Mia Hamm of the United States has been named as ambassador for the 2011 Women's World Cup Games in Germany. The prestigious honor means that Hamm will be going around the world to represent the games and help promote women's soccer. She was named world player of the year back in 2001 and has brought home gold medals for the United States for the last two summer Olympic games.

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Kirstina Kiss has announced today that she will be retiring from the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team today. Kiss began her soccer career in Ottawa, Ontario after being a star player at the Holy Trinity High School. She was the team captain for Canada and helped her team win silver at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo and bronze in 2007 at the Pan American games in Rio de Janairo.

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The 2011 Women's World Cup emblem was revealed in it's host country of Germany yesterday, April 19, 2008. The emblem features an arena circled with the German flag colours. Germany of course is excited to host the biggest women's soccer event. The German national team won the cup last year with the defeat of Brazil. Click to continue reading...

Despite taking the lead off a goal from Palos Verdes Estates' (and 100 Percent Soccer blogger) Kyle Nakazawa, the UCLA men could only tie 1-1 Wednesday with San Diego State in their last game of the regular season, leaving their NCAA tourney hopes hanging by a thread. The Bruins learn their fate Monday.

Ahead of Sunday's MLS Cup, Steven Goff over at The Washington Post profiles former Galaxy forward Nate Jaqua, reminding us he scored just one goal in 10 appearances in L.

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A week is a long time in soccer.

In the last week Chivas USA have gone from Western Conference champions to looking like a team unlikely to survive the opening round of the MLS playoffs.

And Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop has gone from "dead man walking" to looking like he will be around next season after all.

I took a look at both stories in this week's column.

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One of the best women's soccer coaches in the world, Brian Boswell of Women's Premier Soccer League team Ajax America Women, provided expert analysis for 100 percent Soccer throughout the Women's World Cup.

Does his take on the U.S. Women's National Team coaching debacle sound like 1998 all over again?
Greg Ryan needs to go.

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Galaxy Still Glowing The suddenly resurgent Galaxy kept their playoff hopes alive by winning Sunday in Columbus.

A brief game summary is here.

The Crew perspective is here.
Improbably, the Galaxy are now just two wins away from catching Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot. (Scroll down to see the league as one division, giving the clearest view of the playoff race).

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Late and light post this morning, since some of the boys in the press box hung out at the bar at Alpine Village, a true kitschy South Bay institution, after the Chivas USA game and I got home at 2 a.m. just in time to watch the U.S.-Norway game.

If you didn't stay up, you can catch up on the action here.

The U.S. found a measure of redemption with its win, but here's a memo for U.

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Blanco en Fuego It will be fascinating to see the reaction of Chivas USA's Legion 1908 to Blanco tonight when he walks out on the field at Home Depot Center with the rest of the Chicago Fire. Kick off is at 7:30 p.m., although if you're watching on TV FSN has delayed airing the game until 8 p.m.

It will be no where near as friendly as at LAX Thursday when Blanco was greeted by Club America fans.

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Evoking memories of the 1998 World Cup debacle that rightfully focused on then U.S. Men's National Team Coach Steve Sampson, pressure on U.S. Women's Coach Greg Ryan is intensifying in the wake of the humiliating 4-0 loss to Brazil.

Even though Hope Solo backtracked on any perceived criticism of backup Briana Scurry on her MySpace page (click on the "2007worldcup" link for her statement) after her angry words after the Brazil game, Solo pointedly did not express any regrets in regard to Ryan.

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Dear Aaron,
Don't mean to pile on, or kick a guy when he's down. But U.S. coaches certainly should understand the dangers of yapping away in the media.
This adds to the disasterous performance of our National Team coach.
When I think of more, I'll write.
Thanks
You know who Click to continue reading...

Dear Aaron,
Don't mean to pile on, or kick a guy when he's down. But U.S. coaches certainly should understand the dangers of yapping away in the media.
This adds to the disasterous performance of our National Team coach.
When I think of more, I'll write.
Thanks
You know who Click to continue reading...

Galaxy Find Yellow Brick Road and Win The Galaxy won on the road for the first time this season beating nine-man Kansas City 1-0 Thursday to keep their slender playoff hopes alive.

Notable: The Galaxy took just one shot on goal and scored, meaning that former UCLA goalkeeper Kevin Hartman remains stuck on 999 career MLS saves.

Defender Ante Jazic, out of the lineup since sustaining an injury against New York Aug.

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Dear Tony,
I have never done this before. I didn't do it when Bora refused to work on youth development or coaching education. I didn't do it when Sampson fell in love with his own importance and devised the silly 3-6-1 formation then embarrassed us in France. I didn't do it when April had a meltdown in Australia and her team continuously under-performed. Click to continue reading...

U.S. Crashes Out of World Cup A brilliant individual goal from Marta in the 80th minute sealed a historic 4-0 win for Brazil over the U.S. this morning and handed the South Americans a deserved World Cup final berth Sunday against Germany.

Bad luck, poor coaching decisions and uninspired play all combined to work against the U.S. and gave Coach Greg Ryan his first and possibly last loss since his 2005 appointment, rendering a two-year undefeated streak meaningless.

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U.S. Crashes Out of World Cup A brilliant individual goal from Marta in the 80th minute sealed a historic 4-0 win for Brazil over the U.S. this morning and handed the South Americans a deserved World Cup final berth Sunday against Germany.

Bad luck, questionable coaching decisions and uninspired play all combined to work against the U.S.

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It's a first half disaster for the U.S.

