is to win the cup as we prepare players for 1999 and beyond. On this Nordic Cup team are a number of players who will be in our residency camp to prepare for the Women's World Cup in 1999, all of whom have a chance to make the World Cup team."
The grueling schedule features four matches in seven days for all eight teams, with the group winners meeting for the championship on Aug 9. The USA won the tournament last year in Denmark, defeating arch-rival Norway in the championship game, 1-0, on sudden death overtime on a goal from Jen Streiffer (Baton Rouge, LA).
Of the 18-players on the roster, 10 attend the University of Notre Dame or the University of North Carolina, both NCAA Final Four participants last season. Santa Clara University and Duke University each have twoplayers on the squad, while Stanford University and the University of Portland are represented by one player each. Two high school players made the team; goalkeeper Jenni Branam (Redlands, Calif. and the Southern California Blues SC) and Susan Bush (Houston, Tex. and the Houston Challenge). Each will be a senior in the Fall. Gregg lost a potential starter when center-midfielder Aly Wagner, bound for Santa Clara University, went down with a torn ACL at the July training camp in Portland.
Players born after January 1, 1977, are eligible for this year's Nordic Cup Team, but each team is allowed two "overage" spots on its roster for players born after January 1, 1974. Gregg filled her slots with former North Carolina forward Robin Confer (Clearwater, Fla.), who also filled an overage spot on last year's Nordic Cup team and assisted on the winning goal in the championship game, and former Duke forward Samantha Baggett (Daytona Beach, Fla.), who will probably play in the defense. The roster is made up of four players who will be seniors in college, eight players who will be juniors, two sophomores, two players who have finished their college eligibility and two high school seniors.
Nine members of the team have earned caps with the full national team, led by midfielder Tiffany Roberts (San Ramon, Calif.) with 67 appearances, forward Cindy Parlow (Memphis, Tenn.) with 40, and defender Lorrie Fair (Los Altos, Calif.) with 33. The trio played for the USA at the 1998 Goodwill Games before joining the U-20s. Roberts and Parlow were reserves on the gold medal-winning 1996 Olympic Team while Roberts was a starter for the 1995 World Cup Team. Streiffer and Fair were alternates on the Olympic Team. Also making the final roster was Lorrie Fair's identical twin sister Ronnie, who stars at Stanford. The Nordic Cup enables the most talented young players in the U.S. to gain valuable international experience as the Women's National Team program gears up for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup here in the United States.
Twelve players from last year's Nordic Cup team made this year's squad: Lorrie Fair, Confer, Jenn Grubb (Hoffman Est., Ill), Michelle French (Kent, Wa.), Rebekah McDowell (Lakewood, Colo.), Kristy Whelchel (Boca Raton, Fla.) and North Carolina's 1996 college freshman of the year Laurie Schwoy (Baltimore, Md.) will be playing in their third straight Nordic Cup, while Lakeysia Beene (Gold River, Calif), Ronnie Fair, Roberts, Parlow and Streiffer will be playing in their second in a row
| No. | Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Hometown | College/Club |
| 1 | Beene, Lakeysia | GK | 5'8" | 135 | 3/09/78 | Sacramento, CA | Notre Dame |
| 2 | Whelchel, Kristy | M | 5'6" | 130 | 6/15/77 | Boca Raton, FL | Duke University |
| 3 | Fair, Ronnie | D | 5'3" | 125 | 8/05/78 | Los Altos, CA | Stanford University |
