Lisa-Marie Woods: Yes or No?
Yesssssss!
I have been anxious to write this blog, as I knew I would wait until the roster for the WWC got released. It could have been a day of joy or a day of misery. As I told you in the last blog, I had an exciting week ahead of me, which was last week. It was the week where I had the national team camp as well as the cup final against Brondby. We all knew that this was our last chance to prove ourselves good enough for the World Cup team, and I had to give everything to prove that I would be the right selection. (more…)
Norway releases its World Cup roster
The Norwegian Women’s National Team announced its World Cup roster this morning. Coach Eli Landsem named 19 players and will add two more prior to the World Cup. Lene Storløkken (LSK Kvinner) Lise Klaveness (Stabæk) are recovering from injury and still could make the squad, but are still being assessed. The roster features six players from the 2010 Norwegian Football Cup champions Røa, including former Lene Mykjåland, who played last year for the Washington Freedom of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). (more…)
Lisa-Marie Woods: National Team and the upcoming World Cup
The Norwegian National team started their preparations a long time ago, and soon it will all be put to the test. We haven’t had as many days in camp as many of the other nations have, but we have gotten individual follow-up and gotten to play good games for our clubs. I wrote a blog from the Algarve Cup, saying we have a lot to work on before we consider ourselves ready for the World Cup, and when the team met up earlier this month, it was obvious that many had taken this to heart. (more…)
Lisa-Marie Woods: The ups and downs in the life of a soccer player
Soccer is serious, and some claim it is more important than life and death. I am not going to debate that statement here, but I will ensure you that it IS life, when you dedicate yourself to the game 100 percent. Maybe it is not healthy, I don’t know. Sometimes it is the healthiest thing on earth, as the pleasure it gives is something you will carry with you and hold your head high. At times though, it can be the most devastating and stressful. Yes, like any other life choice, it carries its ups and downs with it. (more…)
Norwegian top leagues continue trend of financial troubles
By Ciara McCormack
While the Toppserien lost Donn to bankruptcy at the end of 2010, before the start of the 2011, the 1st Division had already lost Orkla and Manglerud Star because of financial trouble. Now, not even a quarter way through the 2011 season, financial concerns continue to plague Norway’s historically strong leagues. Last week, Trondheim’s Orn was in the headlines because of financial troubles. Assistant coach Peter Pedersen was let go due to financial troubles, and it was reported that head coach Goril Kringen is currently coaching without a contract. (more…)
Lisa-Marie Woods: Back in season with a W
Last time when I wrote a blog like this, we were in sunny Turkey. Needless to say that the results were a little disappointing with a 1-1 draw against Sky Blue FC that ended up with a loss on penalties. Yes, we had two people who missed in that game, and guess who was one of them? Yes MOI!! Disappointing as anything. A PK should be easy peasy, so I went up, saw the keeper going the wrong way, and went to kick it hard up in the opposite corner. Easy enough, right? Wrong… the ball hit the crossbar and came back down, but never crossed the goal line. At the time I could do nothing but laugh at myself as it was just sooooo typical. Arrrrgh But hey, chin up. I will take the PK if we make it to any final this year, and I WILL score! (more…)
U.S. wins Algarve Cup, Canada claims Cyprus Cup title
The U.S. Women’s National Team won its eighth Algarve Cup title with a 4-2, come-from-behind win over Iceland, while the Canadian Women’s National Team knocked off Holland, 2-1 in overtime, to win its third Cyprus Cup in the last four years. Japan and France finished in third place at Algarve and Cyprus, respectively. (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…)
Four Nations U-23 tournament update: U.S. draws with England, Sweden beats Norway
The second day of the U-23 Four Nations Tournament in La Manga produced a 1-1 draw between the U.S. and England and 3-1 win by Sweden over Norway. Sweden, which lost, 4-2, on Friday to the U.S., came out Sunday and took a 1-0 lead 12 minutes into the match on a goal from Sofia Jakobsson (Umeå IK). Norway’s Hege Hansen, who scored Norway’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw Friday against England, tied the match in the 24th minute. Less than 10 minutes later, Sweden’s Sarah Storck (LdB FC Malmö) scored what proved to be the game-winner. Before the first half ended, Sweden’s Linnea Liljegård (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC) scored her team’s final goal. (more…)
U.S. tops Sweden, England and Norway draw in opening matches of U-23 Four Nations Tournament
Norway’s Hege Hansen, right, scored Norway’s lone goal against England (photo by Astrid M. Nordhaug/Digitalsport)
Notre Dame forward Melissa Henderson scored two goals for the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team in its 4-2 win Friday over Sweden at the Four Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain. Sarah Hagen (UW-Milwaukee) and Casey Noguiera (Sky Blue FC) also scored for the U.S., while Sofia Jakobsson and Emma Berglund, who both play for Umeå IK, scored for Sweden. (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…)
Lisa Woods to Fortuna Hjørring, two former Quickstrike players to Stjarnan
Norwegian Women’s National Team center midfielder Lisa Woods has signed a one-year contract with Fortuna Hjørring of Elitedivisionen in Denmark. In other news, two members of the 2010 United Soccer Leagues W-League regular season champions Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, Kristen Edmonds and Ashley Thompson, have signed with Stjarnan of Iceland’s top-flight league Úrvalsdeild. (more…)
Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC wins Internationales Frauen-Hallenfußball-Turnier um den Pokal der Sparkasse Bielefeld
Jitex Cup 2011 four-team tournament set for February in Sweden
Swedish club Jitex BK of Damallsvenskan have organized a four-team tournament that will be played Feb. 5 and 6 at Valhalla Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. Jitex Cup 2011 also features 2010 Damallsvenskan champions LdB FC Malmö, Fortuna Hjørring (2009-10 champions of Elitedivisionen in Denmark), and Norwegian side Kolbotn, which finished third in the 2010 Toppserien table. (more…)
LSK Kvinner wrap up season mid-table, Ella Masar finishes season with four goals
In the August issue of Our Game Magazine, we featured the Norwegian club Lillestrøm S.K. (LSK Kvinner) in our Club Spotlight. The team was at the halfway point of the Toppserien season. At the time, LSK Kvinner had a record of 8-4 and was in fifth place heading into the one-and-a-half month break. The Toppserien season recently wrapped up, and LSK Kvinner finished mid-table (sixth place) with 11 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws. Stabæk FK won the Toppserien with a record of 17-0-5.
For LSK Kvinner this season, 17-year-old Cathrine Dekkerhus led the team with seven goals, followed by Mari Knudsen with five, and Ida Elise Enget and Ella Masar with four goals each. Masar came on late in the season, having played a full season in Women’s Professional Soccer with the Chicago Red Stars. Masar joined LSK Kvinner in September following the WPS season. She went out on loan to the Norwegian club, making her second stint with the team. She played her first match Sept. 20 and had two assists in the 2-2 draw.
