USSF and National team news

2003 news from US Soccer
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Arena names players to January training camp
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bruce Arena has chosen a 27-man roster that will train in preparation for the international friendly against Canada on Saturday, January 18 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The first training camp of 2003 will be held at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida from Jan. 4-16, before the team relocates to Ft. Lauderdale. Fans can follow the action Jan. 18 live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

US ODP regions to compete at adidas Super Group
US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program's (ODP) top youth soccer stars will compete December 27-30 at the adidas Super Group at the Disney Soccer Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Each of US Youth Soccer's Regions will field a US Youth Soccer ODP team in the 1986 age group to compete in the eight-team adidas Super Group. Joining these US Youth Soccer ODP teams will be: the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team; the Japanese Under-17 Men's National Team; and the Under-17 club teams from AC Milan (Italy) and Fulham (England).

US U23 men down Canada, 2-0
The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team rebounded from a 2-0 loss on Thursday to hand Canada a 2-0 defeat this afternoon, concluding the team's two game international series. Forward Alecko Eskandarian scored both goals for the U.S. to increase his team-leading total in 2002 to six.

US men to face Japan in Seattle on March 29
The U.S. Men's National Team will host fellow World Cup finalists Japan at Seattle Seahawks Stadium on Saturday, March 29 in Seattle . Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

US men to face Argentina at the Orange Bowl in February
The U.S. Men's National Team will host two-time World Cup champion Argentina in an international friendly Saturday, February 8, 2003 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Four days later, the USA will face Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston. Kickoff for the Feb.12 match is set for 2:30 p.m. ET.

US Soccer and Bruce Arena reach new four-year agreement
The United States Soccer Federation has agreed to a new contract with U.S. Men’s National Team manager Bruce Arena, who will continue to guide U.S. Soccer’s Men’s National Team Program through 2006.

US Soccer and Arena press conference notes
Following is a transcript of a teleconference call with U.S. Soccer President Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia and U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bruce Arena.

Mia Hamm named FIFA World Player of the Year
U.S. Women’s National Team and Washington Freedom forward Mia Hamm has been named the 2002 FIFA World Women’s Player of the Year by soccer’s world governing body. Hamm and Brazil World Cup hero Ronaldo were crowned the king and queen of soccer tonight among soccer royalty at the FIFA World Player of the Year 2002 Gala event in Madrid, Spain.

Indiana to host inaugural youth soccer National League Director's Cup
US Youth Soccer, the nation's largest youth sports association, announced the inaugural US Youth Soccer National League Director's Cup, presented by adidas, to be played August 8-10 at Lawrence Soccer Complex in Lawrence, Indiana.

Male and female soccer Athletes of the Year candidates named
U.S. Soccer announced today the finalists for its top two year-end Chevy awards, Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year, which will be voted on by fans starting tomorrow (Dec. 13) at www.ussoccer.com.

Online votes will be tallied and will be equivalent to 50 percent of the total votes. As in years past, 100 votes will be compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives (from National Team coaches to the National Board of Directors). Ballots will be accepted until Monday, January 6, 2003, at which time the votes will be tallied. U.S. Soccer, in conjunction with Chevrolet, will then announce the winners of the four awards at separate press conferences in January.

US Soccer names finalists for Young Athlete of the Year awards
U.S. Soccer announced the finalists for two of its four prestigious year-end Chevy awards, Young Male Athlete of the Year and Young Female Athlete of the Year, which will be voted on by fans starting on Friday (Dec. 13) at www.ussoccer.com. The finalists for the top two U.S. Soccer / Chevy awards, Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year, will be announced tomorrow and can also be voted on starting Friday.

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

US women to face Japan, Germany and China in January
The U.S. Women's National Team will travel to China in January for a major international tournament featuring the top four teams in the world as each nation gears up for the 2003 Women’s World Cup. The USA, Norway, Germany and Women’s World Cup host China will clash in a series of three doubleheaders in three Chinese cities, all in the three provinces in the southwest region of the country.

Ten charities to benefit through grants from US Soccer
The U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year honoree from each of Major League Soccer's 10 teams has selected the charity that will benefit from a monetary donation made in his name on behalf of the Foundation. The U.S. Soccer Foundation annually recognizes the efforts made by each club's Humanitarian of the Year by donating a cash grant to the organization of the players' choice. The U.S. Soccer Foundation will provide a greater sum to the charity selected by MetroStars defender Steve Jolley, who was named the League's Humanitarian of the Year for the 2002 season.

