Recently in U.S. Women's National Team Category

There was plenty of huffing and puffing in Seattle Thursday - here former Galaxy striker Nate Jaqua and Houston's Geoff Cameron challenge for the ball - but no-one blew anyone's house down in the scoreless draw. (AP Photo) The first game of the MLS playoffs are over and neither Chivas USA nor the Galaxy are any closer to knowing who the winner of their semifinal will face in the Western Conference Championship.

The Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo played to 0-0- tie Thursday in the other Western Conference semifinal, a result that was more disappointing for MLS in general than either of the two teams involved.

With a bumper 35,000-capacity crowd roaring the teams on and a national television audience watching I was really hoping for at least a goal or two. But both teams were content with what was essentially the halftime result of a 180 minute game. Bring on the away goals rule I say, a move that would give greater incentive to the away team to take risks and attack and conversely open that team's defense up and make it more vulnerable.

(BTW, Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid saw things similarly:

"Getting a draw on the road is good for them, but we've been a good road team. I look at it as we're 0-0 at halftime. ... You always want to win at home. Don't look at it as a missed opportunity. We played the first half of this series and didn't get a goal. We have to get a goal in the second half of the series now.")

Is MLS essentially saying American soccer fans are too dumb to be able to understand the away goals concept, I wonder? Or is it just another illustration of the lack of sophistication at MLS? The latter I suspect.

Still, I enjoyed the game, in large measure due more to the wonderful crowd than the play on the field. But it could have been even better.

Meanwhile, reporter Phil Collin headed out to Chivas USA practice Thursday looking back at Chivas USA's past playoff failures in an effort to understand why this year could be different. Read the piece here.

At least Preki has strikers in quantity this go round; we'll soon find out whether he has sufficient quality to get past the Galaxy.

Meanwhile, over in Germany Thursday the U.S. Women's National Team beat the No. 1 ranked team in the world on their own turf with a 1-0 victory, Hermosa Beach resident and resident U.S. goal machine Abby Wambach netting the winner. A notable accomplishment given that the Germans outshot the U.S. 17-7.

See the typically brave Wambach effort here:

Finally, in college action Thursday the Long Beach State women (5-10-3, 1-5-1 BWC) will miss out on the Big West Tournament for the first time since 2004 after losing 3-0 at UC Irvine.

Also, the Pepperdine women beat Seattle 1-0 Thursday.

Briefly:

*The MLS playoffs begin tonight and Seattle Sounders fans will demonstrate the right way to support a team - by going freaking nuts in the stands. Hope Galaxy and Chivas USA fans are taking note. The Dynamo-Sounders game is on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. Game preview here.

*Incidentally, the U.S. is playing Malawi at the U-17 World Cup live on ESPNU right now. It's 0-0 at the half. You can also follow along on Matchtracker. Updated: The U.S. win 1-0 on an Alex Shinsky goal

*The U.S. women are in Germany for a sold out friendly that starts at 10 a.m. The Sol's Brittany Bock is a doubt because of a knock. Sounds like her participation is a game time decision.

*Belated congratulations to former Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan who saved four penalties (!) deputizing for regular starter Brad Friedel for Aston Villa the other night. More here.

Finally, the Cal State Northridge men (7-7-2, 2-4-1 BWC) lost 2-0 to UC Santa Barbara Wednesday. Next: hosting UC Riverside at 3 p.m. Saturday at Matador Field. Take along three cans of food as a contribution to the food drive being held and you'll get in free.

AP Photo

The win over El Salvador completes a remarkable turnaround in the fortune of the Mexicans.

Blanco, too, looks rejuvenated. Oh, and former Chivas USA striker Paco Palencia came on as a sub for him - and scored.

A roundup of the World Cup qualifying results today is here.

In a related note, it was good to see the Off-Campus Pub in Carson packed to overflowing tonight for a closed circuit television showing of the Honduras-U.S. game.

We got there much later than planned and the place was jammed 45 minutes before kickoff with a line of 25-30 people still outside. They announced they would let 16 more people in to watch on two TV's on the patio. We didn't make it.

Matchtracker it is.

Defender Brittany Bock, 22, received her first call-up to the U.S. Women's National Team today in the wake of a 12-day camp at Home Depot Center and ahead of the Oct. 29 game against Germany.

She was an integral part of the Sol's defense last season.

Also named to the roster were Torrance's Shannon Boxx of the Sol and USC product Amy Rodriguez. All eight of the WPS teams that played the inaugural season have at least one player on the roster.

The full squad:

goalkeepers - Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica)

defenders - Brittany Bock (Los Angeles Sol), Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis Athletica), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Out of Contract), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

midfielders - Yael Averbuch (Sky Blue FC), Shannon Boxx (Los Angeles Sol), Tobin Heath (North Carolina), Angela Hucles (Boston Breakers), Lori Lindsey (Washington Freedom), Carli Lloyd (Out of Contract), Heather O'Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars)

forwards - Amy Rodriguez (Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

It will be the first meeting between the two nations since January 2007 and the first time the USA has played in Germany since the summer of 2000. The Women's World Cup will be played in Germany in 2011.

The last two games between the nations ended in scoreless ties after 90 minutes.

Final shots for the day:

*Sol defenders Brittany Bock and Stephanie Cox and midfielder Shannon Boxx were among 26 players called into Pia Sundhage's 12-day USWNT camp that begins Sept. 21 at Home Depot Center. Bock gets her second call-up of the year after also making the U.S. roster for the May 25 game against Canada in Toronto she was forced to miss after suffering a heel injury in training the day before.

Sundhage has the luxury of calling in several other WPS players for a look including Washington Freedom midfielder Lori Lindsey (1 cap), Sky Blue FC midfielder Yael Averbuch (2), uncapped Chicago Red Stars midfielder Brittany Klein and Sky Blue FC defender Meghan Schnur.

The squad: goalkeepers - Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Ashlyn Harris (North Carolina), Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica)

defenders Brittany Bock (Los Angeles Sol), Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis Athletica), Stephanie Cox (Los Angeles Sol), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Boston Breakers), Megan Schnur (Sky Blue FC), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

midfielders Yael Averbuch (Sky Blue FC), Shannon Boxx ( Los Angeles Sol), Tina DiMartino (FC Gold Pride), Tobin Heath (UNC), Angela Hucles ( Boston Breakers), Brittany Klein ( Chicago Red Stars), Lori Lindsey ( Washington Freedom), Carli Lloyd ( Chicago Red Stars), Heather O'Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Leslie Osborne (FC Gold Pride), Megan Rapinoe ( Chicago Red Stars), Kacey White (Sky Blue FC)

forwards Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Amy Rodriguez ( Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach ( Washington Freedom)

*BTW, the Sol's Camille Abily scored the winner from the spot in France's 2-1 win Monday over Iceland at the European Championships. The scorer of the other: none other than Washington Freedom's Sonia Bompastor.

*New Columbian Chivas USA defender Yamith Cuesta,20, on loan from Colombian side Expreso Rojo was/is scheduled to arrive at LAX tonight and join the team after receiving a visa.

*BTW, I usually skip these press releases, but I couldn't resist this one. Chivas USA players Jorge Flores and Bobby Burling will promote Clamato juice this coming weekend at local stores (1-2:30 p.m. Saturday for Flores at the Wal-Mart at 8500 Washington Blvd., in Pico Rivera and 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday for Burling at the Food 4 Less at 5100 N. Figueroa St., L.A.). Do they stand next to a huge mountain of Clamato juice? Hand out samples? Make a mean bloody mary? Or just have shoppers wondering who these guys are loitering near Clamato juice?

The Sol (11-2-4) can clinch the inaugural WPS regular season title with just a point on the road tonight at FC Gold Pride (3-9-3), a team that hasn't won in eight games and are 0-3 against LA this season.

Gold Pride will play on just three days rest after taking the field Sunday, while the Sol have had a considerably longer opportunity to relax, sustaining a rare 1-0 home loss July 8 to St. Louis Athletica. The Pride expects Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler and Leslie Osborne back from national team duty after two unnecessary games against Canada in four days; similarly the likes of midfielder Shannon Boxx (who went the full 90 last night) and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc (an unused sub Wednesday night) return for the Sol.

Sol defender Allison Falk is listed as questionable with a right ankle injury.

Former Brazilian international Sissi, now 42-years-old, could find herself lining up against the Sol's Marta in a clash of different generations.

