USA (U18) 5 - CAN (U20) 1

[Vic]

[Rant alert]

It would be nice to hear the Canadian side of the story, who scored for us, who played well, interview comments and quotes from the coaching staff, some of the players, etc:

a) we have a website and it costs nothing

we have players to promote

c) we have staff onsite and Communications staff in the CSA office

d) probably every single person there has a digital camera or phone with a digital camera

Again, how can we get behind our teams and players when no one knows anything about them?

[/Rant alert]

Compliments of Richard's RSS feed and Boulder Colorado's Your Daily Camera Online:

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jul/13/soccer-younger-us-team-cruises-by-canada/

Younger U.S. soccer team cruises by Canada

Two more friendly matches on tap this week at CU

By Jennifer Osieczanek (Contact)

Monday, July 13, 2009

BOULDER, Colo. — A couple hundred people lined the east sideline at Prentup Field on Sunday afternoon to watch the U.S. Under-18 women's team take on the U-20 squad from Canada.

But with the Americans up 2-0 at halftime and the heat of the sun beating down, many of those fans packed up their blankets and chairs to head home. That's too bad because they missed a busy second half that culminated in a 5-1 U.S. victory and some nifty footwork by 17-year-old Kealia Ohai.

Nine minutes into the second half, the forward from Salt Lake City got the ball about 40 yards out and dribbled her way around three defenders. From 20 yards out Ohai tucked the ball into the right corner of the net to give the Americans a 4-0 lead.

The U.S. bench erupted with applause and more than one exclamation of, "That was sick!"

"I got the ball, turned and there was lots of space. I was just dribbling," Ohai said, only to be interrupted by teammate Chioma Ubogagu.

"She's being modest," the 16-year-old from Dallas said. "She beat like three people."

Ubogagu got the U.S. on the board at the 4-minute mark when a Canadian defender failed to clear the ball and she punched it inside the right post.

"Everyone really relaxed after that goal and we could play our game," Ohai said of Ubogagu's quick score.

Samantha Johnson scored at the 41:50 mark of the first half to give the U.S. its 2-0 halftime lead. The Americans struck quickly again in the second half as Mandy Laddish scored at 47:23. Ohai's goal followed less than 7 minutes later.

Canada answered moments later with it's lone goal and Ahsha Smith wrapped up the scoring in the 65th minute.

U.S. U-18 coach Dave Chesler, who was assisted by University of Colorado head coach Bill Hempen during the game, credited his team's play when it had possession as the key to the lop-sided victory.

"We created more dangerous chances and we finished them," Chesler said. "We had a high percentage of finishes."

The Americans had nine shots on goal. Canada had seven, but U.S. goalkeeper Kelsey Wys made six saves.

Sunday's game was the U18 team's last event of the season, but the friendships forged between girls on the team won't end anytime soon.

"It's a lot of fun and good to get to know girls," Ohai said of her national team experience. "You'll see the girls at tournaments and in college."

Ohai, who will be a high school senior this fall, has already committed to play at North Carolina.

Ubogagu will be a junior when school resumes and hasn't narrowed down her college choices, but said that the friendships she builds on the national team will likely impact that decision when the time comes.

She also hopes to continue to play on the national team as long as she can.

"It just makes you so much better," Ubogagu said.

Meanwhile, the Canadian squad will have two more chances to get better here in Boulder. The team will play the U.S. U-20 team in two international friendly matches Tuesday (5 p.m.) and Thursday (10 a.m.) at Prentup Field. Both games are free and open to the public.

[The Ref]

Refresh my memory, who is coaching our U20 girls?

[Vic]

For the past 8 months the answer to that question would be no one. For the past 10 days and from here forward it would be Morace, Bavagnoli and Neil.

[Trillium]

Vic....

In order to market players and teams you have to have consistency, that is to report it all win, lose or draw. I suspect the people in the entourage prefer to not report on failurs, cause it would hurt players feelings.

Remember the CSA does not want take risks, nor does it want to really succeed in its activitys. Just look at how easy it was for two guys from Winnipeg on there own nickel to cover three games of the Gold Cup, exceeding anything done by CSA in the last twenty years.

Some questions should be asked of your provincial rep to the CSA find out his name, and number get someone with a brit accent to call him to get some phone time. Get them to hear your rant.

[Soccer9]

Ouch that hurts! USA is always a tough opponent at any age group, but this match-up had 2 programs at different stages of preparation, so hard to compare and draw conclusions.

BTW, just from a quick lookover of our players attending this U20 Camp... at least 50% are U18's...

[Vic]

^ good points in both those. The next WC is 2010, and by U20 talent levels out and a year means less than at the younger ages. As a comparison, our U20 men's team when we hosted was 50% at least a year underage, and 25% two or more.

[Vic]

Updated info on the game. Jonelle Filigno was the goalscorer for Canada.

U.S. U-18 Women's National Team Defeats Canada U-20s 5-1 in Boulder, Colo.

