Women's Football: Wambach hits landmark as USA overpower China

Striker Abby Wambach reached 150 international goals by scoring twice as USA easily beat China PR 4-0 in a women's international on Wednesday.

Wambach, 32, now needs just nine goals to beat the international women's record held by Mia Hamm, who finished her career in 2004 with 158 goals in 275 contests.

In front of a crowd of 15,643 at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Wambach scored her 149th goal in the 20th minute by heading in a perfect cross from Heather O'Reilly. She scored the 150th in the 63rd minute on a shot from the left side.

The scoring was rounded out by Carli Lloyd and Amy Rodriguez.

Since 2003 the US, who famously defeated their rivals on penalties to win the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup™, has had 16 wins, no losses and three draws against world number 17 China.

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Source: Fifa

Women's football: Scotland urged to bid for Euro 2017

Scotland should submit a bid for the Women's 2017 European Championships, according to a member of Uefa's Executive Committee and Women's Football Committee.

Asked if Uefa would welcome a Scottish bid, Karen Espelund said: "Absolutely - they have a huge football tradition.

"They have been taking the female game to new steps. I would welcome a bid."

Scotland, who are ranked 13 in Europe, are yet to qualify for a major tournament.

They were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2013 play-off match last month, narrowly missing out on a chance to reach next year's championships in Sweden.

Former Norway footballer Espelund added: "I have to say that Scotland as an association have been working very well for many years now, building step by step on the women's side.

"They nearly managed [to reach the Euro 2013 finals] but Spain got the last position. They performed very well."

England, who finished as runners-up in 2009, will play France, Russia and Spain in Group C after Friday's draw for finals next summer.

Espelund believes England, who topped their qualifying group, have the ability to challenge the favourites; Germany, France and hosts Sweden in 2013.

"I'm waiting for England to take the next step in a tournament - they have so many good players, so I hope they can keep up now and push the favourites and challenge.

"I would never exclude England, they have so many good players but they still have to take the final steps in the tournament."

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Source: BBC

UEFA Women's Euro 2013 draw: England to face France

England's women have been drawn in a group with France, Russia and Spain for the Euro 2013 finals in Sweden.

Hope Powell's side, runners-up in 2009, finished top of their qualifying group to reach the tournament.

They are in Group C and will begin their tournament on 12 July against Spain in Linkoping. They play Russia three days later before ending their campaign on 18 July against France.

Hosts Sweden are in Group A, while top seeds Germany are in Group B.

Powell told BBC Sport: "Whatever group we got, the games would have been tough but now we can start preparing. It will be a challenge.

"We have played all the teams in our group recently. We know their qualities. We know what we are up against but we will have them looked at. We want to do well."

Powell's side were knocked out of last year's World Cup on penalties by France, with former captain Faye White missing the vital spot-kick.

Euro 2013 takes place from 10-28 July 2013, with the top two sides in each group progressing to the knockout stages and the best two third-placed sides also joining them.

England, who will be making their eighth appearance at a Uefa European Championship, lost 6-2 to Germany in the 2009 final.

Group A: Sweden, Italy, Denmark, Finland

Group B: Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Iceland

Group C: France, England, