WNT Faces Iceland for Berth in Algarve Cup Final
U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Iceland
2015 Algarve Cup – Group B
Municipal Stadium; Lagos, Portugal
March 9, 2015
WNT FACES ICELAND FOR BERTH IN ALGARVE CUP FINAL: After earning the full six points from its first two Algarve Cup matches with a 2-1 win against Norway and a 3-0 triumph over Switzerland, the U.S. Women’s National Team is well-positioned to earn a berth in the championship game with its Group B finale against Iceland remaining. The USA-Iceland match will kick off at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 9, but will not be televised due to inadequate lighting at the Municipal Stadium in Lagos, Portugal. Fans can follow the match on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt and @ussoccer_esp, and watch highlights on ussoccer.com.
GOING FOR 10: Should the USA advance to the championship game, it will be the program’s 14th Algarve Cup Final. The U.S. WNT most recently won the Algarve Cup in 2013, beating Germany 2-0 in the title game to earn its ninth title, the most of any country. The U.S. team trained for eight days in Portugal before the starting this tournament that features six of the world’s top-10 ranked teams, including the top five. Brazil, currently ranked eighth, is participating for the first time. In all, 11 of the 12 participating countries are ranked in the top-20 in the world.
ALGARVE CUP FORMAT: This is the 22nd edition of the Algarve Cup, and for the first time in 14 years, it has undergone a change in the competition format. When the Algarve Cup expanded from eight to 12 teams in 2001, a Group C was created that generally consisted of lower-tier teams that were eligible to compete only for spots in the placement matches for seventh, ninth and 11th. This year, for the first time, all 12 teams will be competing for the tournament title. The final will be contested by the two group winners with the most points (or if all three group winners are tied on points, the top two will be determined by a series of tiebreakers). The third-place match will feature the third-best group winner against the best second-place team from the three groups. In addition, the fifth-place match will be played between the two remaining second-place teams; the seventh-place match between the two best third-place teams; the ninth-place match between the remaining third-place team against the best fourth-place team; while the 11th-place match will feature the remaining two teams that finished fourth in their groups.
USA ADVANCEMENT SCENARIOS: As there are three teams in groups B and C that could end up winning the group with six points, and two in Group A (along with Brazil, that could finish with seven), the scenarios of who could make the championship game under this new Algarve Cup format are vast and varied. But this much we know…
- With only two teams – the USA and France – on six points after the first two match days, those two countries are in the driver’s seat for berths to the final. With wins, both teams will qualify for the championship game.
- Should the USA draw with Iceland and finish on seven points, it would still win the group, but then would have to beat out at least one of the other group winners to earn a spot in the title game, with the first tiebreaker being goal differential and the second being goals scored. The USA is currently at plus-4, Brazil is at plus-2 and France is at plus-4, but much could change in the final round of matches as far as goal differential and goals scored.
- If the USA falls to Iceland, there would still be a chance to win the group with six points, and even advance to the championship game, but it would have to rely on the correct confluence of results and scores in Group B and the other groups.
22nd Annual Algarve Cup Standings
Group A
|
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts. |
|
BRA |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
4 |
|
SWE |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
|
GER |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
|
CHN |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
-2 |
1 |
Group A Update: Germany rebounded from a 4-2 loss to Sweden on the first match day to defeat China PR 2-0 on goals from Anja Mittag and Alexandra Popp. Germany did suffer an injury blow, losing talented central defender Luisa Wensing to a broken leg. Sweden fell to Brazil 2-0 on a long-distance free kick from Marta and a penalty kick by Andressa, but still has a chance to win the group with its finale coming against China. Germany and Brazil meet in one of the marquee matches on the final match day with both likely needing a win to take first in the group. Brazil also suffered an apparent serious injury when forward Debinha went down in the 15th minute and needed to be replaced.
