International Results

[The Ref]

China was too much for the Canadians at today's friendly. China 2 Canada 0.

[Vic]

If that was here the result would be significant. But with a reported 25,000 in the Chinese stadium the pressure is quite heavy on them to deliver a result. For us though the camp and training are the significant part and the games are little more than experimental training matches. There are no CSA stats for either fixture, but I imagine we floated the lineups pretty freely and gave out some first caps.

[The Ref]

Vic, that 2-0 loss was the result as reported by the CSA. I find it significant in the sense that we should by now be able to play in a stadium with 23,000 people. We fielded a fairly strong team with our best players. Opportunities were given and substitutions made. Stats were available at CSA twitter.

[Vic]

Thanks for the twitter info. I just looked and it was pretty green for an international; a mix of old, new, and rookies. I don't think we have any problem playing in front of a lot of people (although it's great for some of the young players who've never done it), it's just I imagine China are compensating and filling their stadium and it's on the other side of the world with no media, so I can understand a less than cuthroat approach to the game. Players have to get their early caps and begin their senior careers somewhere. No doubt we played full out for the win and put in a great effort, but if that game was a Gold Cup elimination we would have seen a different approach, lineup and level of intensity.

[Vic]

The Chinese women's program is being overhauled. New leadership, new positions, new plans. They're also going hard after women's funding, the players earn even less than the meagre bit carded Canadians get.

Ma Xiaoxu is still out for the Chinese.

I think the game was live on CCTV5 which can be watched on the internet... too bad it wasn't mentioned as I'm sure a lot of people would have tuned in.

video of the goals

[The Ref]

Good find Vic. Thanks.

[18 Yards]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but this was sent to me. I found it very interesting, that a player going oversea's to develop with a country ranked far below Canada, is doing well and training hard, being praised by Pro coaches for her ability. I wonder if this will become a trend with younger players in the future. Somthing to think about. http://www2.shn.ch/?page=detail&rub=news&subrub=Sport&detail=268466

You may have to translate.

[Guest Ed]

I think you are a little confused 18 yards. She is not 'goving overseas to develop with a country ranked far below Canada'. She is going overseas to play club football. Not uncommon. Replace the 'overseas Switzerland' with 'over the border USA', and we have been sending girls abroad for many years. The USA has suddenly dropped the number of Canadians playing at the top level (WPS), so Germany, Switzerland and other European countries are more attractive for their club football. The article does the question: 'Why Canada, ranked #9 in the world, can't offer decent club football for its women, compared to Switzerland, ranked much lower at #23."

[18 Yards]

Trying to stay positive But yes that is the main question of the article and what I was trying to get at. However I disagree with "Uncommon" as many girls may go across our border all the time to play "club soccer" not many go over sea's at 17 years of age to play club soccer. Most of our girl are much older and have finished school (at the Unversity level) before they go over sea's. If I am missing some others that went at 17 let me know, I would love to look at where they are now and what they are doing. Thanks

[Vic]

Another question is why do two of the three professional clubs in Canada have no women's program?

a) TFC uses BMO which is full of taxpayer funds and Saputo is looking for government support for an MLS stadium.

Almost as many women play the game here as men.

c) As a country we are respected and known around the world for our women's program.

Do Canadian women have to go Title IX to get the basic dignity they deserve?

[Guest Ed]

Trying to stay positive But yes that is the main question of the article and what I was trying to get at. However I disagree with "Uncommon" as many girls may go across our border all the time to play "club soccer" not many go over sea's at 17 years of age to play club soccer. Most of our girl are much older and have finished school (at the Unversity level) before they go over sea's. If I am missing some others that went at 17 let me know, I would love to look at where they are now and what they are doing. Thanks

No problem. A number of people have come on this site and confused playing with a club abroad with playing for another country. I agree, 17 yrs old is not the norm for our young women. Most seem to take the NCAA route.

[18 Yards]

Another question is why do two of the three professional clubs in Canada have no women's program?

a) TFC uses BMO which is full of taxpayer funds and Saputo is looking for government support for an MLS stadium.

Almost as many women play the game here as men.

c) As a country we are respected and known around the world for our women's program.

Do Canadian women have to go Title IX to get the basic dignity they deserve?

All very important questions. Will it not be long before over sea see our miscomings, start attracting our players at the grass root club level (Like this player) in hopes of a relative that maybe from thier country. Strenthing thier programs as we fall behind? I am just saying, is it a possibility? The tail end of the article talks of this club expanding it's international player plans!!!

[Vic]

Video of the China game:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZF2IEAO4

[The Ref]

Video of the China game:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZF2IEAO4

Sorry Vic, but it would take over 12 hours to download. Life is too short!

[Vic]

I got it in under 20 minutes, but the quality wasn't great and it was tough late night viewing. I was out cold by the half hour mark.

There was very little patience or rhythm. The words "direct possession" come to mind. Everything was done at breakneck speed like everyone had ants in their pants. I dare anyone to watch that first half hour and tell me you wouldn't have been screaming "settle down, relax and calm down" from the sideline.

No worries though, like I said earlier, it was just a pop quiz. Final exams are this Fall.

[Vic]

Olympique Lyonnais and 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam are matched in the first UEFA Women's Champions League final at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe on Thursday 20 May.

The inaugural UEFA Women's Champions League final matches a club from the dominant nation in female European competition, Germany's 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, and the first French team to make it this far, Olympique Lyonnais.