| 4 | Fair, Lorrie | D | 5'3" | 125 | 8/05/78 | Los Altos, CA | North Carolina |
| 5 | Roberts, Tiffany | M | 5'4" | 125 | 5/05/77 | San Ramon, CA | North Carolina |
| 6 | Grubb, Jenn | D | 5'7" | 140 | 7/20/78 | Hoffman Estates, IL | Notre Dame |
| 7 | Confer, Robin | M | 5'8" | 135 | 2/21/76 | Clearwater, FL | North Carolina |
| 9 | Clemens, Mandy | F | 5'6" | 125 | 9/03/78 | San Diego, CA | Santa Clara |
| 10 | Schwoy, Laurie | M | 5'5" | 120 | 2/14/78 | Baltimore, MD | North Carolina |
| 11 | French, Michelle | M | 5'5" | 125 | 1/27/77 | Kent, WA | University of Portland |
| 12 | Parlow, Cindy | F | 5'11" | 145 | 5/08/78 | Memphis, TN | North Carolina |
| 13 | Aldama, Heather | D | 5'2" | 115 | 12/1/78 | Redlands, CA | Santa Clara |
| 14 | McDowell, Rebekah | M | 5'8" | 135 | 3/21/78 | Lakewood, CO | North Carolina |
| 15 | Streiffer, Jen | F | 5'7" | 120 | 5/25/78 | Baton Rouge, LA | Notre Dame |
| 16 | McDonald, Raven | F | 5'7" | 125 | 3/27/78 | Benton, NC | North Carolina |
| 17 | Bush, Susan | F | 5'4" | 120 | 11/10/80 | Houston, TX | Houston Challenge |
| 18 | Branam, Jenni | GK | 5'7" | 155 | 10/08/80 | Placentia, CA | So. Cal Blues |
1998 NORDIC CUP SCHEDULE | |
August 3 Local Time Eastern Standard Time August 7 Local Time ET |
August 7 Local Time ET Holland vs. Finland 6:00 p.m. 12:00 Noon Sweden vs. USA 6:00 p.m. 12:00 Noon August 8 Local Time ET Match for 7th and 8th Place 10:00 a.m. 4:00 a.m. August 8 Local Time ET Match for 5th and 6th Place 12:00 Noon 6:00 a.m. August 8 Local Time ET Match for 3rd and 4th Place 12:00 Noon 6:00 a.m. Match for 1st and 2nd Place 3:00 p.m. 9 a.m. |
July 28, 1998
Goodwill Games Gold Medal Game
| USA | China |
|---|---|
| 2 | 0 |
| 1998 Goodwill Games Gold Medal game Date: July 27, 1998 - Kickoff 8:30 p.m. ET | |
| Mitchel Athletic Complex - Uniondale, New York | |
| Attendance: 11,307 | Cool, windy 70°F |
| USA | CHINA | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yellow Cards: Head Coach: Tony DiCicco |
Scoring: None Yellow Cards: Head Coach: Ma | |||||||||
| Officials: Referees: 1st. half: Willie Laidlaw (Canada) 2nd. half: Johnny Jerome (Canada) Assistant Referee: Ann Blackwood (Canada) Assistant Referee: Kim Chalmers (Canada) 4th Official: 1st. Half: Johnny Jerome 2nd. Half: Willie Laidlow | ||||||||||
Game report:
Hamm scoring two goals to lead the U.S. Women's National Team to a 2-0 victory over China in the Gold Medal match of the 1998 Goodwill Games.
Coming off two consecutive three-goal performances, one against Denmark on Saturday that put the USA in the final, Hamm broke open a tense 0-0 game in the 66th minute when she took a superb through pass from Kristine Lilly and raced in one-on-one at Chinese goalkeeper Zhoa Yan. Hamm calmly drilled her shot on a line into the left corner to break sending the near-capacity crowd of 11,307 into a wild celebration.
The attendance was the largest at any Goodwill Games event during a competition that spans 15 sports and six venues.
Zhoa, China's back-up goalkeeper, got the start, giving regular Hong Goa and her 71 international appearances the night off. But Zhao came up big early in the match, saving the first five U.S. shots and nine total. In the 87th minute substituteKeller deflected a poor clearance to Hamm who took it to goal hitting a 37-yard shot past the outcoming goalkeeper.
"Mia turned in a Michael Jordan-like performance tonight," said U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco. "Both goals she scored were just awesome. I think China had a bit more of the game in the second half, but then Mia scored the brilliant goal."
