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.

"Cat actually got the tackle in," said Boxx of her decisive left-footed shot for the second goal. "It popped right in front of me and my thought was just to take a quick shot. I hit it low ,which is what the midfielders have been working on, and the field, I think, helped. It skipped in. It was nice and quick.”

Boxx and Leslie Osborne combined well in midfield and England threat Kelly Smith was largely shut down.

“Something just clicks with us, our communication," Osborne said of the partnership. "We feel comfortable with each other out there. We read off each other really well, and we played offense and defense tonight. We’re not just two defensive midfielders. We can keep the ball for us, possess, and we’re not going to let anything past us. It’s just fun out there, and we enjoy being out there together.”

All three U.S. goals aptly exemplified the style of the player who scored: Wambach crashed in for her goal off a corner, Boxx won the ball and then quickly attacked for her 16th international goal while Lilly poached her's.

Nice to see ESPN belatedly get commentators J.P. Dellacamera and Julie Foudy to China, too.

In the day's other game, Germany disposed of North Korea.

Saturday Sorcery

Chivas USA Coach Preki pits his tactical tricks against former team the Kansas City Wizards today at Home Deport Center with a playoff place on the line.

Here's a preview.

And even if Chivas USA takes a lead against the Wizards, the team shouldn't automatically assume K.C. can't come back, The Kansas City Star suggests. Chivas USA are unbeaten at home this season, but at times have looked (more than one critic has suggested) brittle at the back.

Meanwhile, Chivas USA opens its first American retail store Sunday in Huntington Park.

From the press release:

“The ChivasPop store, the first of its kind in the U.S., will carry official adidas Chivas USA merchandise, as well as official Reebok merchandise from Chivas USA’s Mexican parent club Chivas de Guadalajara, including jerseys, posters, soccer gear and a whole lot more.

ChivasPop stores, which in recent years have opened across Mexico’s largest cities, derive their name from ‘Chivas Popular’, a tribute to Mexico’s most beloved soccer brand. The ChivasPop store, the first of its kind for a professional soccer team in Los Angeles County, bears the same layout and feel of all existing ChivasPop stores in Mexico.

Chivas USA captain Claudio ‘El Emperador’ Suárez, as well as midfielder Francisco Mendoza and forward Maykel Galindo, will be on hand at Sunday’s Grand Opening, where Chivas fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet all three players, plus the ChivaGirls and Chivas USA officials.”

College Roundup

Friday's college games are here (South Bay-oriented) and here (Valley-centric)