Get to Know: Kristine Lilly

Kristine Lilly is often referred to as the USA’s Iron Woman, and for a good reason. Not only has she played in 342 matches for the USA (the most capped player on the world) and scored 129 goals in her national team career, but she has played on both professional leagues that have existed in the US and she has done it all over the course of more than 20 years (her first international appearance was in August 3, 1987). Can you think of any other athlete who’s had a professional career of 20 years?

She has won 2 World Cups, participating in 5, and 2 Olympic gold medals, participating in 3. She was an all-star with the Boston Breakers in the WUSA (2001-2003), and she is now playing for the Boston Breakers in WPS. She was a four time NCAA champion at UNC, and helped her high school team to 3 State championships.

Kristine was the captain of the national team from 2005-2007, but took 2008 off to have her baby girl, Sydney. Later that year she came back  to the field as she was allocated to the Boston Breakers. She started all 20 matches for the Breakers, the only player on the team to do so, and led the team in minutes played with 1,800. She was voted to the All-Star team where she started and scored a goal helping the team to a 4-2 win over opponent Umea IK.

You can certainly say that Kristine is one of the world’s greatest athletes, but she’s not done yet. As she is preparing for another season with the Breakers, she took the time to answer some questions, posted below.

What was your favorite moment/experience while at UNC?

I don’t think I have one moment that was my favorite but the best part was the great friends I made there.  Plus the education I got and winning 4 national championships were also good.

Do you intend to play in the 2011 World Cup or 2012 Olympics?

I haven’t been asked back up to the national team. So really it is in the hands of the U.S. coach.

Who on the national team is the most difficult to go one-on-one with?

Back in the day Joy Fawcett was always difficult to go up against.  Now Christie Rampone, Kate Markgraf and Amy LePeilbet were all difficult.

What does it mean to you, as a player and a person, to hold the world record for international appearances representing your country?

I am just really proud to have played in so many games.  That means I worked hard to remain a starter and be healthy to participate in so many games.

Do you think anyone will ever get more caps for their country than you have for the USA?

I’m not sure about that, but records are always made to be broken.

Who is the most difficult player from another country that you’ve ever had to play against?

Hege Riise, a player from Norway. She was very good.

If you could participate on any game show, which one would it be and why?

I always wanted to be on Family Feud.

Growing up, what was your favorite TV show to watch?

Happy Days.

If you didn’t play soccer for a living, what would you be doing instead?

I’m not sure. I love to take pictures, maybe a photographer.

I’ve read on your website that you took some cooking classes with your husband. What is your best dish?

My best dish now, is probably the mac & cheese I learned how to cook, by Ellie Deaner.

Do you have a hidden talent?

I can touch my tongue to my nose.

What is the craziest, most thrilling thing you’ve ever done?

I almost hiked to the top of Kilimanjaro.  Missed the summit by about 1500 feet.  I got altitude sickness.

Has your little one shown any interest for soccer?

She can kick a ball.

What do you like to do when you’re not training?

Play with my daughter and take a long walk with my dog.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate chip ice cream

What was your first car?

Passat

You’re first appearance for the USA was in 1987, more than 20 years ago, and you’ve been playing ever since you were a little kid- pretty much your entire life. How have you been able to play at the highest level for so long?

I just worked hard.  I made sure I was always fit.  I learned how to take care of myself but I also had fun with the people I played with, which made me want to work for them and vice versa.

This one is just for laughs. Do you think Sidney and the other WNT babies (the girls) will be the future of the national team?

It would be interesting to see one day what they all decide to do with their lives.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I think I would want people to know I went out there every day and worked hard and played for my teammates and to be the best!

What are your thoughts on the next WPS season?

Hopefully we can win in Boston!

(Ed. Note: Be sure to follow Kristine on her website www.KristineLilly13.com)

Vote for U.S. Soccer Awards

U.S. Soccer has announced the finalists for the 2009 Best of U.S. Soccer awards and there’s only one week left to vote for the 12 categories  on USSoccer.com.

