After a disastrous season for David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy, The Home Depot Center was finally the stage of some high quality football. On Saturday, December 13th, the US WNT played China in a friendly match as part of the Achieve Your Gold Tour; a fan celebration of the Olympic Gold Medal won by the USA Women's National Team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. 

The cold weather on a Saturday night (not typical for Southern Californa) the $18 for the cheapest ticket and $15-dollar parking fee could haven been the main reasons for the low attendance.  But on the field what the 3,619 fans saw was the same determination, quality and team work which is a characteristic of Pia Sundhage's girls. 

After a goalless first half I remember turning to my Junior Journalist and friend Alondra Hernandez and saying: "If the USA want to break China's defense and win this match they will need to put Amy Rodriguez in to speed up the offensive plays." Well, it seems that I was right on the spot. A-Rod was on the pitch when the team came back from the locker room for the final 45 minutes and on her second or third play on the right side of the attack she sprints on the wing and puts her head up to deliver a perfect low cross to Tina Ellertson who slid dow to score her first goal ever for the Olympic Champions.

The match was also a great opportunity for the fans to see Kristine Lilly, the player with most appearances for any National Team in the world (men or women) back on the pitch after giving birth to her first daughter 4 months ago.

The USA played with: 1-Hope Solo; 2-Heather Mitts, 3-Christie Rampone, 4-Rachel Buehler (15-Kate Markgraf), 17-Lori Chalupny (19-Marian Dalmy); 9-Heather O’Reilly (21-Kacey White), 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 16-Angela Hucles (13-Kristine Lilly); 20-Tina Ellertson (12-Lauren Cheney), 5-Lindsay Tarpley (8-Amy Rodriguez)

Both teams will face each other again on wednesday, December 17th at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. For details and tickets CLICK HERE. 

It was a great weekend of soccer that started on Friday with me and Alondra interviewing Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd and Pia Sundhage and they talked to us about their Olympic experience and the Women's Pro Soccer League that will kick off next spring.

Watch the video and send your comments:

Notre Dame v. Stanford, North Carolina v. UCLA will play this friday, December 7th in the semifinals of the 2008 NCAA College Cup. The Final Four will happen at the Wakemed Soccer Park in Car, North Carolina and that means that one of the teams already enters the semifinals with the support of the home crowd.

But which one of these number one seeded schools has the best shot at moving to the Final and winning the College Cup?

As I mentioned, all these for schools were seeded number 1 when the playoffs started. So this edition of the final four is a true battle of the best women's soccer college programs in the country.

NOTRE DAME ... X ... STANFORD 

The Fighting Irish X Cardinals

The only of the four  teams with a clean record Notre Dame won all their 25 matches this season with a total of 81 goals scored and only 10 allowed.  Being the only unbeaten team of the season is a boost for the girl's confidence but it may also play in favour of the opponent as motivation. 

Stanford could be considered the worst of the best four. No, I'm not saying they are a bad team or evenlabeling the Cardinals as underdogs. They got to the semifinals with merit. An ultra strong defense and great team work are the main characteristics of the team. 

  NORTH CAROLINA ... X ... UCLA

Tar Heels X Bruins

A clash of titans in this semifinal. North Carolina has one of the most entertaining rosters of all the soccer teams in the United States  (needless to say that includes the MLS teams too). Tobin Heath was part of the USA Women's National Team that won the Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing and is no longer a promising talent. She has already proved to be able to demolish defenses playing as a winger. And the Tar Heels also cont on Casey nogueira who is the closest to Marta that one can have. Do I need to say more? Oh yeah. They have the most efficient attack of the season with 86 goals but I'm sure you had already figured that out.

On the other side we have the best defense of the season: UCLA. The Bruins only allowed 5 goals and has the largest number of shut-outs this season with 19. And even though UCLA didn't score as many goals as the Tar Heels one can't ignore the power of having Kara Lang, Lauren Cheney and Christina DiMartino orchestrating the team's offensive plays. Another advantage for the Bruins is the fact that noone is considered a superstar on the team. Defense, midfield and offense are very well balanced and efficient enough to take the team to the title.

Now for my predictions:

Stanford will have to bet on Notre Dame's mistakes and not miss the opportunities because on paper the Fighting Irish is a better team. I believe Notre Dame will move to the final with a 2-0 win.

On the other match anything can happen but I will cheer for UCLA. I live in Los Angeles and I really enjoy going to the Bruins matches. They need to mark Casey Nogueira very closely and  prevent the Tar Heels from taking all the offensive initiative. If the Bruins play like they did against USC and against Duke they have huge chances of moving to the final. I'd say UCLA win 2-1.

