While it was a lot more suspenseful then the United States team would have liked, we did a nice job knocking off a competitive Canada side 2-1 in overtime this morning. Considering that the US held a 17-7 advantage in shots, better finishing could have made it an easier game but who's complaining when one more win in the tournament guarantees us a medal. Truth is, the United States had much better of the play and except for the bad giveaway that led to the brilliant strike by Christine Sinclair, Canada really didn't threaten too often.

The weather delay definitely helped the Canadians. The US took control of the momentum early with the early goal by Hucles, but it couldn't press Canada for long because of the break in play - essentially an extended timeout for Canada. In addition, any time a team has to suddenly insert its backup goalkeeper into the game, the other team has the chance to take advantage of the unexpected lineup change. With the break, Karina LeBlanc was better able to get into the proper frame of mind psychologically and her teammates were able to better prepare to play in front of a different keeper.

On that note, congratulations to Karina - an adopted New Jersey resident by way of her position as assistant coach for the women's team at Rutgers University and also a guest blogger here on SkyBlueSoccer.com. She stepped into an incredibly tough situation and did a great job. She made a number of strong saves to keep Canada in the game and there really wasn't much she could have done on the winning goal by Kai except wonder what the heck her backs were doing when the ball was whipped toward the far bar by Boxx. Here's my vote to have Karina on our team next season when WPS kicks off.

While the good news for the United States team is that it advanced to the semifinals, the bad news is that this was the last game for Canada coach Even Pellerud, whose prehistoric long-ball tactics have kept that team down for too long. Canada has some talented players in its lineup and a world-class striker in Sinclair - if they get a capable coach to replace Pellerud, then the United States will have a very hard time keeping up its unbeaten run against the neighbors from the north.

Now on to Japan - a team that the US beat 1-0 in the opening round of the tournament. While the US has to be extremely happy that it has no part in the Brazil or Germany until the final, it can't be too happy about having to face Japan for a second time. The Nadeshiko bounced back from its loss to the US by hammering Norway 5-1 in the final game of the group stage and then followed that up with a strong effort against China. Now Japan gets a second chance to make adjustments and have another try at the US. The US should still prevail and earn a shot at the gold medal against the winner of that big-time battle on the other side of the bracket.

SKY BLUE SOCCER BLOG EXCLUSIVE!

Mark Krikorian's vast experience makes his views on the Olympics and WPS uniquely valuable. Currently women's head coach at top-ranked Florida State University (2008 NCAA Championship runner-up), he coached the USA Under-19 Women's National team in the 2004 World Championship. He was head coach of the Philadelphia Charge of the WUSA. His assistant at that time was current head USA Women's National coach Pia Sundhage.

How is the USA doing in the Olympics in your opinion?

It is obvious that Pia and her staff have made significant changes to style. They are probably combining different philosophies, necessitated in part by the absence of talented players through injury. It is nice to see the team trying to keep and pass the ball, and work at their defending, as well as making their opponents work to defend them.

What do you think coach Sundhage is saying to the team?

She is being positive, optimistic-- as always. She recognizes they were off to a bad start in the first game. But since then, things have gone well, and the team has been rewarded with a favorable first place in their group. No disrespect to Canada, (who the US is playing next), but they would probably agree with the other countries that at this stage, they all would prefer to avoid Brazil and Germany.

What do you predict for the tournament?

It seems as though the brackets are good for the US. They are fortunate to get through, and if they win against Canada, they'll play either Japan or China. So for now, they get to avoid both Germany and Brazil. They are in a good position. But we all know if you get to the final, anything can happen. However, the US play is positive thus far in the sense they are limiting their opponents chances for success while creating their own opportunities.

What do you think the impact of the Olympics is on WPS?

I feel it is positive in many ways. Women's soccer is on national television. There is talk of the new league, and about how the former league (WUSA) helped develop players' careers. The same success stories on the US team that came out of WUSA are anticipated for WPS.

It is widely believed that the WUSA helped international player to develop and excel.. With the rest of the world catching up to the US in women's soccer, do you feel that will be the reverse in the WPS-that the international players will bring their abilities and understanding of the game to the benefit of educating Americans?

I believe that in the WUSA, internationals did develop, and grew to recognize both the strengths and weaknesses of their American counterparts. For one thing, they recognized the Americans are human. The WUSA nurtured players like Hege Riisa of Norway, and Kelly Smith of England. If WPS can bring certain internationals in-- clever and skillful players like Marta of Brazil-- our young American players in the league, and youth in general, can grow by leaps and bounds.

