Well, we are losing both Sawa and Dominguez for two weekend next month. South Korea clinched Asia's third qualification berth with a 1-0 victory over Japan. This means Japan will play Mexico in a home and home series next month.
Unless the teams are extreamly changed this "series" is really only for show, Aisa realll gets 4 WWC spots. After the top two CONCACAF drops off a LOT but Aisa is pretty strong through 5 or 6. That is the 5th or 6th best in Aisa would beat #3 from here. The Mexican team has, as we know, two or three quality players but Japan has at least 7. Should Mexico win the home/home series it would be one of the biggest upsets ever in soccer. Kind of like the US men beating England.
i disagree. mexico has improved tons over the last few years...and i think japan will have some trouble with the mexican style of play compared to how they play. i think it'll be interesting to see which team wins...i personally think it's going to be a tight contest...as i am sure japan will have difficulty playing in mexico etc. looking forward to the results!! elaine
I picked Japan because I have long liked the way that the play and was very disappointed when they lost to South Korea. Besides, Sawa was my second favorite player on the Beat when I still lived in Georgia. I thought that they had a chance to reach the final, though South Korea making it through to the semi's instead of Taiwan meant Japan had to play North Korea in the semi's instead of China.
hey- 2nd game will take place on july 12th in japan. so potentiallly, both sawa and maribel will be missing two beat games. elaine
Looking at the BEAT schedule and upcoming qualifiers and friendlies: June 28th vs. Washington (full roster*) July 4th @ Carolina (out: Sawa & Dominguez for qualifier) July 9th vs. San Diego (out: Sawa & Dominguez for qualifier) July 12th vs. Washington (out: Sawa & Dominguez for qualifier; probably out: Parlow & Scurry for friendly with Brazil on 13th) July 17th @ Philadelphia (probably out: Hooper & Nonen for friendly with Brazil) July 19th @ Boston (probably out: Hooper & Nonen) July 26th @ New York (full roster*) *assuming no significant injuries :knock on wood:
This looks really bad, doesn't it. Especially with the top of the WUSA as tight as it is. Will Sawa be back for the Washington match, or will she be staying with the Japanese team to prepare for the qualifying series.
i'm not sure if this is going to happen, but it's "possible" that hoops and shar be playing on the 19th vs. boston. during the 2001 season when canada played the USWNT in a home-and-away series (in toronto and MN), charmaine, sharolta and amy walsh were scheduled to travel overnight to the beat game in philly before rejoining team canada in MN (ultimately, amy did not travel b/c she injured her ankle during the first canada-uswnt game). i was sorta upset to find out that the USWNT beat players did not have to return to the team for the game in philly while us canucks had to. so there's a possiblity that shar and hoops will do something similliar. i personally don't think all the travel to games back to back will be good for either players, but if the beat/wusa is going to nag on the CSA for the players, hypothetically speaking it can be done. elaine
For the July 12th game the Beat should deny the callup for Parlow and Scurry. The game is only a friendly and they have more than fulfilled the 8 game requirement for callups for WWC preperation. Of course Sawa and Dominguez are playing in WWC qualifiers so thay cannot and should not be withheld. They should also concider holding out Nonen for the 17th/19th games to keep the defense steady. The club games are much too important now to allow players to be called for friendlies this far from the WWC. More friendlies should be scheduled between the end of the season and the start of the cup. THis may be the last gasp for the WUSA, I hope not, but the clubs cannot allow stupidity of scheduling by the National assns to excessivly impact the last weeks of the season or they will make a joke out of themselves and the WUSA thereby proving that the league does not deserve to exist.
i totally agree with this...not having games conflict with WUSA games...but i do have a "beef"... this will be the first time that any canadian player will potentially miss any WUSA games THIS ENTIRE SEASON. we (the CSA) has done far and beyond in accomodating WUSA schedules (unlike US Soccer, which holds all their games on weekends...). all our games thus far have been on weekdays (mind you, most schools are not out for the summer in may etc.) and the brasil series will be our first weekend series at home, and as a canadian fan it's impt to have all are players there...it's an impt game to our world cup preparation and the fact that the games are at home and being promoted at top tilt, we need our full squad. while i'm not saying its good that the canucks are missing their WUSA games, i'm just saying that this will be our first (and last) time doing so this season... elaine
I agree about the traveling back and forth not being the best option. And truthfully, the CSA has been pretty accommendating to ATL. Unlike the US side - but I don't blame Parlow or Scurry for not passing on nat duty when the club has been short handed, (look at what has happened to Millbrett). I'm thinking they (Hooper & Nonen) will miss either the Philly match or the Boston match. But probably not both, like they did during Canada's friendly series with Mexico. Its a tough one to call which might be the more important match for the Beat to win - seeing how the standings seem to change rather rapidly. Either way, we are fortunate enough to have alot of talent that can step in. Its ultimately up to Stone and his staff to decide who goes and when.
