Tweet
U.S. goalie Hope Solo gets the boot at Women's World Cup
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer
September 29, 2007
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- The Women's World Cup is taking on some edge for the United States, just as the Americans are getting ready to say goodbye. U.S. coach Greg Ryan tossed goalkeeper Hope Solo off the team for Sunday's third-place game against Norway. His decision, which has the support of the remaining 20 players, came after he benched Solo for Thursday's semifinal in which Brazil routed the U.S. 4-0.
Solo lashed out in an interview, saying Ryan made the "wrong decision" in dropping her in favor of veteran Briana Scurry against the quick and creative Brazilians.
The 36-year-old Scurry will face Norway on Sunday in a game that precedes the championship between defending champion Germany and Brazil.
Ryan said Solo would not even attend the Norway game. The U.S. practiced Saturday without her, and officials said she remained in China, meaning she probably will return home with the team.
"We have moved forward with 20 players who have stood by each other, who have battled for each other," Ryan said. "And when the hard times came -- and the Brazil game was a hard time -- they stood strong."
Solo hadn't allowed a goal for almost 300 minutes when she was benched. Ryan chose the smaller, quicker Scurry, who led the U.S. to its last World Cup title in 1999 and held off Brazil in the 2004 Olympic final.
Captain Kristine Lilly and star striker Abby Wambach said Solo apologized at a team meeting. On her myspace page, Solo wrote that she didn't intend to criticize Scurry. She maintained, however, that Ryan's decision was wrong.
"This is our chance to get back on the field and show our country and our fans how we can play soccer," Lilly said. "That's really what's important for this group right now."
Sunil Gulati, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, tried to find something positive in this ruckus.
"The fact that people care about this ... the fact that people care about the decision on goalkeepers, that we got drubbed in one game -- that's all good," Gulati said.
Wambach, who has four goals in the World Cup, called the dispute "uncharted territory" for the U.S. women, who were unbeaten in their first four games in an otherwise low-key tournament: a tie with North Korea, and wins over Sweden, Nigeria and England.
"It just goes to show you have to be professional all the time and you have to watch what you say," Wambach said.
Ryan said he made the decision to drop Solo after meeting with team leaders.
"The circumstance that happened and her going public has affected the whole group," said Lilly, the 36-year-old striker who is playing in a record fifth World Cup. "And having her with us would still be a distraction."
Ryan and Wambach said Solo may still have a future with the U.S. team, but Ryan has suggested there is depth at goalkeeper, with young players coming up.
"Everybody has a potential to have a future with this team," Ryan said. "I think what's got to occur is reconciliation and that is a very slow process."
In her interview after Thursday's loss, Solo said of her benching: "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ... You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."
The Americans were beaten 3-0 by Germany four years ago in the semifinals, but rallied to win Olympic gold. Wambach hopes for a repeat.
"I made it a point the other night to watch the other team celebrate," she said. "Only time will tell, but I know those memories of Brazil, those goals are etched in every single one of our minds."
The United States was unbeaten in 51 straight games before the Brazil loss, but the lopsided defeat and the last-minute goalkeeping decision have left Ryan's future unclear.
Gulati said Ryan's contract was up at the end of the year. He did not say if Ryan would coach the team at next year's Beijing Olympics.
"In all events like this ... we do a pretty quick analysis of what's happened -- what's gone well, what's not gone well," Gulati said.
"That will happen even more quickly in this case," he added. "We'll analyze this situation after tomorrow (Sunday). We've already starting analyzing it."
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer
September 29, 2007
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- The Women's World Cup is taking on some edge for the United States, just as the Americans are getting ready to say goodbye. U.S. coach Greg Ryan tossed goalkeeper Hope Solo off the team for Sunday's third-place game against Norway. His decision, which has the support of the remaining 20 players, came after he benched Solo for Thursday's semifinal in which Brazil routed the U.S. 4-0.
Solo lashed out in an interview, saying Ryan made the "wrong decision" in dropping her in favor of veteran Briana Scurry against the quick and creative Brazilians.
The 36-year-old Scurry will face Norway on Sunday in a game that precedes the championship between defending champion Germany and Brazil.
Ryan said Solo would not even attend the Norway game. The U.S. practiced Saturday without her, and officials said she remained in China, meaning she probably will return home with the team.
"We have moved forward with 20 players who have stood by each other, who have battled for each other," Ryan said. "And when the hard times came -- and the Brazil game was a hard time -- they stood strong."
Solo hadn't allowed a goal for almost 300 minutes when she was benched. Ryan chose the smaller, quicker Scurry, who led the U.S. to its last World Cup title in 1999 and held off Brazil in the 2004 Olympic final.
Captain Kristine Lilly and star striker Abby Wambach said Solo apologized at a team meeting. On her myspace page, Solo wrote that she didn't intend to criticize Scurry. She maintained, however, that Ryan's decision was wrong.
"This is our chance to get back on the field and show our country and our fans how we can play soccer," Lilly said. "That's really what's important for this group right now."
Sunil Gulati, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, tried to find something positive in this ruckus.
"The fact that people care about this ... the fact that people care about the decision on goalkeepers, that we got drubbed in one game -- that's all good," Gulati said.
Wambach, who has four goals in the World Cup, called the dispute "uncharted territory" for the U.S. women, who were unbeaten in their first four games in an otherwise low-key tournament: a tie with North Korea, and wins over Sweden, Nigeria and England.
"It just goes to show you have to be professional all the time and you have to watch what you say," Wambach said.
Ryan said he made the decision to drop Solo after meeting with team leaders.
"The circumstance that happened and her going public has affected the whole group," said Lilly, the 36-year-old striker who is playing in a record fifth World Cup. "And having her with us would still be a distraction."
Ryan and Wambach said Solo may still have a future with the U.S. team, but Ryan has suggested there is depth at goalkeeper, with young players coming up.
"Everybody has a potential to have a future with this team," Ryan said. "I think what's got to occur is reconciliation and that is a very slow process."
In her interview after Thursday's loss, Solo said of her benching: "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ... You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."
The Americans were beaten 3-0 by Germany four years ago in the semifinals, but rallied to win Olympic gold. Wambach hopes for a repeat.
"I made it a point the other night to watch the other team celebrate," she said. "Only time will tell, but I know those memories of Brazil, those goals are etched in every single one of our minds."
The United States was unbeaten in 51 straight games before the Brazil loss, but the lopsided defeat and the last-minute goalkeeping decision have left Ryan's future unclear.
Gulati said Ryan's contract was up at the end of the year. He did not say if Ryan would coach the team at next year's Beijing Olympics.
"In all events like this ... we do a pretty quick analysis of what's happened -- what's gone well, what's not gone well," Gulati said.
"That will happen even more quickly in this case," he added. "We'll analyze this situation after tomorrow (Sunday). We've already starting analyzing it."