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 The
U.S. Women's National Team got a 23rd minute goal from forward
Christie Welsh and put together a stellar defensive performance
to defeat Germany 1-0 and win the 12th Annual
Algarve Cup.
The match marked
a U.S. victory over the top-ranked team in the
FIFA Women's World Rankings as the two women's soccer powers met in a
tournament final for the first time. It was the third Algarve
Cup championship in a row for the U.S. team, and fourth overall,
but the first time in 10 trips to this tournament that the USA
had achieved the remarkable feat of going all four games without
allowing a goal.
On a chilly night
at the world-class Stadium Algarve, the USA put together an
impressive attacking first half and then held the talented
Germans at bay in the second to earn a fantastic win for this
young U.S. team.
Both teams played
in 4-4-2 formations with 5-foot-11 Abby Wambach and the
5-foot-10 Welsh up top for the USA while Germany went with
two-time FIFA Women's Player of the Year Birgit Prinz and rising
young star Anja Mittag at forward.
Germany had the
USA on its heels for the first 15 minutes before the Americans
settled down and got used to the blistering pace of the match,
but Prinz had her team's best chance of the first half in the
16th minute when she broke through the U.S. defense on what was
really her only dangerous shot of the match. In came off a
counter attack as the bulldozing Prinz raced through a seem in
the back line, only to smack her shot just wide right of the
post from the top of the penalty area as Kate Markgraf and Lori
Chalupny closed on her.
The USA took its
first shot in the 18th minute as Wambach wriggled free on the
right side of box and struck a dipping left-footed blast to the
near post that German goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg did well to
catch.
The USA tallied
five minutes later through a magical ball from midfielder Aly
Wagner. Wagner had been struggling to connect on a final pass
against the ultra-organized German back line in the first 20
minutes, but her 40-yard cross-field ball to Welsh was
magnificent, dropping right over the head of defender Ariane
Hingst and into the path of the streaking Welsh. The U.S.
forward brought it down perfectly with her first touch and then
unleashed a shot from just inside the penalty area with her
second. Rottenberg kicked saved the first shot, but it rolled
perfectly back to Welsh who stuffed the rebound into the open
net from 12 yards out. It was the fifth goal of the tournament
for Welsh and won her the Algarve Cup scoring title. It was also
the 18th international goal of her career.
The match was
end-to-end in the first half, but after the goal, the USA picked
up the pressure and produced some quality scoring chances.
In the 34th
minute, the USA was awarded an indirect free kick just inside
German penalty box after a German defender had raised her boot
in Wambach's face while clearing a bouncing ball. Lilly touched
it to Wagner, but her shot from 17 yards out hit the top of the
tall German wall.
In the 36th
minute, Lilly's pressure in the left side of the penalty area
forced Hingst into a back pass to her goalkeeper, but she did
not see Welsh lurking there and the U.S. striker ran onto the
ball well before Rottenberg could get it, freezing the German
'keeper. From a poor angle, Welsh did not take the chance well,
slapping it across the face of the goal and out for a goal kick.
The second half
saw Germany attack in waves, but the American defense held
tight, amazingly allowing zero shots on goal after the
break. Germany's speed of attack was remarkable as they threw
everything at the USA in the final 30 minutes, whipping in
numerous dangerous crosses from both flanks, but failing to find
an open white jersey as a U.S. defender always seemed to be in
the right place.
The USA's best
chance in the second half came from 21-year-old midfielder
Lindsay Tarpley, who almost finished a back-heel flick off a
U.S. free kick from the left corner.
It was a
Herculean effort over the 90 minutes for the U.S. defense, who
covered for each other extremely well and always came up with a
huge tackle when Germany seemed poised to break through.
It was a breakout
tournament for U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, who earned just her
15th cap in the Algarve Cup final, as she posted shutouts in the
final three matches of the tournament. While the U.S. defense
was stifling throughout the four games, Solo came up big when
tested, and nothing was bigger than her solid grab of a
tantalizing Germany cross in the waning moments.
Germany had
equalized on the USA at 1-1 in the third minute of stoppage time
during the last meeting between these two teams, but there would
be no repeat of the 2004 Olympic semifinal drama. Germany's last
gasp free kick from midfield in the third minute of stoppage
time was headed away by Cat Reddick and the final whistle blew.
It was also a
breakthrough tournament for 21-year-old Lori Chalupny, who
started all four games and put in some stellar work at left
back, especially in the final against towering German outside
midfielder Kerstin Garefrakes, who stands a full eight inches
taller than her. Chalupny played 332 minutes in this tournament
after playing just 271 minutes previously during her full
national team career.
In the other
placement matches, France defeated Sweden, 3-2, in a seesaw
battle for third place at the Stadium Algarve. Les Bleus got
the late winner from Hoda Lattaf. Norway defeated Denmark, 2-1
for fifth place. Both the seventh and ninth place matches went
to penalties with China and England tying 0-0 in regulation
before China took the seventh spot on the spot kicks. Mexico
finished a solid tournament for the Algarve Cup first-timers,
tying Finland 1-1 in regulation before winning on their seventh
penalty kick and placing ninth. Host Portugal picked up a big
come-from-behind 3-1 win over Northern Ireland after losing to
that same team in the final match of group play.
China won the
Fair Play Award while Prinz picked up the tournament
MVP. Norway's Bente Nordby was chosen as the tournament's top
goalkeeper.
About the National Soccer Hall
of Fame and Museum
 Located in
Oneonta, NY, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a 30,000
square foot, state-of-the-art museum in 1999. The Hall of Fame
tells the story of soccer in
America through artifacts, photographs, and video clips. The new
Hall features an extensive interactive, youth oriented Kicks
Zone where visitors have fun kicking,
heading and playing computer trivia stations and video
soccer games. The VideoWall portrays some of the greatest
moments and the greatest goals in history as well as live soccer
action with World Cup, MLS, and U.S. Soccer matches. Unique and
rare artifacts on exhibit range from the world’s oldest soccer
ball to the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy won by the USA in
1999,
Pelé's and Mia Hamm’s uniforms, Kristine Lilly’s golden
shoes, NASL championship rings, the original MLS championship
trophy, MLS gallery - it’s all at the National Soccer Hall of
Fame. In addition to the interactive Museum, the National Soccer
Hall of Fame complex boasts the
Kicks
Zone Store,
a research library, four world-class soccer fields and
office/meeting facilities. The Hall plans to add a stadium, an
indoor soccer arena and housing facilities in the future.
The mission of
the National Soccer Hall of Fame is to celebrate the history,
honor the heroes, inspire the youth and preserve the legacy of
soccer in the United States.
The National
Soccer Hall of Fame is open every day of the year, except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Admission is $9.00 for
adults, $8.00 for students, $6.50 for children 6 or older and
senior citizens. Children 5 and under are free.
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