The US Women continued the Achieve Your Gold Tour on November 1st in the second block of games, a 3-game tour against South Korea. The US took on the Koreans in Richmond, VA, home state of Olympic Gold medalist Angela Hucles, and are 4 for 4 in the 10 game victory tour.

Hucles got the scoring started in the 29th minute. Heather O'Reilly sent a pass from the right side of the box to the far post where Hucles finished it off.

In the 38th minute, Hucles set up the second goal for the USA. She slipped a pass to the left side of the penalty area where Natasha Kai crossed the ball to the back post, where O Reilly dribbled the ball into the empty net.

Just three minutes into the second half, Aly Wagner sent a long pass to Lindsay Tarpley near the corner of the box. Tarpley noticed the keeper off her line and kicked a perfectly dipping ball to the far post and into the goal. 

In the 71st minute, the Koreans got a goal on a defensive error in the US backline. Hang Son I waited for Briana Scurry, US second half sub, to come off her line and slipped a shot to the back post, into the net.

The US plays S. Korea again on Nov. 5 in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of defender Heather Mitts. The match kicks off at 7:30pm ET at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

The order was determined via lottery and the results were:

1. Boston Breakers

2. Chicago Red Stars

3. Bay Area

4. NY/NJ Sky Blue FC

5. Los Angeles 

6. St. Louis

7. Washington Freedom

This will be the order in the first round. For the second round, the last team (Washington) will choose first and move up until the first team (Boston) chooses last. Then it goes back to the initial order, from 1-7, for the third round, and switch again for the fourth and so on until the draft is completed.

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The US Women have announced the next 3 matches of the Achieve Your Gold Tour. This time they will take on South Korea. The first game will be on November 1st at the University of Richmond Stadium in Richmond, Virigina, home of midfielder Angela Hucles, and kickoff is at 6 p.m. ET. The second game will be in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of defender Heather Mitts. The US takes on South Korea again on November 5th at Paul Brown Stadium at 7 p.m. ET. The last game of the set is on November 8th at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida with kickoff at 7 p.m. ET.

Leslie Osborne was in a rather strange place in August. While her team was in China, she was in her home watching her team play live at 4 and 6 in the morning (in the west coast), going through some of the same emotions as her teammates, when instead she could have been there. She was likely to be there, at the Olympics, but her dream no longer had a chance of becoming a reality when she tore her ACL this past May during one of the team's sessions at their training camp, in preparations for the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea. 

She has been a key player for the US WNT since stepping up when Shannon Boxx got injured in 2006. Since then, she has been a main-stay on the team. She took Shannon Boxx' spot and played as a defensive midfielder. The next year she was on the roster for the 2007 Womens World Cup in China, where she started 3 games and shut out opponents to help get her team to the final stages of the tournament.

When she tore her ACL, it was a devastating blow to the team. Other players had to fill in for her. About 3 weeks later, defender Cat Whitehill tore her ACL at a training session in South Korea as the team was preparing for their first game of the Peace Queen Cup tournament, and that was just as devastating. Young players like Stephanie Cox and Rachel Buehler had to fill in for her. Just about 2 weeks before the team left to Beijing, the team suffered another great loss- Abby Wambach, their best and leading scorer. She fractured her tibia and fibula in the last Send-off Tour game against Brazil after colliding with a defender going for a 50-50 ball.

With the team already missing 3 key players, everyone counted them out, and were dropped from the list as a favorite to win the Gold, but Abby, Cat and Leslie had full faith in each of their teammates' abilities, and knew that if they really wanted to win, they would have to play as a team and come together in the toughest time of the year.

As she is just relaxing and recuperating from surgeries, I asked to interview her, and she gladly accepted. She took the time to answer questions about her team at the Olympics, the new women's professional soccer league, WPS, and when she was planning to play again.

Alondra: How did you react to your injury, knowing you'd be out for the Olympics?

Leslie: Well I don't know how I would react to my injury to tell you the truth. If someone would have told me I would tear my ACL and miss the Olympics I would be devastated. It was funny, I haven't cried once since I have tore my ACL and had ankle reconstruction. I almost feel like it happened for a reason, I just didn't know why it had to happen to me. After getting cut from the 2004 Olympics, this was my main goal in life.

A: How did you feel watching your team play on TV?

L: It was weird watching my team. I felt like I was part of the team until they got to the quarter finals. After that, I was like "Wow they are amazing," and I didn't feel part of that. I look up to them, and I am so proud to be part of that team.

A: How did you feel when your team was on the top podium receiving their gold medals?