Two more shutouts for US U17's in Florida
The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team posted two more shutout wins today at the second annual U.S. Soccer / Nike Friendlies in Bradenton, Fla. The two U.S. U-17 teams have now posted five shutout wins in six matches at the Friendlies, including today’s 2-0 win over the Under-17 Dallas Texans and 5-0 victory against the Under-18 Bethesda Alliance.

U17 men post two more wins in Nike youth tournament
The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team posted impressive shutout wins today on the second day of the second annual U.S. Soccer / Nike Friendlies at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Freddy Adu and Danny Szetela each tallied one goal and one assist in a 3-0 win against FC Delco, and that was followed by three U.S. goals in the first 15 minutes of a 4-0 win against the Under-18 Houston Texans.

US men to face Canada January 18 in Ft. Lauderdale
The U.S. Men’s National Team will open 2003 with an international match against Canada at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

US U17 team begins Nike tournament with win and draw
The second annual U.S. Soccer / Nike Friendlies kicked off today at the IMG Academy, and the U.S. Under-17s opened with a win and a draw on a surprisingly cold day in Bradenton, Fla. The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team has been split into two squads for this event – an older team made up primarily of players born in 1986 and a younger team made up primarily of players born in 1987 – with the older team competing in the Under-18 age group and the younger team in the Under-17 bracket.

Twenty-eight youth teams gear up for Nike youth showcase
The second-annual U.S. Soccer / Nike Friendlies kick off Friday, December 6, at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. After a successful tournament in 2001, the number of teams in the 2002 invitational swelled from 19 teams in two age groups last year to 28 teams in three age groups this year.

US Youth Soccer adds Director of Coaching Education
US Youth Soccer, the nation's largest youth sports association, today named Tom Goodman as the organization's new national Director of Coaching Education.

US Soccer to release World Cup documentary on DVD
One of the most memorable sports stories of 2002 is now available on a special limited edition DVD just in time for the Holiday season, as U.S. Soccer has unveiled "Our Way: The Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Story of the USA's 2002 World Cup Journey."

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

Myernick names roster for US U23 foreign tour
U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team head coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick announced a 23-player roster today for the annual Nike Project-40 fall foreign tour, which will take place from Nov. 22-Dec. 6 and consist of six matches against reserve teams from some of the top clubs in Germany and Holland.

U19 women's coach evaluating newest US talent pool
U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team head coach Tracey Leone will spend Nov. 23-30, 2002, in Boca Raton, Fla., evaluating the Under-14, Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 regional teams at the annual Thanksgiving ODP Inter-Regional tournament. The competition will also include the Scotland U-17 Women’s National team and the new U.S. U-17 Women’s National team, which is coached by former U-19 assistant David Smith. Leone will use this competition to choose the initial pool of players who will form the next group to compete for the FIFA Under-19 Women’s World Championship.

US women to face Japan in January
The U.S. Women's National Team will open its 2003 schedule with a match against Japan on January 12, 2003, at Torero Stadium in San Diego, Calif. The match, which will be broadcast live on ESPN at 1 p.m. PT, will represent the USA's first game in its run to the 2003 Women's World Cup in China.

US men down El Salvador to wrap up successful 2002
The U.S. Men’s National Team concluded its historic 2002 season with a 2-0 shutout of El Salvador in the cold and steady rain today at RFK Stadium in front of 13,590 boisterous fans. Ben Olsen celebrated his return to the national team with the game-winning goal in the 31st minute, and Sasha Victorine added his first tally for the senior national team. With the victory, the United States elevated its final 2002 record to 12-6-2, boasting ten shutouts and impressive 10-1-1 record on home soil. The USA improved its lifetime record to 9-1-4 against El Salvador, and now holds a 9-3-3 record at RFK Stadium.

US U20 men fall to Canada in final CONCACAF qualification round
Already qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team wrapped up the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B Qualifying Tournament with a wild 3-2 loss to Canada at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. The U.S. battled back from a 3-0 deficit and dominated the final 17 minutes of the match, but were unable to find the equalizer in a game that featured four goals in a six-minute span of the second half.

