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Morgan’s brace continues USWNT dominance over Canada

Abby Wambach,Rhian Wilkinson

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

After last year’s controversial Olympics semi-final thriller which saw the U.S. Women’s National Team edge their Canadian counterparts, 4-3, after extra time, the Canadians were out for revenge.

Unfortunately for them, last year’s hero Alex Morgan had something to say about that.

The U.S. forward scored two goals in three minutes on Sunday and again was a sharp thorn in the side of the Canadians, leading the U.S. to a 3-0 victory over their northern rivals at BMO Field in Toronto. It’s the American’s fifth successive win over Canada, stretching back to September of 2011.

Following a scoreless first half, Wambach came closest to putting the U.S. on the board in the 55th minute, when she sendt a header off a Lauren Cheney corner kick screaming towards goal, but was blocked and cleared off the line by Canadian defender Kadeisha Buchanan.

In the 70th minute, Morgan provided the breakthrough, skinning her defender Emily Zurrer on the left flank and finishing into the far corner past Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod. Two minutes later, Morgan was at it again, finishing a nearly identical goal, though this time on a breakaway.

In the 90th minute, Vancouver native Sydney Leroux broke through the defense and rounded McLeod to put the U.S. up 3-0, scoring against her country of birth and making a strong statement to go with it.

The USWNT next play two friendly matches on June 15 and June 20 against South Korea, the first at Gillette Stadium and the second at Red Bull Arena.

Comments

  1. Those American’s that don’t think LeRoux’s celebration was classless need to watch RVP’s lack of celebration against Arsenal this season or if they need a national team example, watch Podolski pushing his teammates away and refusing to celebrate when he scored not once, but twice against Poland at Euro 2008

    in both cases, opposing fans made themselves heard

    that is the difference between class and classless, professionalism and amateurism.

    Reply
    • For Prizby and anybody else who are wrongly criticizing Sydney Leroux.
      First off as already stated it was her dream to play for the best Women’s soccer team on the planet since she was a little girl, and honestly who wouldn’t want to play for the best.
      Furthermore she is a dual citizen who has every right to chose who she plays for.
      And as a result of her choice she has received countless indignities from Canadian fans and media, so in reality who has been classless?.
      In addition more than twice as many natural born Americans play for Canada, as well as 7 or 8 out of 10 players for Canada honed their skills and received a quality education on American soil, many also play professionally in the U.S. not the other way around.
      Now regarding goal scoring celebrations in soccer. Leroux’s was very very tame in comparison to many we have witnessed over the years and certainly did not call for a card or such backlash from Canadian media and fans alike. It would be one thing if she gave you all the finger or shouted profanities etc. when in fact the reverse has happened, enduring constant heckling and booing etc., now what exactly is childish?.
      Please try to learn to appreciate and respect excellence not be envious and jealous of it.

      PS My only regret is that The USWNT did not get Kadeisha Buchanan, who will be receiving an education and furthering her soccer at a University in America. Perhaps Canadians at large are not thankful and appreciative of this?, however I am certain Kadeisha and her family are, as was Leroux’s.

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  2. Personally I thought Lerouix spent too much time celebrating. It was a good game not great. Sinclair is a dangerous player, too bad she does not have the personnel that the U.S. team has. Alex Morgan will be in my estimation the best player American soccer has produced, even better than Mia Hamm. She has it all, speed, footwork, eyesght, can hold the ball and make sharp passes. Press and Morgan is the future of soccer……

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  3. Best womens team in the world is Germany! USA has not won a world cup since 99! USA is Best team in the world say who?

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    • Lol good one. How did Ze Germans do in the last Women’s World Cup? Top 4 you say? Nope. Quit living in denial.

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  4. I think Canada and its people are fantastic friends and allies. In addition, their national anthem is better than ours. Let’s be honest; how lucky are we to have them as our neighbors, covering our entire northern border?

    It is great for soccer that their national team is so good, and on the upswing. Playing before a sell-out made yesterday’s contest thrilling. I spent $120 on a new ESPN TV service so I could watch the game.

    Alex Kelly is amazing, and the US side displayed some great young talent yesterday as well. Our women’s soccer program honors the country and I hope it gets better and better.

    I think Sydney’s display was unnecessary. She is a classy player and the goal said all that was needed. But I do understand her emotions.

    Imagine how unhappy we would be if a budding US superstar, with one Canadian parent, decided to play up north, rather than for us.

    Canada will be equal to our side if they develop the depth we have.

    Was Becky Saurbrun( sp?) active for the game? She is one of my favorites for a regular spot on the defense.

    Reply
    • It’s nice to know that at least one American reader of soccerbyives has some common sense about Sydney Leroux’s behaviour.

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      • Or maybe the Canadians weren’t so nice themselves. She is reporting fans chanted racial slurs. Stay classy Canadians.

  5. So usa fans never boo anyone or say anything to opposing players on the pitch? They just sit on their hands all game with their mouths shut. Ok I got it now

    Reply
      • Much more fun to see what you guys come up with.
        Like the America’s Hat stuff, real comedy gold there.

        This explains why all of our writers go to the states, you are not capable of coming up with anything funny on your own.

        Oh, and money, always about money, just like it was for Leroux, and there’s nothing wrong with that. She’s going to need it when a few years when the therapy is going to be needed to, ahem “keep her afloat”

      • Just like the original ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE. (Sorry that was me counting in my head how long McLeod holds onto the ball.)

      • Ok, the comments about counting are the most absurd,

        You guys would of loved to of been doing something similar if anything like what happened at the Olympics happened to you.

        I think the counting will continue on the grounds of your hate, we love your hate.