The USA started fast in front of a supportive home crowd, firing three shots in the first three minutes, all saved by Zhao, including a breakaway stop just one minute into the game to deny Milbrett.Despite out-shooting China 19-5 for the match, the second half saw the Americans repel several dangerous Chinese attacks. With the match tied 0-0, China captain Sun Wen hit the crossbar on a free-kick from the top of the penalty box. China won the rebound and sent a cross in from the left side that Zhang Lihong headed just wide. In the 78th minute, it was Zhang again, winning a ball from defender Fair and smacking her shot past a diving Scurry into the side netting.
"The game could have gone either way for a while," added DiCicco. "We just had to find a way to win. One of the characteristics of this team is that we are very mentally strong, and tonight, that got us the victory."
"China is a great team," said U.S. goalkeeper BrianaScurry, who pickup up her 9th shutout of the year. "Their players are skilled and quick and they always come at us for 90 minutes. I knew I would have to be on top of my game. I have no doubt that we will have to get through them again to win in 1999."
Other:
The two scores gave Hamm 97 career goals in 152 games, tying her for the all-time goal scoring lead in U.S. Soccer history with teammate Akers.The world scoring record of 108 goals is held by the now-retired Betty Vignotto of Italy. The match also made Hamm the second most capped player in the history of international soccer, men or women, passing Norway's retired Heidi Stoere. The world record is held by Lilly with 158 games played.
"There are three things that make this team work," said Hamm's striking partner Milbrett, who had several near-misses. "The first is team chemistry. Second is that everyone really cares about each other. The third is Mia Hamm.
July 6, 1998
U-20 National Team Player Pool Prepare
For1998 Nordic Cup
Head Coach Lauren Gregg began a week long training camp for the U. S. Under-20 National Team pool on July 5 in Portland, Oregon, in preparation for the 1998 Nordic Cup hosted this year by Holland.
The U.S. has been drawn into Group B, where they will defend their 1997 Nordic Cup title with games against Finland (Aug. 3), Holland (Aug. 5), and Sweden (Aug. 7). The 1998 Nordic Cup Final is set for Aug. 9. The USA won last year's competition in Denmark with a "golden goal" from Jen Streiffer in a 1-0 victory against Norway. The team will play two games while training in Oregon, including a match against Canada on July 12.
Roster For The U-20 Women's National Team Training Camp
Goalkeepers: Lakeshia Beene (Sacramento, CA; Notre Dame), Dawn Greathouse (Allen, TX; Baylor), Jenni Branam (Placentia, CA; Eldorado HS)
Defenders: Heather Aldama (Redlands, CA; Santa Clara), Samantha Baggett* (Daytona Beach, FL; Duke), Ronnie Fair (Los Altos, CA; Stanford), Jen Grubb (Hoffman Estates, IL; Notre Dame), Anna Kraus (Mountain View, CA; St. Francis HS)
Midfielders: Jenny Benson (Huntington Beach, FA; Nebraska), Michelle French (Kent, WA; Portland), Rebekah McDowell (Lakewook, CO; North Carolina), Laurie Schwoy (Baltimore, MD; North Carolina), Alyson Wagner (San Jose, CA; Presentation HS), Kristy Welchel (Boca Raton, FL; Duke)
Forwards: Susan Bush (Houson, TX; St. John's School), Mandy Clemens (San Diego, CA; Santa Clara), Robin Confer* (Clearwater, FL; North Carolina), Danielle Fotopolous* (Altamonte Springs, FL; Florida), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, VA; Virginia), Raven McDonald (Benton, NC; North Carolina), Natalie Neaton (Denver, CO; William Mary), Jenny Streiffer (Baton Rouge, LA; Notre Dame).
