Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com
The reward might be a little less fulfilling this time around, but the U.S. women's national team has an important date against Japan on the docket.
Abby Wambach and substitute Sydney Leroux scored, and despite conceding a stoppage-time tally, the U.S. women defeated longtime rival Norway, 2-1, in the second group game of the Algarve Cup on Friday. With the win, the U.S. women set up a crucial match against Japan, with the rematch of the World Cup final determining which team will advance to the final of this tournament.
Japan, 2-0 winners over Denmark on Friday, is tied with the United States atop Group B with six points, but the Americans have a three-goal edge in goal differential. A win or draw would put Pia Sundhage's squad in the final, where it would contend for its third straight Algarve Cup title against either Sweden or Germany. A loss would send the U.S. women to the third-place game.
As for Friday's match, Norway has long provided the toughest resistance to the United States — with the U.S. women now holding a 27-19-2 lead in the all-time series — and that proved to be the case yet again. It wasn't until six minutes into the second half on Friday that the Americans broke through, when Wambach, starting alongside Alex Morgan in a 4-4-2 again, finished off a cross from halftime substitute and veteran right back Heather Mitts.
Leroux scored the eventual game-winner just moments after coming on, heading home a ball from Amy Rodriguez, and the U.S. women held on despite a late goal from Elise Thorsnes.
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What do you think of the result? Think the U.S. women will beat Japan?
Share your thoughts below.
In the Guatemala game, Morgan assisted on 3 goals, including 2 by Leroux. Alex looked almost embarrassed on the easy goal she did score. I’m guessing that she used that game as a chance to show Pia she wasn’t just “run fast to the goal and shoot”.
Sure 5 were against a bad team. But Morgan only got 1 goal against them. And Wambach only got 2. And they all played the same amount of time. She also scored 30 goals in 36 games for the U-20s which ain’t too shabby. But all the talk I hear is just about Morgan. So I was just pointing out that there is another young striker on the team who deserves a little bit of acknowledgement too. And we should thank our lucky stars that she decided to play for the US and not Canada.
Now I’m not saying she’s better than either of them, and especially not that she’s going to unseat Abby. I’m just saying with her and Morgan the future of the team looks great. I mean… Abby’s 31, she’s not gonna be playing forever. At some point she will retire and when that happens I think Morgan and Leroux will be hitting their primes. So the USWNT will continue to do well into the future.
but 5 of those goals were against an absolutely horrendous team. As far as im concerned she has 2 goals in 7 games. Leroux in NO WAY shows the ability to unseat Abby. People dont realize what Abby does to defenses. They double mark her EVERY single time she is in the box which is leaving more room in the box for the others to maneuver and attack the ball
I think switching back to a 4-4-2 was a mistake however for the sole purpose of getting morgan and abby on the field.
The midfield was the stronger and completely controlling games with the 4-5-2 with Boxxy and Lloyd playing holding mids and Cheney in front of them. Cheney had the vision and creativity to create sooo many plays, and Orielly and A-Rod absolutely terrorized outside backs
Morgan seems to get all the attention of the youngsters, but Leroux has 7 goals in 7 games and she hasn’t even started most of them. The USWNT is gonna be great for years to come with those two up front.
Thanks for fixing. Had to comment so people won’t think I’m strange(r) for referring to a mistake that no longer exists.
Don’t think that last Norwegian goal was really an “equalizer”.