The administrators in WUSA did a great job of securing the best international players. I hope WPS can bring in such positive flair. It raises the credibility of the league worldwide. The top internationals will give the league instant credibility. It will also give players and fans a wonderful opportunity to see them.. A picture of the sport at the highest level will help grow the game.

What do you feel the impact of WPS will be on younger players, from collegiate to the youth level?

I hope that as just as with the WUSA, young players can have the goal, and the dream, that one day they can play professionally. I know that players on the college level are ambitious and hoping to play in WPS, and that they have this dream. WPS will have a fantastic impact in the US on women's soccer, and internationally as well. Hopefully, WPS will grow the game so that all female players can live their dream.

SBS Blogger

Being that I have spent 11 years of my life in Sweden I consider myself part Swedish. I have played with and or against the majority of players currently on their National Team. I want so much for them to succeed being I know how much time and energy they put into their game each week on a yearly basis. But today's match against China seems to be a reoccurring saga in their quest for a championship.

Sweden are a tactically and technically sound team with a few players that can spice it up a bit. In this match, China was fortunate to get on the board rather quickly when a shot ricocheted off the post onto an oncoming player who slotted it past Hedvig Lindahl. Sweden creates the majority of their chances off of transition which they are very good at doing. I believe they have the player clientele to step up their pressure a bit and win the ball a little higher up on the pitch so they will have more numbers going forward in transition. They have players that can take people on in the attacking third but it is not often their possession starts that high up the pitch.

Sweden evened the score through transition, Keeper Lindahl to Svensson just over midfield who played a great ball in front of Lotta Schelin. Schelin took a touch around the out rushing Chinese keeper and slotted it in off the far post. This was the energy they needed and Sweden seemed to take over the match. The Swedes need to be creative not only one-v-one but in combination with their own players as well, making them not so predictable. When they find themselves in possession in their opponents half against an organized defense, they have to start to create things off the ball but they were very still.

Needless to say the Chinese are a very good squad and are equally as dangerous when opportunity permits. They did a good job taking the space away for Sweden and capitalized on an opportunity to score in the second half. With nothing to lose now, I was sure Sweden would start to push numbers forward and try to get end line, but their game never changed. I once again find myself disappointed in a team that has so much potential but cannot seem to paint the pitch with it.

Heja Sverige!!! Delle #17

When Brandi Chastain inadvertantly blurted out an "Oh My God" on Norway's first goal a little over a minute into the game, that pretty much summed up the United States' start to the Olympic women's soccer tournament. Two goals against in a shocking first five minutes and the US never recovered.losing 2-0.

However, the two early goals weren't the most concerning part. The US still had 85 minutes to score a goal and they couldn't. This team was supposed to be more imaginative and creative than last year's team that struggled at the World Cup but I only saw glimpses. Too many shots from distance and long balls without a purpose. I know that all Norway had to do was sit back the rest of the way but no goals against a team that the US had beaten 4-1 in the World Cup, 4-0 at the Algarve Cup, and 4-0 in a friendly - that's pretty surprising too.

The US has until Saturday to recover when it takes on Japan, which tied New Zealand 2-2 on a late goal by former WUSA player Homare Sawa.

Other scores:

Canada 2:1 Argentina

Brazil 0:0 Germany

North Korea 1:0 Nigeria

China 2:1 Sweden

Caught the second half of the Brazil-Germany game. I was half-asleep but I thought that Brazil had the better of the chances after halftime. Renata Costa's header off a corner kick hit right where the post and crossbar meet and bounced out.

Marta did very well everywhere except finishing - her 50-yard run late in the half was pretty remarkable considering it was about 83 minutes into the game. Angerer did well to come off her line and make the save.

Watching the game without commentary was kind of strange - a dream come true for all the people who complain about the announcers during the games and proclaim that they would rather have no commentary at all.

Oh, and Ronaldinho was at the game.

Next up: US vs. Norway

The Olympics women's soccer tournament kicks off early tomorrow morning - very early tomorrow morning. Consider last year's World Cup - also in China - a preparation for the Olympics if you want to watch any of the games live.

The United States plays its first game tomorrow morning at 7:30 am. Supposedly the game will be shown live on MSNBC although the TV coverage schedule is pretty confusing (does anyone get the NBC Olympics Soccer Channel on their cable system?).

For those more ambitious, the best game of the day is a rematch of the World Cup final - Brazil vs. Germany. That game kicks off at 5 am and fans should be able to watch live on their computers through streaming video at NBCOlympics.com

For the complete broadcast schedule, check out the listings in the new WPS Social Network. Beijing Now. WPS Next.

August 2nd, 2008

So we are on the bus heading away from the village to Tianjin. I have to say that everything has already been so much better than I could have ever imagined it.