The eighth annual series gives fans the opportunity to make their selections for the best in soccer in the United States. The 12 categories recap a busy 2009 crammed full of action, which included FIFA World Cup qualifying, the FIFA Confederations Cup, Abby Wambach’s 100th goal, another Development Academy Season and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Female Athlete of the Year nominees include national team players Shannon Boxx (Sol), Heather O’Reilly, Christine Rampone (Sky Blue), Hope Solo (Athletica) and Abby Wambach (Freedom).

The Young Female Athletes of the Year are nominees Tobin Heath (UNC), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Christine Nairn, Kelly O’Hara (Stanford) and Katie Schoepfer.

Fans can vote once a day from now until Sunday, Dec. 13, in the Community section of ussoccer.com. For certain categories, voters will be able to watch videos and view photos as they relive some of the best moments of 2009.

Go make your vote count.

Charlize Theron leading lady in World Cup draw

South African actress Charlize Theron has landed a leading  role in Friday’s draw for next year’s soccer World Cup finals in her home country, the international soccer body FIFA announced .

Theron, a Hollywood icon, will be joint host of the 90-minute show to be televised live to an estimated global audience of more than two hundred million people in 200 countries.

She is well-known as a celeb who gives back and has been involved in efforts to give kids living in underserved communities more opportunities to play competitive soccer.

Theron will join FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke to host the procedure of placing the 32 national finalists into eight groups of four teams for the 2010 tournament which runs from June 11 to July 11.

A host of sporting celebrities will also take part in the draw including Ethiopia’s Olympic champion runner Haile Gebrselassie, South African soccer player Matthew Booth and cricketer Makhaya Ntini and the host country’s rugby World Cup captain John Smit. Also attending will be David Beckham, who scored in three consecutive World Cups and still hopes to make it on the England squad by June.

South African president Jacob Zuma will be in the audience along with Nobel Peace prize winners Frederik de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Theron is definitely one of those actresses we love to watch and support in all her endeavors.

Wambach nominated for FIFA Award

Fresh off  her 101st career goal and a U.S. 1-0 win against Germany yesterday, it was announced that Women’s National Team and Washington Freedom forward Abby Wambach is the only American nominated for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Award.

Freedom teammate and French National player Sonia Bompastor is also on the list of ten nominees.  There are 23 nominees on the Men’s side, with both lists reduced to five in early December.  The winners will be announced at the FIFA World Player Gala on December 21st.

WOMEN NOMINEES: Nadine Angerer (Germany), Sonia Bompastor (France), Cristiane (Brazil), Inka Grings (Germany), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan), Simone Laudehr (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Kelly Smith (England) and Abby Wambach (USA).

Go Abby!

Soccer mom Joy Fawcett takes center stage

The ultimate soccer mom reached the pinnacle of her sport Sunday.

“In my life, I’ve had two dreams: To play soccer at the highest level and to be a mother,” former United States Women’s National Team standout defender Joy Fawcett said midway through her induction speech at the National Soccer Hall of Fame. “In short, U.S. Soccer enabled me to live both of my dreams, and for that, I’m thankful.”

The Soccer Hall enshrined Fawcett over the weekend in a  ceremony that also honored Jeff Agoos who played for the U.S. Men’s National Team.  Longtime New York Times soccer writer Alex Yannis who was presented with the Colin Jose Media Award.

Fawcett drew the loudest cheers of the day at the end of a nearly 13 minute speech that touched on the importance of family and closed the 2009 Induction Ceremony.

“My first dream was to be a mom and the No. 1 priority for me was my kids,” Fawcett said following the ceremony, which was attended by all three of her children _ Katey (age 15), Carli (12) and Madi (8). “To be able to play soccer and try and balance both, it was hard, definitely. I wanted to make it as easy as possible on them and easy on my teammates. I didn’t want them to have any hardship with their careers. So it was hard to balance, but it was something so worthwhile because I loved both. I was so thrilled I could do both.”

Fawcett said U.S. Soccer allowed her children to grow up around the Women’s National Team, which gained fame by winning the first FIFA World Cup, in 1991. None of her children were around then, but all three had been born by the time she ended her 18-year run with the Americans in 2004.

“Throughout her career, Joy always told me if the game of soccer ever had a negative effect on her family, she would walk away in a heartbeat,” said former teammate Shannon MacMillan, who introduced Fawcett on Sunday. “I know you can always hear people say that, but Joy truly meant that. She said she’d walk away to save her family.”

