(via U.S. Soccer)
CHICAGO (Jan. 13, 2011) – U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named 23
players to the roster for the 2011 Four Nations Tournament taking place in Chongqing, China, where
the USA will face Sweden, Canada and the host.
With the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup commencing in late June, the tournament will be a key part
of Sundhage's crafting of the eventual Women's World Cup roster as the USA takes on three strong
nations, including Sweden, which is the USA's third Group C opponent at the Women's World Cup in
Germany.
Meghan Klingenberg tries to get away from Carli Lloyd. We hope she made it...This morning, the USA has its last training before the matches start and it was a balmy mid-40s
out on the field for a session that included quite a bit of finishing. There were a lot of good
goals, perhaps highlighted by two powerful headers from Stephanie Cox, who is not known for her
goal scoring prowess, but nevertheless got in touch with her inner-Abby Wambach to dominate the
penalty area.
Champions, again.The United States Women's Nation Team took full honors at the Four Nations
Tournament with a 2-0 defeat of the hosts in Chongquing, China. The USWNT suffered an early set up,
losing 2-1 to Sweden, but then successive wins against Canada and China sealed the tournament win.
It was their seventh title in eight trips to the tournament.
U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage finished third in the voting for FIFA World
Coach of the Year for Women's Football, and two U.S. players finished in the two 10 with Abby
Wambach coming in fifth and Hope Solo eighth. Not bad for the USA.
The USA was the only country besides Germany to have two players in the top 10.
Training this morning was of the technical nature, which means less tactics and scrimmaging and
more work on the basics - ball striking, precise passing, and of course finishing, just to name a
few. Above Becky Sauerbrunn works on some long balls while Lauren Cheney (below) goes all Abby
Wambach on this cross.
If you've ever been to China, you know that sometimes things are lost in translation on signs,
menus, posters, etc. The advertising for the Four Nations has actually been quite prevalent around
town, but this poster in the elevator of the team hotel is a bit hard to decipher. We think maybe
"Believe it!
The 2011 Four Nations ChampionsAnother exciting night in U.S. WNT history tonight as the USA rebounds from an opening game loss to
win two straight games and take the 2011 Four Nations Tournament championship. Two very nice goals
from the USA proved to be the difference in a match in which China had the majority of possession,
but the USA had the majority of chances.