Meanwhile, Northern California native and oft-injured Sol star Aly Wagner sadly sounds more and more as if she's edging toward a premature retirement.

There's no TV or radio.

(BTW, the U.S. beat Canada 1-0 Wednesday night in South Carolina, the 89th minute goal coming from 18-year-old Christine Nairn just eight minutes after she entered the game as a sub. She was playing in her second national team game).

TV options tonight include a Gold Cup semifinals doubleheader with the U.S. facing Honduras at 4 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel and the Mexico-Costa Rica game following at 7 p.m. on Univision.

The Hondurans will no doubt be distracted by events at home.

Finally, as the college soccer season approaches, check out this story about UCLA's prized top recruit.

One year and three days after breaking her leg in the final U.S. tuneup game before the Olympics, Abby Wambach scored her 100th international goal in the 1-0 U.S. win over Canada Sunday in Rochester, N.Y.

It was Wambach's first U.S. goal since the injury. Forward Lauren Cheney, 21, who replaced Wambach on the Olympic roster, came into the game in the 63rd minute and set up the historic goal 15 minutes later.

From the U.S. Soccer press release:

"Wambach becomes the ninth woman in soccer history to score 100 career international goals, and the fifth American, joining Mia Hamm (158), Kristine Lilly (129), Michelle Akers (105) and Tiffeny Milbrett (100). Wambach's 100th goal comes in just her 129th career match, giving her the best goals-to-games ratio in U.S. history.

Check out the goal and Wambach's reaction here.

Quotable:

"She's been playing better and better," said Coach Pia Sundhage. "You have to remember, she's coming off an injury. She's picking up her game from one game to another and she's improved her game tremendously. She will be important to our team in 2011, I'm telling you that."

Notable: U.S. Captain Christie Rampone missed the game after having emergency abdominal surgery Saturday.

Lineups:
U.S. 18-Nicole Barnhart; 4-Cat Whitehill (2-Heather Mitts, 46), 6-Amy LePeilbet, 21-Rachel Buehler, 17-Lori Chalupny (capt.); 9-Heather O'Reilly (13-Tobin Heath, 75), 16-Angela Hucles, 7-Shannon Boxx, 15-Megan Rapinoe; 8-Amy Rodriguez (19-Lauren Cheney, 63), 20-Abby Wambach

Canada: 1-Karina LeBlanc; 9-Candace Chapman, 2-Emily Zurrer, 7-Rhian Wilkinson (5-Robyn Gayle, 89), 17-Brittany Timko (13-Marie-Eve Nault, 58); 8-Diana Matheson, 4-Kelly Parker (14-Carmelina Moscato, 85), 10-Jodi-Ann Robinson (21-Chelsea Stewart, 46), 15-Kara Lang (3-Gina Pacheco, 80); 16-Jonelle Filigno (6-Kaylyn Kyle, 75), 12-Christine Sinclair (capt.)

The U.S. faces Canada again Wednesday in South Carolina live at 5 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.

Landon Donovan metaphorically rolls up his sleeves Saturday after practice at the HDC ahead of tonight's sold out Inter Milan AC Milan game. (AP Photo).

Arrive early this evening for the Galaxy-AC Milan friendly at Home Depot Center that was a condition of the Galaxy extending David Beckham's loan to the Italian club.

The Galaxy, which routinely inflates attendance figures in the 24,500-seat stadium, might actually have to do the opposite tonight to stay within fire code given that they've sold out the grass berm, standing room only seats - everything.

Bet the local residents are thrilled; they had to put up with a near-capacity crowd for a Coldplay concert last night that as usual will likely leave the field in a horrible condition and confirm to the European visitors soccer's lowly status in this country.

Milan arrived at LAX at 5 p.m. Saturday after an 11-hour flight from Italy and immediately headed out to UCLA's Spaulding Field to stretch their legs, according to the club's Web site.

Beckham showed up to welcome his former teammates to Southern California, while Milan Coach Leonardo gave a short interview in which he indicated the club wouldn't be averse to having Becks back.

Of course, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also rumored to be interested in the England midfielder.

(Manchester City don't want Beckham though - but the club still hasn't given up on Chelsea's John Terry.)

Game preview.

