Photo by ISIphotos.com
The U.S. women left it late, but in the end got a win and a valuable away goal, defeating Italy 1-0 in Padova. Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time to send the U.S. back to Chicago with the edge.
While the U.S. did well to limit Italy's chances on the offensive end — the Azzurri registered no shots on goal for the game — they were inefficient in creating good scoring opportunities of their own, save for Morgan's last-gasp winner.
Still, the U.S. women are now just one game from securing the last berth to the Woman's World Cup next year in Germany. They take the 1-0 lead back to Toyota Park, with the second leg scheduled for November 27.
What did you think of the game? Can the U.S. hold their lead?
Share your thoughts below.
FINALLY…video of the goal. Can’t believe that Ives nor the US Women’s team official page didn’t have the highlights or at least this goal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA3cSiDIEyA
They played beyond the announced two extra minutes because Italy decided to make a substitution during extra time, thus extending extra time…
I don’t think anyone expects the US to lose at home.
“valuable away goal” . . .
It was a valuable goal in that it gave the US the lead in the series, but due to it being a 1-0 road win, it doesn’t have any extra significance as an away goal. (There’s no possible 1-goal result for Italy that would see them lose the series on away goals.)
Tough game because of the defensive style Italy played. The US really should have scored a couple of goals, but good defense and some luck on Italy’s part kept the score low. Italy barely threatened at all on the attacking end.
CILII_blog said…
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Time for this blog to have some standards.
cilii comment should be deleted.
Fire Pia! The U.S. should not be in this situation to begin with.
It got the job done, but that’s really all you can say for the performance based on the whole game. Nice, creative goal at the end, with a couple nice touches to set up our young goal scorer. I can’t decide if it suggests we’d been able to do much more if we could stretch them defensively more, or if it says that we didn’t know how to stretch them defensively until it got a little frantic at the end.
Anybody read enough Italian to see if there was a lot of reaction to the extra time played beyond the 2 minutes that were posted?
Completely agree! The problem is that Pia has been using the same lineup and learning NOTHING. I used to be a big Pia fan, but over time she’s made some poor decisions and I’ve changed my mind.
there’s not much publicity as usual; i would totally be there if i lived anywhere near chicago, even freezing my *ss off. i wish espn would air it instead of internet only. fail.
The way Boxx and Lloyd play are very similar. They usually play deeper in midfield and try to spring A=Rod or Long Ball to Abby. That’s the style of both Boxx and Llloyd and they are battlers in defense….hence defensive midfielders. I said she’s not “THAT” creative. They both play better when someone a little more attack minded plays alongside them (like Lori Lindsey) Best pure ball striker just means she hits the ball harder than anyone else. Which I will give you, but she’s still rather slow and isn’t consistent enough for Team USA. BTW…as a midfielder you should be known to be a great passer of the ball…and that’s definitely not Lloyd.
Then again….sadly no other central midfielders I would want in besides Boxx or Lloyd really.
Carli LLoyd is NOT a defensive midfielder. She’s very creative and probably the best pure ball striker on the USWNT.
Sooo true, over thousand of fans of Alex Morgans facebook FAN page!? and all from an Under 20 performance….even more celebrity status then Leroux that was Golden Ball winner.
Mitts…….is just super hot and hasn’t been performing at the highest level the past 2 years..she shouldn’t be starting.
Rodriguez is a good player, but she’s starting to play too much like a Wambach (plays with her back to goal too often)….the lone striker for Philly forced her to be a back at goal player and now she doesn’t compliment Abby as much.
Lloyd and Boxx….same issue as Men’s team…two defensive holding midfielders. They just aren’t “THAT” creative or attack minded………….but then again…what creative central midfielders do we have in the US? I’d say Teresa Noyola of Stanford…but she’s just way too small to be a central mid for full national team.
wow! i didnt know these return leg was gonna be played in toyota park… i might have to bring my sister and take her to the game!
Yes Alex is older than Juan…but they are both very good! Go USA!
Do we need any more evidence then our 21 year old goal scorer? If we are to win the WC Pia has to have a better mix of Vet’s and youngen’s. Soccer is a young persons sport. The more young players that can play at the highest level the better.
Morgan> Agudelo
They didn’t play against the Azzurri, but the Azzurre.
You are spot on amy.. Pia needs to move away from the old guard. Boxx, Lloyd, Mitts and some of the other vets look just so damn slow and uninterested at times. Cheney, Kreiger and Morgan come on an wham the team becomes energized and scores. We also need to see Sydney LeRoux and some other fresh faces other wise this team is gonna get killed in Germany next Summer!I wish Tony DiCicco was coaching…not sure Pia has the stuff to help us win the WC next summer!
Italy had at least one very good shot on goal, which our keeper barely deflected out for a corner. Just sayin’…
Imagine, given all the hype after the men’s win against SA a few days ago, if (like the women) they had a young striker who had scored the game-winner late in a friendly in his first appearance but then also added a couple more over his next half dozen appearances, and THEN scored a second very late game-winner, this time in a crucial WC qualifier.
And he was still not a starter.
you and everyone in south america. she’s been getting a lot of love since the U20 WWC in Chile
did you watch the game? the italians were very organized defensively and, though more of the calls went their way, i did not see much diving from either side (abby is usually the biggest offender, so this was refreshing).
Sorry Amy Rodriguez but I think im in love with Morgan now
Good job ladies, way to score an away goal on those diving, racist hoochies from Italy.
congrats girls..good job!
great feeling to score in the end…vital away goal.
now must take care of business at home!
Congratulations in the big word but is just doesn’t work here
Woot! Woot!! Way to go! Crush those diving, dissimulating Italian wankers!!
not if Pia continues to use this terrible starting lineup and refuses to develop younger players…there is still time, but I’m not confident she will use it well before the World Cup. And if they play the way they did in the first, um 93 minutes, they might not even make it there.