Soccer By Ives

USA gives up lead twice, loses to Japan in penalties in WWC final

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

The feel-good story that was the U.S. women's national team at the World Cup has come to a close, and it does so without the fairy-tale ending.

The U.S. team lost in the World Cup final on Sunday, falling to Japan 3-1 on penalty kicks after playing to a 2-2 draw. The win gave Japan its first ever World Cup trophy.

Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath all missed their penalties in a game that saw the United States waste multiple opportunities and a pair of leads.

The Americans started the game strong, created most of the scoring chances, and looked ready for World Cup glory, but an inability to capitalize allowed Japan to equalize late on two separate occasions.

Alex Morgan, who entered the game at halftime, gave the Americans the lead with a left-footed finish in the 69th minute. Japan found an equalizer in the 81st, however, after a poor defensive clearance. The United States went ahead again in extra time off an Abby Wambach header in the 104th minute, but that was cancelled out when Homare Sawa flicked in a corner kick four minutes from the final whistle to force penalties.

Here are the match highlights in case you missed the game:

USA vs. Japan: Match Day Commentary

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team will complete their World Cup run today, and will either provide the perfect finish to a dream tournament, or will fall just short in their quest for a third World Cup title when the ladies take on Japan in today's Women's World Cup Final (2:45pm, ESPN/Galavision/ESPN3.com).

Standing in the way is the skillful and motivated Japanese squad, which is playing for a nation recovering from a terrible disaster and looking like a team of destiny. The United States has defeated Japan three times this year, but nobody would call this a mismatch considering how Japan has looked in this World Cup.

SBI will be providing live commentary on today's World Cup Final so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):

Women's World Cup Final: Pre-Game Tailgate

The U.S. Women's National Team will look to win the third World Cup in the team's history today with a win against Japan in the 2011 World Cup Final in Frankfurt, Germany (2:45pm, ESPN).

The U.S. women reached the final with a pair of thrilling victories against Brazil and France, and now face an inspired Japan side that reached the final by knocking off defending champion Germany before blowing out Sweden in the semifinals.

For a closer look at today's final, here is Fox Soccer's look at the match as well as SI.com's tactical preview of the match.

SBI will be providing live commentary on today's final, so feel free to join us here. Before we get to that, feel free to make this your place for pre-match discussions. Want to find out where people are watching the game? Wondering who will be the stars of today's final? Join us for the pre-game conversation.

Enjoy the action (and be sure to join us at 2:30pm for the Match Day Commentary).

Japan tops Sweden, will face USWNT in Women's World Cup final

Japan's dream run in the Women's World Cup continues.

After falling behind in the 10th minute, Japan scored three unanswered goals and defeated Sweden, 3-1, in Wednesday's semifinal to advance to the final against the United States.

Josefine Oqvist put Sweden, which topped the United States in the group stage, ahead early with a clinical finish, but the lead was a short-lived one.

Nahomi Kawasumi equalized nine minutes later, Homare Sawa put Japan ahead in the 59th minute and Kawasumi struck again with an insurance goal in the 64th to help Japan knock off its second consecutive European power. Japan beat two-time defending champion and host Germany in extra time in the quarterfinals.

Japan and the United States have played three times this year, with the Americans winning all three matchups. They played two World Cup tune-ups in May, with the United States winning, 2-0, both times.

What did you think of Japan's performance? How do you think Japan matches up with the USWNT? Who do you see winning the final?

Share your thoughts below.

USWNT headed back to World Cup final after semifinal victory over France

Abby Wambach's continued late-game heroics have the U.S. women's national team a win away from its third World Cup title.

The veteran U.S. forward scored for the third conseuctive game, heading home a Lauren Cheney corner kick in the 79th minute to break a 1-1 deadlock and lead the United States to a 3-1 victory over France in Wednesday's semifinal match. Substitute forward Alex Morgan added an insurance goal three minutes later to ice the match and help the U.S. women clinch a spot in the World Cup final.

