2017 La Manga Tournament - U23's

MiLLeNNiuM · Feb 25, 2017

Friday Roundup: U.S. U-23 roster announced for La Manga series

GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (Rutgers; Bridgewater, N.J.), Madalyn Schiffel (Seattle Reign; Citrus Heights, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (7): Mandy Freeman (Sky Blue FC; West Covina, Calif.), Adrienne Jordan (IBV; Colorado Springs, Colo.), Kristen McNabb (Seattle Reign; Montville, N.J.), Kayla Mills (Sky Blue FC; West Covina, Calif.), Katie Naughton (Chicago Red Stars; Elgin, Ill.), Erica Skroski (Sky Blue FC; New Brunswick, N.J.), Samantha Witteman (NC Courage; Redondo Beach, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Andrews (Boston Breakers; Milford, N.H.), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; Menlo Park, Calif.), Christina Gibbons (FC Kansas City, Raleigh, N.C.), Tyler Lussi (Portland Thorns; Lutherville, Md.), Emily Ogle (Penn State; Strongsville, Ohio), Margaret Purce (Boston Breakers; Silver Spring, Md.), Ashley Sanchez (SoCal Blues; Monrovia, Calif.), Dani Weatherholt (Orlando Pride; San Clemente, Calif.)

FORWARDS (5): Celeste Boureille (Portland Thorns; San Francisco, Calif.), Makenzy Doniak (NC Courage; Chino Hills, Calif.), Ashley Hatch (NC Courage; Gilbert, Ariz.), Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina; Chapin, S.C.), Arielle Ship (Washington Spirit; Westlake Village, Calif.)

According to this article, BJ Snow and M. French are now full-time coaches on the full WNT.

http://equalizersoccer.com/2017/02/24/friday-roundup-u-s-u-23-roster-announced-for-la-manga-series/

Also, the USSF is looking for new coaches for the U-20's and U-17's. Hooray!!!

U.S Soccer announced that Michelle French and B.J. Snow will take new coaching positions with the U.S. women’s national teams and leave their current roles with the U-20 and U-17 women’s national teams respectively.

As a coach at the U-20 level, French led the squad at the 2014 and 2016 Women’s World Cups. She also worked as an assistant for the full national team at both the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Now, she will join Ellis’ coaching staff as a full time assistant.

At the helm of the U-17 women’s national team, Snow led the team through the last two cycles. He will now be assuming a new role that was just created, as Head of U.S. Women’s National Team Talent Identification, where he will be tasked with identifying potential players both domestically in the NWSL and in college, as well as from clubs overseas.

U.S. Soccer has already begun the search for new head coaches for the U-17 and U-20 national teams to replace both French and Snow.
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CoachJon · Feb 25, 2017

In the past, I think the La Manga tournament was streamed live; maybe for free.
Maybe here:
http://www.lamangatv.com/

MiLLeNNiuM · Feb 25, 2017

CoachJon said: ↑

In the past, I think the La Manga tournament was streamed live; maybe for free.
Maybe here:
http://www.lamangatv.com/
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Yes, it was live but not free. I paid a subscription fee last year ($10, I think).
It was worth it for me because I watched 3 different youth tournaments.

MRAD12 · Mar 2, 2017

Anyone have any information or story-line of the La manga?

Socarchist · Mar 2, 2017

U23 and U20 matches are available for live or on-demand streaming here: https://www.footballtv.org/football-tv.

US Soccer posted the information after this morning's match.

Day Pass (24 hour) is $6.99.

Event pass (all-access until March 18th--confirmed via email) is $9.99.

Last year's price was around $35 for the all-access VIP pass and about $10 or $11 for each match.

orange crusader · Mar 3, 2017

U.S. won their first game 2-0 over Japan. Next game is England on Saturday. According to footballtv.org, it is at 9:50AM ET.

The games are archived on footballtv.org, so if you get a pass you can see the Japan game too.

MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 3, 2017

orange crusader said: ↑

U.S. won their first game 2-0 over Japan. Next game is England on Saturday. According to footballtv.org, it is at 9:50AM ET.