US U20 men qualify for World Youth Championship
The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship with a 1-0 win over El Salvador in their second game of the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B Qualifying Tournament tonight at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. With the win, the U.S. qualified for their fourth straight World Youth Championship for the first time in U.S. Soccer history. The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship will be held in the United Arab Emirates from March 25 – April 16, 2003.

US Under-20 men open CONCACAF qualification with 2-0 win over Haiti
The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team opened the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B Qualifying Tournament with a 2-0 win over Haiti at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. Ed Johnson led the way for the U.S., scoring the first goal and then assisting on a beautiful Santino Quaranta goal just before halftime.

US U20 men's coach Thomas Rongen has team ready for CONCACAF play
On the eve of the opening match of the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B Qualifying Tournament, Thomas Rongen discusses his team, his concerns, his goals and the USA’s strengths and weaknesses. The U.S. kicks off the tournament tomorrow (November 13) against Haiti at 7:30 p.m. ET in a match that can be followed live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics. The match is also available for $19.95 through DirecTV and Time-Warner cable (in New York City).

USA wins women's Gold Cup on Hamm's golden goal
The U.S. Women's National Team won the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup in dramatic fashion with a 94th minute "golden goal" from Mia Hamm in sudden death overtime to defeat Canada, 2-1, in the championship game on a wet, soggy field at the Rose Bowl. It was Hamm's first goal of the tournament, but the 136th of her career.

US women qualify for 2003 World Cup
The U.S. Women's National Team became the sixth team to qualify for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup by virtue of its 7-0 victory over Costa Rica in the first semifinal of the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. Forward Cindy Parlow led the way for the USA, scoring a pure hat trick, two on acrobatic headers.

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

USA routs Panama 9-0 in final first round Gold Cup play
The U.S. Women's National Team is one win away from a berth in the 2003 Women's World Cup after its 9-0 thrashing of Panama tonight in its final Group 1 game of the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. The USA's two players with Northwestern ties put on a show for the fans, as Tiffeny Milbrett scored five times and Shannon MacMillan scored twice, to totally overpower the young Panamanians on a chilly night at the beautiful SAFECO Field in front of a festive crowd of 21,522.

Q&A with Kristine Lilly
The number 13 has certainly been lucky for the U.S. Women's National Team. It's owner for the last 15 years, midfielder Kristine Lilly, has played an astounding 242 times for her country, more than any man or women in history. And she's not done. Not even close. In fact, with two assists against Mexico in the opening game of the Women's Gold Cup, she moved past Michelle Akers on all-time U.S. Women's point-scoring list with 249. Lilly and her U.S. teammates continue play in the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup on Saturday, Nov. 2, against Panama at SAFECO Field in Seattle in a match being broadcast live on Fox Sports World at 7:30 p.m. PT. The top two finishers in the tournament will earn berths to the 2003 Women's World Cup in China. As the USA prepped for their final group match and moved from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest, Lilly took a few minutes to discuss past qualifying tournaments, memorable goals and how sometimes pets don't mimic their owners.

US women top T&T in Gold Cup, 3-0
The U.S. Women's National Team took one step closer to a berth in the 2003 Women's World Cup, dominating its second match of the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup against a Trinidad & Tobago team intent on keeping the score down, and got goals from Cindy Parlow, Brandi Chastain and Tiffeny Milbrett to register a 3-0 win at Titan Stadium.

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

Arena names roster for El Salvador friendly
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bruce Arena has chosen a 23-man roster that will train in preparation for the international friendly against El Salvador on Sunday, November 17 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 3 p.m. ET, and fans can also follow the action live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

USA opens World Cup qualifying with 3-0 win over Mexico
The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup, the qualifying tournament for the 2003 Women's World Cup, with a solid 3-0 victory over Mexico at the Rose Bowl. Aly Wagner, Cindy Parlow and Shannon MacMillan scored for the USA at it took control of Group 1 in this eight-team tournament, which will send its top two finishers to the 4th Women's World Cup in China.

