Everyone who thought the tumultuous last few days for the U.S. women's national team would result in a listless performance against Norway in the third-place game was wrong. Team USA beat Norway 4-1 behind Abby Wambach's two goals.
Wambach scored in the 30th and 47th minutes, and when Lori Chalupny and Heather O'Reilly added goals at the 58 and 60-minute marks, it was 4-0 USA. Obviously, the American women came to play.
But it seems extraordinarily unlikely that today's performance is enough to save the job of coach Greg Ryan, who has been widely criticized for his decision to bench goalie Hope Solo in favor of Briana Scurry prior to Team USA's 4-0 loss to Brazil. Ryan's contract expires at the end of the year, and someone else will almost certainly be coaching the Americans when they return to China for the Olympics.
In the final, Germany beat Brazil 2-0.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-30-2007 @ 2:12PM
wmedae said...
Congrats on the win today. Now USSF get on with the firing of Coach Ryan and find a new coach. If not for his blockhead move, of benching Solo, today they would have been playing in the finals. Ryan must go.
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9-30-2007 @ 7:56PM
rusty said...
I wish my comments could be forwarded to the ESPN announcer's covering the World Cup. However, Solo was right in making her "freedom of speech" comments about the way she was treated in being replaced. Let's see who won 40 of 51 games...oh yes, it was Solo. She has nothing to be sorry for and she certainly should not have to make a mend with the U.S. team. If anything they should make a mend with Solo for saying she should not be allowed to show up at the last game. In my opinion, the U.S. deserves 4th place and not 3rd. The U.S. coach was quick to turn it all around and sick the media on Solo, when he knows he screwed up. Lastly ESPN should be bias in their opinions about the situation and not take sides like they did. Yes, I am very upset and when I heard the comments made about Solo, I turned off the game because I could care less at that point whether the U.S. won or lost. If the tables were turned any one of the U.S. players would have made the same comments.
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9-30-2007 @ 9:43PM
steve kenel said...
If anyone really thinks Hope Solo would have changed the outcome of the Brazil game they didn't watch the game. Briana Scurry didn't make the US field players play long passes to nowhere all day. She didn't get abused by Marta on Marta's second goal of the game either. In the third place game the US returned to the possession style of play they displayed in their glory days. They played much more relaxed. Was it the coach or did the team just feel the pressure of being compared to the great teams of the past? Once the pressure of winning the cup was no longer there they returned to the type of game they are best at, even with Scurry in the goal.
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9-30-2007 @ 9:44PM
Bill H. said...
Why did Ryan think he had to "fix it?" It wasn't broke. he was apparently thinking Scurry should play because it might have been her last game.
So what! Ryan was/is an imbecile and should be fired immediately.
As for Solo's comments, good for her.
As for her team mates, they should have stood behind Solo.
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9-30-2007 @ 11:57PM
CarlosBAlonso said...
It is incredible that the responsibility for making a mistake was shifted from the coach that screwed up to the truthful innocent player. The US squad should be ashamed for not one teammate standing up for Solo.
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9-30-2007 @ 11:58PM
CarlosBAlonso said...
Fire the coach and every player that did not stand up to his removing Solo from goalie and even worse from the squad.
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10-01-2007 @ 1:00AM
George B Vieto said...
If Greg Ryan gets hired to coach the USA Women Soccer Team for the 2008 Olympics in China then I'll believe that the best interests of the US Soccer Team has been sabotaged by the powers that be.
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10-01-2007 @ 2:07AM
Rey Brandt said...
Solo had every right to be disappointed. Ryan made a bonehead decision. However, Solo should have kept her comments private. The results of the game spoke for her. Soccer is a team sport and you don't cause such mayhem for your team by maligning the abilities of a team mate at such a crucial time. This was no time for Solo's ego to explode. While it's probable Ryan won't be back, I wonder what Solo's future will be.
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10-01-2007 @ 2:09AM
Richard said...
I want to know if Solo recieved her bronze medal. She more than earned it. If she did not then she needs to get a good attorney and sue the USSF for it.
They already have tried to rob her of her dignity and spot on the team. They have no right to rob her of the medal she earned.
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10-01-2007 @ 5:41PM
Bill Shank said...
Bottom line is the team did not play well enough to win the cup, Coach Ryan made a huge mistake and Hope Solo did not act like a professional.
These girls all gained valuable lessons and I have no doubt they will kick ass in the Olympics.
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