WNT Opens its 20th Algarve Cup against Norway
WNT Opens its 20th Algarve Cup against Norway
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U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Norway
2015 Algarve Cup
Municipal Stadium; Vila Real de San Antonio, Portugal
March 4, 2015
U.S. WNT OPENS ITS 20TH ALGARVE CUP WITH MATCH AGAINST NORWAY: The U.S. Women’s National Team will open its 20th Algarve Cup in Portugal on March 4 with a match against longtime rival Norway at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio, which sits on the border with Spain in the southeast of Portugal. The match kicks off at 2 p.m. ET and will be shown on FOX Sports 1. The opening fixture of the 12-team tournament will pit the only two countries to have won Olympic gold medals in women’s soccer. The USA has met Norway 48 times – the most games against any opponent besides Canada and China PR – but the sides have not faced each other since the 2012 Algarve Cup, a 2-1 U.S. victory. The WNT will also face Switzerland on March 6 in Vila Real de San Antonio (12 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1) and finish Group B play on March 9 against Iceland in Lagos (1:30 p.m. ET). The USA’s final Group B match against Iceland will not be televised due to inadequate lighting at the Municipal Stadium in Lagos. The USA comes into the Algarve Cup with a 1-1-0 record in 2015, having lost to France 2-0 and defeated England 1-0 on a European tour in early February.
GOING FOR 10: The U.S. WNT last won the Algarve Cup in 2013, beating Germany 2-0 in the title game to earn its ninth cup, the most of any country. The U.S. team will train for eight days in Portugal before its opening match in a tournament that features six of the world’s top-10 ranked teams, including the top five. Brazil, currently ranked eighth, will be participating for the first time. In all, 11 of the 12 participating countries are ranked in the top-20 in the world. Fans can follow all the U.S. games on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt and @ussoccer_esp, and watch highlights on ussoccer.com.
22nd Annual Algarve Cup
Algarve, Portugal
Group A
Sweden, Germany, Brazil, China
Group B
USA, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland
Group C
Denmark, France, Japan, Portugal
For a full listing of the 2015 Algarve Cup schedule and results, visit the tournament page on ussoccer.com.
ALGARVE CUP FORMAT: This will be 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.
ALGARVE CUP FAST FACTS
ALGARVE CUP BEGINS EIGHT-GAME RUN TO WORLD CUP: The USA heads into the Algarve Cup with eight games remaining before opening 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. Last year at the Algarve Cup, the USA had its 43-game unbeaten streak snapped when it fell 1-0 to Sweden in its second group game. Prior to that, the USA’s most recent loss was a 1-0 defeat to Japan on March 5, 2012, in the third match of group play at the Algarve Cup. Since last year’s Algarve Cup, the USA has gone 14-2-4.
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 |
FOX Sports 1 |
Vila Real de San Antonio, Portugal |
March 6 |
Switzerland* |
12 p.m. ET |
FOX Sports 1 |
Vila Real de San 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.
21 AND COUNTING: Abby Wambach comes into the 2015 Algarve Cup with a world record 177 international goals, of which 21 have been scored at the Algarve Cup. Heading into her 11th Algarve Cup tournament, she also has 19 career goals against the USA’s three group opponents – 12 against Norway, one against Switzerland and six against Iceland.
25 TO ALGARVE: U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named a 25-player roster for the 2015 Algarve Cup but before the competition begins, Ellis will name 23 players to the tournament roster to face Norway, Switzerland and Iceland in Group B. 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, defender Christie Rampone and goalkeeper Hope Solo added.
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS (10):
Lori Chalupny (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan
Klingenberg (Houston Dash), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas
City), Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns)
MIDFIELDERS (7):
Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (Houston
Dash), Heather O’Reilly (FC Kansas City), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS (5):
Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), Abby Wambach
(Western NY Flash)
U.S. ROSTER NOTES:
IN THE RECORD BOOKS:
U.S. WNT AT THE ALGARVE CUP
Videos and Photo Galleries:
Releases:
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 |
1998 |
Third |
8 |
Norway |
Denmark |
1999 |
Second |
8 |
China |
USA |
2000 |
First |
8 |
USA |
Norway |
2001 |
Sixth |
8 |
Sweden |
Denmark |
2002 |
Fifth |
12 |
China |
Norway |
2003 |
First |
12 |
USA |
China |
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.