The games are archived on footballtv.org, so if you get a pass you can see the Japan game too.
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Very interesting note --> Laura Harvey is coaching the U-23's.

Starters (vs. Japan):

Substitutes:

MRAD12 · Mar 4, 2017

Any news on today's game? For me, the interest is Morgan Andrews and Katie Naughton.

Socarchist · Mar 4, 2017

MRAD12 said: ↑

Any news on today's game? For me, the interest is Morgan Andrews and Katie Naughton.
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England 2, USA 0.

MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 5, 2017

Highlights from USA vs Japan:

CrankyDefender · Mar 5, 2017

Socarchist said: ↑

England 2, USA 0.
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Hatch is too skinny. Gibbons is too slow. Andrews was invisible. Poor communication between goalkeeper and back line. Attacking 6 showed no ability or desire to play combinations. Defensive team play was awful.

I believe the "modern football" thinkers are too enamored of backs getting forward and backs starting the attack that they stopped teaching them how to play defense, individually and and as a team.

England #19 Mel Lawley was having her way in attack and torched Witteman so much, I imagine she left burn marks.

MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 9, 2017

Mar 2, 2017 -- U-23 WNT DEFEATS JAPAN 2-0 IN LA MANGA, SPAIN, WITH GOALS FROM MCCASKILL AND PURCE

Match Report- http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...nga-spain-with-goals-from-mccaskill-and-purce

CHICAGO (March 1, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team opened its 2017 schedule of international matches with a quality 2-0 victory against Japan in La Manga, Spain.

While in Spain, the U.S. U-23s will also face their counterparts from England (March 4 at 10 a.m. ET) and Norway (March 6 at Noon ET). Fans can watch both games here.

University of South Carolina forward Savannah McCaskill, who captained the team, scored in the 18th minute and former Harvard striker and current Boston Breaker Margaret Purce sealed the game with a goal in the 74th minute.

McCaskill created the first goal herself, assisted by some high-pressure defense from forward Ashley Hatch, as she stripped the last Japanese defender and raced in one-one-one before slotting a shot low and hard into the left corner past the sliding goalkeeper.

It was McCaskill’s first international goal at the U-23 level and her first U-23 cap. She trained with the senior U.S. Women’s National Team for a few days in January after being held over from the U-23 camp.

Casey Murphy, who also trained with the senior team in January, earned the shutout in goal while making 13 saves. She was playing in her second consecutive international game against Japan following the third-place match at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea at the end of last year. That game finished in a 1-0 loss for the USA. The match in La Manga was Murphy’s first U-23 cap.

Ashley Sanchez created the clincher just over 16 minutes from time as she won a ball in Japan’s defensive half, cut past a defender and raced up the middle. She then found Purce making a run into the right side of the penalty box and played her a perfectly-weighted pass. Purce had time to pick a corner and slid her shot low and hard into the left corner past the diving ‘keeper. It was her first goal at the U-23 level in her sixth cap.

It was the first U-23 WNT cap for Sanchez, who scored in both the U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cup tournaments last year, becoming the first American to accomplish the feat in the same cycle.

Stanford midfielder Tierna Davidson, Portland Thorns forward Celeste Boureille, Boston Breakers midfielder Morgan Andrews, NC Courage forward Ashley Hatch, Orlando Pride midfielder Danielle Weatherholt and Washington Spirit forward Arielle Ship also earned their first U-23 caps.

The 22-player U.S. team, which is being coached by Seattle Reign head coach Laura Harvey, features 17 professionals (16 from the NWSL and one currently playing in Iceland), four collegiate players and high school senior in Sanchez. Of the professional players on the roster, six will be entering their second NWSL seasons while 10 – including Purce – will be starting their rookie years when pre-season camps kick off in mid-March. Defender Adrienne Jordan plays for IBV in Iceland.

Nine players on the roster have represented the USA in a FIFA Women’s World Cup at the youth level while seven have seen training time with the full U.S. Women’s National Team. One of those – Hatch – has one cap, earned against Switzerland on Oct. 19, 2016, in Sandy, Utah.

