Sweden, England announce rosters for May 17th friendly
The rosters for the England vs. Sweden friendly scheduled for May 17th are set. England features five players from Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) – Sky Blue FC’s Eniola Aluko, Anita Asante, and Karen Bardsley and Boston Breakers Kelly Smith and Alex Scott. Four players from FA Women’s Super League (FAWSL) league leaders Birmingham City are on the squad – Karen Carney, Dunia Susi, Laura Bassett, and Rachel Williams. For Sweden, captain Caroline Seger will make her first appearance in 2011 for her country. She missed the Algarve Cup due to injury. Sweden keeper Sofia Lundgren (Linkopings FC) will not travel to Oxford for the match. She recently suffered a minor foot injury. Head Coach Thomas Dennerby has named Kristin Hammarström (Göteborg FC) as the replacement for Lundgren. (more…)
Birmingham City atop of FA Women’s Super League
Although they’ve yet to face the toughest tests, Birmingham City comfortably sit in first place in the FA Women’s Super League after two games. No matter the result of Thursday’s game between Arsenal and Bristol Academy, Birmingham City will enter this weekend in first place. With Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Liverpool, the Blues improved to 2-0 and have outscored their opponents, 8-0. Doncaster drew, 1-1, with Everton and sit in second place with four points. An Arsenal win Thursday over Bristol Academy would put them in a first-place tie with Birmingham City. (more…)
U.S. Women’s National Team roster set for U.K. tour
U.S. Women’s National Team Coach Pia Sundhage has named the 23 players that will take on England April 2 at Brisbane Road in East London (the home of English League One side Leyton Orient). The U.S. heads to the UK on March 21. The team will also play Scotland in a closed-door training match during the trip. The U.S. vs. England match on April 2 will air live on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. (more…)
U.S. to face Iceland in Algarve Cup finals, Canada and Holland to play for Cyprus Cup title
The U.S. Women’s National Team had already sealed a place in the Algarve Cup finals, but it came down to the final day of group stage play to find out their opponent. Iceland, No. 17 in the FIFA World Rankings, defeated Denmark, 1-0, Monday afternoon in Portugal to advance to their first-ever Algarve Cup final. Iceland, which also beat China and Sweden in Group B, will play the U.S. Wednesday. Dóra María Lárusdóttir (Valur) scored Iceland’s goal. Meanwhile in Cyprus, Canada beat England, 2-0, Monday and coupled with Holland’s 6-0 win Monday over Switzerland, Canada and Holland will play Wednesday in the Cyprus Cup finals. (more…)
Historic day at both Cyprus Cup and Algarve Cup
Kelly Smith won her 100th cap with England and scored in a 2-0 win over Italy at the Cyprus Cup, while Iceland beat Sweden for the first time ever, shocking the No. 4 FIFA ranked team in the world, 2-1, at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. In other action today at Algarve, the U.S. Women’s National Team beat Japan (2-1), Norway beat Finland (2-1), Denmark beat China (1-0), Portugal beat Wales (3-1), and Romania beat Chile (2-0). In Cyprus, Canada, France, South Korea, and the Netherlands won, while Russia and Mexico played to a scoreless draw. (more…)
U.S. U20s heading to Spain for tournament in La Manga
Following a training camp that ran through Feb. 20 in Chula Vista, Calif., the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team will head to Spain to play in La Manga against U-20 teams from Norway, Sweden, and England. The four-team tournament runs from March 4-March 8. (more…)
WPSL’s New York Athletic Club keeper Tatiana Saunders earns honor from Gatorade
Gatorade recently unveiled its state players of the year for girls’ soccer, and Tatiana Saunders, who played in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) for New York Athletic Club, was named the New York High School Gatorade Player of the Year. The national Gatorade Player of the Year will be announced May 23. (more…)
Maria Karlsson blogs from Doncaster
