Yes! I haven’t checked that all of the games are still there, but I am completing my own archive with the missing part of the US-CAN game. I don’t trust the permanence of the internet; pretty sure the candid fanboy videos from Chile have disappeared.
Agreed that this group will be fun to watch. Hoping they hold onto their budding style and character!
A note on Andrews: she had family obligations during this trip. I’m pretty sure she would have been on the roster, otherwise.
I wonder if this means Toronto has dibs on the U-20 tournament final! That would be excellent.
I think Toronto is left out of the senior world cup options because the city will be hosting the Pan Am Games. Although that doesn’t negate your point. After all, Pan Ams involve both men’s and women’s sports. Fingers crossed in the hopes that the US women have a representative team there, too!
The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team continues its preparation for qualifying for the 2014 FIFA U-120 Women’s World Cup with a trip to Gavle, Sweden, from May 24-June 3. U.S. U-20 WNT head coach Michelle French has called up 20 players for the trip that will see the USA square off against Sweden’s U-20 Women’s National Team on Friday, May 31 and Sweden’s U-23 Women’s National Team on Sunday, June 2.
U-20 WNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2) : Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire SC; Kennesaw, Ga.), Morgan Stearns (McLean Youth Soccer; San Antonio, Texas)
DEFENDERS (7): Mandy Freeman (Orlando City; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Hanna Gardner (UNC; Chapel Hill, N.C.), Laura Liedle (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.), Kayla Mills (Slammers FC; West Covina, Calif.), Karlie Mueller (Texas A&M; Sioux Falls, S.D.), Katie Naughton (Notre Dame; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Summer Green (UNC; Milford, Mich.), Rose Lavelle (Cincinnati United; Cincinnati, Ohio), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.), Danielle Weatherholt (Santa Clara; Capistrano Beach, Calif.), Allison Wetherington (Concorde Fire SC; Acworth, Ga.)
FORWARDS (6): Janine Beckie (Real Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), Lindsey Horan (PSG; Golden, Colo.), Amber Munerlyn (SoCal Blues; Corona, Calif.), Toni Payne (Concorde Fire SC; Birmingham, Ala.), Margaret Purce (Freestate; Silver Springs, Md.)
Well, it is the start of the cycle. There are some personnel changes for this roster that I think will be significant, and that I would love to see carry through. There are some changes in player positions that need to really not happen. See also: stop converting everyone to defenders. Hard to judge at this point. Don’t forget, the U-23s are also a group that change a lot this cycle with the supposed impact of NWSL.
Coaching business is always up in the air. How much did Swanson actually have to do with coaching the U-20s last cycle? How much did Snow contribute to UCLA teams that Ellis built? (Honestly, is his position with the U-17s any different from being an assistant under Ellis?) How much is Greg Ryan going to shape Canada’s youth these days? I’m willing to wait and see with French.
I feel pretty positive about the current U-20 roster. Andrews is back in the midfield, Jesolva has been pulled in, Weatherholt is basically on track to be the Johnston/Huerta of her class at SCU, Doniak and Weber had promising freshmen seasons, and Horan and Jenkins are known quantities. That backline is shaping up to be a thing of beauty - let them gel, figure out who the starting keeper is, and the crew could be pretty strong heading into quals next year.
The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team will come together for the third time in 2013, holding a training camp from April 13-20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. that will be run concurrently with a U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team camp.
The two squads will scrimmage each other on April 16 at 10 a.m. PT and on April 19 at 4 p.m. PT.
U.S. U-20 WNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire; Kennesaw, Ga.), Cassie Miller (Florida State; Cave Creek, Ariz.), Morgan Stearns (McLean Youth Soccer; San Antonio, Texas), Andi Tostanoski (Santa Clara; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
DEFENDERS: (5): Brittany Basinger (FC Virginia; Purcellville, Va.), Hanna Gardner (North Carolina; Chapel Hill, N.C.), Laura Liedle (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.), Katie Naughton (Notre Dame; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Andrews (FC Stars of Mass.; Milford, N.H.), Joanna Boyles (Chelsea Ladies; Raleigh, N.C.), Jordan Jesolva (SoCal Blues; La Mirada, Calif.), Rose Lavelle (Cincinnati United; Cincinnati, Ohio), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.), Danielle Weatherholt (Santa Clara; Capistrano Beach, Calif.), Isabel Farrell (Washington; Bellevue, Wash.)
FORWARDS (8): Janine Beckie (Texas Tech; Highlands Ranch, Co.), Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), Lindsey Horan (Paris Saint-Germain; Golden, Colo.), Darian Jenkins (Sparta; Riverton, Utah), Kristen Killion (TSC Hurricane; Broken Arrow, Ok.), Amber Munerlyn (SoCal Blues; Corona, Calif.), Toni Payne (Concorde Fire; Birmingham, Ala.), Mallory Weber (Penn State; Novi, Mich.)
The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team will make its first international trip of the year, traveling to La Manga, Spain, from March 1-12 for the 12 Nations tournament.
U.S. U-20 WNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire South; Kennesaw, Ga.) Morgan Stearns (McLean Youth Soccer; San Antonio, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): Morgan Andrews (FC Stars of Mass.; Milford, N.H.), Mandy Freeman (Orlando City; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Hanna Gardner (UNC, Chapel Hill, N.C.), Zoey Goralski (Team Chicago; Naperville, Ill.), Katie Naughton (Notre Dame; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Katie Cousins (Richmond Kickers; Forest, Va.), Isabel Farrell (Washington; Bellevue, Wash.), Rose Lavelle (Cincinnati United; Cincinnati United), Ashley Meier (Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Va.), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.)