A 20th minute own goal from a corner kick, a second Brazilian goal scored seven minutes later in a manner usually athletic goalkeeper Briana Scurry was brought in precisely to make and Torrance's Shannon Boxx sent off just before half time. That Boxx should not have been given a second yellow card - replays showed she was clipped by a Brazilian player and not vice versa - is no consolation for the U.

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It's a first half disaster for the U.S.

A 20th minute own goal from a corner kick, a second Brazilian goal scored seven minutes later in a manner usually athletic goalkeeper Briana Scurry was brought in precisely to save and Torrance's Shannon Boxx sent off just before half time. That Boxx should not have been given a second yellow card - replays showed she was clipped by a Brazilian player and not vice versa - is no consolation for the U.

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Ajax America Women Coach Brian Boswell returns to provide 100 Percent Soccer with a match analysis of the U.S.-Brazil semifinal:

The U.S. have been preparing for this game since the end of the 2003 World Cup, whereas the Brazilian team disbanded that year and did not come together until earlier this year for the Pan American Games.

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World Cup Semifinals Begin Wednesday Germany play Norway at 4:55 a.m. Wednesday on ESPN2 in the first of the semifinals, while the U.S. faces Brazil Thursday morning. We'll have a complete pregame analysis from Ajax America Women Coach Brian Boswell up Wednesday. But for now, here's the story that ran in the Daily Breeze today. K. Click to continue reading...

Boxx Goal Clinches U.S. Win Over England With a goal that typifies her game, Torrance's Shannon Boxx won the ball outside England's 18-yard box and grabbed the second of three U.S. goals scored within a 15-minute second half span today to send the Americans through to the World Cup semifinals.

Abby Wambach (her fourth in four World Cup games) and Kristine Lilly also contributed goals in the 3-0 victory.

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I asked Torrance's Shannon Boxx to blog while she was in China at the World Cup representing the U.S. Women's National Team.

She had trouble connecting to the Internet in China Friday , but persevered and kindly took the time to blog these thoughts that landed in my in box at 11:50 p.m. Friday PT mere hours before the 4:55 a.m. US-England game that's live on ESPN2.

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The U.S. meets England at 4:55 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2 in the World Cup quarterfinals as the knockout phase of the tournament begins.

South Bay resident Brian Boswell, coach of Women's Premiere Soccer League team Ajax America Women agreed to provide a pre-match analysis for 100 Percent Soccer.

Ajax America Women are the current U.

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Despite a fast start to the game for the U.S. against Nigeria this morning, the Americans couldn't put the Africans away in the 1-0 win. Nigeria actually had a couple of good opportunities to equalize in the last 15 minutes, almost making the U.S. pay for not being more ruthless in what were admittedly extremely difficult conditions.

Still, the U.

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&uotDespite a fast start to the game for the U.S. against Nigeria this morning, the Americans couldn't put the Africans away in the 1-0 win. Nigeria actually had a couple of good opportunities to equalize in the last 15 minutes, almost making the U.S. pay for not being more ruthless in what were admittedly extremely difficult conditions.

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Dont forget to set up that TiVo: the second U.S. group game at the World Cup against Sweden begins at 1:55 a.m. Friday on ESPN.

The last two games between the U.S. and third-ranked Sweden, in July 2006 in Blaine, Minn. and at the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March, ended in 3-2 victories for the Americans.

These are experienced teams: Sweden has five players on the roster with more than 100 caps, the U.

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Galaxy beat writer Bill Witz has more on the challenges facing new Chivas USA CEO Shawn Hunter.

As expected, Torrance resident Simone Carmichael remained on the bench for New Zealand today, blasted 5-0 by Brazil at the World Cup.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills Men's Team, winners of four straight games, moved up to No. 13 from No.

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Hope Springs in Goal to Save U.S. Hopes The greatest team you've never heard of (to borrow from the Nike ad campaign) tied the greatest team that don't want you to know about them when the U.S. drew 2-2 with the secretive North Koreans in China today in the World Cup opener for both nations.

The U.S. were fortunate to get the draw against a fast, highly technical Korean team and required a sublime Hope Solo save in second half stoppage time to preserve its unbeaten record stretching back to 2004.

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Dear Carla,
For a long time, I have been wondering about the next generation of U.S. women's national team players. Well, here they are, and I'm still wondering.
Let's say up front that I was and still am a big supporter of Mia Hamm, Carla Overbeck, Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Brandi Chastain and anyone else that played from 1996-1999. Click to continue reading...

Dear Carla,
For a long time, I have been wondering about the next generation of U.S. women's national team players. Well, here they are, and I'm still wondering.
Let's say up front that I was and still am a big supporter of Mia Hamm, Carla Overbeck, Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Brandi Chastain and anyone else that played from 1996-1999. Click to continue reading...

Dear Tony,
Not so good. The U.S. women's national team struggled to a 2-2 draw with North Korea, a team that should have been beaten yet appeared superior in virtually every aspect of the match.
Credit to the players for scratching out a draw and getting a point. But they appeared under-prepared for the North Koreans. Yes, I know, it's easy to second-guess while watching in your living room, but here goes. Click to continue reading...

Dear Tony,
Not so good. The U.S. women's national team struggled to a 2-2 draw with North Korea, a team that should have been beaten yet appeared superior in virtually every aspect of the match.
Credit to the players for scratching out a draw and getting a point. But they appeared under-prepared for the North Koreans. Click to continue reading...

Women's World Cup Underway The 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup began this morning with Germany crushing Argentina.

The U.S. Women begin play at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday so set your TiVo. Coach Greg Ryan believes the first game against North Korea will be his team's toughest test in group play.

Fox Soccer Channel will have a preview that airs at 5 and 8 tonight.

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