Group B
|
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts. |
|
USA |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
6 |
|
NOR |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
SUI |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
3 |
|
ISL |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
-3 |
0 |
Group B Update: The USA moved into first place with a convincing 3-0 win against Switzerland, with all three goals coming in the second half. Alex Morgan finished a deftly played free kick from Lauren Holiday with a close-range volley, Amy Rodriguez pulled off some fancy footwork in front of the net to make it 2-0 and substitute Abby Wambach added a third on a long-range chip over the goalkeeper after running onto an errant back pass. In the other Group B match, Norway used a ninth-minute goal from Emilie Havvi to defeat Iceland 1-0. The results mean the USA needs just a tie against Iceland to win the group, but a win will ensure the U.S. a berth in the championship game as France is the only other team with six points after the first two match days and thus the only team that accrue the full nine points after three games.
Group C
|
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts. |
|
FRA |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
6 |
|
JPN |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
+2 |
3 |
|
DEN |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
-1 |
3 |
|
POR |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
-4 |
0 |
Group C Update: France walloped Denmark with four goals in the first half from four different players – Eugenie Le Sommer, Camille Abily, Kenzi Dali and Claire Lavogez – and was up 3-0 inside of 14 minutes on the way to an eventual 4-1 victory. Japan rebounded from its 2-1 loss to Denmark to defeat host Portugal 3-0 on goals from Yuri Kawamura, Kumi Yokoyama and Yuika Sugasawa. That sets up a France-Japan clash on the final day of group play while Denmark is also still in the running for the group title with its one match remaining against Portugal. France needs just a tie to win the group, but like the USA, can clinch a berth for the title game with a win.
For a full listing of the 2015 Algarve Cup schedule and results, visit the tournament page on ussoccer.com.
ALGARVE CUP FAST FACTS
- There will be no overtime in the Algarve Cup placement games on March 11. If tied at the end of regulation, any of the six placement matches will go directly to penalty kicks.
- In each match, each team is allowed to perform six substitutions using four stops during the match. However, when the second half starts, each team can only make three stops to perform a maximum of six substitutions. During each stop, each team can substitute one or more players.
- The tiebreakers within the groups are as follows: 1) head-to-head result, 2) goal differential, 3) goals scored, 4) best Fair Play ranking from the group matches and 5) best FIFA ranking.
- If two or more teams have the same points in different groups, the tiebreakers to determine the placement matches will be: 1) goal differential, 2) goals scored, 3) best Fair Play ranking from the group matches and 4) best FIFA ranking.
- If a player earns two yellow card cautions during the tournament, she will receive a one-match suspension. A red card will also result in a one-game suspension.
- Two awards will be given out at the end of the tournament – Best Player and the Fair Play Award.
ALGARVE CUP BEGINS EIGHT-GAME RUN TO WORLD CUP: The USA heads into the Algarve Cup with eight games remaining before opening FIFA Women’s World Cup play on June 8 against Australia in Winnipeg. The U.S. team will play four matches in eight days at the Algarve Cup and then return home for four matches over April and May, the first of which will be played on April 4 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. More than 30,000 tickets have already been sold for the match.