*on the roster as overage players
June 28, 1998
USA 4 -- Germany 2 at Soldier Field, Chicago,
With Hat-trick By Hamm
| USA | Germany |
|---|---|
| 4 | 2 |
| Date: Sunday, June 28, 1998 5.00pm CDST | |
| Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois | |
| Attendance: 13,107 | Hot, Humid 83°F |
| USA | GERMANY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yellow Cards: Fawcett 38mins Red Card: Coach Tony DiCicco 73mins Head Coach: Tony DiCicco |
Yellow Cards: None Head Coach: Tina Theune-Meyer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referees Referee: Kari Seitz-Varnhagen (USA) Referee Asst.: Ted Covaciu (USA) Referee Asst.: Marcel Yonan (USA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game Report
A focussed U.S. Team played with pace and rhythm taking the game to Germany from the start. In the end to end game both teams had scoring opportunities with the U.S. Able to finish.
Lilly making her 156th international appearance scored first from a perfect cross from Foudy. Lilly, collected the ball, cut back inside past German defender Kerstin Stegemann, and struck her right-footed shot into the lower left corner, beating goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg to the near post for her 59th international goal.
German midfielder Sandra Smisek had two golden chances in the first half, but Kate Sobrero ran her down from behind in the 17th minute to deny the breakaway and U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry dove to her left to save a hard shot in the 36th minute.
Hamm doubled the score in the 49th minute, taking advantage of a horrible error by German sweeper Steffi Jones, who stepped on the ball and fell to the turf 35 yards from the net. Hamm swooped in and easily converted her breakaway, rolling her shot into the right corner from 12 yards out. "The fan support here at Soldier Field was great, " said Hamm, who registered her 8th career hat trick and second of 1998. "When the rest of the world shows up for the 1999 Women's World Cup, they will see just how impressive and enthusiastic the crowds here can be."
Hamm added her second goal just two minutes later as Foudy took advantage of another German giveaway, as Stegemann was again victimized. Foudy stole her pass and raced toward goal where she fed Hamm in the right side of the penalty box. Hamm let the ball roll across her body, freezing a German defender, and stuck her shot low into the left corner from 10 yards out.
"It was a very good win for us because we felt we were fortunate to get a draw in the first match," said Foudy. "We felt we could have scored a few more today. There were some defensive breakdowns on our part and some more things we can work on, but all-in-all, it was a great performance as we head towards the World Cup in 1999."
Germany pulled a goal back in the 55th minute when Inka Grings headed Tanja Vreden's cross past Scurry from eight yards out, but Hamm ended any thoughts of a German comeback in the 69th minute as she completed her hat-trick in spectacular fashion, finishing off a classic U.S. buildup.
Tiffeny Milbrett shrugged off a defender and dribbled up the right flank before sending a perfect cross into the middle of the penalty area. With a defender draped over her back, Hamm was able to get inside position and slid to meet Milbrett's cross, knocking the ball into the roof of the net from seven yards out for her 92nd international goal.
In the 72nd minute Monika Meyer kicked Hamm hard in the back of the leg on the sideline and then shoved her out of bounds, sending her flying into the U.S. bench. U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco vehemently protested the harsh treatment of Hamm and was ejected by referee Kari Seitz-Varnhagen. Germany added a final goal in the 81st when Ariane Hingst knocked in a rebound of a shot that Scurry saved but couldn't hold.
"There isn't as much of gap between our play and that of the rest of the world," said DiCicco. "But when we play our best, we are still the best team in the world. We have a lot of work to do before we can win back the World Cup, but today's result against a first-class opponent was very satisfying." Just before the final whistle, Scurry made the save of the match, diving at the feet of Claudia Muller to snuff a breakaway.
June 27, 1998
USA 1 -- Germany 1 In Sell Out Game In
St. Louis
| USA | Germany |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| Thursday, June 25, 1998 | |
| Annheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Centre, St. Louis | |
| Attendance: 5938 (Sell out) | Hot, Humid 95°F |
| USA | GERMANY |
Scoring: Parlow (Lilly) 76mins Yellow cards: Pearce 89mins Head Coach: Tony DiCicco |
Scoring: Hoffman (Mueller) 50mins Yellow cards: Head Coach: Tina Theune-Meyer |
| Referees: Referee: Nancy Lay (USA) Line: Rich Huber (USA) Line: Thomas Smith (USA) | |
Game Report
The hot humid weather made for a slow game at first, and sloppy play by the U.S. Team created several chances for Germany in the first half. Germany scored early in the second half with an 18 yard rocket into the left corner. This woke up the U.S. Team and they began to play with more attacking fervour until, in spite of a fierce German defense, Lilly crossed for Parlow to head home the equaliser. Parlow put away another at 89mins but it was whistled off side.