Rongen names U20 men's CONCACAF qualification roster
With less than a month before the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team attempts to qualify for their fourth consecutive World Youth Championship, U.S. head coach Thomas Rongen has selected a squad of 18 players to represent the U.S. at the CONCACAF Group B qualifying tournament in Charleston, S.C. The tournament, which marks the first time U.S. Soccer has hosted an Under-20 qualifying tournament since 1980, will take place at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., with doubleheaders on Nov. 13, 15 and 17. The U.S. will be joined by Haiti, El Salvador and Canada in Group B, with the top two teams advancing to the FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates from March 25 - April 16, 2003.

US creates U17 women's team, adds to coaching staff
With a focus on developing players for the Under-19 Women's National Team, U.S. Soccer has added an Under-17 Women's National Team to the stable of five Women's National Team programs, which includes the Under-16 Girls, Under-19 Women and Under-21 Women, in addition to the full Women's National Team.

US names Women's Gold Cup roster
U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named the 18 players who will attempt to qualify the United States for the 2003 Women's World Cup in China. The USA's regional qualification tournament is being played as the eight-team 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup, taking place from Oct. 27-Nov. 9, 2002, at four venues on the west coast of the United States and Canada. All 16 matches of the tournament will be televised live on Fox Sports World.

Heinrichs looks back on successful Nike US Women's Cup
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach April Heinrichs looks back at the 2002 NIKE U.S. Women’s Cup, the goals accomplished by the team, and how it will effect to upcoming CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, the USA’s Women’s World Cup qualification tournament, which runs from Oct. 27-Nov. 9 at four west coast venues in the United States and Canada.

US men to face El Salvador in November at RFK
The United States Men’s National will return to international action Sunday, November 17 as they welcome El Salvador to RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN. The United States has not faced an international opponent since the team’s historic quarterfinal finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in June. The team will train in the Washington, D.C. area beginning Nov. 11.

US women win Nike Cup with 4-0 win over Italy
The U.S. Women's National Team patiently chipped away at a tough Italian defense, then exploded for four goals in 15 minutes in the second half to record a 4-0 win and claim the 2002 NIKE U.S. Women's Cup title today at SAS stadium. With the win, the USA finished the tournament with a perfect 3-0-0 record, boosting their all-time Nike U.S. Women's Cup record to a remarkable 24-0-0 and earning their eighth Nike U.S. Women's Cup championship in as many tries.

US U20 men to begin World Championship qualification in Charleston
The United States Under-20 Men’s National Team will face Haiti, El Salvador and Canada in the CONCACAF Under-20 Group B Qualifying Tournament at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., from November 13-17, 2002. Haiti was the final team to qualify for the six-game round-robin tournament when they topped Jamaica in a two-legged playoff that finished this weekend.

US women down Austrailia in Nike Cup
The U.S. Women's National Team used some high speed ball possession against an always gritty Australian Women's National Team to record a solid 4-0 victory in its second game of the 2002 NIKE U.S. Women's Cup. With the win, the USA now has six points and needs a win or a draw against Italy on Sunday to claim its ninth Nike U.S. Women's Cup title. The match versus Italy will be shown live on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. ET. The first game of the doubleheader featuring Australia-Russia starts at 11:30 a.m. ET.

US women open Nike Cup with 5-1 win over Russia
The U.S. Women's National Team patiently broke down a skillful Russian team to register a dominating 5-1 victory in the opening game of the 2002 NIKE U.S. Women's Cup. The USA got stellar performances from Mia Hamm, who had two goals and an assist, and second half substitute Aly Wagner, who had two assists and a goal, to bury Russia with three goals in a five-minute span in the second half.

US players overseas update
Courtesy of US Soccer, this update contains the most current statistics, schedules, and trends for the national team players plying their trade across the pond.

Heinrichs names roster for 2002 Nike US Women's Cup
U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named the 18 players who will compete in the 2002 NIKE U.S. Women's Cup, beginning tomorrow in Uniondale, N.Y., as the USA takes on Russia at 4 p.m. ET at the Mitchel Athletic Complex.

Nike US Women's Cup begins September 29
The U.S. Women's National Team came together on Tuesday in Long Island, N.Y. for its second event since the end of the 2002 WUSA season as the team prepares to host the 9th Nike U.S. Women's Cup. The USA will open the four-team, six-game competition on Sunday, Sept. 29, against Russia at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y. The USA will also face Australia at SAS Park in Cary, N.C. on Oct. 2 (Kickoff 7:30 p.m. ET live on ESPN2) and Italy on Oct. 6 (Kickoff 2 p.m. ET on live) ESPN2, also at SAS Park.