i dunno about that. i think that both shar and hoops should and will be at both games. both games are in canada and are being heavily promoted at both locations. hooper is a big draw for our team, and if possible i'm thinking both players will be at both games. i think in their minds they'd rather travel to the game in boston and then back for the 2nd brasil game then having to miss one of them. elaine
Knowing of Hooper's commitment to Canadian Soccer, I'm sure she (as well as Nonen) would like to play both friendlies. But the decision is Stone's to make, regardless of what the players want. He may withhold them both for both games. He may withhold them for one game. He may withhold Char for one game and Shar for the other game. He may let them go. Who knows.
I say let April have Bri. Mel does pretty damn well and proved her self and her abilty to start and play in goal! Parlow who knows.
A agree with FanofFutbal: The Beat are already sacrificing enough losing players for World Cup Qualifying. Keep Bri and CP. We need them as the race in the WUSA is VERY tight.
dude we got a better score with out bri against carolina. I don't understand why people don't have Faith in Mel!
It isn't a matter of no faith in Mel. I like Mel, both as a person and as a soccer player. However, given the two down the stretch, I will still take Bri over Mel.
But worrying about Losing Bri, that is the least thing we should be worried about. Bri's spot is taking care of. CP yea I would be a bit worried especially after this past game, if she keeps playing like that who the hell will take her spot. We have bigger harder roles to fill than Bri's. Every time Mel gets the chance to play she plays for so much more than Bri has to play for. Bri has her spot, she isn't going to lose it! I think that putting Mel in farther down the road, will prove even more that she is one of the Greatest keepers in the league.
As long as April takes both Bri & Siri to New Orleans that weekend its a wash. No, I take that back, its advantage Atlanta. And Wilson hasn't lost to Carolina (in two starts), she should be our Courage Killer
MAJORRRRRR Advantage Atlanta!!! like Jumbo huge!! even if they keep Seer it would still be pretty datn even.
In no way did I mean to imply that Mel could not handle the game(s) involved, she clearly can. However the clubs cannot continue to allow the USSF to hurt the league by stupid timing of the callups. I aggree that the Canadians have been quite good about the schedule, almost perfect, but at this point in the season ANY club game is more important than ANY friendly. Clubs pay the vast majority of the expenses of the players including insurance (They pay this even when they are playing for the national side, FIFA regs require this) so, in the interest of the players, they need to prevent the overuse that results from all the travel and the excessive callups if they can. If it is a qualifying match it is different and the clubs are required, under FIFA regs, to release players for that. The USSF has demonstrated a total disregard for the integrity of play in the WUSA so the clubs have no reason to cooperate at all. There is PLENTY of time for valuable friendlies AFTER the season and before the WWC. Right now the club’s games are, by far, more important.
First leg of the playoff was today ... Japan and Mexico played to a 2-2 draw in Mexico City. Kobayashi 50' Mora 59' Miyamoto 73' Sandoval 75' More details here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58679 From the sound of things, keeper error played a part in both of Mexico's goals.
WOW MEXICO, JAPAN TIE IN GAME ONE OF TWO-GAME PLAYOFF FOR THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP: Playing in front of a crowd estimated at close to 100,000 at Azteca Stadium, Mexico and Japan tied 2-2 Saturday, July 5 in the first of a two-game series to determine who will earn the last berth for the Women's World Cup. Yayoi Kobayashi and Tamomi Miyamoto scored for Japan, while Iris Mora (a rising sophomore at UCLA) and Marlene Sandoval scored for Mexico. The WUSA's three representatives (Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez and Homare Sawa, and Boston's Monica Gonzalez) each played 90 minutes for the respective country. Mexico was close to winning in the 80th minute when Fatima Leyva passed the ball to Mora, who sent a shot from the right that landed just above the goal post. The two teams play again on July 12 at National Stadium in Tokyo. The winner, which will be decided on aggregate goals, will take the 16th and final place at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, which takes place between September 20 - October 12 at six venues in the United States.