2015 U.S. WNT SCHEDULE:
|
Date |
Opponent |
Time |
TV/Result |
Venue |
|
Feb. 8 |
France |
12 p.m. ET |
0-2 L |
Stade du Moustoir; Lorient, France |
|
Feb. 13 |
England |
3 p.m. ET |
1-0 W |
stadiummk; Milton Keynes, England |
|
March 4 |
Norway* |
2 p.m. ET |
2-1 W |
Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal |
|
March 6 |
Switzerland* |
12 p.m. ET |
3-0 W |
Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal |
|
March 9 |
Iceland* |
1:30 p.m. ET |
-- |
Lagos, Portugal |
|
March 11 |
TBD* |
TBD |
FOX Sports 1 |
TBD, Portugal |
|
April 4 |
New Zealand |
2:30 p.m. CT |
FOX Sports 1 |
Busch Stadium; St. Louis, Mo. |
|
May 10 |
Ireland |
11:30 a.m. PT |
FOX Sports 1 |
Avaya Stadium; San Jose, Calif. |
|
May 17 |
Mexico |
6 p.m. PT |
FOX Sports 1 |
StubHub Center; Carson, Calif. |
|
May 30 |
Korea Rep. |
4:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN, WatchESPN |
Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J. |
|
June 8 |
Australia |
6:30 p.m. CT |
FOX |
Winnipeg Stadium; Winnipeg, Canada |
|
June 12 |
Sweden |
7 p.m. CT |
FOX |
Winnipeg Stadium; Winnipeg, Canada |
|
June 16 |
Nigeria |
5 p.m. PT |
FOX |
BC Place Stadium; Vancouver, Canada |
* Algarve Cup
USA DRAWN INTO GROUP D AT 2015 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: At the Final Draw conducted on Dec. 6 in Ottawa, the U.S. Women’s National Team was drawn into Group D at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup where it will face Australia, Nigeria and Sweden. The seventh Women’s World Cup will take place from June 6-July 5 in Canada. The U.S. will open the tournament against Australia on June 8 at Winnipeg Stadium, face Sweden on June 12 in Winnipeg, and finish Group D play against Nigeria on June 16 at BC Place in Vancouver. The USA, Nigeria and Sweden have competed in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
25 TO ALGARVE: U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis named a 25-player training roster for the 2015 Algarve Cup but as just 23 can suit up for the games, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and captain Christie Rampone did not suit up for the first two matches. After the first two group games, Whitney Engen, who suffered a minor hamstring injury, was replaced on the roster by Rampone, who has returned to full fitness after recovering from a back injury that kept her out of the USA’s two early February friendly matches. The roster includes 22 of the 24 players that were in Europe for the USA’s recent matches against France and England, with midfielder Megan Rapinoe, Rampone and goalkeeper Hope Solo rejoining the squad.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3):
24-Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), 21-Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), 1-Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS (10):
16-Lori Chalupny (Chicago Red Stars), 22-Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), 6-Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), 26-Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars),
25-Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), 11-Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), 5-Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), 3-Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), 4-Becky
Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), 19-Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns)
MIDFIELDERS (7):
7-Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), 14-Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), 17-Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), 12-Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), 10-Carli Lloyd
(Houston Dash), 9-Heather O’Reilly (FC Kansas City), 15-Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS (5):
2-Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), 13-Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), 23-Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), 8-Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), 20-Abby
Wambach (Western NY Flash)
U.S. ROSTER NOTES:
- Carli Lloyd’s two goals in the 2-1 victory against Norway on March 4 gave her 63 for her career and 12 at the Algarve Cup, making her the third all-time leading scorer at the Algarve Cup behind Abby Wambach (21) and Kristine Lilly (13). Alex Morgan has 12 at the Algarve Cup.
- The USA’s five goals so far in the tournament have come from four different players.
- Lloyd is the only U.S. player carrying a yellow card caution.
- Morgan did not play in last year’s Algarve Cup as she was recovering from an ankle injury. Midfielder Lauren Holiday also missed last year’s tournament, due to a family commitment. She has scored six goals in the Algarve Cup.
- Holiday, the 2013 NWSL MVP and 2014 NWSL Championship Game MVP, was also the 2014 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.
- Hope Solo came into the tournament with a U.S. record 78 career shutouts and with the clean sheet against Switzerland now has 79.
- U.S. captain Christie Rampone is currently the second most-capped player in U.S. and world history with 304.
- Lloyd was the MVP of the 2007 Algarve Cup after scoring in all four games that year. She also scored three goals in the 2010 tournament.
- Four players on the roster made their WNT debut at the Algarve Cup: goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris (2013), defender Whitney Engen (2012), defender Rachel Van Hollebeke (2008) and forward Amy Rodriguez (2005).
- Defender Ali Krieger (2013), defender Whitney Engen (2013) and midfielder Tobin Heath (2008) scored their first WNT goal at the Algarve Cup. All against China PR.