U20 men's world championship qualification schedule announced
With the CONCACAF Under-20 Qualifying Tournament less than two months away, CONCACAF has released the schedule for the four-team round-robin tournament that will be staged in Charleston, S.C., at Blackbaud Stadium from November 13-17, 2002. Tickets for the event are on sale now. This tournament marks the first time since 1980 that U.S. Soccer has hosted an Under-20 qualifying tournament.

US players overseas update
The penalty spot would dictate terms for both of the USA's England-based international goalkeepers this past week.

Heinrichs names player pool for Nike Cup
U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named 28 players to train for four days in Long Island, N.Y., before the USA opens the 2002 Nike U.S. Women's Cup against Russia at the Mitchel Athletic Complex on Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. ET

Two players score hat tricks in US romp over Scotland
The U.S. Women's National Team put forth a dominating effort in the stifling heat and humidity today, pouring in six goals in the second half to put away Scotland, 8-2, at Crew Stadium. The Washington Freedom forward tandem of Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach accounted for most of the offensive explosion, with each player notching a hat trick. For Hamm, it was her 8th career three-goal game and 10th career match of three or more goals, as she was named Chevrolet Woman of the Match. She upped her career total to 133 goals.

Coach Leone talks about preparing for U19 world championship
Less than a week after winning the first-ever FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship, U.S. Under-19 head coach Tracey Leone talks about some of the key factors in her team's preparation that eventually resulted in her team's 1-0 "golden goal" victory over Canada in front of a partisan crowd of almost 48,000 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Sept. 1, 2002.

US soccer expands full-time U17 residency program
U.S. Soccer has increased the number of players in their Under-17 Full-Time Residency Program to 30 players, all of whom began the fall semester today at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. An additional 10 spaces in the residency program were added for the fall semester, as U.S. Soccer continues to increase its player development opportunities in this country.

Thomas Rongen assesses the US U20 men's play in Spain
Less than a week after returning from Spain where the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team finished in second place at the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional, U.S. Under-20 head coach Thomas Rongen analyzes his team’s play and what that means as they approach the their CONCACAF qualifying tournament in November in Charleston, S.C. Rongen touches on what was learned at the tournament, what his team still needs to improve on and much more.

Kalamazoo's Tarpley nets golden goal as USA wins FIFA World Championship
Under the most adverse of conditions and on the biggest of stages, the U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team pulled off an historic victory in front of 47,784 fans at Commonwealth Stadium, defeating host Canada, 1-0, in sudden death overtime on a 109th minute “golden goal” from U.S. captain Lindsay Tarpley.

US U19 women roll on to World Championship final
The U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team roared back from a goal down to record a convincing 4-1 victory over Germany in the semifinal of the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship and will play for the first-ever world soccer title for youth women on Sunday, Sept. 1, at Commonwealth Stadium against the winner of tonight's second semifinal between host Canada and Brazil. Kickoff for the final is 2 p.m. MT (4 p.m. ET) and it will be broadcast live on Fox Sports World.

Berhalter moves from Crystal Palace to German side Cottbus
U.S. defender Gregg Berhalter today inked a one-year deal with Energie Cottbus of the German Bundesliga, departing Crystal Palace of the English First Division after a rocky eighteen months. In an interview with ussoccer.com , Berhalter talked about the transfer and his feelings about leaving England.

US U20 men fall to Brazil in Spanish tournament final
The United States Under-20 Men’s National Team lost to an older Brazil team 1-0 tonight in the final of the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional in L’Alcuna, Spain. The U.S. Under-20s opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Brazil, before winning three straight matches over Italy, Ukraine and Uruguay to advance to tonight’s final. Brazil finished the tournament undefeated in five matches.

US Open Cup semifinal previews
Of the 147 teams that were eligible to compete for the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, only four remain as the 89-year-old single elimination tournament has reached the semifinal stage with the finalists squaring off on back-to-back Tuesday's on September 3 and 10.

