“And don’t underestimate the importance of body language.” — Ursula, from The Little Mermaid [THE PITCH: Blog 8] In Offenbach, Germany, a 16,000 standing-room-only crowd roared so loudly in the echo-intense arena that those of us sitting inches apart on the bench could hardlyconverse. The 22 American and German players on the pitch stood no […]
sweden
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Bloom Again
[THE PITCH: Blog 7] It feels like only yesterday that I put on an oversized black T-Shirt reading, Mästere SV-Cup as my former teammate Olivia Scoughdanced wildly for the crowd while holding a bouquet of flowers signifying Swedish Cup Gold. And then again … it is such a distant memory. Since that time I have […]
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The 'X' factor
[THE PITCH: Blog 6] The past two weeks marked the quarterfinals of UEFA Women’s Champion’s League. Due to weather issues, the Swedish season runsopposite to the central European leagues, starting in spring and ending in the fall. Which means that to qualify for Champions League you have to place in Damallsvenskan nine months before thetournament […]
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Rapinoe makes Champions League debut in 5-0 win
[AMERICANS ABROAD] Megan Rapinoe came on as a sub to make her UEFA Women’s Champions League in two-time defendingchampion Lyon’s 5-0 win over Sweden’s LdB Malmo. Americans Yael Averbuch and Cam Levin (Gothenburg FC) and Kristen Edmonds (FC Rossiyanka) all started in the first leg of the quarterfinals.
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Morgan's goal sets up USA-Germany final
[ALGARVE CUP] Alex Morgan‘s goal in the 56th minute earned the U.S. women’s national team a 1-1 tie against Sweden,coached by its former coach Pia Sundhage, and a berth in Wednesday’s Algarve Cup championship game against Germany (TV: pay-per-view, 1 p.m. ET). The tie alsopreserved the USA’s unbeaten streak of 28 games that has extended […]
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The Yellow Machine
[THE PITCH: Blog 4] After my extended trip to Jacksonville, Fla., Nashville Tenn., and Helsinki, Finland, I was uncharacteristically exhausted and theatricallyglum. Considering just how much I had enjoyed my time stateside, there was only one reason for my melancholy. Jetlag … DUH! I fled into my bedroom, shut of the lights, and with a […]
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U.S. under-23 women clobber Sweden, 6-0
[FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT] The USA made it two big wins in two games at the Four Nations Cup for under-23 women’s teams in La Manga, Spain, with a 6-0 victoryover Sweden. The first five goals came from Santa Clara or UCLA players before Dayton product Colleen Williams completed the scoring. For video highlights… Santa Clara […]
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Fast Forward
[THE PITCH: Blog 3] I have found through writing this blog that my mood and my thoughts move about as quickly as the airplanes that carry me from country tocountry. Before I left for USWNT camp, I was working on a blog about how player movements on the field operate like magnets, and how the […]
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Ibra cracks, Ancelotti defends PSG star
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the great enigmas of international soccer. His Jekyll-and-Hydebehavior was evident in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match as he was sent off in stoppage time of Paris St. Germain’s 2-1 win at Valencia for a wild lunge at Mexican defender Andres Guardado that earned him a red card. […]
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Happy Feet
[THE PITCH 2013: Blog 2] I hear the whistle: a penalty kick in double overtime. I see two of my teammates both go for theball. It’s the same thing that happened before! They fight to take the PK. But now, one girl takes the ball out of the other girl’s hands, and turns and gives […]