BY THE NUMBERS:
JILL ELLIS FACT FILE : After her second stint as interim head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team, a capacity in which she coached two games in 2014 – a win against China PR and a tie against Canada – Jill Ellis was officially named the eighth head coach of the U.S. WNT on May 16. That 1-0-1 record as interim in 2014, combined with seven games as interim coach in 2012 (5-0-2) gave her a 6-0-3 record before she ever was officially named the head coach. She has gone 11-2-3 as head coach, for an overall record of 17-2-6. When named head coach, Ellis stepped away from her job as Development Director for the U.S. Women’s National Teams, a job she was appointed to in January of 2011, but will still work closely with U.S. Women’s National Team Technical Director April Heinrichs who will oversee the USA’s youth teams.
IN FOCUS: NORWAY
Current FIFA World Ranking:
12
2015 Women’s World Cup Qualifying
: Finished 1st in UEFA Group 5 (9-1-0; GF 41, GA 5)
Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances
: 7 - 1991 (2nd), 1995 (1st), 1999 (4th), 2003 (7th), 2007 (4th), 2011 (10th), 2015
Record vs. USA:
19-27-13
Head Coach
: Even Pellerud
Championship Honors
: Women’s World Cup (1995), Olympics (2000), UEFA Women’s Championship (1987, 1983)
Leading Women’s World Cup Qualifying Scorer
: Caroline Hansen (8)
Key Players
: Caroline Hansen (Wolfsburg), Isabell Herlovsen (Kvinner), Ingrid Hjelmseth (Stabaek), Trine Bjerke Ronning (Stabaek)
USA VS. NORWAY SERIES
LAST TIME
On the field for the USA:
Feb. 13, 2015 – stadiumMK; Milton Keynes, England
USA 1 Alex Morgan 25
ENG 0
Lineups:
USA:
24-Ashlyn Harris; 11-Ali Krieger, 6-Whitney Engen, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 25-Meghan Klingenberg (22-Crystal Dunn, 79); 23-Christen Press (5-Kelley O’Hara,
90+2), 15-Morgan Brian, 12-Lauren Holiday, 10-Carli Lloyd; 13-Alex Morgan (8-Amy Rodriguez, 90), 20-Abby Wambach (capt.)
Subs Not Used: 7-Shannon Boxx, 9-Heather O’Reilly, 14-Julie Johnston,
16-Lori Chalupny, 17-Tobin Heath, 19-Rachel Van Hollebeke, 21-Alyssa Naeher, 26-Tori Huster
Head Coach: Jill Ellis
ENG:
1-Karen Bardsley; 2-Alex Scott, 5-Steph Houghton (capt.), 6-Laura Bassett (19-Jessica Clarke, 90), 3-Demi Stokes (14-Alex Greenwood, 70); 7-Jordan Nobbs
(16-Fara Williams, 81), 8-Jill Scott, 4-Jo Potter (20-Eni Aliko, 79), 11-Karen Carney; 9-Jodie Taylor (22-Lianne Sanderson, 81), 10-Fran Kirby,
Subs Not Used:
12-Gemma Bonner, 13-Siobhan Chamberlain, 15-Casey Stoney, 17-Katie Chapman, 18-Jade Moore, 21-Carly Telford
Head Coach: Mark Sampson
On the field for the USA vs. NOR:
March 2, 2012 – Municipal Stadium; Lagos, Portugal
USA 2 Abby Wambach 51, Sydney Leroux 81
NOR 1 Elise Thorsnes 90+3
Lineups:
USA:
1-Hope Solo; 6-Amy LePeilbet (2-Heather Mitts, 46), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 3-Christie Rampone (capt.) (19-Rachel Buehler, 46), 14-Stephanie Cox; 9-Heather
O’Reilly (8-Amy Rodriguez, 58), 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Carli Lloyd, 17-Tobin Heath (15-Megan Rapinoe, 46); 13-Alex Morgan (11-Sydney Leroux, 77), 20-Abby
Wambach (12-Lauren Cheney, 65)
Subs Not Used: 5-Kelley O’Hara, 16-Lori Lindsey, 18-Nicole Barnhart, 22-Whitney Engen
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage
NOR:
12-Caroline Knutsen; 2-Madeleine Gisk, 5-Toril Akerhaugen, 7-Trine Rønning, 14-Marita Skammelsrud; 4-Ingvild Stensland (capt.) (15-Nora Holstad Berge, 30),
6-Maren Mjelde, 13-Gry Tofte Ims (17-Ingrid Mo Wold, 80); 9-Isabell Herlovsen (19-Emilie Havvi, 83), 10-Lindy Melissa Wiik (20-Caroline Hansen, 65),
18-Cecilie Pedersen (16-Elise Thorsnes, 46)
Subs Not Used: 1-Ingrid Hjelmseth, 3-Kristine Hegland, 8-Ingvild Isaksen, 11-Leni Larsen Kaurin, 21-Christine Nilsen
Head Coach: Eli Landsem