Instead, Fawcett helped the U.S. to another World Cup title (1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004). On Sunday, she became the eighth player from the “91ers” to earn induction into the Hall, joining Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Carla Overbeck, Michelle Akers, Shannon Higgins-Cirovski, Carin Jennings and April Heinrichs.

Pioneer, world champion, mother, leader, role model, Fawcett did it all during her historic career. She may have been elected into the Hall a few years after her contemporaries, but no female player has been more deserving.

Fawcett by the Numbers:
3     Olympic Games participated in
3     Daughters had during career
4     FIFA Women’s World Cups participated in
6     Yearly high in goals, scored in 1993
9     Consecutive years in which she started every match in which she played (1989-1998)
14   Jersey number worn for many years
16   Olympic matches played
17   Years in which she played a WNT match
22   Assists in her career
23   FIFA Women’s World Cup matches played
27   Goals in career
234 Starts in WNT career
239 Appearances during her WNT career

Congrats to Fawcett on a well deserved award.

Abby Wambach scores 100th career goal in hometown as U.S. women defeat Canada 1-0

Abby Wambach scored her 100th career goal in her hometown to lead the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 1-0 victory against Canada in front of 8,443 wildly appreciative fans at Marina Auto Stadium.

Wambach, who was a high school All-American at Our Lady of Mercy in Rochester, becomes the ninth woman in soccer history to score 100 career international goals, and the fifth American, joining Mia Hamm (158), Kristine Lilly (129), Michelle Akers (105) and Tiffeny Milbrett (100). Wambach’s 100th goal comes in just her 129th career match, giving her the best goals-to-games ratio in U.S. history.

The milestone comes one year and three days after Wambach broke her left leg in the USA’s final tune up for the 2008 Olympics. It was Wambach’s first international goal since the injury and makes her the second U.S. players to score her 100th goal in Rochester after Hamm became the first in 1998.

Twenty-one-year-old forward Lauren Cheney, who replaced Wambach on the Olympic roster, came into the game in the 63rd minute and 15 minutes later set up the historic goal.

“I think it’s pretty fitting that Lauren Cheney, the girl that replaced me going to the Olympics after my leg breaking, played me an amazing ball,” said Wambach. “I took a great first touch, and just hit it far post. Thankfully, it didn’t go wide. I was peeling out, truckin’ to the sideline because I thought it was going in. I can’t really describe the emotion. I don’t think it’s really set in quite yet. It’s been a long year and to come home to score the 100th goal here in Rochester couldn’t be more of a picture perfect ending.”

The goal came following a Canadian goal kick as substitute Tobin Heath won the header, sending a short pass to Shannon Boxx in the middle of the field. She collected the ball and played forward to Cheney, who controlled and spun towards the goal, slipping a perfect pass behind Canadian defender Candace Chapman. Wambach ran onto the ball in the left side of the penalty area, took a touch and rolled her 15-yard shot past Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc and into the lower right corner just inside the post.

“I’m happy to be here right now, sitting on the bench to see that goal happen,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage, who scored 71 international goals herself for Sweden. “Cheney coming off the bench playing that great ball through and you just hear the sound of it and it’s fantastic. This is awesome.”

The U.S. team dominated possession in the match as Canada chose to pull back inside its own half, putting zero pressure on the U.S. backs. The Americans piled up a 21-3 shot advantage and had 10 corner kicks to Canada’s two.

The USA’s best early chance came in the eighth minute as midfielder Angela Hucles rocked the crossbar from 19 yards out, but her shot struck the underside of the bar and bounced away.

Wambach had several half chances to get her 100th before finally scoring, bringing the fans to their feet on each occasion. The first came in the seventh minute as she broke into the penalty area on the right side only to have Chapman block her shot away.

In the 49th minute, Megan Rapinoe bent a cross on the ground from the flank, but LeBlanc beat Wambach to bouncing ball. Amy Rodriguez spun in another low cross from the left wing in the 52nd minute, but Wambach just missed making contact on the slide as he was bundled over by a defender.