While this roster features mostly professional players, the rosters for the events for the remainder of the spring and summer will feature primarily collegiate players as the NWSL season will be in full swing.
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Mar 4, 2017 -- U.S. U-23 WNT FALLS TO ENGLAND 2-0 IN LA MANGA, SPAIN

Match Report- http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...u23wnt-falls-to-england-2-0-in-la-manga-spain

CHICAGO (March 4, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to England, 2-0, in its second of three matches in La Manga, Spain. The USA was coming off a 2-0 victory against Japan on March 1.

The USA will face Norway on March 6 (Noon ET) to finish the trip. Fans can watch the game here.

The USA out-shot England 11-7, but it was the English who found the net twice in the first half. The first came in the 27th minute as Claudia Walker powerfully headed home a cross from Hannah Blundell from the right side.

Mel Lawley doubled the lead in the 44th minute on a nice individual run into the left side of the penalty box before slotting her shot low into the right corner past diving U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
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Mar 6, 2017 -- ANDREWS SCORES AS U.S. U-23 FINISHES TRIP TO LA MANGA, SPAIN WITH 1-0 WIN VS. NORWAY

Match Report- http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...trip-to-la-manga-spain-with-1-0-win-vs-norway

CHICAGO (March 6, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team finished its three-game set in La Manga, Spain, with a 1-0 victory against Norway as midfielder Morgan Andrews scored in the 34th minute. The USA also fell to England 2-0 and defeated Japan 2-0.

The goal came after Boston Breakers forward Margaret Purce had slammed a free kick into the Norway wall from just outside the left side of the penalty area. She got it back and re-served the ball, but this time it was cleared by Norway. Orlando Pride midfielder Danielle Weatherholt ran down the clearance above the right side of the penalty area and quickly played Portland Thorns forward Tyler Lussi down the right side. NC Courage forward Ashley Hatch got her foot on an excellent far post cross from Lussi, but spun her volley high and back to the right end line where Lussi, still in motion, headed the ball back into the middle of the goal. A Norwegian defender played another poor clearance right into the path of Andrews who hammed a left-footed shot into the net from 16 yards away.

Next up for the U.S. U-23 WNT will be the Thorns Spring Invitational from March 26-April 1 in Portland, Oregon. The USA will take on three NWSL teams at Providence Park, playing the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. PT followed by Portland taking on Chicago at 5 p.m. PT. On Wednesday, March 29, Chicago takes on Houston at 5 p.m. PT and the USA will face the Thorns at 7:30 p.m. PT. The USA closes out the tournament against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, April 1 at 5 p.m. and Portland ends the tournament against Houston at 7:30 p.m. PT.

While this roster featured mostly professional players, the rosters for the events for the remainder of the spring and summer will feature primarily collegiate players as the NWSL season will be in full swing.
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MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 9, 2017

From ussoccer.com:

Following the trip to La Manga, the next event for the U.S. U-23 WNT will see the team take part in the Thorns Spring Invitational from March 26-April 1 in Portland, Oregon. The USA will take on three NWSL teams at Providence Park, playing the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. PT followed by Portland taking on Chicago at 5 p.m. PT. On Wednesday, March 29, Chicago takes on Houston at 5 p.m. PT and the USA will face the Thorns at 7:30 p.m. PT. The USA closes out the tournament against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, April 1 at 5 p.m. and Portland ends the tournament against Houston at 7:30 p.m. PT.

MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 16, 2017

U-23 WNT vs. England: March 4, 2017

U-23 WNT vs. Norway: March 6, 2017

Tokonta · Mar 26, 2017

It's nice to see some new players finally get a chance to show what they are made of. On the other side some of the players that have been there and have not contributed is disappointing. If you haven't seen it by now you're not going to see it. Give some other players a chance!
Does US Soccer have a list of what they look for in invitees? Also does US Soccer have a "Strategic Plan" to match players to this plan? Obviously, whoever is inviting these players in can't match talent with "The Plan". Maybe they don't see the talent or maybe it's politcal in who gets invited in.HMMMM
I'm not going to tell you what the problems are it is very evident. If the results don't matter then then the Coaching doesn't matter and hopefully there will be a change.