A young Scotland women's international squad has been selected to take on the USA next month, with two players aged just 16. The match against the world champions is in Columbus, Ohio, on 8 September. The two youngest players are Joanne Love and Megan Sneddon, both midfielders at Kilmarnock LFC, and in fact Megan celebrates her 17th birthday the day after the match. It will be daunting prospect for the Scottish team to face the world champions in their own backyard, especially as this is the first match since national coach Vera Pauw left Scotland. However, with top forward Julie Fleeting having made such an impact in the women's professional league with San Diego, there should be little to fear. The Americans have named a full strength squad, including famous players such as Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain. Scotland squad Goalkeepers Gemma Fay (Ayr United) Claire Johnstone (Kilmarnock) Defenders Michelle Barr (IBV,Iceland) Stacey Cook (Ayr United) Shelley Kerr (Giulianos) Suzanne Robertson (Hibernian) Midfield Finella Annand (Inver Ross) Mhairi Gilmour (Djurgardens, Sweden) Nicky Grant (Arsenal, England) Joanne Love (Kilmarnock) Debbie McWhinnie (Shettleston) Julie Smith (Kilmarnock) Megan Sneddon (Kilmarnock) Forwards Alana Bruce (Forfar Farmington) Julie Fleeting (San Diego Spirit, USA) Suzanne Grant (Inver Ross) Pauline Hamill (Kilmarnock) Donna James (Ayr United) http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/index.cfm
I hope that Scotland will give a good account of themselves, but I fear that their lack of experience against top international sides will mean that they will get a rude welcoming by the US side. Only Julie Fleeting will have a real idea of what to expect when the whistle blows to start the game...
Well, they aren't one of Europe's top tier teams, so they haven't gotten to play teams like Norway and Germany the past few years... And they've only played England twice, France & Italy once, Sweden and USA U-21 teams once (they lost all of those games)... you get the idea. Here is a link to the european womens soccer dot com site, the Scotland page: http://www.womensoccer.com/refs/usteamnews/ust-scotrost_7sept02.html As you can see from the one article in December, it was big news that Scotland just barely made the top 16 in Europe.
Scotland made it the European Championships instead of playing in a playoff against the Czech Republic because they decided to expand the Euros from 16 to 20 teams. There is no ranking yet so I don' t know where you got that top 16 thing from. Anyway, this is a young team that will be playing against the U.S. It will be a good learning experience.
Technically, that means that Scotland is in the top 20 in Europe but remember that such rankings are sometimes laughable. Anyway, I wouldn't say top 16 anyway. But nonetheless this will not be the best team that Scotland has to offer. There will be a World Ranking for the Women soon. At least that' what Sepp Blatter said not too long ago.
Still Scotland has come a long way in Women's Soccer and look to become a better team as time goes by. Fleeting scores one goal against the U.S. That's my prediction.
Halftime of US game! [R] Scotland has looked much better than I would have thought, scoring on 2 of it's 3 chances. Too bad Julie Fleeting couldn't have converted on that shot in extra time. Their defense has been a bit lucky not to have given up more goals, as the US forwards haven't made the most of their many chances. The Scottish keeper has been fairly solid so far, maybe could be faulted a bit on the second one.
8-2. scotland held their own in the first half, the second half was um.........a little 1 sided, to say the least. Hope Solo did not do all that bad. the defense was not there to back her up. the second goal, she should have stayed on her line, but the first, the defense was not backing her up. We miss u Mrs. Chastain
Stupid me. Looked at the wrong roster list. But still they did well. Good solid first half. Bad conditions for the Scots though. Muggy is never a word found in an Scottish meteorologists' vocabulary. Also a little thing called jet lag.
They are better. Biggest, faster, more strategy. More time played together as well. Just overall a better team but such conditions could not have helped.
AWESOME GAME!! scotland did well playing againt the USNT... i mean they r an up ng coming team... they had us good in the first half.... yes fleets was the only one who knew the calibure of play that is true.... hehehe...MACKIE NICE SHOT! MIA HAT TRICK!!! WAMBACH HAT TRICK!!! PARLOW NICE SHOT!!! HEHE WE DID GOOD! AS FAR AS BRANDI GOES WOW IM SO IMPRESSED WITH HER!! NICE GAME SHE ROCKED...THAT BIKE WAS BEAUTIFUL... OK IM DONE NOW!! HEHEHE
That goes to the gal who wore #23 for the USA today... (plays for the Charge wearing #13)... Scotland has a long way to go before their team matches the caliber of the USA. Fleeting did well, setting up on one of the goals in the first half--some more playing for San Diego will help considerably. Really, another blowout warmup game for the USA... pair up Mia and Wambach and they could be a very lethal combination for the USA--they came so close for club... As for Hope Solo, this was the chance for her to impress April, and despite the tie, she probably is the keeper of the future. Scurry was virtually untested, but her leadership does count for a lot. Out of Scurry, Solo, Mullinix, and Beene, at least one or two will have to step aside come World Cup time... Lark we will miss you...
From the scottish football association website, an account entitled: "WOMEN LOSE HEAVILY BUT NOT DISGRACED" http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/index.cfm