- Against Switzerland on March 6, veteran midfielder Shannon Boxx saw her first action in a game since April of 2013 when she played against Germany in a 3-3 tie in Offenbach. Boxx played the final 12 minutes in place of Holiday. Boxx’s long layoff was due to injuries, but also pregnancy, as she gave birth to a baby daughter a little more than one year ago. Boxx has 27 goals in 187 caps for the USA and played in the past three Women’s World Cup and three Olympic tournaments.
- Lloyd was the only player to log all 450 minutes during the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. She was named MVP of the tournament after scoring five goals.
- Lloyd led the USA in scoring in 2014, finding the net 15 times, tying her career high in a calendar year. Wambach was second with 14 goals. Lloyd also led the USA in assists with eight.
- Nine players on the roster are trying to make their first Women’s World Cup squad: Harris, Alyssa Naeher, Crystal Dunn, Engen, Julie Johnston, Meghan Klingenberg, Morgan Brian, Sydney Leroux and Christen Press.
- Brian, the USA’s youngest player at age 22, was the 2014 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year.
- While Wambach is the USA’s top scorer on the roster with 178 goals, Lloyd is next with 63 career international goals and Morgan has 51. Heather O’Reilly has scored 41.
- With 14 goals in 2014, Wambach reached double-figures in eight different calendar years. Mia Hamm still holds the record with nine years in double-figures.
- Wambach has 22 goals all-time at the Algarve Cup.
- Rodriguez had an excellent 2014 NWSL season with 13 goals in the regular season, good for second in the league and most from the run of play. She scored three more in the playoffs, including both goals in the NWSL title game. Rodriguez has 28 international scores.
- Press’ four-goal performance against Argentina in Brazil in December was the ninth such game in U.S. history and second of 2014 after Wambach scored four times against Costa Rica in the championship game of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship. It was the first-career hat trick for Press.
- Lloyd and Press led the USA with 23 appearances (out of 24 total games) in 2014. Lloyd started all 23.
- Naeher, the 2014 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year for the Boston Breakers, made her USA debut against Argentina on Dec. 18, 2014, and became the 22nd goalkeeper to suit up for the U.S. WNT.
- Naeher also became the seventh U.S. WNT goalkeeper to earn a shutout in her first appearance. The others are Gretchen Gegg (1986), Amy Allmann (1987), Mary Harvey (1989), Briana Scurry (1994), Solo (2000) and Emily Oleksiuk (2001).
- Left back Lori Chalupny played in three matches in the International Tournament of Brasilia last December, starting them all, while making a return to the U.S. team for the first time since the fall of 2010. She now has 97 caps and potentially could reach 100 in her hometown of St. Louis at the USA’s first domestic game of 2015.
- All nine NWSL clubs are represented on the roster.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS:
- With two goals against Norway on March 4, Carli Lloyd upped her career total to 63. She is in sole possession of seventh place on the U.S. WNT’s all-time goal scoring list, passing Shannon MacMillan who scored 60 goals in her career. Lloyd is the highest-scoring player in U.S. history who has played exclusively as a midfielder.
- Heather O’Reilly is the ninth player to hit 200 caps in U.S. history after reaching the milestone against Korea DPR on March 12, 2014. Now with 215, she is seventh on the USA’s all-time list. Abby Wambach (236) and Christie Rampone (304) are the only active players ahead of her.
- O’Reilly is the second-youngest player to hit 200 caps for the USA. Lilly was 28 years, 9 months and 15 days old when she earned cap No. 200 on May 7, 2000. O’Reilly was 29 years, 2 months and 10 days old when she earned her 200th cap.
- O’Reilly is currently sixth all-time in assists with 52 and is 13th all-time in goals with 41.
- In addition to breaking Mia Hamm’s world scoring record, Wambach’s June 20, 2013, performance against the Korea Republic also made her the USA’s all-time leader in multiple-goal games with 39 for her career. She has since added four more and now sits at 43. She has 35 two-goal games, five hat tricks, two four-goal games and one five-goal game.