Defender Yohance Marshall has returned from his loan spell to USL Austin and will get some playing time tonight.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m.; coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on FSN. I'll blog from the game as usual.

Also:

* At 3 p.m. on FSN it's Chivas USA-New England Revolution. Both teams need a boost: Chivas USA hasn't won in seven games, the Revs in three MLS contests.

* The U.S. "C team" (as one press box colleague observed recently) narrowly defeated Panama Saturday in a Gold Cup quarterfinal.

* Chelsea beat the Sounders 2-0 Saturday in Seattle. The English team faces Inter Milan Tuesday at the Rose Bowl.

*Finally, U.S. Women's National Team player Abby Wambach is looking for international goal No. 100 at noon on ESPN against Canada.

When I told my wife about today's soccer schedule, she gave me on of those "so you want to remain married" looks?

No wonder. And this isn't a complete list of televised games, just my picks:

10 a.m. ESPN2 - Houston Dynamo at Toronto FC (the Western Conference leaders visit the Eastern Conference co-leaders;final was 1-1).

Noon ESPN2 - Chelsea at Seattle Sounders (in a game that will see the London EPL team go up against former Arsenal striker Freddie Ljungberg; Chelsea, of course, play in Pasadena Tuesday against Inter Milan).

2 p.m. KMEX - Canada-Honduras Gold Cup quarterfinal (can Canada make a run at the Gold Cup final for the first time since they won the trophy in the rain at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in 2000?)

5 p.m. Fox Soccer Channel - U.S.-Panama Gold Cup quarterfinal

Good things ease up Sunday:
Noon ESPN - U.S. Women's National Team-Canada

3 p.m. KMEX - Mexico-Haiti Gold Cup quarterfinal

3 p.m. FSN - Chivas USA-New England Revolution

4 p.m. ESPN2 - World Football Challenge, Club America-Inter Milan

7 p.m. FSN - Galaxy-AC Milan (the game at Home Depot center is sold out).

Or not.

Enjoy the weekend.

Oh, and will ya look at Manchester United's mighty Michael Owen.

The scorecard for the Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach this season: 13 games, three goals - and two challenges that led to season-ending injuries to both opponents.

Wambach, who earlier this season received a one-game suspension in the wake of the May 3 game against St. Louis Athletica after an 80th minute tackle that left Brazilian star Daniela with two unspecified knee ligaments and a cracked tibia, was also involved in a tackle Sunday that left Sol defender Christie Shaner with a broken leg.

From the (edited) Sol press release:

Shaner is undergoing surgery today in the Washington D.C. area to repair a mid-shaft tibia/fibula fracture that she suffered in a collision with the Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach in the Sol's 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon.

Shaner and Wambach collided as both made an effort to control a loose ball in the penalty area nearly five minutes into the second half. The match was Shaner's first in a Sol uniform after being acquired early last week in a trade with Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY).

The 24-year-old native of Ambler, Pennsylvania is scheduled for surgery at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Steven Tuck of Shady Grove Orthopaedic Associates will perform the procedure. The timetable for recovery is unknown at this time.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Christie," said Los Angeles Sol General Manager Charlie Naimo. "She is a great person and was set to make a big contribution to the Sol this season."

After the surgery, Shaner will be driven home to Ambler before recovering enough to rejoin her Sol teammates in Los Angeles.

The Sol wraps up its home schedule at noon Wednesday against Athletica at Home Depot Center. A Sol win clinches the regular season title and ensures the club hosts the WPS Championship Aug. 22 in Carson.

Meanwhile Wambach, Sol defender Stephanie Cox and Sol midfielder Shannon Boxx are among the 21 players called in today by U.S. Women's National Team Coach Pia Sundhage for two matches against Canada July 19 and 22. Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, who leads WPS with 11 shutouts, has also been called in to the Canadian squad for the games.

BTW, Wambach who herself returned to action this season after suffering a broken leg, will seek international goal No. 100 in the games. She currently has 99 international goals in 128 games.

Why is U.S. Soccer scheduling meaningless international friendlies while the WPS struggles to attract crowds to regular season games absent some of its biggest stars? Besides which the two nations have already met once this year with the U.S. winning 4-0.