The United States returns to the final for the first time since 1999, when it last won the tournament. The U.S. women will meet either Japan or Sweden in Sunday's final. The United States beat Japan twice by 2-0 scorelines in pre-World Cup friendlies and lost to Sweden for the second time this year in the final game of group play.

USWNT vs. France: Your Running Commentary

   

The U.S. women's national team is a game away from reaching the final of the Women's World Cup for the first time since winning it all in 1999.

After their breathtaking, come-from-behind victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals, the U.S. women face France in a semifinal match in Moenchengladbach, Germany (12 p.m., ESPN/ESPN3.com/Galavision). The French team has been a revelation in this tournament, defeating Canada and Nigeria in group play before falling to host Germany to finish second in Group A. France defeated England in penalty kicks to reach the semifinal.

U.S. coach Pia Sundhage has made one change to her starting XI, replacing suspended centerback Rachel Buehler with Becky Sauerbrunn, who becomes the first player ever to make her World Cup debut this late in the tournament.

If you will be watching the match, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.

Behind the Crest: The Next Moment

U.S. Soccer's Studio 90: Ali Kreiger

USA women rally to beat Brazil in penalties

 

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

Down a goal and a player well into extra time, the U.S. women's national team looked ready to see their 2011 World Cup end earlier than expected.

That was before Abby Wambach stepped up and delivered a historic equalizer, and Hope Solo made a vital penalty shootout save to set the stage for an amazing comeback. U.S. penalty takers converted all five attempts, including Ali Krieger's conversion to clinch the shootout victory in the World Cup quarterfinals in Dresden, Germany on Sunday.

Having gone a man down after a questionable red card issued to Rachel Buehler in the 66th minute, the United States kept pressing for a winner. After the match went into extra time, Marta scored what looked to be the winner for Brazil, but Wambach headed home a Megan Rapinoe cross in the 122nd minute to send the match into penalties.

England, Germany eliminated as France, Japan advance to semis in WWC

By FRANCO PANIZO

It seems all England national teams have something common: penalty kicks are their kryptonite.

England's women's national team was bounced out of the World Cup after losing 4-3 on penalty kicks to France after a 1-1 draw in a quarterfinal match on Saturday. England had the lead entering the fourth round of penalty kicks, but saw its last two shots from Claire Rafferty and Faye White go painfully wide and high, respectively.

England initially took the lead in the 59th minute with a goal from Jill Scott. France responded, however, two minutes before the death on a goal from Elise Bussaglia. That, and a scoreless 30 minutes of overtime, set the stage for penalty kicks, where Eugenie Le Sommer hit the eventual game-winning spot kick.

France will play the winner of Sunday's United States-Brazil match in the semifinals.

Quarterfinals set in Women's World Cup

The FIFA Women's World Cup is down to its final eight teams.

On the top half of the bracket, host Germany will face Group B runner-up Japan, and Sweden will face Australia, which surprised perennial power Norway to take the second spot in Group D. On the lower half, England and France meet in an all-European quarterfinal, while the United States takes on Brazil in a meeting that some figured would be a championship-game matchup. Here's the schedule for the Women's World Cup quarterfinals:

Saturday, 11:30 a.m. - ESPN/ESPN3.com - England vs. France

Saturday, 2:15 p.m. - ESPN/ESPN3.com - Germany vs. Japan

Sunday, 6:30 a.m. - ESPN/ESPN3.com - Sweden vs. Australia

Sunday, 11 a.m. -- ESPN/ESPN3.com -- Brazil vs. United States

Who do you see advancing to the semifinals?

Share your thoughts below.

U.S. women fall for first time in group stage, will face Brazil in quarterfinals

The United States women's national team's smooth road in the FIFA Women's World Cup just got a whole lot bumpier.