US U20 men advance to semifinal round of Spanish tourney
The United States Under-20 Men’s National Team topped Uruguay 3-1 tonight in the semifinal round of the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional to earn a chance at revenge against Brazil in tomorrow night’s final. The U.S. squad was reduced to ten men in the 52nd minute, but the U.S. used an own goal, a penalty and a superb solo effort from Eddie Johnson to secure their third straight win in Spain.

Magee scores four in 5-2 US U20 win over Ukraine
The United States Under-20 Men’s National Team used four goals from Mike Magee to defeat Ukraine 5-2 and advance to tomorrow’s semifinal round of the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional in L’Alcunia, Spain. The five goals are the most a team has scored in a single game at this year’s tournament, and Magee’s four goals make him the tournament’s leading scorer after the group phase.

US U20 men defeat Italy 2-1 in Spain
The United States Under-20 Men’s National Team defeated an older Italy team 2-1 tonight to push the American squad to the brink of the semifinals at the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional in L’Alcunia, Spain. Playing on a field saturated with water from a pre-game storm, the U.S. used goals from Eddie Johnson and Devin Barclay to defeat one of Europe’s top teams.

US U19 women advance to semifinal round, beat Denmark 6-0
The U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team once again got scintillating performances from its forwards and rode a Kelly Wilson hat trick to a hard-fought 6-0 victory over Denmark in the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship.

10-man US U20 mens team fall to Brazil, 2-1
A ten-man United States Under-20 Men’s National Team fought valiantly and led midway through the second half, but surrendered two late goals to lose 2-1 to an older Brazil team in the opening match of the C.O.T.I.F XIX Torneig Internacional in L’Alcunia, Spain. David Johnson gave the U.S. the lead in the 52nd minute, but Brazil scored twice in a three-minute span to pull out the come-from-behind victory.

Field set for 2002 Nike US Women's Cup
U.S. Soccer has finalized the opponents, dates and venues for the 2002 edition of the Nike U.S. Women’s Cup, the most prestigious women’s event conducted by U.S. Soccer, and one of the most respected women’s tournaments in the world. The tournament, a four-team, six-game competition, will feature the U.S. Women’s National Team, as well as Australia, Italy and Russia.

Quarterfinals take shape at U19 Women's World Championship
The U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team will play Denmark in its quarterfinal match at the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship at Centennial Stadium in Victoria on Sunday, Aug. 25, with the kickoff set for 7 p.m. PT.

Heinrichs names camp roster for US women's Scotland preps
U.S. Women's National Team head coach April Heinrichs has named the 24 players who will come to Columbus, Ohio, for four days of training before the USA faces Scotland on Sept. 8, 2002, at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The match will kickoff at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN. Heinrichs will name 18 of the 24 to suit up against Scotland.

US U19 women rout Chinese Taipei, 6-0
The U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team got goals from expected and unexpected places during a 6-0 thrashing of Chinese Taipei in their final Group C match at the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship. Team captain Lindsay Tarpley scored twice and forwards Kerri Hanks and Megan Kakadelas scored once each, but the goals from Rachel Buehler and Stephanie Ebner were the first of their U-19 international careers.

US U19 women top Australia, 4-0
Forward Kelly Wilson scored two goals for the second match in a row and Leslie Osborne and Heather O'Reilly added their second goals of the tournament as the U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team emerged with a 4-0 victory over Australia in a marvelously combative Group C match at the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship.

US Players overseas update - 8/19
The first meeting of goalkeeper Brad Friedel and Claudio Reyna in the English Premier League ended in a 0-0 stalemate, as Friedel was forced to make a couple big saves off the foot of Reyna to preserve the shutout.

US women roll over England to open World Championship
The U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team got two goals from Kelly Wilson and one each from Lindsay Tarpley, Leslie Osborne and Heather O'Reilly to open the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship on a spectacular day at Centennial Stadium, rolling over a tough England squad on the way to a 5-1 victory. It was the first match ever played in a FIFA World Championship by a U.S. youth women's team, who won over the 2,500 highly entertained fans on a sun-splashed Victoria afternoon with some dynamic attacking soccer.

Coach looks at upcoming U19 women's world championships
Under-19 Women's National Team coach Tracey Leone analyzes the impact, implications and repercussions of the inaugural 2002 Under-19 FIFA Women's World Championship. Leone touches on the unknowns of the first World Championship for youth women, its impact on the senior nationals teams of the respective countries and the preparation of her team for this historic tournament.

