Lineup: USA: 1-Hope Solo; 2-Heather Mitts, 3-Christie Rampone (capt.), 19-Rachel Buehler, 6-Amy LePeilbet; 9-Heather O’Reilly, 7-Shannon Boxx, 12-Lauren Cheney, 15-Megan Rapinoe; 13-Alex Morgan, 20-Abby Wambach Two big change ups. 1. Lloyd not starting. i can't remember last time Lloyd was healthy and didn't start...very rare. 2. Back line change up. Mitts get stat, Amy back on the right. poor thing. 4-4-2 is built for speed (as Brandi just said) and this back line is not speedy.
Long time no see. Please someone catch me up. Why is buerler still on D for us? Did she get faster or is it just same old same old.
Mooching free wireless this morning from One World Cafe in Moscow, ID Tiny laptop screen is juggling the universalsports.com feed, MatchTracker, and this. 08' 0-1 Solo goal kick to just past midfield box right, #9 O'Reilly flick-heads diagonally centerward. #20 Wambach lets it bounce once in front of her at 30m, blasts a one-touch half-volley off the rising bounce, low fast arc lobs hapless #1 Lindahl on her 6-top, into the back 1/4 left mid-high.
gily Nice hustle by box and play by morgan. Honestly even with some loss in speed with age, she still has the best work ethic out there. She will go for anything and hustles
USA looking good on finishing. Wambach hit one of her best goals off a half volley from Solo's punt. Ridiculous goal. Morgan just bodied a Swedish defender off the ball for our second goal. Classic Morgan where Swede thought she had a step on Morgan and Morgan got to ball first. Defense looking shaky though with everyone off. Rampone had to cover for Mitts a few times.
Can I just say (and I assume I can since I am only one yaking (lol), but i HATE the field uniforms, but i LOVE solo's keeper shirt. Ok thats all my comments on fashion
16' 0-1 #11 Goransson cuts through box right, slide-tackle steals momentarily but she waits for it to pop loose. Unmarked at 13m left post but heading diagonally away, she turns her shot centerward, deflected and rolls weakly to Solo, who plays it with her feet until pressure arrives. 17' 0-1 #8 Schelin dribbles up centerline from ~center circle top to 22m arc top, shoots hard on the run to center high. #1 Solo jumps straight up and catches it 2.2m above the goalline. 18' 0-1 Sweden work a give-and-go from 25m box right, like a volleyball X play, shoots from box arc top. USA's LCB (#3c Rampone?) sniffs it out, cuts laterally across 15m box top like a pulling guard, perfect slide-block. Sweden regather, feed #8 Schelin going left-to-center at 14m, she gets past the edge of one defender and shoots low to right corner, Solo saves. 3 frenetic chances as Sweden try to respond ...
That was a great goal. I always find sweden's goal has a bit of attitude, so anytime we can sting her like that makes me happy
Solo, Boxx, Morgan and Wambach looking great. Swedes took a close-range shot at Solo and she didn't even go to the ground to gather, but played it with her feet. Boxx distributing well and her footwork looks great (early on though). Wambach and Morgan pressuring back 4 in unison, resulting in turnovers or corners.
22' 0-2 USA send a long ball through box top arc left. #3 Segerstrom has a step + inside position on #13 Morgan in pursuit. Morgan puts her left hip forth and levers Segerstrom's COG right past the ball, hooks it out from under her, possesses at 12m 6-left. Morgan cuts back one step, opens her stance and lifts right instep into the right side netting, over #1 Lindahl's left hand. Hoof and dig!
Whenever schelin gets the ball it makes my heart race...with fear. She can score from just about anywhere. I will say I prefer box in a stopper position working with Cheney. I am not missing Lloyd
I agree on Swede's goalie. Her body language annoys me, so I get great pleasure when we embarrass her. I think she's undeservedly cocky.
That was half a day ago. The Swedish mens' fans are distraught, and either hung over or not done drinking
Back line forgets to track Schelin and Bhueler gets left with her, Bhueler deflects ball to Schelin and she's one-on-one with Solo. Puts her shot in goal. USA 2, Sweden 1.
oh buehler. lotta deserved that goal though, maybe best player on the pitch today. us is playing a lot of long balls.. again.