Five Different U.S. Players Score

BOULDER, Colo. (July 12, 2009) – The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team scored twice in the first half and three times in the second to rout the Canadian U-20 Women’s National Team by a 5-1 score in an international friendly played at the University of Colorado. Forward Chioma Ubogagu scored just four minutes into the match after she ran onto a cross from Sam Johnson and finished from the top of the penalty area. Johnson scored herself in the 41st minute, running under a chipped through ball from Lauren Matheson before depositing her shot into the side netting. The USA made it 3-0 just two minutes into the second half as Mandy Laddish struck a perfect free-kick from 25 yards out, blasting it over the head of the Canadian goalkeeper. In the 54th minute midfielder Kaelia Ohai went on a winding dribbling run from the right side of the field, turned the corner and slotted her shot into the far post. Canada pulled a goal back just seconds later from Jonelle Filigno, who also plays for the full Canadian Women’s National Team, but the USA finished the scoring in the 65th minute after Ahsha Smith ran down a pass from Michelle Cruz and tucked her shot into the near post.

Match: United States U-18 Women's National Team vs. Canada U-20 Women’s National Team

Date: July 12, 2009

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: Boulder, Colorado

Kickoff: 5pm local

Weather: 75 degrees, breeze

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F

USA 2 3 5

CAN 0 1 1

USA -- Chioma Ubogagu 4th minute

USA -- Sam Johnson (Lauren Matheson) 41

USA -- Mandy Laddish 47

USA -- Kealia Ohai 54

CAN -- Jonelle Filigno 54

USA -- Ahsha Smith 65

Lineups:

USA: 24-Kelsey Wys; 21-Mollie Pathman, 2-Carrie Whigman, 25-Kendall Romine (capt.), 3-Torri Allen; 7-Natalia Ledezma (12-Michelle Cruz, 9), 14-Annie Steinlage (16-Lauren Matheson, 23),11-Mandy Laddish (20-Ellen Parker, 64), 4-Samantha Johnson (13-Ariana Martinez, 74); 17-Kealia Ohai (8-Kelly Cobb, 66), 9-Chioma Ubogagu (23-Ahsha Smith, 45)

Subs not used: 1-Emily Lillard, 5-Juliann Jeffrey, 6-Sarah Killion, 10-Hayley Brock, 15-Alex Crown, 18-Anna Sieloff, 19-Courtney Smith

Head Coach: Dave Chesler

CAN: 18-Genevieve Richard; 24-Bryanna McCarthy (12-Karli Hedlund, 44), 3-Shannon Woeller, 11-Bahar Sansar (4-Lexi Marton, 78), 6-Alexandra Smith (10-Danica Wu, 60); 7-Kodee Williams (23-Shelina Zadorsky, 38), 8-Gina Pacheco (15-Julia Ignacio, 74), 17-Chelsea Stewart (2-Carolina Szwed, 85), 5-Rachel Lamarre (13-Taylor Patterson, 21); 19-Julie Armstrong, 16-Jonelle Filigno (20-Nkem Ezurike, 82)

Subs not used: 1-Cynthia LeBlanc, 13-Taylor Patterson, 21-Marialye Laramee-Trottier

Head Coach: Carolina Morace

Stats Summary: USA / CAN

Shots: 14 / 8

Shots on Goal: 9 / 5

Saves: 4 / 4

Corner Kicks: 1 / 6

Fouls: 5 / 1

Offside: 2 / 0

Officials:

Referee: Younes Marrakchi (USA)

Assistant Referee 1: Chris Levesque (USA)

Assistant Referee 2: Josh Sawyer (USA)

Fourth Official: Ben Chouaf (USA)

[Vic]

Canada's take:

http://www.canadasoccer.com/tourney/FIFA_U20WWC/game_profile.asp?gameId=1763

Canada's women's U-20 team lost 1:5 to USA's U-18 team today in an exhibition match in Boulder, CO. In the team's first test under coach Carolina Morace, Canada featured 20 players to ensure that the staff had a chance to see nearly every player in the Canadian camp. Today's exhibition will be followed by a pair of international friendly matches against USA's U-20 team on 14 and 16 July.

USA opened the scoring in the fifth minute after a cross from Torri Allen into the middle of the pitch just outside the box. The USA scorer beat its defender before beating Geneviève Richard for the opening goal of the game.

Late in the first half, USA made it 2-0 on a goal by defender Samantha Johnson. Johnson came in unchallenged after taking a pass that sailed over the Canadian defender. Then early in the second half, Mandy Laddish made it 3-0 on a free kick from just outside the box. Laddish cleanly beat the Canadian goalkeeper.

In the 54th minute, there was more trouble for Canada as midfielder Kealia Ohai ran up the middle and beat both the Canadian defender and goalkeeper. Ohai's goal made it 4-0. A minute later, Canada finally got one back as Jonelle Filigno ran down the right side, cut in and then fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

In the 78th minute, USA added one more goal to its lead. This time, USA made a run down the right side and beat Richard on the short side.

Coach Morace made numerous changes during the game to ensure she saw as many players as possible. She made three changes in the first half, a fourth change at the half, and five more changes during the second half.