I remember when I was young watching the different Olympic games being mesmerized by the athletes and how proud they seemed playing their sport and representing their country. They really enjoyed what they were doing and they were at the top of their sport. I wanted to be like them. I would watch whatever sport was being shown on the television and I only left when I had to. I wanted to do it all….from track, to basketball, to soccer…at that point it did not matter, I just wanted to be like them. I remember telling my parents that one day I wanted to be in the Olympics and them telling me that I could do it. The fact that I am here and that my parents will be here in within 24 hours is proof that if you dream big and are willing to really go after your dreams, it can really happen.

Leading up to this trip so many people asked me what I was feeling. It was hard to explain because there was so much anticipation leading into it and having been to China several times prior I felt I knew what I was going to be seeing, but I had no idea of the feelings that would follow. Walking around the athletes village for the past two days has been unbelievable because it feels like no other China experience I’ve had. It is a completely different atmosphere than at the World Cup last year because you see and recognize other athletes from other sports which is incredible. I have to admit that many of the athletes look much different in person but nevertheless you can tell who they are from the moment you see them. Just walking around in the village you feel special. The volunteers are always smiling and willing to help you out in whatever way they can. There is a mutual respect amongst everyone. I’ve had conversations with other athletes where there is an obvious language barrier yet we still continue the conversation and I still can take something away from it. Politeness is a universal language that everyone here seems to understand which has also been very enjoyable. We’ve had the last two days just to absorb it all in and I think that has been great so now we can focus on what we are here for. It can be overwhelming if it is your first time because you want to enjoy the experience and not miss out so getting these days to just be athletes and not necessarily soccer players has been nice. I’ve spent some time at the Olympian store where I spent several hundred dollars. I also went to the hairdresser to see if they could put my hair in braids…no luck. I think they were willing to try it but at this point, I wasn’t really up for having things ‘tried’ on my hair. I’ve also gotten lost on the bus system around the village. My thought was that just get on the bus because they all seem to be going in the same direction…well I was wrong. What would have taken me 20 minutes to walk to, took me 45 minutes by bus. It was pouring rain on our first day so it wasn’t just about me being lazy but the good thing was that I got a good tour of the village and got to see the beach volleyball courts, the beach soccer, the outdoor pool which is huge and the fitness room which were all for the leisure of the athletes in their down time. We were in the CANADA house but now that we’ve left, when we do return we will stay in the soccer precinct which is the building for the soccer teams that come and go throughout the tournament. We play our first two games in Tianjin, the first against Argentina and the second against home team China. The third game we come back to Beijing and play Sweden at the Workers stadium

We have been told as a team that we will not be attending the Opening Ceremonies which we were all upset about until we found out the details. Because our first game is in Tianjin which is not in Beijing (couple hours drive away actually), if we were to attend we would arrive back to our hotel until possibly 4am. Seeing that we play that day, it simply did not make sense. As an athlete you are disappointed because you have heard so much about the moment you walk out into the stadium with the world watching and the goose bumps that you once felt once as a spectator watching on the television, pales in comparison to the ones you feel as an athlete. The feeling is something that you will experience once in your lifetime. So many athletes here talk about that moment, but what is interesting enough is that so of them also say that although this is their second or third Olympics, they too have never been to the Opening Ceremony because of scheduling/timing issues involving their events. I guess athletes are there hours before it starts and sit and wait for their time to enter the stadium for the remarkable experience but once it is done and you deal with all the traffic, you may be there up to 8 hours. With the Chinese traditionally being big on 8’s, 8:08 pm on August 8th, 2008 the timing of everything is very important and this ceremony will start at a later time, so ending much later. With the process and considering once again we are playing on the 9th, it was a smart decision by our staff to keep us away. One great thing is that my parents will get to enjoy the ceremony and I am so excited for them. It will be a proud moment for me that they will get to experience it and I am sure for them as well, it will be a event they will never forget.

I do hope you enjoy the pictures that I have put up. We are very limited in what we can put on the internet because of Olympic regulations. Please do keep checking in as I will try to share with you as much of this experience as I can because for me, this is a life changing moment. I am living out my dream to the fullest and it is all because I choose to dream big, work hard towards it and believed that I could do it. If you are reading this hoping that one day you too will walk these steps, dream about it today and start working towards it because it truly is all that I could have imagined and much more.