Two defensive miscues turned into two first-half Sweden goals, and the United States fell in the group stage of the World Cup for the first time after a 2-1 loss to the European side in Wolfsburg, Germany. As a result, the Americans finished second in Group C and will be paired with Group D winner and powerhouse Brazil in the quarterfinals while group winner Sweden meets Australia.

After the United States fell behind, 2-0, Abby Wambach, who played 90 minutes despite battling Achilles tendonitis and sitting on a yellow card, pulled a goal back for the United States midway through the second half when a corner kick deflected off her shoulder.

USWNT vs. Sweden: Your Running Commentary

 

The U.S. women's national team has already cemented its place in the FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinals, but a win or a draw is still needed in its final group game on Wednesday (2:30 p.m., ESPN/ESPN3.com) if the team is to avoid an encounter with Marta-led Brazil in the first knockout round.

Its opponent in the final group game, Sweden, is also looking to avoid that fate. The two teams are tied on points, but the United States has a better goal differential, so the Swedes, who defeated the U.S. women in the Four Nations Tournament in January, need a victory to top Group C.

Forward Abby Wambach (Achilles, sitting on a yellow card) is in the U.S. starting lineup, but right winger Heather O'Reilly (groin) has been left out of the starting XI in favor of Megan Rapinoe, who came off the bench to score against Colombia.

If you will be watching the USWNT-Sweden match, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.

Women's World Cup Rewind: Germany rolls, England tops Japan and more

By CALEB SONNELAND

The German powerhouse continued to roll as the Women's National Team smashed four goals past France in an exciting 4-2 victory to send the team into the knockout round.

Striker Inka Grings registered a brace for the Germans on either side of halftime, the second from the penalty spot.  Her first came after some fancy footwork on the left-hand sideline saw Grings meet the cross of Simone Laudehr and head the ball in past French keeper Berangere Sapowicz.

Grings wrapped up her double in the 68th minute from the penalty spot after Sapowicz brought Fatmire Bajramaj to ground and was subsequently straight red carded.  Grings smashed the ball into the net, sending back-up keeper Celine Deville the wrong way.

Mid-Day Ticker: City asks £50m for Tevez, USWNT stars sit out Monday, and more

By CALEB SONNELAND

It isn't really any surprise that Carlos Tevez is in the headlines once again.

The Manchester City striker has come out and made it clear that he intends to quit the club and move home to Argentina to be closer to his family.  

While Tevez is quick to show his respect for City, its fans and owner, he asks for sympathy for the fans' understanding that he has been away from his daughters for the past year.

The 27-year-old has stated his desire to leave several times, however, it is typically followed by a statement of commitment to the club not long after.  But it seems this time, he has made his intentions very clear, and City have begun to prepare for life without its captain by sticking a £50 million price tag on his head. 

Tevez netted an impressive 53 goals in 86 appearances for the Eastlands club, so filling his shoes will be a tall order for fellow strikers such as Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko.  The club sent Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor out on loan to Blackburn Rovers and Real Madrid, respectively, last season and the departure of Tevez may play a part in their future.

Here are some other stories to keep your Tuesday rolling along:

USA women steamroll Colombia at World Cup

 

The U.S. women's national team sealed its place in the knockout rounds of the Women's World Cup with an emphatic 3-0 win against Colombia on Saturday.

The Americans were coming off their tournament-opening 2-0 win against North Korea and produced an even better display, though poor finishing kept the USA from posting a six or seven goal blowout. Heather O'Reilly started proceedings with a long-range blast before second-half substitute Megan Rapinoe scored her own beautiful goal. Carli Lloyd added the third goal on a long shot and goalkeeper blunder to send the United States to 2-0, without having allowed a goal, heading into the final group match against Sweden.

U.S. striker Abby Wambach continued to struggle to find the net, missing on a plethora of chances against an overmatched Colombia defense, but it didn't matter on Saturday as her teammates picked up the slack, overpowering a Colombia side that rarely threatened U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo.

Here are the match highlights: