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Date: Sun 01/28/07 08:33 AM
From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:
U.S. WOMEN TIE ENGLAND, 1-1, AT FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT
O'Reilly Scores Lone U.S. Goal in Second Consecutive Draw
USA Will Face Host China on Tuesday, Jan. 30, With Tournament Title On Line
Germany Dominates China, but Gets Another Scoreless Draw
GUANGZHOU, China (January 28, 2007) – Goals were tough to come by on the second match day of the 2007 Four Nations Tournament as the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team drew 1-1 with England and host China tied Germany, 0-0.
The combination of results means the USA is still alive for the tournament championship, but must get a big result against China in its final match of the competition on Tuesday, January 30, with a kickoff at 4 p.m. local / 3 a.m. ET at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium.
While the USA was playing without several key veterans and England had most of their first choice players on the pitch, it was a lackluster performance for the Americans. The final shot count was 10-10, but England produced more dangerous attacking chances and manufactured seven corner kicks to the USA’s two.
"For these young (players) that haven't played that much, this was a very, very competitive international match that could have turned on any second in the game," said head coach Greg Ryan. "Just that experience is going to be very helpful to the young players."
The U.S. women had not tied two consecutive matches since August of 2000 when they drew both Russia and Canada by 1-1 scores in matches separated by five days.
The USA got its lone goal on a brilliant header from forward Heather O’Reilly in the 17th minute. Forward Natasha Kai barely saved a ball from going over the end line on the right flank and then skinned her defender to the inside with a razor-sharp cut-back before drilling a cross into the middle. O’Reilly met the ball with a bullet header from eight yards out that bulged the left side of net. It was her ninth career goal for the Women’s National Team.
England equalized just two minutes into the second half after the USA couldn’t clear the ball out of its own penalty area. Forward Eniola Aluko, who caused the USA trouble in the first half with her speed and shiftiness, got possession in the left side of the penalty area and smacked a cross on the ground through the goal box. Right back Alex Scott timed her run perfectly and finished smartly at the far post from just six yards out.
The USA almost got on the board in the third minute, but midfielder Marci Miller was denied her first career goal when her header off a cross from O’Reilly skipped just past the right post.
In the 24th minute, O’Reilly almost created a second goal as she raced down the right side on a 40-yard run into the penalty box and played a hard cross through middle. England goalkeeper Rachel Brown did extremely well to cut off the pass before a U.S. forward could get a boot on it.
O’Reilly almost got a winner in the 68th minute when her shot from 30 yards surprised Brown, who was forced to push it off the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced down just in front of the goal line, giving England a momentary scare, before it was cleared away.
Seventeen-year-old forward Casey Nogueira, who played the first half, and 20-year-old midfielder Yael Averbuch, who played the final half-hour, both earned their first caps for the Women’s National Team.
Ryan made four changes from the lineup that drew, 0-0, with Germany on Jan. 26, inserting Nogueira and Kai up front with O’Reilly and giving Miller the start in midfield while Briana Scurry went the distance in goal. Lori Chalupny, who played attacking midfielder against Germany, moved to her usual left back position and played 90 minutes.
Defensive midfielder Leslie Osborne did a credible job keeping midfielder Kelly Smith in check, although the England star did have her requisite moments of brilliance on the ball durin
From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:
U.S. WOMEN TIE ENGLAND, 1-1, AT FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT
O'Reilly Scores Lone U.S. Goal in Second Consecutive Draw
USA Will Face Host China on Tuesday, Jan. 30, With Tournament Title On Line
Germany Dominates China, but Gets Another Scoreless Draw
GUANGZHOU, China (January 28, 2007) – Goals were tough to come by on the second match day of the 2007 Four Nations Tournament as the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team drew 1-1 with England and host China tied Germany, 0-0.
The combination of results means the USA is still alive for the tournament championship, but must get a big result against China in its final match of the competition on Tuesday, January 30, with a kickoff at 4 p.m. local / 3 a.m. ET at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium.
While the USA was playing without several key veterans and England had most of their first choice players on the pitch, it was a lackluster performance for the Americans. The final shot count was 10-10, but England produced more dangerous attacking chances and manufactured seven corner kicks to the USA’s two.
"For these young (players) that haven't played that much, this was a very, very competitive international match that could have turned on any second in the game," said head coach Greg Ryan. "Just that experience is going to be very helpful to the young players."
The U.S. women had not tied two consecutive matches since August of 2000 when they drew both Russia and Canada by 1-1 scores in matches separated by five days.
The USA got its lone goal on a brilliant header from forward Heather O’Reilly in the 17th minute. Forward Natasha Kai barely saved a ball from going over the end line on the right flank and then skinned her defender to the inside with a razor-sharp cut-back before drilling a cross into the middle. O’Reilly met the ball with a bullet header from eight yards out that bulged the left side of net. It was her ninth career goal for the Women’s National Team.
England equalized just two minutes into the second half after the USA couldn’t clear the ball out of its own penalty area. Forward Eniola Aluko, who caused the USA trouble in the first half with her speed and shiftiness, got possession in the left side of the penalty area and smacked a cross on the ground through the goal box. Right back Alex Scott timed her run perfectly and finished smartly at the far post from just six yards out.
The USA almost got on the board in the third minute, but midfielder Marci Miller was denied her first career goal when her header off a cross from O’Reilly skipped just past the right post.
In the 24th minute, O’Reilly almost created a second goal as she raced down the right side on a 40-yard run into the penalty box and played a hard cross through middle. England goalkeeper Rachel Brown did extremely well to cut off the pass before a U.S. forward could get a boot on it.
O’Reilly almost got a winner in the 68th minute when her shot from 30 yards surprised Brown, who was forced to push it off the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced down just in front of the goal line, giving England a momentary scare, before it was cleared away.
Seventeen-year-old forward Casey Nogueira, who played the first half, and 20-year-old midfielder Yael Averbuch, who played the final half-hour, both earned their first caps for the Women’s National Team.
Ryan made four changes from the lineup that drew, 0-0, with Germany on Jan. 26, inserting Nogueira and Kai up front with O’Reilly and giving Miller the start in midfield while Briana Scurry went the distance in goal. Lori Chalupny, who played attacking midfielder against Germany, moved to her usual left back position and played 90 minutes.
Defensive midfielder Leslie Osborne did a credible job keeping midfielder Kelly Smith in check, although the England star did have her requisite moments of brilliance on the ball durin