- Sydney Leroux is 15th on the all-time U.S. WNT goal scoring list with 33 goals.
- With her game-winning goal against England on Feb. 13, Alex Morgan became the 10th player in U.S. history to score 50 or more goals. She now has 51.
U.S. WNT AT THE ALGARVE CUP
- The USA has a 55-12-10 record all-time at the Algarve Cup.
- The USA has scored 170 goals while allowing 62 at the Algarve Cup.
- There are now 38 different WNT players have scored at the Algarve Cup.
- The USA has never lost at the Vila Real de Santo Antonio venue, site for its first two matches of the 2015 Algarve Cup, going 10-0-1 over the years. At the Lagos venue, where the USA will play its third Group B match, the USA has a losing record, going 4-5-1 over the years.
- The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game is seven, achieved against Portugal in 2000.
- The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game not against Portugal is five, achieved against France in a 5-1 win in 2004 and twice against Denmark in 5-0 wins in 2006 and 2012.
- After winning on March 4, the U.S. Women have gone 14-1-5 in openers of the annual tournament the past 20 times they have attended. The only loss came in 2001 when the USA brought a very young team to the Algarve during WUSA pre-season camps.
- Fourteen players on the roster have scored at the Algarve Cup: Abby Wambach (22 goals), Carli Lloyd (12), Alex Morgan (12), Lauren Holiday (6), Heather O’Reilly (6), Sydney Leroux (5), Megan Rapinoe (4), Shannon Boxx (3), Amy Rodriguez (3), Christen Press (2), Rachel Van Hollebeke (1), Whitney Engen (1), Tobin Heath (1) and Ali Krieger (1),
- Wambach’s 22 goals are tops all-time at the Algarve Cup for a U.S. player and one of the leaders all time in the 22-year history of the tournament.
- The USA had been shut out in just eight of its 77 all-time Algarve Cup games (with two coming in 2001), before being shutout twice in 2006, with both games ending 0-0 in regulation against China and Germany. The USA was shutout again last year in a 1-0 loss to Sweden in its second group match. The tie against China in the 2006 Algarve opener broke a streak of 17 straight games in which the USA had scored at this tournament.
- Four teams have played in all 22 Algarve Cups so far: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and host Portugal.
Videos and Photo Galleries:
- WNT vs. Switzerland: Highlights – March 6, 2015 (Video)
- Strong Second Half Helps WNT Beat Switzerland (Photo Gallery)
- WNT Outside Backs on the Attack (Video)
Releases:
- WNT Captain Christie Rampone Added to Algarve Cup Roster
- WNT Moves into First in Group B, Tops Switzerland 3-0 at Algarve Cup
- Algarve Cup Quote Sheet: WNT vs. Switzerland – March 6, 2015
- U.S. Soccer to Offer VIP Travel Program During FIFA Women’s World Cup
ALL-TIME U.S. FINISHES AT THE ALGARVE CUP: The USA has had some tremendous and remarkable success at the Algarve Cup (eight straight appearances in the championship game from 2004-2012 and nine titles overall), but the USA didn’t win its first title until its sixth try in 2000 when a Brandi Chastain penalty kick defeated Norway in the title game 1-0. It took the USA three years to win it again.
