The Final and a tournament wrap up by du Nord's Women's Soccer Major Tournament Correspondent Adam.


In a fairytale ending to their Olympic tournament, the underdog US team saved its gutsiest performance for last, beating Brazil 1-0 to win its second straight gold medal.

Here are some final thoughts about the tournament. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. women entered the Beijing Olympics with the odds stacked against them. They will leave the Games with more gold. Despite losing key veterans, including star Abby Wambach, to injury prior to the Olympics, the Americans never lost sight... Click to continue reading...

Maybe the photo gives you a clue as to whom I'm picking to win the Gold Medal match. The only remaining question is whether or not the US will score a goal. Game time is 8:00 am and it's being broadcast live on USA Network channel.

The player pictured is Formiga, I'll point you to From A Left Wing and Jennifer Doyle's commentary on Brazil's decisive 4-1 win over the World Cup champion German squad in the semifinal Monday.

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This makes the second time I've picked Brazil to win a major tourney. I did it during the World Cup of 2007. We know how well that turned out.

Honestly, I'm not picking against the U.S. because Abby Wambach isn't there. I'm picking Brazil because I think they're that good and they've finally ready to own that and win the big one. Click to continue reading...

We are less than an hour and half away from the US Women semi final kick-off against Japan, a team they defeated 1-0 in the run up competition while the other bracket's match, Brazil vs. Germany is already underway.

Some say the US girls are "lucky" that the brackets worked out in a way that put them against Japan rather than the other side's titans, but let's face it, international football has always been peppered with a bit of luck. Click to continue reading...

Michael Phelps broke Mark Spitz' gold medal record last night -an amazing feat, indeed. I don't know about you, but I find such milestones diminished by the hype ... the marketing ... the hoopla ... the commentary. The events and the raw footage about the events is enough. The look on Michael [.. Click to continue reading...

It sounds like Lindsey Dolich likes the USWNT's chances - but is NOT taking Canada lightly (nor are we). There were major doubts that Swede Pia Sundhage would pull the strings for a team left reeling after the loss of superlative striker Abby Wambach. But, somehow, Sundhage delicately guided a vulnerable U. Click to continue reading...

Tomorrow at 6AM we'll start the next leg of the Olympic tournament journey. There's not a lot in the way of soccer news in the interim. The WNT Blog is a good place to track the USWNT's travels and preparation for tomorrow's showdown with Canada. An upbeat and determined Canadian squad is [...]SHARETHIS. Click to continue reading...

Carli Lloyd's volley in the 27th minute gave the US Women's Olympic Team a 1-0 victory over Japan this morning and an important three points in the Group G standings. Tuesday's match against New Zealand is a rematch of a game played at Chicago's Soldier Field exactly one year earlier.

On August 12, 2007, more than 7,000 fans witnessed Abby Wambach score two goals to lead the US to a 6-1 victory over the Football Ferns (formerly known as the SWANZ). Click to continue reading...

A match report by our dear reader Adam. He covered the 2007 World Cup for us here at du Nord. Give him some good feedback won't you. -Bruce


Group Stage Match 1

USA 0-2 Norway

For the first time ever in a major tournament, the US lost its first game and now finds itself in last place of its group. Click to continue reading...

Yeah, I know it's been quiet around here lately. But frankly, there hasn't been much that I've felt like writing about. I'm choosing to ignore Toronto FC's terrible run of form, and the transfer window is no more exciting than it was a month ago, which is to say, not at all.

But finally, we have some games that actually matter. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Four minutes, two goals, one stunning loss.

The U.S. women's Olympic team got off to a terrible start on Wednesday, giving up two goals in the first four minutes as Norway shut down the Americans, 2-0, in the opening match of the tournament.

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August 4, 2008 - As the media machine has undoubtedly made you aware, the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing will take place on August 8, 2008.  For women's soccer fans, however, the Games commence Wednesday when first-round group-play action kicks off. With all eyes on Beijing, there's plenty being written about the Golden Girls - the U. Click to continue reading...

The injury to Abby Wambach was a big blow of course, and they're also missing key players in Kristine Lilly (pregnant) and Cat Whitehill (ACL). Even without those three, the US are still looking like one of the teams to beat. Since Pia Sundhage took over as coach last November, the US have gone from strength to strength. Click to continue reading...

The USWNT and Coach Pia Sundhage are settled in China (Qinhuangdao to be exact) training and doing a little touring, as you can see. The WNT Blog is proving to be a very entertaining source of information for USWNT aficionados. Check it out. It's often updated these days, as the team settles in and [. Click to continue reading...

It will be an all MLS SuperLiga final with the New England Revolution, 2-0 winners over bad losers Atlante tonight, playing the Houston Dynamo Tuesday in Boston.

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the game (work intervened), but that was enough to see some ugly scenes at game's end for the second consecutive SuperLiga semifinal.

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Just to keep you up to date ... the Red Sox lost and the Phillies won ... and there's nothing from Beulah yet. Rest assured that I'll post as soon as I see anything! Last night I dreamed that I had a quick breakfast with Pia Sundhage and April Heinrichs. (April joined us midway [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Pia Dreams, USWNT News, and a HollyCornblog Update, Too! Click to continue reading...

In her conference call about her injury, Abby Wambach mentioned receiving cards and emails of support from players around the world on different teams. Not everyone was feeling sad on her behalf, though. Here's an email I received:

Just wanted to comment on your article on Abby Wambach.
As a football journalist, I usually have a lot of sympathy for players when they get injured, especially in the course of a game. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. Women's National Team defeated Brazil 1 - 0 in an exhibition match but paid a pretty high price for the victory.Abby Wambach broke her leg in a 31st minute collision with Brazilian defender Andreia Rosa. The two players went hard into a tackle and the Brazilian caught Wambach with a full swing flush in the middle of her lower leg.

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John McCain made another Bush-worthy geography gaffe yesterday - this time on "Good Morning America." Sorry, John, Iraq and Pakistan don't actually share a border. (As an aside, I've always wished that some brave member of the press would ask Bush, during a press conference, to point to Iraq on a map. Click to continue reading...

Hermosa Beach resident Abby Wambach spoke to reporters today for the first time since breaking her leg in the final U.S. game before the Olympics July 16 against Brazil.

Here's what she said she thought about when the injury occurred:

"I realized in that moment and accepted in that moment that my Olympic dreams were not going to be what I had planned.

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Star USA forward Abby Wambach has been ruled out of the Women's Football Tournament in th Beijing Olympics after fracturing her tibia and fibula in a match against Brazil on Wednesday. A collision with a Brazilian defender in the 31st minute of the game resulted in a multiple fracture i her ... Click to continue reading...

A group of reporters were in the Home Depot Center press box when we found out that Abby Wambach was probably out of the Olympics. Since I was covering the Chivas USA/Santos SuperLiga game in LA, I was there instead of San Diego. Billy Witz checked the Internet for the score of the match and read the news. Click to continue reading...

Abby Wambach underwent a successful surgery Thursday morning to repair the broken tibia and fibula in her left leg, with a titanium rod inserted to reinforce the tibia. She is expected to begin rehabilitation in five or six weeks, though it will take much longer than that to reach her former level of play. Click to continue reading...

In the scheme of things, what's important to me today does not at all relate to football (these things are the Tour de France and all of today's excitement). But, as with the world, things move on regardless of how much cycling I watch. Bullet points. Hleb left Arsenal -- good riddance. I am glad to be rid of him. Click to continue reading...