Blog Break

The WNT Blog will be taking a break now. It’s been a great start to the new year, a great start for U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage and there is much more to come in 2008. The team gets back together for a training camp in early February and the next competition is the annual Algarve Cup in Portugal in early March. Could the Algarve Cup see the first meeting between the USA and Sweden with the Swede Sundhage in charge of the USA? Stay tuned. As always, thanks very much for following the team on ussoccer.com and especially to those who figured out how to watch the games on the internet, and then stayed up in the wee hours of the morning to see the games. Hopefully, come this spring the team will be coming to a U.S. city near you and your dedication will be repaid with the opportunity to watch the players in real life rather than on a 3x5 inch screen. (Although mini-Tarpley, mini-O’Reilly and mini-Rodriguez are pretty good in miniature as well).

Blog ya later.

Four Nations Champs

Congrats to the USA, the 2008 Four Nations Champions! The game against China was definitely a “tight” match, even though the Chinese didn’t create too many dangerous scoring chances. Still, anytime it’s 0-0 anything can happen. Fortunately for the USA, Shannon Boxx happened. Her goal was similar to several she’s scored for the USA in the past (remember her header against Sweden in the 2003 Women’s World Cup? Sort of like that, but not from such a sharp angle) and certainly a clutch play as China was definitely making things difficult. The USA has three or four chances more that could have produced goals, but needed some sharper finishing. Still, anytime you can come to China and beat China, it’s a great result. Remember this: China gave up just one goal in three games.