|
Year |
U.S. Finish |
No. of teams |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
|
1994 |
Second |
6 |
Norway |
USA |
|
1995 |
Fourth |
8 |
Sweden |
Denmark |
|
1996 |
Did not participate |
8 |
Sweden |
Norway |
|
1997 |
Did not participate |
8 |
Norway |
China PR |
|
1998 |
Third |
8 |
Norway |
Denmark |
|
1999 |
Second |
8 |
China PR |
USA |
|
2000 |
First |
8 |
USA |
Norway |
|
2001 |
Sixth |
8 |
Sweden |
Denmark |
|
2002 |
Fifth |
12 |
China PR |
Norway |
|
2003 |
First |
12 |
USA |
China PR |
|
2004 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Norway |
|
2005 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Germany |
|
2006 |
Second |
12 |
Germany |
USA |
|
2007 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Denmark |
|
2008 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Denmark |
|
2009 |
Second |
12 |
Sweden |
USA |
|
2010 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Germany |
|
2011 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Iceland |
|
2012 |
Third |
12 |
Germany |
Japan |
|
2013 |
First |
12 |
USA |
Germany |
|
2014 |
Seventh |
12 |
Germany |
Japan |
HISTORY OF ALGARVE EXCELLENCE: With the success of the U.S. team in this tournament, the Americans have also taken home several individual awards over the years, including five MVPs and six Top Scorer awards. In 1999, Tiffeny Milbrett was the Best Player and the Top Scorer with four goals. In 2002, Shannon MacMillan was the Top Scorer with seven goals, the most in one Algarve Cup tournament by a U.S. player. In 2004, Abby Wambach was the Top Scorer with five goals and Shannon Boxx was voted Best Player. In 2005, Christie Welsh was Top Scorer with five goals. In 2006, Hope Solo was voted Best Goalkeeper and Boxx took home her second Algarve Cup MVP award. In 2007, Carli Lloyd did the double, taking the Top Scorer (four goals) and Best Player awards. In 2009, Solo was the first goalkeeper to win the tournament’s MVP award. In 2011, Alex Morgan scored three goals, tied with a few others, but won the top scorer award as she played the least minutes of all those tied. In 2013, Morgan was the top scorer in the tournament with three goals while Megan Rapinoe was named Best Player.
IN FOCUS: ICELAND
Current FIFA World Ranking:
20
2015 Women’s World Cup Qualifying:
Finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup qualifying Group 3 (6-1-3; 29 GF, 9 GA)
Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances:
None
Record vs. USA:
0-12-1
Head Coach:
Frey Alexandersson
Championship Honors:
None
Leading Women’s World Cup Qualifying Scorers:
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (7), Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir (3), Dóra Maria Lárusdóttir (3)
Key Players:
Elísa Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (FC Rosengard), Katrín Ómarsdóttir (Liverpool LFC), Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Bayern Münich),
Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir (Avaldsnes), Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF)
2105 Algarve Cup Iceland Women’s National Team Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3):
1-Sandra Sigurdardóttir (Stjarnan), 12-Sonný Lára Thráinsdóttir (Breiðablik), 13-Gudbjörg Gunnarsdóttir (Lilleström)
DEFENDERS (6):
2-Anna María Baldursdóttir (Stjarnan), 3-Lára Kristín Pedersen (Stjarnan), 4-Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir (Eskilstuna), 5-Arna Sif Ásgrímsdóttir (Þór),
15-Anna Björk Kristjánsdóttir (Stjarnan), 20-Elísa Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF)
MIDFIELDERS (8):
7-Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (FC Rosengard), 8-Katrín Ómarsdóttir (Liverpool LFC), 10-Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Bayern Münich), 11-Hallbera Gudný Gísladóttir
(Breiðablik), 14-Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir (Stabæk), 17-Ásgerdur S. Baldursdóttir (Stjarnan), 18-Gudný Björk Ódinsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), 22-Rakel
Hönnudóttir (Breiðablik)
FORWARDS (6):
6-Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir (Avaldsnes), 9-Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), 16-Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir (Stjarnan), 19-Elín Metta Jensen (Valur),
21-Fanndís Fridriksdóttir (Breiðablik), 23-Gudmunda Brynja Óladóttir (Selfoss)
USA VS. ICELAND SERIES
- The USA and Iceland have played 13 times since the first meeting in 1998 and the USA holds a 12-0-1 all-time record. The most recent meeting came at the 2013 Algarve Cup in the opening match of the tournament, a 3-0 win in which Rachel Van Hollebeke (then Buehler) played in her 100th match and scored, along with goals from Shannon Boxx and Abby Wambach.
- The USA and Iceland played in the championship game of the 2011 Algarve Cup, a 4-2 victory for the United States, which trailed 2-1 in the first half before scoring three unanswered goals.