FORWARDS (5): Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), Lindsey Horan (Paris Saint-Germain, Golden, Colo.), Summer Green (UNC; Milford, Mich.), Darian Jenkins (Sparta; Riverton, Utah), Amber Munerlyn (So Cal Blues; Corona, Calif.)
The U.S. U-20 WNT training camp will be held concurrently with the U.S. U-18 WNT training camp and the two squads will scrimmage against each other on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. The U-20s will also scrimmage UCLA on Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. PT.
U.S. U-20 WNT Roster by Position:
U.S. U-18 WNT Roster by Position:
HALDANE: Are there any up-and-coming players whom you’re looking forward to playing with?
RAPINOE: I watched the [national] U17 team play in the CONCACAF championship and then I saw the U20s World Cup. It’s always fun to see new talent and think, Oh man, just a few years ago I was there! That was me. It’s still a bit of a jump [from juniors to the national team]. Part of that is because our youth system isn’t that integrated with our senior system. I think Tom will do a good job of trying to integrate them. One of our top prospects, Lindsey Horan, is skipping college to play professionally for [French club] PSG [Paris Saint-Germain]. She’s the best one I’ve seen so far.
” —Women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe on coming out and the future of women’s soccer - ESPN The Magazine Interview Issue - espnWImportant: Joan will be in Portland for the UND-Pilots game. Please say hello to her!
Discussed: No intro this week as Joan lost her voice due to a summer cold. In this epsiode, Joan relays the most bizarre thing that has ever happened. Then we talk women’s soccer! U20 WWC, NCAA and we’ll be seeing a game together! Full shownotes at crossconference.com.
Email us - crossconference@gmail.com
We’re also on Twitter: @crossconference or individually @joanofdark and @Redshirt_RM
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday disclosed that it has offered the U-20 women national team, the Falconets, an improved bonus regime, as they girls meet Mexico today in one of the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women World Cup in Japan. The gesture, according to the NFF, is to motivate the girls to beat the Mexicans, who coach Edwin Okon confessed to be “a very strong team.”
NFF President, Aminu Maigari, disclosed yesterday that some board members and officials of the federation left for Japan with funds to cover the improved bonus package leading to the final of the competition.
The Falconets received $1000 bonus per match in previous games before the new regime but will now get $2000 each from today. The match, which is scheduled for Tokyo National Stadium, will be aired at 8a.m in Nigeria and it is the 25th match of the tourney.
” —NFF doubles Falconets’ bonusesSofia Huerta certainly wasted no time making an impact at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Japan 2012. The forward scored after coming off the bench in Mexico’s opening match, before earning a starting role and finding the net in both of her subsequent outings.
Huerta’s form is all the more remarkable given that she nearly missed out on the trip to Japan altogether. Indeed, she was called up to take part in a training camp with USA’s U-20s in January this year, but ultimately failed to make the squad. Her omission, however, came much to the delight of the Mexico U-20s, who took advantage of her dual Mexican and American citizenship to offer her the same opportunity.
“I live and play in the USA, but I felt very honoured when Mexico called me up,” Huerta, whose father is from Puebla in Mexico, told FIFA.com after the convincing 4-0 victory over New Zealand that earned her side a quarter-final with Nigeria. “The coach and the players have made it very easy for me to integrate and adapt to the playing style. It’s all happened naturally and I’m very happy to be representing Mexico.”
Another episode that almost prevented Huerta from shining for El Tri at Japan 2012 was the fractured elbow she suffered three weeks before the tournament. “I didn’t know if I was going to be part of the team, or if I would be ready,” she said, explaining why she was named as a substitute for Mexico’s 4-1 opening defeat by Japan. “It was a logical decision, but I knew that if the coach turned to me, I would try my best to make a difference.”
We’re playing at a World Cup. If I have to injure myself to do something that helps my team, I’ll take the risk. Sofia Huerta, Mexico forward.
Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar, for his part, is clearly delighted to have been able to take the Santa Clara University forward with him to Japan. “She only joined us a short time ago but she has become a very important player,” the former midfielder told FIFA.com. “Her personality and quality as a footballer have helped the team a great deal. She’s a player who works hard and works well. She’s very committed.”
So committed, in fact, that she is even prepared to risk her health to help her team-mates. “Even though it’s very recent, I don’t give a second’s thought to my injury when I’m playing,” she said, untroubled by the ice pack strapped to her elbow. “Once, out of the dozens of times I’ve been in contact situations, I may have said to myself: ‘Go easy. Be careful’.”
“But I prefer not to think about it,” Huerta continued. “We’re playing at a World Cup. If I have to injure myself to do something that helps my team, I’ll take the risk. Although it’s probably not a great idea!”
Huerta has been scoring regularly for several years at university level, but playing for a national team is still a novel experience. Now, though, just a few weeks after her call-up, she finds herself representing El Tri at a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. “It’s been natural [progress], but nobody can say it’s been easy adapting to life at the top level, and to the demands of a national team,” said Huerta, a keen admirer of Lionel Messi.
“Everything he [Messi] does is effective,” she said. “It may not always be spectacular but it always results in a goal, and that’s all that matters when you’re a forward.” As Huerta explained, goals scored at world finals always feel extra-special. “I know it’s a cliché, but it really is an indescribable feeling,” said the forward, who has three goals to her name so far at Japan 2012. “I’ve come here to do everything I can to represent my country well. Scoring important goals is the best way to do it. We’re in the quarter-finals and I’m very happy to have contributed to that.”
“She’s part of a new generation of players that will help the senior side to progress. She has a great future,” added coach Cuellar. And for Huerta, that future starts against Nigeria.
[“Several years at the university level” is a stretch since she’s only a sophomore, but she’s still totally baller.]