In the 61st, Hucles sent a little chip over top of the Canadian defense on a free kick from the left flank. Wambach stretched for the diving header, but just couldn’t get her head on the ball at the top of the six yard box.

In the 63rd, Wambach came the closest to scoring, getting free in the left side of the penalty area before sending a delicate chip to the far post, but the angle was just too steep and the ball flew wide.

Canada’s most dangerous chance may have come in the 68th minute as substitute Chelsea Stewart got behind the U.S. defense via a high ball over the middle as the U.S. back line was pushed over to the left of the field. The speedy Heather Mitts ran her down, blocked her shot and cleared the ball away.

In the 77th minute, Cheney had a chance for a goal of her own as she got behind the Canadian defense on a perfect slip pass from Wambach, but Emily Zurrer ran her down from behind and tackled the ball away.

U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage started Cat Whitehill at right back, giving the veteran defender her first cap since she tore her ACL in June of 2008. Whitehilll played very well in her 45 minutes before giving way to Mitts at halftime.

The 21-year-old Heath came on in the 75th minute for Heather O’Reilly and saw her first action since the quarterfinal match of the 2008 Olympics against Canada. Heath’s first touch of the game was an audacious nutmeg of a Canadian midfielder and a few minutes later she pulled off a double nutmeg down the left flank, hitting the ball to Shannon Boxx whose cross was controlled by Cheney inside the six, but she couldn’t turn to fire on goal. The ball was eventually bundled out by the Canadian defense for the USA’s 10th corner kick of the game.

The U.S. played without team captain Christie Rampone who had emergency abdominal surgery yesterday, but Amy LePeilbet and Rachel Buehler played excellent games in the central defense, helping limit Canada to just one shot on goal. U.S. goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart picked up the shutout, but was forced to make just one save.

The U.S. team now travels to Charleston, S.C., to face Canada again, this one at Blackbaud Stadium on Wednesday, July 22 at 8 p.m. ET. The match will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Espanol.

Soccer: U.S. Women score twice in each half to defeat Canada 4-0

TORONTO, Canada (May 25, 2009) – The U.S. Women’s National Team scored twice in each half, getting goals from four different players to defeat Canada 4-0 in front of 10,255 fans at BMO Field. It was the USA’s first match in Canada since 2001.

Midfielder Shannon Boxx opened the scoring just 93 seconds into the match and midfielder Megan Rapinoe added a second just before the halftime. The USA put two more in the net during a four-minute span late in the game. Both second-half goals came from substitutes, as Lindsay Tarpley scored her 30th career goal in the 77th minute and 21-year-old Lauren Cheney knocked in a fantastic header in the 80th minute.

The USA dominated possession in a match played on the artificial surface at BMO Field and put together some excellent attacking soccer while out-shooting its northern neighbor by a 19-6 margin.

“I am happy about the performance and I am happy that we scored a goal on a corner kick,” said U.S. WNT head coach Pia Sundhage. “That’s something we are starting to work on and I believe that come 2011, when the games are so tight, that set plays will be very, very important. So, four nice goals and a pretty good game on turf.”

Boxx’s strike, which was the USA’s first shot of the game, was her second goal of the year after scoring just once in 2008 and it came against her club teammate on the Los Angeles Sol in Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc. It was also Boxx’s 20th international goal as she became the 16th female player in U.S. history to score 20 or more goals in her career.

The goal was created on the USA’s first piece of possession as right back Heather Mitts played a penetrating pass forward to Boxx from the right side of the field. Boxx dribbled hard toward the edge of the penalty area, and when no Canadian defender stepped up to challenge, unleashed a 20-yard shot from 10 yards right of the penalty arc that skidded into the lower left side netting.

Canada’s only good chance of the first half came in the 43rd minute on a long free kick from Kara Lang, but the shot flew wide right of Hope Solo’s goal.

The USA got a huge score just seconds before the halftime whistle after Heather O’Reilly fed Rapinoe above the penalty area on the left side. Rapinoe collected and dribbled toward her defender before cutting hard inside, losing Canadian back Brittany Timko. The nifty dribble created a sliver of space for her bending 16-yard shot that actually curved around Abby Wambach and her defender, who were screening LeBlanc, and then spun perfectly into the lower right corner. It was Rapinoe’s fourth international goal in just nine career caps.