- The last four meetings between the teams have come at the Algarve Cup, all U.S. wins. The Americans won 1-0 in 2009, 2-0 in 2010, 4-2 in 2011 and 3-0 in 2013.
- The USA has scored 38 goals in the series while allowing six.
- The USA-Iceland matches at the Algarve Cup have been extremely competitive matches. In the opening match of the 2010 Algarve Cup, the two countries played a wild affair in which the USA scored two goals in two minutes during the second half and U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo saved a penalty kick in both halves during a 2-0 victory.
- Meghan Schnur (who was playing in the first of what would be just six career games for the USA) created the first goal on a nice run down the left wing, whipping a hard left-footed cross into the goal mouth that Iceland defender Sif Atladóttir tried to clear, but instead headed into her own net. Lauren Cheney bagged her goal one minute after Atladóttir’s mistake. When the USA met Iceland at the 2009 Algarve Cup, the Americans had to wait until the 90th minute for a goal by Natasha Kai in a 1-0 victory.
- The USA and Iceland played a match for the ages on Sept. 25, 2004, in Rochester, New York, with the USA building a 3-0 lead on two goals from hometown hero Abby Wambach and one from Mia Hamm. Iceland then scored three goals in six minutes, a record against the USA, to tie the score. Heather Mitts won the game with her first-career goal in the third minute of stoppage time to send the sellout crowd at Frontier Field into a frenzy. Christie Rampone and Wambach are the only players on the 2015 Algarve Cup roster who played in that game.
- Iceland’s lone tie with the USA came on April 8, 2000, in Charlotte, North Carolina, when the U.S. starters tied 0-0 two days after the U.S. reserves had defeated Iceland 8-0.
ICELAND ROSTER NOTES
- Iceland has more than a few players playing their club ball outside the country, including Bayern Munich’s Dagný Brynjarsdóttir who helped Florida State to the NCAA title this past fall and finished second in the voting for the MAC Hermann Trophy behind the USA’s Morgan Brian. She scored 44-career goals for the Seminoles.
- Katrín Ómarsdóttir plays for Liverpool Ladies of the English FA WSL and helped the club win the league title in 2013 along with the USA’s Whitney Engen. She played college soccer at the University of California-Berkeley from 2008 until 2010. She also played in the WPSL for the Orange County Waves.
- Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir played in the United States in the WPS for the Philadelphia Independence and made 31 appearances in two seasons, scoring four goals.
- Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir, 28, is Iceland’s all-time goal scorer with more than 70 tallies.
- At the 2013 European Women’s Championship, Iceland drew 1-1 with Norway, lost to Germany 3-0 and beat the Netherlands 1-0 in group play, and advanced to the quarterfinal where it lost to host Sweden by a 4-0 score.
WHAT’S IN AN ICELANDIC NAME?: Whenever the U.S. Women play Iceland (which is not that often, only 13 times in history in fact), we like to bring out the following explanation of the Icelandic names. Contrary to most other places in the world, Iceland is not very fond of “surnames” and everybody on a first-name basis. This is because there are hardly any “family names” in Iceland. How do you recognize each other and who belongs to whom? It’s simple really. The Icelandic people are descendants from Vikings and they kept track of people by recognizing who was their father, as in “Helgi son of Ólafur the Brave, son of Leifur the Large” (not an actual example). Thus was born the tradition of naming children after their father’s first name. The way it works in Iceland is that boys are given first names and then their father’s first name + “son” as a “surname.” Girls on the other hand are given first names and then their father’s first name + “dóttir” (as in “daughter”) as a “surname.”
A hypothetical example:
Father = Ragnar Helgason
Mother = Inga Bjarnadóttir
Their son = Leifur Ragnarsson
Their daughter = Anna Ragnarsdóttir
Or, if Alex Morgan, whose dad’s name is Mike, was Icelandic, her name would be Alex Mikesdottir.
