OT. USA v GER. US Womens Soccer on now.

[CTyankee]

ESPN3. 2-1 USA at the half. Pre Olympics friendly. Except these teams aren't friendly.

 

[CTyankee]

Final... 2-1 USA.. We beat 2-3-5th ranked teams in this pre Olympics tuneup tournament. Very Huskeyesque I must say.

 

[BigBird]

Morgan's goal was a classic. The USWNT has achieved quite a great deal, given that Americans had almost no interest in soccer until after 1960. The younger players are showing that they belong, and the veterans are showing the way. Also very UConn-esque.

 

[iri10]

Morgan's goal was a classic. The USWNT has achieved quite a great deal, given that Americans had almost no interest in soccer until after 1960.

To be fair, it the traditional soccer powerhouses often had little interest in supporting women's soccer. And in some cases, they still have little interest in supporting women's soccer. So even though we don't have a long love affair with the sport like in other parts of the world, we were still more or less able to get in on the ground floor on the girls' side.

 

[BigBird]

To be fair, it the traditional soccer powerhouses often had little interest in supporting women's soccer. And in some cases, they still have little interest in supporting women's soccer. So even though we don't have a long love affair with the sport like in other parts of the world, we were still more or less able to get in on the ground floor on the girls' side.

Good point. If we wanted to extend it a bit, Title IX had something to do with it too, as high schools and colleges scrambled to add a comparatively inexpensive women's sport to at least partially offset the fortune being spent on football. This also might explain something else: the reason we still lag far behind in men's soccer. There are clearly major disincentives to having a collegiate men's soccer team.

 

[meyers7]

They have nice younger team now. Lot's of youth coming in. They'll be good for awhile.

 

[Jeff H]

Was at the game in Tampa and watched the rest. Mallory Pugh is 17 years old and will probably be a starter for the Olympics. Looks like she may be someone really special.

 

[stamfordhusky]

To be fair, it the traditional soccer powerhouses often had little interest in supporting women's soccer. And in some cases, they still have little interest in supporting women's soccer. So even though we don't have a long love affair with the sport like in other parts of the world, we were still more or less able to get in on the ground floor on the girls' side.

Yes, definitely in on the ground floor. When the U.S. was dominant in the '90's, about the only countries in the world with serious interest in women's soccer were in Scandinavia plus the U.S. and Canada. Germany at that time was beginning to develop interest, and China developed a good team through residence camps for girls identified as good athletes. However there was no interest in women's soccer in China at large. As for Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, France, England, Holland, Portugal, etc, there was no interest at all - and girls were often discouraged from playing the sport.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Was at the game in Tampa and watched the rest. Mallory Pugh is 17 years old and will probably be a starter for the Olympics. Looks like she may be someone really special.

Yes, Pugh could be very special. Also was happy to see 21-year old midfielder Lindsey Horan play well. She is very skilled - turned down a scholarship to UNC to play professionally in France - but there have been some questions about her speed and conditioning. If she continues to get fitter, she could be a fixture in the midfield for the next decade.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Good point. If we wanted to extend it a bit, Title IX had something to do with it too, as high schools and colleges scrambled to add a comparatively inexpensive women's sport to at least partially offset the fortune being spent on football. This also might explain something else: the reason we still lag far behind in men's soccer. There are clearly major disincentives to having a collegiate men's soccer team.

There may be some disincentives, but the fact of the matter is that anyone whose ambition is to be a top-level soccer player shouldn't be going to college. The season is way too short, the coaching is usually not top notch, and the competition is third-rate relative to what a player would face in Europe. More and more U.S. teenagers are heading to Europe to learn the game.

 

[CTyankee]

There may be some disincentives, but the fact of the matter is that anyone whose ambition is to be a top-level soccer player shouldn't be going to college. The season is way too short, the coaching is usually not top notch, and the competition is third-rate relative to what a player would face in Europe. More and more U.S. teenagers are heading to Europe to learn the game.

Certainly true of men's soccer... However the timing is different... Men, if they are truly interested in learning from the best, go overseas while in or after high school. The women leave after they get their degrees and their college careers are over. The money lure is much greater for the men...

 

[Baroloboy]

I was at the game last night and have been following the WNT for several years. It struck me that this team has a lot of similarities with a Geno coached team. Tremendous defense, great talent throughout the line up, a team first mentality, mentally tough, physically tough, a high level energy the full 90 minutes and great young women not just soccer players.. In addition it doesn't hurt to have the world's greatest goalkeeper. The future looks incredibly bright with enormous talent in the younger players. Pugh is a phenom. Her speed is much more impressive in person as opposed to on TV.How can anyone play so well at this level when almost all her experience was playing against high school teams. Morgan Brian is just 23. Crystal Dunn will be a real star and Samantha Mewis was a beast last night.

 

[ju6381]

Would love to see Emily Sonnett get thrown in the lineup as soon as the Olympics are over and move Julie Johnston to a holding midfield spot.

 

[meyers7]

Would love to see Emily Sonnett get thrown in the lineup as soon as the Olympics are over and move Julie Johnston to a holding midfield spot.

When Lloyd retires (?????), Horan can move up to the top of the midfield triangle. Then Johnson and O'Brien can be the base. Hopefully Sonnett can move in there then. She seems really tough, just needs more experience I think.