The USA struggled to find its rhythm early in the second half as Canada picked up the pressure, but settled down and regained control before putting the match away in the 77th minute after Wambach earned a corner kick on the right side. It was Wambach who jumped over two defenders to get a head on the ball, sending it powerfully toward goal. The ball hit Canadian captain Christine Sinclair near the goal line, but Tarpley pounced on the loose ball to force it over the line and into the open net.

Wambach, who came into the match with 99 goals, will now have the chance to bag her historic 100th goal in her hometown of Rochester, N.Y., where the USA will play Canada in its next match on July 19. Canadian forward Christine Sinclair, who also came into the game with 99 goals, failed to hit the century mark as the U.S. defense did a fine job of keeping the star striker out of dangerous positions.

The final goal came after O’Reilly ran down a long pass on the right flank and struck a hard cross from the wing that deflected off a Canadian defender’s foot, but it had enough steam on it to sail towards the near post. Cheney was making a hard near post run and deftly re-directed the ball with a superbly angled header into the upper right corner from about five yards outside the post. It was Cheney’s fourth international goal in 17 career caps.

Amy LePeilbet got the start in the center defense with team captain Christie Rampone and played an excellent first half in her first cap since Sept. 13, 2006. She was replaced at halftime by Rachel Buehler, who also played an extremely solid 45 minutes, highlighted by a thunderous tackle on Canadian Melissa Tancredi in the waning minutes.

Canada’s best chance of the second half came in the 54th minute as the USA lost a ball in the back, but the Maple Leafs couldn’t capitalize as Jodi-Ann Robinson launched her shot over the goal from 25 yards out.

Besides the header off the corner kick that led to Tarpley’s goal, Wambach didn’t get too many clear chances for her 100th goal, but she did take a good swipe at a loose ball in the 62nd minute that fell close to her after a long free kick.

The USA hit a flurry of shots in the second half, highlighted by an O’Reilly blast from the top of the penalty area on the right side, but couldn’t bust through until Tarpley’s 77th minute score effectively put the game away.

U.S. goalkeepers Solo and Nicole Barnhart split the match, with Solo hitting some booming punts in the first half that caused some danger for the Canadian backline. Barnhart had a bit more to do in the second half in tidying up her penalty area, but was not forced to make a save.

Eighteen-year-old midfielder Christine Nairn became the first member of the USA’s 2008 U-20 Women’s World Cup championship team to earn a senior team cap, coming on for Angela Hucles in the 83rd minute. Nairn was the eighth player to be given her first cap by U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage.

The U.S. players now head back to join their WPS clubs and will not come together again until mid-July for two more matches against Canada, on Sunday, July 19, at Rochester Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., and then again three days later on Wednesday, July 22, at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. These will be the USA’s first domestic matches of the year after playing the first five on the road and compiling a record of 4-0-1.

The game in Rochester kicks off at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The match in Charleston kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español. Both matches will be available online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

(via press release)

Abby Wambach returns to national team looking for 100th career goal

U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named a 21-player roster to face Japan on May 20 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas (7:30 p.m. CT) and on May 23 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah (4 p.m. MT).

The roster to face Japan is chock-full of veterans, including team captain Christie Rampone, co-captain Lori Chalupny, and outside back Heather Mitts, as well as midfielders Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Angela Hucles, Heather O’Reilly and Lindsay Tarpley. Thirteen of the players won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing last August, but Sundhage has also named several young players who have performed well in WPS action so far.

The matches will mark the return of striker Abby Wambach to international action for the first time since she suffered a broken leg against Brazil on July 16, 2008, in the USA’s final pre-Olympic match. Wambach is currently sitting on 99 career international goals and with one more would join four other U.S. players — Mia Hamm (158), Kristine Lilly (129), Michelle Akers (105) and Tiffeny Milbrett (100) — in the exclusive 100 goal club.

These will be the first-ever international games for the U.S. during the WPS season and the first domestic matches of 2009 for a U.S. team which is in very early preparations for qualifying for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. Seventeen of the 21 players on the roster are currently playing in WPS, and Sundhage also named four collegiate players.