Here's the full U.S. squad:
Goalkeepers - Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica)

Defenders - Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Stephanie Cox (Los Angeles Sol), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis Athletica), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

Midfielders - Shannon Boxx (Los Angeles Sol), Tobin Heath (North Carolina), Angela Hucles (Boston Breakers), Carli Lloyd (Chicago Red Stars), Christine Nairn (Penn State), Heather O'Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Leslie Osborne (FC Gold Pride), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsay Tarpley (Chicago Red Stars)

Forwards - Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Amy Rodriguez (Boston Breakers), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

Belated greetings from Carson on a day the Sol is celebrating the game that spawned WPS and the U.S. men are catching their breath after seeing everything go exactly right in South Africa (that "we'll take it" look on Coach Bob Bradley's face at game's end said it all).

Runaway WPS leaders the Sol have never even conceded a goal to FC Gold Pride winning two previous encounters 1-0 and 2-0.

Sol striker Han Duan is on the bench with back issues; the Sol waived defender Greer Barnes earlier this week.

The game is on Fox Soccer Channel.

Updated: The Sol just scored in the 19th minute from a Aya Miyama corner kick. Canadian defender Martina Franko did well to keep the ball in the danger area and poked it toward the goal where Camile Abily appeared to turn the ball inside the post for her league-leading seventh of the season. Right now, officials are giving the goal to Franko though; they plan to review the play at the half.

Canada 0 U.S. 4

Torrance's Shannon Boxx scored the first goal; the U.S. scored three more.

Now let's get on with the WPS season.

Game details.

FC Gold Pride 0 Sol 2

Cohesive, crisp passing, a virtually impenetrable defense that has only allowed two goals en route to seven shutouts all season and Han Duan's first goal for the Sol in the road victory.

Game story.

WPS standings.

Highlights:

More women's soccer later today: at 4 p.m. it's U.S.-Canada on Fox Soccer Channel featuring Torrance's Shannon Boxx and others missing from WPS action this weekend.

Happy Mother's Day from the Qwest Field press box in downtown Seattle where fans are filtering in to watch the Galaxy plays the Sounders at noon and a win could see 1-1-5 L.A. move into a three-way tie with Colorado and Houston in the Western Conference.

I've been out of Wi-Fi range for a few days, but refreshed from an apt Pacific Northwest chowder feast last night and a scrambled egg breakfast in the press box this morning, let's do a little catching up on what's been happening with Southern California soccer while I've been vacationing.

Chivas USA (7-1-1) are now eight points clear atop MLS after beating Real Salt Lake 1-0 last night at Home Depot Center behind Paulo Nagamura's team-leading third goal of the season. The win sets up an early season showdown next Saturday in Carson with 3-1-5 D.C. United, the second-best team in the league to this point.

Read the game story here.

Check out the goal here:

In other soccer news:

*The Galaxy finally and formally announced Friday the long-anticipated game against UEFA Champions League finalists Barcelona. With the HDC unavailable due to the X Games, the game will be held 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Rose Bowl. Tickets go on sale "in the coming weeks."

*The WPS' Sol, which this week traded defender Kendall Fletcher, forward Christie Welsh and a 2011 second-round draft pick to Saint Louis Athletica for a conditional 2010 first-round draft pick and a 2011 first-round draft pick, play the Boston Breakers at 1 p.m. today at the HDC. First place is on the line in a rematch of last week's game that saw the Sol succumb to their first loss of the season.

*Sol defender Brittany Bock has received her second-ever national team call-up for the May 20 game against Japan in Salt Lake City. Sol midefielder Shannon Boxx is also in the 21-player squad announced earlier this week.

Back in a few minutes with the lineups.

Briefly:

*MLS "eye candy" Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estates (and others) here. Also featured: Chivas USA 's 'sexy" Sacha Kljestan and rookie Galaxy defender A.J. 'the hunk" DeLaGarza.

*The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team plays Cuba at 4 p.m. Tuesday in its opening game of the regional championships in Tijuana. No TV.

*The U.S. Women's National Team will play Canada July 19 iin Rochester, N.Y., and July 22 Charleston, S.C., it was announced today. From U.S. Soccer:

"The matches will be the last for the U.S. Women's National Team at home in 2009, but the team is scheduled to gather for training camps and a European tour following the completion of the inaugural WPS campaign."