US U17 men headed for Finland
The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team will head to Finland this weekend to face Finland’s Under-17 Men’s National Team in three matches. The teams will play in Helsinki, Finland, on August 22, August 24 and August 26. U.S. head coach John Ellinger is using the trip to help his team get acclimated to Finland, where the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship will be held from August 13-30.

Rongen names roster for U20 men's tournament in Spain
U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has selected 20 players for the U.S. Under-20s trip to Valencia, Spain, where they will participate against some of the top youth national teams in the world at the XIX Torneo Internacional de Futbol de l’Alcudia from August 24-29. The U.S. team will depart for Spain on August 19 and plays in the tournament opener on August 24 against Brazil. The U.S. follows up against Italy on August 26 and then concludes Group B play on August 27 against Ukraine. The tournament’s Group A is comprised of Spain, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Gabon.

Dr. Contiguglia looks ahead to next four years after re-election
Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia, US Soccer Federation President provided his insight into what lies ahead for US Soccer at a press conference following his re-election on Friday. The text of his presentation and Q&A session is provided here.

Contiguglia re-elected for second term as USSF President
U.S. Soccer’s membership today elected Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia to a second four-year term as President of the U.S. Soccer Federation by unanimous consent. Contiguglia ran unopposed in the election. Contiguglia has been involved in soccer in the U.S. for more than three decades, during which he has excelled at almost every level of the game.

US U19 women make final preparations for World Championship tournament
The U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team will arrive in Portland, Ore., today to begin final preparations for the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women’s World Championship, taking place in Canada from Aug. 17-Sept. 1, 2002. The U.S. team will train for two days at the NIKE World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., before leaving on Monday for Victoria, B.C., where the U.S. team will be based during the entire first round of the tournament.

Lamar Hunt Open Cup semifinal dates set
(August 8) U.S. Soccer announced today that the MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy will host the Dallas Burn in a 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif., on Tuesday, September 3, at 8 p.m. PT. The other Semifinal, set for Tuesday, Sept. 10, will pit the Columbus Crew (MLS) against the winner of the remaining Quarterfinal game to be played as the Kansas City Wizards (MLS) visit the Milwaukee Rampage (A-League) on August 24. The designated host for the second Semifinal match-up will be determined via the Kansas City-Milwaukee outcome as the Crew will either host the Wizards or travel to meet the Rampage on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. ET. Both 2002 Open Cup Semifinals as well as the Championship game on the weekend of October 26-27 will be broadcast live on Fox Sports World and Fox Sports World Español.

US U23 men defeat Manchester United reserve side, 3-2
The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team finished their week-long trip to England with an undefeated 4-0 mark after coming back from a 1-0 halftime defecit to defeat the Manchester United U-21s 3-2 in Carrington, England today. With the win, the U.S. U-23s improve their overall record in 2002 to 5-1-2.

US Open Cup quarterfinal round begins August 7
The 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has reached its "Final Eight" as three of the four Quarterfinal games will take place this Wednesday, August 7. In the marquee match-up, last year’s Open Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) will travel to take on the defending MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes in a match that will be broadcast live on Fox Sports World (FSW) and Fox Sports World Español (FSWE) from Spartan Stadium on Wednesday (August 7) at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).

U20 men draw with Mexico in Houston
The United States Under-20 Men's National Team played to a scoreless draw against Mexico in their final match at the USASA Soccer Festival in Houston, Texas late last night. The game's kick-off was delayed due to severe thunderstorms in the Houston area.

US U23 men defeat Bolton club side, 4-1
The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team, playing as an Under-21 side, topped Bolton’s Under-21 team 4-1 at Bolton’s training ground in Chorley, England today. U.S. midfielder Brian Carroll scored twice to go along with goals from Edson Buddle and Alecko Eskandarian. After not scoring in 30 matches across two years with the U.S. Under-20s, Carroll has now scored three times in five games at the Under-23 level.

World Cup TV ratings set records in US
Ratings and advertising sales for Soccer United Marketing's (SUM) World Cup broadcasts on ESPN and ESPN2 have continued following the quarterfinal surge of the U.S. National Team, revealing a strong domestic following of the unprecedented American results in Korea/Japan.