Thanks for checking in,

Karina LeBlanc
www.karinaleblanc.com

In a scant few days, soccer star Brandi Chastain will arrive in New York to begin her duties as a color commentator for the Olympic soccer broadcast. Brandi, a native California girl, always struck me as every bit the New Yorker--with her sense of flair, moxy, and personality. Below, I share this amazing story of her, from her website: www.itsnotaboutthebra.com, which is the title of the book I co-authored with her (and I am sure you are enough of a soccer fan to know WHY that is the title...). Make sure to tune into the NBC broadcast (disussed earlier in the blog), and in the meantime, savor this:

July 26, 2005

A VERY BRANDI DAY!

As co-author and friend of Brandi, I thought I had seen everything--including the extent of her joy and passion for her can't-live-without-it game of soccer.

But on Monday, July 25, 2005, a swelteringly hot day in Manhattan, the girl proved me wrong.

Brandi always fits in her soccer, that’s for sure. Sandwiched between her meetings and an evening speaking engagement, she intended to get in a bit of training. So, when I agreed to meet her in the city, she asked me to bring along one of my daughters’ soccer balls. OK, I thought, shoving the coveted item in my backpack, which now made me look pregnant from behind.

When I met up with her at a renowned midtown restaurant following her luncheon, Brandi looked down at my feet and said, “What? You didn’t wear sneakers to play?”

Now, dear reader, let’s just say charitably that I’m a “middle aged” mother of two, and while I pride myself on being physically fit, the mere thought that I could play any kind of soccer with one of the best woman players in the world is beyond comprehension.

I couldn’t believe she would expect that.

But then, Brandi is a great believer in all possibilities, which is exactly why when the first patch of Manhattan grass she hoped to play on was blocked off, she hustled back to her hotel to change her clothes, and head to Central Park—a mere mile walk that she did in a pace akin to most runners. I struggled to keep up.

We reached the fields in the Park, where I found my calling as ball server, chaser, goalie and general water girl for Brandi. When I shed my sandals for the job, she set them up as markers for me to toss her balls. Sweating, juggling, her touch as exquisite as any player you’ll ever see, it didn’t take long for a fan to recognize her, and come by for a quick photo. At that point, the homeless man sleeping nearby raised his head, and with his single-tooth smile said, “I thought she looked professional.”

After nearly an hour of work, we headed back toward Brandi’s hotel. But she wasn’t done yet. “Let me take the ball,” she volunteered, which she kept at her feet, dribbling, while she made a necessary call on her cell phone. A pack of young women looked over, clearly recognizing her. They smiled shyly; their body language asking, “Should we approach her?”

But it was too late; Brandi was on the move. We exited the park, she in shorts and a crop top, picking up the dribbling pace. Down Seventh Avenue she traveled, adding a bevy of tricks: a stepover here, a give-and-go with a street seller there. At one point, she threw in a pasa de vaca, too quick for her victim to register his embarrassment at the ball going by him. If you’ve ever seen the Nike commercial with Ronaldo & Co. dribbling through an airport, you’ll know how Brandi dazzled the pedestrians, except this was no act!! She scooted around deftly, evading the kind of crowds that only Manhattan can draw.

She kept it up—weaving in and out the poles of metal construction barriers, kicking the ball off the wall of a Citibank branch. “This is a good workout,” she called out. But more, it was some of the best fun and entertainment you could imagine. People along the street smiled, a few turned their heads, one tried to photograph her. “You have to practice a lot to be that good,” one mother bent down to tell her young son. And remarkably enough, only in New York, a few people who watched her looked unfazed.

Not me. I marveled. The irony did not escape me that we had arrived at the heart of the theatre district—the home of the great Broadway shows. Because that’s what Brandi had put on, a great show. And not for the sake of performing, but as yet another opportunity to explore the eternal love of her game. It was just further proof that love is as enduring and as fresh as the day she headed to the field as a six-year-old, holding her mom’s and dad’s hand, and kicked a soccer ball for the very first time.

And by the way, next time I'll bring my sneakers.

Gloria Averbuch

100 Olympic athletes to watch: #15 Heather O'Reilly (Time)

Monday, July 28, 2008
By: Sean Gregory, Time

Soccer
United States
Age: 23

She wears the "Next Mia" label, and wears it well, thank you. She even dons Hamm's No. 9 jersey. In Athens, the then 19-year-old O'Reilly was the youngest player on the team, and scored a winning goal in the semifinals for the gold-medal winning team. She followed her Olympic run with a brilliant career at the University of North Carolina (just like you-know- who), where she scored 59 goals and won two national titles. O'Reilly is switching positions for the Olympics, from forward to midfield, to take advantage of her size and speed; after the U.S. women finished a disappointing third at the '07 World Cup, she is seeking redemption in Beijing.

View the full article: 100 Olympic athletes to watch: #15 Heather O'Reilly

Cool Q & A with Julie Foudy on her Leadership Camp

http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=26821