Referring to the family by their “surnames” is therefore pointless and everyone goes by their first names. Women also do not take their husband’s surname when they get married. It is also worth mentioning that most Icelanders can trace back their family-line to the 13th century or so (Iceland was first settled in the 9th century), so this system appears to be working. Keep in mind, Iceland lists its population at only 325,671 people.
LAST TIME
On the field for the USA:
March 6, 2015 – Municipal Stadium; Vila Real de San Antonio, Portugal
USA 3 Alex Morgan 54, Amy Rodriguez 72, Abby Wambach 81
SUI 0
Lineups:
USA:
1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger (5-Kelley O’Hara, 65), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 26-Julie Johnston, 25-Meghan Klingenberg; 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 12-Lauren Holiday
(7-Shannon Boxx, 79), 14-Morgan Brian (9-Heather O’Reilly, 65), 15-Megan Rapinoe (8-Amy Rodriguez, 46), 23-Christen Press (17-Tobin Heath, 80); 13-Alex
Morgan (20-Abby Wambach, 79)
Subs Not Used: 2-Sydney Leroux, 6-Whitney Engen, 16-Lori Chalupny, 19-Rachel Van Hollebeke, 22-Crystal Dunn, 24-Ashlyn Harris
Head Coach: Jill Ellis
SUI:
1-Stenia Michel; 15-Caroline Abbé (capt.), 9-Lia Wälti, 14-Rahel Kiwic (7-Martina Moser, 58), 5-Noëlle Maritz (6-Selina Kuster, 83), 16-Fabienne Humm
(2-Nicole Remund, 73); 18-Vanessa Bürki (20-Florijana Ismaili, 83), 22-Vanessa Bernauer (8-Cinzia Zehnder, 73), 11-Lara Dickenmann, 13-Ana Maria
Crnogorcevic, 19-Eseosa Aigbogun (4-Rachel Rinast, 46)
Subs Not Used: 3-Sandra Betschart, 10-Ramona Bachmann, 12-Nadine Böni, 21-Antonia Albisser, 23-Barla Deplazes
Head Coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
On the field for the USA vs. ISL
March 6, 2013 – Municipal Stadium; Albufeira, Portugal
USA 3 Rachel Buehler 48, Shannon Boxx 62, Abby Wambach 74
ISL 0
Lineups:
USA
: 21-Jill Loyden; 6-Crystal Dunn, 19-Rachel Buehler (capt.), 3-Christie Rampone, 5-Kelley O’Hara; 9-Heather O’Reilly, 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Carli Lloyd
(23-Christen Press, 64), 12-Lauren Cheney; 13-Alex Morgan, 20-Abby Wambach
Subs Not Used: 2-Sydney Leroux, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 8-Kristie Mewis, 11-Ali Krieger, 14-Whitney Engen, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Yael Averbuch, 17-Tobin
Heath, 18-Nicole Barnhart, 22-Lindsey Horan, 24-Ashlyn Harris
Head Coach: Tom Sermanni
ISL:
1-Thóra Helgadóttir; 2-Sif Atladóttir, 5-Hallbera Gudný Gísladóttir, 13-Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, 10-Dóra María Lárusdóttir, 6-Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir
(22-Sandra María Jessen, 64), 7-Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (capt.) (20-Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir, 83), 11-Katrín Ómarsdóttir (4-Edda Gardarsdóttir,73), 14-Dagný
Brynjarsdóttir (15-Gudný Ódinsdóttir, 79), 9-Fanndís Fridriksdóttir (3-Rakel Hönnudóttir, 46), 18-Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir (23-Elín Metta Jensen, 73)
Subs Not Used: 8-Katrín Jónsdóttir, 12-Gudbjörg Gunnarsdóttir, 16-Birna Kristjánsdóttir, 17-Ólína Gudbjörg Vidarsdóttir, 19-Mist
Edvardsdóttir, 21-Elísa Vidarsdóttir
Head Coach: Sigurdur Eyjolfsson