“Now is the time to start investing in 2011,” Sundhage said. “We are bringing in an interesting mix of some newer players and players with experience, as well as some college players. The WPS has given us the chance to look at some new players, and it’s fantastic that Abby is back in business.”

Los Angeles Sol central defender Brittany Bock gets her second career call-up and will be looking for her first-ever cap while Boston Breakers center back Amy LePeilbet returns to the national team after earning 23 caps from 2004-2006. Red Stars outside back Marian Dalmy, who sat out most of 2008 with a knee injury, got the nod and will try to add to her 10 career caps that include a start in the third-place match at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Sundhage called up at least one player from each of the WPS clubs, including four from both the Breakers and Red Stars.

The four collegiate players named to the roster have just 17 caps between them, but 16 of those belong to Lauren Cheney, one of the top forwards in the country at UCLA and a member of the 2008 Olympic Team who replaced Wambach on the roster after her injury.

All four have represented the U.S. in a FIFA youth Women’s World Cup, including Christine Nairn, who was a member of the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup champions last fall in Chile. Nairn, a freshman at Penn State, has trained with the full national team during the last year and will be looking for her first career senior team cap.

Sundhage also called up forward Casey Nogueira, a member of the USA’s 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Team, who had a fantastic junior season at North Carolina last year, pounding in 25 goals with eight assists including both scores in the NCAA title game victory against Notre Dame. She picked up a slew of national player of the year awards after the season. Nogueira earned her lone cap at the 2007 Four Nations Tournament in China, playing the first half against England.

Goalkeeper Kelsey Davis from the University of Portland gets a call up, earning the opportunity to train alongside veterans Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart. A long-time veteran of the USA’s youth national teams, Davis was the back-up goalkeeper at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup in Thailand and the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Russia and was a member of the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team that won the 2007 Nordic Cup in Finland.

These will be the first meetings between the U.S. and Japan since the two countries clashed in the semifinal at the 2008 Olympics in China, a 4-2 U.S. victory that saw the Americans fall behind 1-0 before storming back to score four consecutive goals. Japan pulled one back in second-half stoppage time. The USA also edged Japan 1-0 in a must-win game during group play.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster vs. Japan
Frisco, Texas; May 20
Sandy, Utah; May 23
(A Detailed Roster is Available at ussoccer.com)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Kelsey Davis (Portland), Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica)
DEFENDERS (7): Brittany Bock (Los Angeles Sol), Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis Athletica), Marian Dalmy (Chicago Red Stars), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (Los Angeles Sol), Angela Hucles (Boston Breakers), Carli Lloyd (Chicago Red Stars), Christine Nairn (Penn State), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsay Tarpley (Chicago Red Stars)
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Casey Nogueira (North Carolina), Amy Rodriguez (Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

U.S. Soccer Fan Club

The U.S. Soccer Supporters Club (is that kinda like a fan club?) just sent an email announcing that they’re launching the Official Fan Membership Program of U.S. Soccer (maybe that’s the fan club). Either way, looks like some cool stuff in store for fans of U.S. Soccer (both the men’s and women’s national teams).

From the release:

• Members Receive Exclusive Benefits, Including Priority Access to FIFA World Cup Tickets
• Become a Founding Fan by Joining U.S. Soccer Supporters Club During 2009

CHICAGO (April 15, 2009) — U.S. Soccer is pleased to announce the formation of the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club, the official fan membership program of the U.S. national teams. Officially launched today, fans can sign up at ussoccer.com to join the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club, which will provide exclusive benefits to members while creating a unique platform for the most passionate fans to demonstrate their support.

U.S. Soccer SC members will receive numerous benefits, highlighted by priority status to secure tickets to the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. U.S. Soccer will distribute its ticket allotment from FIFA to those dedicated members of USSSC before holding a general lottery, providing members the best chance to see the U.S. play in biggest sporting event in the world.

Upon enrollment into U.S. Soccer SC this year, members will also receive a U.S. Soccer SC membership card complete with name and a unique ID number, access to exclusive pre-sales for select home U.S. National Team matches, chances to win special behind-the-scenes experiences, a National Team Yearbook, and a limited-edition scarf.

