Gold Cup final: US v. Canada [R]

[clavs]

Let's hope it's not the Monsoon Cup. And given the inevitable sloppy field, let's hope for no injuries.

Heinrichs: ‘It could be one of those finals’ (http://www.soccer365.com/US_NEWS/National_Teams/page_91_41520.shtml)

[lab99]

The weather forescast still shows rain through 5pm today in Pasadena and clearing up around 6pm. Around 60 degrees, but it felt a lot colder than that for some reason. Maybe the Mexicans will experience another Monsoon Match.

[FearM9]

From the Pasadena Star News:

U.S., Canada women meet in class struggle (http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206%7E11842%7E980352,00.html)
By Fred J. Robledo , Staff Writer

[FanOfFutbol]

Judging by the MEX CR game the conditions "should" favor the Canadians.

The field is sloppy, wet, soft, and the grass is long all tihs serves to slow down the ball making direct play a better choice than the indirect play used by the US.

I would expect the game to be VERY close with the field equalizing the play a lot.

[FearM9]

From the USSF site:

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=24072&itype=

From the Pasadena Star News:

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206%257E11842%257E982098,00.html

AP write-up from USAToday.com:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/national/2002-11-10-us-canada_x.htm

Pics from Yahoo! Sports:

Aly hugs Mia (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/world/gallery/20021109/1036909087womens_gold_cup_prb110.html)

Leblanc in defeat (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/world/gallery/20021109/1036904426womens_gold_cup_prb105.html)

Wagner towering over a Canuck (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/world/gallery/20021109/1036903151womens_gold_cup_prb107.html)

Parlow (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/world/gallery/20021109/1036902790womens_gold_cup_prb106.html)

Foudy and Millie celebrate (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/world/gallery/20021109/1036901351womens_gold_cup_prb104.html)

------------------------------

What is a post-match thread without some April bashing eh? Guess I will start it off.....

I guess the only criticism that I can direct towards April is her subs...

Mia in for Millie. Millie probably had the hottest foot in this tourney even though she really didn't play much.

Lorrie Fair in for Tiffany Roberts. :eek: pretty much sums it up.

How come Heinrichs didn't insert Mac into the match during the final 1/3 of the second half?

[cl_hanley]

The Hamm/Milbrett substitution, despite Mia's OT strike, was disconcerting. Had Milbrett played most or all of the second half the game may have ended in regulation. In current form I'd take Milbrett over Hamm in a second.

I would rather have seen Hamm or Mac in for Parlow mid-2nd half.

[thegoofy1]

What do we have to do to get Hamm AND Milbrett on the field at the SAME time (besides warmups :rolleyes: ) I agree, to me it made no sense, unless there was some concern about Millie's knee, but she seems to be fine running to Mia after the Golden goal.

I have a hard time bashing her for this, we did win after all, but still, bench the hottest player out there at half time?

Not taking out CP towards the end of the game was also very suprising. She had started disappearing for long bouts of time in the second.

Unfortunately, I'm guessing these are all questions that will go unanswered :(

[thegoofy1]

Soccer America Article:
http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562132566

Milbrett, Hooper and Sinclair shared the Golden Boot award, each with seven goals. Americans on the Best XI, selected by the Technical Study Group, were Milbrett, Wagner, defenders Joy Fawcett and Brandi Chastain, and forward Shannon MacMillan. Forward Cindy Parlow was among seven ''subs'' selected.


Congrats to our girls.

I'm kind of sad not to see Reddick on the list, she had a solid outing also.

Milbrett was also selected Tourney MVP according to the concacaf site. http://www.concacaf.com/news/article.page/1080

cnnsi.com article. this one has quotes from Mia and Ape:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/2002/11/09/golf_cup_ap/

[UP90]

I agree that Mia and Millie should be on together. We looked really slow on the right side. Cindy just can't get to a lot of those through balls. Aly is my MVP . She was carving up Canada's defense proper.

[lasoccervegas2002]

In my opinion, this is the best US team, full of skill and creativity, strong in the back, dominant in the midfield and creative in front, solid performance that will definitely lead US to win the 2nd world cup in a row.

[lasoccervegas2002]

Cat Reddick or Danielle Slaton?, Danielle Slaton or Cat Reddick ?, It will hard for April to decide in the future.

[SoccerUSA1]

Originally posted by lasoccervegas2002
Cat Reddick or Danielle Slaton?, Danielle Slaton or Cat Reddick ?, It will hard for April to decide in the future.

Danielle Slaton is ALOT faster than cat reddick, and can stay focused the whole game....ape said that reddick has trouble stayin focused for 90 minutes....

[Jo]

I was amazed at the physical tussles between Joy and Hooper. I had always admired Joy for her grace and elegance in playing her position, but I had no idea she was so physically tough. And she did a super job.

[magiclamp]

To me, the "problem" with Mia vs. Millie is their style and capabilities.

Millie is to me, more of a pure striker - give her the ball and she does wonders with it. She has speed and skill that can cut through a defense. When she's out there you can hear her constantly yelping for the ball. She doesn't playmake that much.

Mia on the other hand, is also an excellent play maker. It almost seems if she can't help herself from getting in there and sending passes into the box. The problem is that there isn't always someone there who does something with it. Now if Millie was on the field at the same time as her...

She worked very well with Abby with the Freedom for that reason - Abby anticipated what Mia would do and vice versa. CP did very well against Panama for that reason, she was where she should be when she should be. Last night she had to run onto the ball and didn't have the speed to do it. Millie would have. Or Mia, if she was served it.

I DO wish Mia would just play the striker part more. Call for the ball like Millie and do her magic. But then, they'll go back to double and triple teaming her... (as if they're not still doing that when they can)

The best thing is to have them both out there when possible. If not playing a 4-3-3 with them both up top, have Mia play attacking mid and let her serve to Millie at times and go for her own when she can.

Well, that's what *I* think.

:)
Norma

[JohnnyRev]

After the game ended, there was a guy who looked like Nomar Garciaparra standing at the fence in the corner. Did anyone else see him. I don't think it was Nomar, but it looked like him.

[milbrett]

Originally posted by JohnnyRev
After the game ended, there was a guy who looked like Nomar Garciaparra standing at the fence in the corner. Did anyone else see him. I don't think it was Nomar, but it looked like him.

LOL I thought I saw him too...it was the nose and mouth that gave him away...he had a navy blue rain jacket with the hood on.

[milbrett]

Originally posted by magiclamp
[B]Millie is to me, more of a pure striker - give her the ball and she does wonders with it. She has speed and skill that can cut through a defense. When she's out there you can hear her constantly yelping for the ball. She doesn't playmake that much.



NORMA! How many Power games have you been to??? Millie can to play make and she's been play making with the Nats more than ever right now!

[Aalborg]

Best in the Gold Cup Millbrett Chastain and Fawcett, by far the worst Tiffany Roberts ,Hucles and Fair are much better, followed by Sobrero constantly sending long balls to players with different color jerseys. My .02

[thegoofy1]

Beulah's Write-up (http://www.beulahsports.com/gc2002_arch_11_9_02.html)

[K.P.]

I've heard that Nomar and Mia are dating. I don't know if that's true though.