L: I think I was sad to some degree that I could have been up there on the podium, but like I said I was so proud of them. They did something unbelievable and I was so proud of them, some more than others is the best way to put it. Maybe I will have the chance in 2012.

A: What WPS teams would you like to play for the most?

L: I would like to play in the Bay Area or Chicago*. I love it in Northern Cal and see myself being happy there. I also wouldn't mind playing in Chicago, since I grew up there and played lots of soccer there. My family would be very happy. Honestly, I will make the most out of any situation I am put in.

A: What are you most excited for when playing professional soccer?

L: To play in a league and to represent soccer in our country. I can't wait for little girls to be able to look at their role models and see that they have an opportunity to have a career in soccer and athletics. We have something so special that is about to happen and I can't wait to be part of it.

A: What are you looking forward to when being a professional soccer player?

L: I think competing every day and playing more games. I am excited to have a different coach, to train and play against international players, and to have a home base. I am super excited, I have dreamed about this league coming back for so long. There are so many great things that will come out of this. Both for my career and for my life, most importantly for all those little girls out there.

A:You haven't won a World Cup at the senior level yet, but you won the U-19 FIFA Women's World Cup in 2002. Can you talk about that experience?

L: That team and that world championship was amazing. I will never be part of a team like that, well I hope some day I will. Those girls will be my best friends forever.

A: Are you planning to be back on the field with the National Team or your new club team?

L: I am just starting to run. I will be planning to be back 100% for the new league. I can't wait.

*The interview happened a few days before the domestic allocation was announced. Leslie will play for the Bay Area WPS Team.  

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOMEN'S PRO SOCCER LEAGUE BY VISITING THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE www.womensprosoccer.com OR HERE AT OLEOLE www.oleole.com/blogs/wps  

THE LEAGUE KICKS OFF IN APRIL 2009. TICKETS ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE. CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS 

The US Women have finished the 3-game tour against Ireland with 3 wins. These 3 games are part of the 10-game fall tour, called the "Achieve Your Gold Tour."

The second game was on Sept. 17 in New Jersey. Natasha Kai scored the lone goal that gave the US the win. Her celebration included holding up a Sky Blue Soccer scarf at the crowd. She was placed in the NY/NJ team for WPS along with teammates, Heather O"Reilly and Christie Rampone. 

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In the last game against Ireland, Lori Chalupny and Kate Markgraf scored for the USA to give them the 2-0 win. The first goal was a great play started by Chalupny. She intercepted the ball on the right flank, moved in towards the middle, passed the ball to Carli Lloyd at the top of the box, then Lloyd passed to Lindsay Tarpley who passed it back to Chalupny in the box with the back of her heel. Ireland's 'keeper came off her line but Chalupny finished off the triangle play nicely from about 7 yards out. If you want to watch the goal, go to ussoccer.com

Next the US got a PK awarded after Natasha Kai was brought down in the box. It was Kate Markgraf who took it, and she scored a nice penalty, but most importantly, it was her first goal ever for the USA in 193 caps. Her teammates had already told her that if they got a PK, they would let her take it, and that's it exactly what happened.Now Kate Markgraf is on the record book.

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The US WNT has now a perfect 8-0 record against Ireland.

The US still has 7 games left to play this year to finish off their Gold victory tour. According to Heather Mitts, the next block of games is on Nov. 1, 5, and 8.

The players of the WNT were put into their new teams- the teams in the new women's soccer league in the USA, the WPS. Each team got 3 players from the WNT player pool today they were announced.

Bay Area: Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Leslie Oborne

Boston: Angela Hucles, Kristine Lilly, Heather Mitts

Chicago: Carli Lloyd, Lindsay Tarpley, Kate Markgraf

Los Angeles: Shannon Boxx, Stephanie Cox, and Aly Wagner

New Jersey: Natasha Kai, Heather O'Reilly, Christie Rampone

St. Louis: Hope Solo, Lori Chalupny, Tina Ellertson

Washington: Abby Wambach, Cat Whitehill, Ali Krieger

The US Women opened the Achieve You Gold tour with a 2-0 win against Ireland. This was the first match for the USA in 3 weeks, after winning the Gold in Beijing.

Natasha Kai got the scoring started in the 32nd minute. Heather O'Reilly dribbled down the sideline and created space to send a perfect cross into the area. Kai rose up between 2 defenders and got her head on it from 6 yards out. It was her 2nd career goal and her team-leading 14th this year.

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Heather O'Reilly insured the win in the 87th minute. She dribbled from the right wing into the middle of the field, where she fired a shot from outside the box into the top of the goal. Irish 'keeper could do nothing to save that one. 