Maria Karlsson, who last week became the first Swedish international to sign with a team in the FA Women’s Super League (Doncaster Rovers Belles), has landed in England and checked in from Doncaster. (more…)
Cyprus Cup expands to 12 teams, includes five teams that will play in 2011 World Cup
The Cyprus Cup, which will take place from March 2-9 in Larnaka, Cyprus, features 12 teams this year. There will be three groups of four teams. The competing nations this year include five that are going to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup: defending Cyprus Cup champions Canada, England, France, New Zealand, and North Korea. The other teams in the Cyprus Cup this year include Italy, Scotland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Russia, Northern Ireland, and Switzerland. (more…)
Four Nations Tournament and Cyprus Women’s Cup highlight the start of 2011
Seven teams competing in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup begin 2011 with a pair of tournaments. The U.S., Canada, and Sweden will take part in the Four Nations Tournament in mid-January in Chongqing, China, while England, North Korea, New Zealand, and France will play in the Cyprus Cup in February/March. (more…)
FA announces fixtures for Women’s Super League
This morning, the Football Association announced the first seven games for each club in the new FA Women’s Super League in England. The first games are scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2011. The league runs through August and will take a break during the Women’s World Cup. Also, five matches will air live this season on ESPN. Here’s the list of matches:
| Date | Match | Kick-off | Venue |
| Thurs 14 April 2011 | Birmingham City v Bristol Academy | 7.45pm | Stratford Town FC |
| Chelsea v Arsenal | 7.45pm | Tooting & Mitcham FC | |
| Lincoln Ladies v Doncaster Rovers Belles | 7.45pm | Lincoln United FC | |
| Liverpool v Everton | 7.45pm | Skelmersdale United FC | |
| Wed 20 April 2011 | Everton v Doncaster Rovers Belles | 7.45pm | Marine FC |
| Liverpool v Birmingham City | 7.45pm | Skelmersdale United FC* | |
| Thurs 21 April 2011 | Arsenal v Bristol Academy | 7.45pm | Boreham Wood FC |
| Chelsea v Lincoln Ladies | 7.45pm | Tooting & Mitcham FC | |
| Sat 23 April 2011 | Bristol Academy v Liverpool | 6.30pm | WISE Campus |
| Sun 24 April 2011 | Birmingham City v Lincoln Ladies | 5.00pm | Stratford Town FC |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles v Chelsea | 2.00pm | Keepmoat Stadium | |
| Arsenal v Everton | 2.00pm | Boreham Wood FC | |
| Thurs 28 April 2011 | Arsenal v Birmingham City | 7.45pm | Boreham Wood FC |
| Sat 30 April 2011 | Lincoln Ladies v Everton | 3.00pm | Lincoln United FC |
| Sun 1 May 2011 | Bristol Academy v Doncaster Rovers Belles | 2.00pm | WISE Campus |
| Liverpool v Chelsea | 2.00pm | Skelmersdale United FC | |
| Wed 4 May 2011 | Bristol Academy v Chelsea | 6.30pm | WISE Campus |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles v Liverpool | 7.45pm | Keepmoat Stadium | |
| Everton v Birmingham City | 7.45pm | Marine FC | |
| Lincoln Ladies v Arsenal | 7.30pm | Lincoln United FC | |
| Sun 8 May 2011 | Chelsea v Birmingham City | 2.00pm | Tooting & Mitcham FC |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles v Arsenal | 2.00pm | Keepmoat Stadium | |
| Everton v Bristol Academy | 2.00pm | Marine FC | |
| Liverpool v Lincoln Ladies | 2.00pm | Skelmersdale United FC | |
| Thurs 12 May 2011 | Birmingham City v Liverpool | 7.45pm | Stratford Town FC |
| Bristol Academy v Arsenal | 6.30pm | WISE Campus | |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles v Everton | 7.45pm | Keepmoat Stadium | |
| Lincoln Ladies v Chelsea | 7.30pm | Lincoln United FC |
FA Super League news: Birmingham City announce roster, Hofstra’s Amy Turner signs with Doncaster
Monday, nearly five weeks after playing in the NCAA Division 1 tournament in the U.S., Hofstra University center back Amy Turner signed with the Doncaster Rovers Belles of the new FA Women’s Super League. Turner played for the club before leaving in 2009 to attend Hofstra. Meanwhile on Tuesday, Birmingham City announced its 18-player roster, which includes former Chicago Red Stars forward Karen Carney.