This competition has replaced the former UEFA Women's Cup, which ran from 2001/02 until last season. [10 years on and we still do not have a CONCACAF competition]

This is the first women's final to be played as a one-off match since the inaugural UEFA Women's Cup showpiece, won by 1. FFC Frankfurt in the German city.

German clubs dominated the eight UEFA Women's Cup editions, winning five titles. Only twice, in 2002/03 and 2006/07, was there not a finalist from the Frauen-Bundesliga.

Potsdam lifted the trophy at their first attempt in 2004/05, beating Sweden's Djurgården/Älvsjö 5-1 on aggregate.

Lyon have achieved what their men's side have never done by reaching a major European final.

The teams will be meeting for the first time in UEFA club competition.

Overall Potsdam have averaged four goals a game in their run, scoring 32 and conceding only twice.

[Anja] Mittag has scored nine goals in Potsdam's campaign, two behind the leading scorer Vanessa Bürki of FC Bayern München. Lotta Schelin has struck five times for Lyon.

There have only been three penalty shoot-outs in the history of UEFA women's club competition, both after two-legged ties.

[The Ref]

Today friendly USA 4 - Germany 0. Great performance by Hope Solo.

[Vic]

In this month’s review of the major events in women’s football FIFA.com looks at a meeting between two international superpowers, the latest action on the road to Germany 2011 plus silverware decided in Europe.

Club Football

Inaugural champions crowned in Europe

Turbine Potsdam were crowned winners of the inaugural UEFA Women's Champions League after defeating Olympique Lyon in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. 17-year-old goalkeeper Anna Felicitas Sarholz proved to be the unlikely hero with two penalty stops, helping the Germans to a 7-6 win on spot kicks after 120 goalless minutes. Over 1,000 fans turned out to welcome the Berlin-based club on their return from Madrid.

Gold Pride leap clear

Marta’s Gold Pride continue to set the pace in the WPS having won five consecutive matches to hold a four-point gap at the top after six rounds. New club Philadelphia Independence are second, a point clear of Sky Blue FC and Washington Freedom for whom Abby Wambach has been in sparkling form recording seven assists. Saint Louis Athletica’s Eniola Aluko heads the goalscoring charts with four goals to her name. The league will resume this weekend after a short break for international commitments.

Double triumph for Potsdam

Potsdam claimed a rare double by lifting the domestic crown after finishing their Frauen-Bundesliga campaign five points ahead of FCR 2001 Duisburg and eight points ahead of 1. FFC Frankfurt. Their only defeat over the course of the 22-match season was a 2-1 reversal at Frankfurt.

Gunners denied double

Arsenal continued their dominance in England by winning their seventh title in succession. In the final year of the Premier League, ahead of next season’s newly-launched FA Super League, the Gunners finished 11 points clear of Everton in second, with Chelsea a further point adrift. The Londoners didn’t have it all their own way though, having been denied a fifth consecutive FA Women’s Cup a week earlier as Everton won 3-2 in extra time thanks to a last-gasp winner from Natasha Dowie.

National teams

Heavyweight meeting ends in a knockout

World Champions and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ hosts Germany suffered a major setback in their preparations as USA recorded a stunning 4-0 win in a friendly in Cleveland. The two highest ranked teams in world football proved to be a mismatch on this occasion as Germany suffered their third loss against USA in seven months, in what was their heaviest defeat in 14 years. Abby Wambach grabbed two goals while Kristine Lilly and Heather O'Reilly also found the net.

Road to Germany continues

The Ukraine beat Hungary 4-2 to keep alive their slim hopes of hunting down Poland, who sit at the top of Group 4. England returned to pole position in Group 5, narrowly ahead of Spain following a comfortable 6-0 victory against Malta. Hope Powell’s team will now look to maintain their grip at the top and reach September’s play-offs where four European qualifiers will be determined. A fifth team will compete in two-legged ties against a CONCACAF nation.

The qualification campaign finally commenced in Africa with reigning continental champions Equatorial Guinea virtually booked their berth in October’s African Women’s Championship in South Africa with a 5-1 win in Namibia, while Tanzania are all but mathematically assured of progression following their 8-1 triumph over Eritrea. Algeria and Tunisia played out a 1-1 draw, while multiple African champions Nigeria, as well as Ghana, Mali and Cameroon all won away, putting them in prime position to reach the eight-team tournament where two African representatives for Germanyy 2011 will be determined.

T&T 2010 a step closer

Infectious Caribbean rhythms set the stage for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Trinidad and Tobago 2010 earlier this month when the official draw was conducted. The host nation were dealt an intriguing hand after being pitted against holders Korea DPR, 2008 U-20 hosts Chile and African giants Nigeria. Also of interest will be Group D which features Canada, conquerors of the mighty USA during qualifying, Brazil, Ghana and a UEFA qualifier.

Development

A highlight of the past month in women’s football development news was a FIFA Women’s football coaching course held in Senegal, gathering 21 coaches from across the country. A Women’s football consultancy has been organised by FIFA in Myanmar for later this month, which follows up a 2008 visit to monitor progress in the country and evaluate remaining challenges. In Asia, activities are scheduled in Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Philippines for June.

The stat

26,282 - The German Cup final saw a European club record crowd of 26,282 in attendance as Duisburg defended their crown with a 1-0 win over FF USV Jena at the Rhein Energie Stadium.

The quote

"We were playing against skilful players, the Germans are very good. They got some good chances but the way she (USA goalkeeper Hope Solo) saved them – at least three – was fantastic. I think she is the best goalkeeper in the world." - USA coach Pia Sundhage on USA goalkeeper Hope Solo

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/news/newsid=1219907.html#womens+round+may+2010