Those fans that join in 2009 will have the opportunity to provide a unique voice to U.S. Soccer SC, serving as Founding Fans in the institution. Founding Fans will be the dominant voice of U.S. Soccer supporters around the world, defining what it means to be a part of U.S. Soccer SC.

Since the dawn of U.S. Soccer’s modern era in 1989, U.S. fans have diligently followed the national teams to five consecutive FIFA World Cups and five consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups, including two championships. U.S. fans have proven their devotion time and time again, through miles traveled and hours logged roaming around the country with the hope of inspiring a U.S. national team to victory. Popping up all around the globe, from China to Cuba, South Africa to Portugal, U.S. fans have proven their dedication to the teams’ quest for greatness.

Whether fans are looking to attend games with their families or are hardened supporters with numerous caps under their belts, the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club is the definitive way to unite together as fans and be an integral part of the future of U.S. Soccer.

U.S. Soccer SC, the first-ever affiliated membership program, is another step in a larger and more comprehensive outreach initiative to enhance U.S. Soccer fans’ experience. In addition to relationships with local and national unofficial supporters groups, fan outreach initiatives include an annual fan survey, the Official U.S. Soccer Bar program, the Ultimate Fan Ticket package, as well as social networking outlets on facebook.com and Twitter. With fans scattered across the country and internationally, U.S. Soccer will continue to develop programs which will maintain a close relationship to the national teams, as well as fellow U.S. Soccer fans.

All of the benefits below are available for an annual membership fee of $49.95. Enrollment begins today (April 15).

FOUNDING FAN OFFER: Fans joining in 2009 will earn special recognition as Founding Fans with the opportunity to help build U.S. Soccer SC from the ground up, providing a collective voice of U.S. Soccer supporters around the world. These members will receive a special-edition scarf, the annual gift for 2009, so they can proudly display their status as U.S. Soccer SC Founding Fans. Founding Fans will have the opportunity to further influence the ethos of U.S. Soccer SC by helping draft a Fan Constitution.

FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS: U.S. Soccer SC members will have priority status to purchase 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup tickets through U.S. Soccer, with access ahead of the general public.

OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• U.S. Soccer Supporters Club Membership Card
• Access to exclusive ticket pre-sales for select home U.S. Soccer National Team matches
• A chance to win behind-the-scenes experiences
• Annual Gift
• Men’s or Women’s National Team Yearbook
• Exclusive members-only discount at ussoccerstore.com
• E-mail communications from ussoccer.com

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Soccer: US women beat Denmark 2-0 in Algarve opener

The U.S. Women’s National Team got its 2009 Algarve Cup campaign off to a rousing start, defeating Denmark 2-0 in nasty weather conditions as midfielders Angie Wonzuk and Tina DiMartino scored in the first half. 

With the wind whipping through the stadium and a drizzling rain falling almost the entire match, the opening 20 minutes were evenly played but then the Americans grew dominant.

The first U.S. score came in the 22nd minute on the USA’s first shot on goal as Woznuk scored her second career goal in just her seventh career cap and second start. She controlled a cross and blasted a sizzling half-volley into the top right corner of the net over the Danish goalkeeper.

The goal energized the U.S. team, which started connecting passes and getting numbers into the attack. Thirteen minutes after the first score, the Americans got another.

The 22 year old DiMartino, making only her second appearance with the team,  scored her first international goal by knocking the ball from short range in the 35th minute after Natasha Kai’s header rebounded off the post.

Goalie Hope Solo made a string of tough saves, including two from Johanna Rasmussen in a 10-minute span.

The United States beat Denmark in the invitational tournament’s last two finals and has won the title six times in the past eight years.

Also in Group B, Iceland upset four-time Algarve champion Norway 3-1. Fara Bjor Gunnars scored twice and Edda Gardar added another for the Icelanders, while Kersten Lie scored for Norway.

Two-time world champion Germany went to the top of Group A by beating Finland 2-0 on goals from Naid Berringer and Kerstin Garefrekes. In the group’s other match, two-time Algarve champion China drew 0-0 with Sweden.

The winners of each group will meet in the final March 11.

For players not in Portugal this week the Women’s Professional Soccer preseason got underway as Team Training Camps opened across the country in preparation for the  WPS season openers later this month.

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