      • That’s great. At least your team has something to hold onto then. Definitely not a Gold medal.

      • We don’t hate you. Hate is only reserved for people and things that have direct influences on a life.

        We adore you guys. So cute.

      • And that entire post should negate you from ever speaking about my writing skills again, son.

      • Does it make you feel bad ( like it should) as everybody that got that reference chuckled when you didn’t?

      • when whining about the other team’s goal celebrations is all that you have left, well, it speaks for itself.

      • I’m not whining about the celebration, I’m telling some people they have a hard time coming up with ways of being funny on their own.

        Most of the level headed people (read, almost nobody that comments on the Internet) understand what happened yesterday, it’s the “lol Canada is classless” group that bugs me.

        There was a fine post that explained it well, if you don’t understand why they were booing, then you haven’t read enough about the history of players abandoning Canada, nor do you understand passion in sports, so just stop trying now. If you do, then you’ll know that a player coming back to play against Canada has been a long time coming, and all the collective hate against those players came out today.

        It wasn’t classless, it was catharsis*

        The whole reaction up here is stupid, just like half the comments regarding this situation. From both sides. But I’m really just here to feed my American stereotype that you guys aren’t capable of ration conversation, no Yue-ess-aye will suffice.

        “Well, isn’t that just American for you”

      • So when Leroux leaves you are allowed to boo but when Sesselmann leaves the US doesn’t care. Is it okay for the US to boo her? I see a definite reason to boo Tankredi

  6. So if rossi scored against the usa and did what leroux did this website would explode, but when she did it you guys think it was great? Are americans just born as hypocrites or are you guys taught it in school?

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    • Some people think that they way Rossi celebrated after he scored in the Confederations Cup against us was very similar and a lot of people took issue with it. I’m of the mindset that if you ever get a chance to score a goal on the international stage, that’s cause for celebration, no matter who you’re playing.

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      • Agreed on this one. I hated the fact that he celebrated so exuberantly against us. I thought the classy thing to do is not celebrate against the country you were born and raised in. Bad for karma.

        In related news, he was not selected for Italy’s 2010 World Cup roster and suffered back to back ACL tears.

      • Actually, my writing skills are superior. I don’t use the same adjective twice in a sentence.

      • Ok then, you’re lack of ability to reference a famous American animated television show of the last decade is bad. And you should feel bad.

    • Yes, I do think it was great, and I did get upset when _____ scored against the US in the Confed Cup and celebrated wildly. Canadian fans have every right to dislike her. I have every right to dislike _____.

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  7. how about this analogy:

    Sydney Leroux:CWNT as Giuseppe Rossi:USMNT

    true?…

    either way it was a great game for the USWNT and great way to cap off an incredible 100th Bday for USSF

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  8. I didn’t have particularly strong feelings about LeRoux before today. But she’s aces in my book now, and definitely my favorite player on the Breakers. That had to be extremely satisfying. 🙂

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  9. In Alex Morgan I see a player with all the skill of Mia Hamm only with greater speed. I think that if she doesn’t have a bad injury she will surpass both Wambach and Hamm before she’s done.

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  10. Nice to see lots of fans there but man does canada play rough. I am glad there was no headstomp from Tancredi. The fans counting the seconds for the American goalkeeper was obnoxious. Their keeper still holds onto the ball. I think i counted 15 seconds with one delivery.

    Reply
      • The counting was as original as a joke about Canadians and hockey. Too bad your goalkeeper likes to hold onto the ball for so long.

      • LOL The counting was clever. Canada has to have something fun to talk about since it’s not their women’s or men’s team that are doing much these days against Team USA.

        The goal celebration as obnoxious shows you are annoyed by Leroux. I would be too if the only player outside of Sinclair that’s actually considered world class in Canada decides that Canada sucks and they want to play for the best team in the world….aka the USA.

        Leroux’s decision was easy….just as it was for Guiesspi Rossi….play for Italy or the USA…..he played for Italy instead of playing for the USA where he lived/played/developed. We don’t boo Rossi, we are jealous he can play for a better team like Italy.

        Canada and Classless Go Together. They will forever be known as that country to the north where nothing happens.

      • Leroux..u can have her…Canada is loved around the world and USA is hated and that is a fact, americans are annoying, ur government and military murder people for fun and ur country is a dump

      • Oh not the one that riots after they lose the Stanley Cup finals? Hmm doubtful. But keep going with it.

      • The one where nobody got killed yes that one.

        Oh, Walmart is having a sale at 12:01, yup, that’ll cause a fatality.

      • Can’t say I know since I don’t shop there but rioting because your goalie is a sieve isn’t a reason to cause $5 million in damage.

      • Just saying, if we’re talking about violance

        Canadians killed by riots and sales since 2000:<1
        Americans killed by sales at Walmart since 2008: 2*

        It's the one moral high ground you guys up would have to work on, so yeah on a day like this you best believe we'll remind you that your a murderous beast of a nation and please keep buying our oil and electricity, thank you.

      • We will. Please remember that we keep you afloat.

        There’s a reason why you’re called America’s Hat.

      • Wasn’t really clever when we all knew it was coming…Then McLeod takes super long on her distribution but no counting. She still has a bad habit.

      • The fans booed LeRoux the entire time she stepped on the pitch and you call her celebration obnoxious?? Keep dreaming Id!!

      • No way one can be clever and the other obnoxious.

        I mean no way while maintainig any sense of objectivity or reason, of course. Perfectly fine if one just wants to be a homer.

  11. Loved Leroux’s celebration and nice to see the Canucks getting all that support (sold out BMO Field in just over an hour).

    Reply

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