USA shows world class, but falls to Germany, 1-0
Despite putting together perhaps its best single-game performance of the tournament, the U.S. Men’s National Team’s historic run to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals came to and end today in Ulsan, Korea, where they fell 1-0 to three-time world champion Germany. Despite controlling the majority of the match and posting an 11-6 shot advantage, the U.S. was held scoreless by world class goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who posted six amazing saves on the day.

Amateur side disqualified from Open Cup
U.S. Soccer announced today that U.S. Amateur Soccer Association Region IV representative Mexico S.C. of Fresno, Calif., has been disqualified from the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after using an ineligible player in their First Round game against the host San Diego Gauchos of the D3 Pro League on June 11.

US players to do late night TV circuit
After numerous appearances on the three major network morning shows and in the nation's top sports magazines over the past month, members of the U.S. Men's National Team will make their first appearances on the late-night talk show circuit this week.

Bruce Arena press conference - June 19
US national team head coach Bruce Arena spoke to the media about the US squad and looking ahead to Germany.

US referee Brian Hall named to final official's list
U.S. World Cup referee Brian Hall has been named as one of 32 match officials (16 referees and 16 assistant referees) that will work the final eight games of the 2002 World Cup. Hall will be involved in the semifinals, the third-place match or the World Cup Final.

Arena press conference notes - June 18
US national team head coach Bruce Arena spoke to the media about the US squad and looking ahead to Germany.

Donovan to be featured on Sports Illustrated cover
Less than a month since U.S. World Cup team forward Clint Mathis graced the cover of the 2002 World Cup preview issue (May 27, 2002) of "Sports Illustrated", U.S. forward Landon Donovan is featured on this week's cover after the USA's landmark 2-0 win over Mexico that earned them a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1930. The new issue, dated June 24, hits newsstands on Thursday.

USA striker Josh Wolf was instrumental in setting up the first US goal vs. Mexico in the second round of the World Cup in Jeonju, Soth Korea, June 17. USA blanked Mexico, 2-0.

USA tops CONCACAF rival Mexico, advance to quarterfinal round
In easily the most anticipated and important match of an intense 68-year soccer rivalry with CONCACAF foe Mexico, the U.S. Men’s National Team used clinical finishing from Brian McBride and Chevy Man of the Match Landon Donovan, as well as smothering defense and more solid goalkeeping from Brad Friedel, to post a 2-0 shutout win today in the Round of 16 in Jeonju, Korea.

USA loses to Poland, 3-1
Needing just a draw in their third and final opening round match, the U.S. Men’s National Team surrendered two surprising goals in the first five minutes and came up short in their comeback bid, falling to Poland 3-1 in Daejeon, South Korea.

US referee assigned to England v. Nigeria cup tie
U.S. Soccer Referee Brian Hall earned quality reviews for his work in the middle of the Italy – Ecuador match on June 3, and has been named by FIFA as the referee for the Nigeria – England on June 12 in Osaka. Hall served as the fourth official for the highly anticipated England – Argentina match on June 7, which England won 1-0. The match against Nigeria is crucial to England, who are in position to qualify for the second round with a draw or a win against the African team.

US World Cup update - June 6
With his goal in the 36th minute of the win against Portugal, Brian McBride became the first U.S. Men’s National Team player to score in two World Cups.

Capacity crowd at Crew Stadium Viewing Party
A capacity crowd filled Columbus Crew Stadium's "Cup Headquarters" early Wednesday morning to watch the USA's stunning 3-2 upset victory against heavily favored Portugal. The "Best Buy Viewing Parties" at Crew Stadium have now attracted more than 2,700 people over the first six days and 17 games of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

US upsets Portugal to open World Cup play
The U.S. Men’s National Team opened the 2002 World Cup by posting perhaps the tournament's biggest upset so far, scoring three first-half goals and holding on for a 3-2 win over popular pre-tournament favorite Portugal in Suwon, Korea, today. U.S. forward Brian McBride earned Chevy Man of the Match honors after providing the assist on the first goal and knocking home a header in the 36th minute to provide the game winner, making him the only U.S. player to score a goal in two different World Cups (McBride had the USA's only goal at France '98 in a 2-1 loss to Iran on June 21).