Editor's comment:
Germany played well in spite of being without three of their key players, Birgit Prinz, Maren Meinert, and Pia Wunderlich who were unable to travel because of work or school.
June 8, 1998
US National Team Roster For Germany Matches
At St. Louis And Chicago Announced Today
Goalkeepers: Briana Scurry, Saskia Webber
Defenders: Lorrie Fair, Christie Pearce, Carla Overbeck, Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett, Kate Sobrero
Midfielders: Tiffany Roberts, Shannon MacMillan, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, Tisha Venturini
Forwards: Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, Tiffeny Milbrett, Debbie KellerFor Tickets:
St. Louis on June 26 call Anheuser -Busch at 314-349-3777
Chicago on June 28 call Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212
or Chicago Fire Offices at 888-657-3473
June 3, 1998
US v New Zealand Match In Oneonta, NY
Cancelled
Stadium cleared after 12 minutes due to lightning and tornado
warnings
The U.S. National Team played just 12 minutes of its match at Elmore Field before the game was suspended due to the threat of lightning strikes and a tornado warning in the Oneonta area.
The skies turned dark as officials moved the capacity crowd into Binder Gymnasium here on the Hartwick University campus as rain began to fall and lightning bolts were seen on the horizon 18 minutes after the game was stopped. Ironically, it was the first match to be played under the newly installed lights at the school's soccer stadium.
After an hour and 28 minute delay of steady rain, lightning and thunder, U.S. Soccer officials cancelled the match. A tornado reportedly passed within five miles of the Hartwick campus. When the teams left the field, the USA was leading 1-0 on a Michelle Akers goal scored five minutes into the game. She took a pass from Tisha Venturini, fended off two defenders and cracked a missile into the left corner from 23 yards out that left New Zealand goalkeeper Rachel Howard glued to her goal line. The goal would have been the 97th of her international career, but as the match did not reach halftime, the game did not become official, and the score will not count in her career statistics.
None of the players who started the game will get credit for an international appearance.
U.S. Head Coach Tony DiCicco fielded a youthful starting 11 featuring Lorrie Fair (19 years old), Kate Sobrero (21) and Tiffany Roberts (21) on the back line, giving regular starters Carla Overbeck, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry and Joy Fawcett the night off. As it turned out, everyone got the night off. "It was starting to look like a competitive game," said U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco. "We scored early, but New Zealand looked to have more fight and energy than in the last match (a 5-0 U.S. victory in Washington, D.C. on Saturday). This is not the way we wanted to end our long road trip, but we had to stay on the side of safety." U.S. forward Mia Hamm missed her fourth consecutive game with an injured right hamstring. She is expected back for the USA's matches against European champion Germany on June 25 in St. Louis, Mo., and on June 28 in Chicago at Soldier Field, a venue for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
| USA | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date: Saturday May 30, 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance: 15,000 at start /25,000 for second half | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weather: Warm, sunny 85°F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USA | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head Coach: Tony, DiCicco
Yellow Cards: None |
Head Coach: Maurice Tillotson Scoring: None
Yellow cards: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referees Referee: Sandra Hunt (USA) Line: Robert Fereday (USA) Line: Tom Perry (USA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game Report
By Roger Rogers
The USA dominated this game from the whistle, and were able to use the match as an experimental site for some new play procedures.
New Zealand never gave up in its first match up with the U.S.team, but were hopelessly outclassed at this level and if it were not for the magnificent performance by their young keeper the score would have probably reached double figures.
New Zealand had arrived just the night before, but fortunately for them it was an East-West flight (no jet lag), the U.S. Team were showing some effects of their recent flight back from Japan (14+ hour East-West jet lag).