WPS UPDATE -

New Sky Blue coach checks in & A Rod checks out. Of Boston, that is.


WPS Champions New Jersey Sky Blue FC have announced today that the organization has hired former Finnish international Pauliina Miettinen as its new head coach.
Miettinen is the current head coach for PK-35 in Helsinki, Finland. She will take over from player/coach and captain Christie Rampone for the 2010 WPS season. This will be Sky Blue FC's fourth coach in a year. Read more HERE







Striker Amy Rodriguez has been traded by the Boston Breakers to new WPS team the Philadelphia Independence. Rodriguez who didn't have the best of seasons has been traded by the breakers along with their 1st round draft pick (5th overall) in the 2010 WPS draft. The Breakers get Philadelphia's 1st pick( 2nd overall) and 2nd pick( 11th overall).
The WPS Draft will take place on January 15th. Read more HERE

WPS UPDATE - INTERNATIONAL DRAFT RESULTS

Philadelphia Independence and Atlanta Beat have finished naming their International picks for the 2010 WPS season. Both teams now have the right to negotiate with the named players hoping to have them on their final roster sheets.

Philadelphia Independence


Had 1st pick and no surprise chose Sweden's vice-captain and midfielder Caroline Seger. 24 year old Seger currently play's for Swedish side Linkopings FC in the Damallsvenskan, Sweden's premier women's league.


For their 2nd pick and 3rd pick overall of the Draft, the Independence again chose a Swedish player. Centre-Back Charlotte Rohlin. 28 year old Rohlin also currently plays for Linkopoings FC.

Next on Philly's wanted list was Iceland's Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir. 5th pick overall, Magnúsdóttir is a 25 year old attacking midfielder. Currently plays her football in the Damallsvenskan with Kristianstads DFF.

Independence 's 4th pick and 7th overall is England's vice-captain Fara Williams. 25 year old Williams is another midfielder with experience and drive and a thunderous shot. Currently plays for Everton Ladies in England's women's premier league.

Final pick for Philadelphia is a striker. England and Chelsea star Lianne Sanderson. 21 year old Sanderson is a young, strong centre-forward. Part of Arsenal's Quadruple squad in 2007 where she was Arsenal's top scorer in all competitions.











Atlanta Beat

1st pick for the Beat and 2nd overall is Ramona Bachmann. Bachmann is a an 18 year old Swiss forward that play's in the Damallsvenskan for current champions Umeå IK.


2nd pick Danish forward Johanna Rasmussen. Rasmussen also plays for Umeå IK.

3rd pick and 6th overall is no stranger to the American soccer public. Japan's Mami Yamaguchi.23 year old Yamaguchi is an attacking midfielder currently playing for Umeå IK.
Played her college soccer in USA for the Florida State Seminoles. 2007 Herman Trophy winner.

Atlanta's next pick is a young Brazilian midfielder. Maurine Dorneles Goncalves. Simply known as Maurine.The 23 year old currently plays for Brazil's top female side Santos FC.

The Beats final pick is Sweden's veteran midfielder Therese Sjögran. The 32 year old midfielder is an experienced player for the Swedish national team. Currently plays for Malmo FF in the Damallsvenskan. Was the 2007 player of the year.

WPS UPDATE

Euro 2009 has ended back to the day job. WPS.

Will post a report on our trip to Finland soon but to keep everyone updated the WPS International draft for the Philadelphia Independence and the Atlanta Beat is happening as i type i would imagine. Results will be known shortly.

EURO 2009 FINAL - ENGLAND 2 - 6 GERMANY

Inka Grings and Birgit Prinz scored two goals apiece Thursday to lead defending champion Germany past England 6-2 in the women's European Championship final.

It was the fifth straight Euro title for two-time defending world champion Germany, which beat England for the 17th time in their last 19 meetings.

Germany were ruthless in attack where they took their chances when given and they outmuscled England in the midfield.

Goals from Karen Carney and Kelly Smith twice kept England in contention but the world champions were ultimately far too strong.

The game started badly for England as Germany went 2-0 up inside 21 minutes as first Birgit Prinz and then midfielder Melanie Behringer found the net.

At that stage it looked like it was going to be a stroll for the Germans, but England were not prepared to lie down and Carney halved the deficit within two minutes of Behringer's goal. Jill Scott then almost got England level before the break with a header that was cleared off the line by Behringer

Germany re-established their two-goal advantage six minutes into the second period when Simone Laudehr's shot hit the post and the ball was only cleared as far as Kim Kulig who finished with ease.

Hope Powell's side again showed their fighting mentality four minutes later when Carney slipped in a fine ball for Smith, who turned and finished brilliantly.

That was as close as England would get and goals in the final half hour from Grings, twice, and Prinz, who scored her 125th international goal, ensured that Germany lifted their fifth European title in succession and their seventh out of the last eight.

Inka Grings won the adidas Golden Boot as UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009 finals top scorer – matching her feat of four years ago in England. She scored 6 goals in the Tournament and was named player of the match for the final.

Lineups:

England : Rachel Brown, Alex Scott, Faye White (C), Anita Asante, Casey Stoney, Karen Carney, Jill Scott, Fara Williams,Katie Chapman(Emily Westwood 86),Kelly Smith, Eniola Aluko (Lianne Sanderson 81)

Germany : Nadine Angerer,Linda Bresonik,Annike Krahn,Saskia Bartusiak,Babett Peter,Kerstin Garefrekes(Fatima Bajmaraj 83) , Simone Laudehr,Kim Kulig,Melanie Behringer(Célia Okoyino da Mbabi 60),Inka Grings, Brigit Prinz (C)

EURO 2009 - UPDATE

SEMI-FINALS



We are now down to the last four in the Uefa Women's Euro 2009.
England, Germany, Netherlands and Norway.

England will play the Netherlands on Sunday 5pm BST.
They booked their place in the semi's with a gritty performance against the hosts Finland. Winning 3-2. England had more of the ball and the better of the play but the Finn's were always dangerous with long balls and set pieces. Saint Louis Athletica's Eniola Aluko scored 2 goals to to take England through taking her tally for the championships to 3 goals and earning her the player of the match. Midfielder Fara Williams scored her 2nd goal of the tournament. Captain Faye White is out of the tournament with a broken cheek bone.



Germany overcame an up for it Italy to go thorough to the semi's 2-1. 2 goals from forward Inka Grings who overcame a knee injury sealed it. Both goals coming at the start of each half.
Grings is now the leading scorer for the tournament on 4 goals.
Germany will play Norway on Monday 7th September.


Netherlands booked their Semi-Final day with England with a win over rivals France by a penalty shoot-out which they won 5-4. The game was all France but the Dutch bunkered in and got stuck into the French team to stop them playing. It was not pretty but it was effective.
With several players from both teams missing their penalties to take their team through young dutch midfielder and postergirl Anouk Hoogendijk stepped up to put her team through.




Norway the last team to make it through with maybe the surprise result of the tournament with a 3-1 win over their rivals Sweden. With luck on their side with the first goal Norway rattled Sweden out of their stride to book a date with Germany. In the end they were composed, compact and played well on the counter attack. One which accounted for their 3rd goal by 2nd half substitute forward Cecile Pedersen, who stroked the ball passed the goalkeeper with the outside of her right foot after out running the last defender. Brilliant goal which brought delight to her teamates and coach.

Semi-finals - Match kick-offs are listed in CET

06/09	England	18:00	Netherlands
07/09	Germany	18:00	Norway

WPS All-Stars v Umea IK Highlights