O Reilly was honored before the game for earning her 100th cap in the final of the Beijing Olympics, and had the honor of wearing the captain's armband, against "her own country of heritage". It must have been great to get a goal and an assist to celebrate her 100th cap, and the gold with the great crowd of 13,176 at Lincoln Financial Field. 

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The USA outshot Ireland 20-4. 10 of those shots were on frame, but credit Byrne to her for making great saves and keeping her team in the game, specially in the 23rd minute when she was one-on-one with Shannon Boxx from 6 yards out.

The US continues the 10-game tour with another game against Ireland on Wednesday, Sept. 17 in East Rutherford, New Jersey at 7:30 pm ET. Both teams play again for the third and final time in Bridgeview, Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Toyota Park, 7 pm CT.The US has 7 games after the Ireland series to close up the Achieve Your Gold tour. They are yet to be announced, as the games are being finalized. 

The US Women's National Soccer Team spent about 95 minutes trying to block every single attempt of Cristiane and Marta to get close to their goal and they did it with solid defense by Christie Rampone, Heather Mitts, Kate Markgraf and Lori Chalupny and great saves by Hope Solo.

The biggest merit of the USA Women's Team was to stick to their plan. Pia Sundhage knows that she has on her hands a team without superstars. No more Mia Hamm, no more Julie Foudy, no more Michelle Akers, but a lot of team work doing a lot of hard work.

Being Brazilian my heart was obviously hoping for Marta or Cristiane to score the goals that would lead my country to the Gold but it didn't happen. Brazil played well but one could clearly see the lack of a well-structured program that could provide those athletes with better conditioning and more than that a much better emotional balance.

The USA Team had the necessary patience and fitness to wait until Brazil made a mistake and right before Carli Lloyd prepared that shot from the left top side of the box I knew what the outcome of that match would be. GREAT GOAL!!! INCREDIBLE VICTORY!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE USA WNT!!!

I'm sure Leslie Osborne, Cat Whitehill and Abby Wambach can't wait to hug and thank every single one of their team mates when they return here to the U.S.

The US Women played Japan in the semifinals, defeating them 4-2. Japan was the first to score in the 15th minute. They took a corner kick that bounced around in the area, and eventually was put into the net by Shinobu Ohno.

Then late in the first half, Hope Solo helped set up the equalizer. Her long goal kick bounced to O'Reilly on the right. She got around her defender and slipped the ball into the area, past Rodriguez, and Tarpley, until Hucles finally got her foot on it.

Right before halftime, Kate Markgraf played a long pass to Lloyd. She found Rodriguez, who  played the ball to Chalupny in the left corner. She got into the box past a defender and shot a rocket into the roof of the net.

In the 70th minute, O'Reilly received a throw-in form Mitts on the right. She noticed the 'keeper off her line and shot a dipping ball from the right flank.

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In the 80th minute, Hucles scored her second goal of the game and fourth of the tournament. O'Reilly played a short corner kick to her on the right. She dribbled the ball into the area and shot the ball from the end line. The ball took a weird spin and ended up in the goal.

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Japan wasn't giving up as they scored in stoppage time.  A cross from the left was shot by Nagasato into the near post, and Eriko Arakawa got the rebound from 3 yards out.

The US advanced to the Gold Medal match to play against Brazil, while Japan faced Germany in the Bronze Medal match, which Germany won 2-0.

This final was a rematch of the 2004 Athens Olympics. The US defeated Brazil 2-1 in overtime with the game-winning goal from Abby Wambach. This time Abby wasn't around to score the goals for the US, and they still came out on top. This game also went into over time. This game was back and forth for 90 minutes and the Brazilians had great scoring chances that just wouldn't go in, as well as the USA. Hope Solo came ip big for the US in the 72nd minute. Marta got around 2 defenders and  took a shot from inside the box, but Solo got her arm on it and knocked the ball away for the US to clear it out. This was probably the biggest save Solo has ever made in her career. Amy Rodriguez also had a pair of great chances, but they didn't get past Brazil's 'keeper. 

Finally in the 6th minute of extra time, Carli Lloyd scored the game winner. She received a pass from Cheney at the top of the box. Lloyd then passed it to Rodriguez who passed it back to her on an overlapping run. She took one touch and shot the ball from outside the box into the side netting.

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The US played an outstanding defensive game against the highly-skilled Brazilians. They defended in pairs and did whatever they could to stop them from scoring.

The US now comes back to the States with their Gold medals after a very exciting journey through the Olympics, coming back from a loss in the first game of the tournament.

 A few weeks after they come back from China, the US will take on Ireland in a 3-game Tour with games in Philadelphia,New York, and Chicago.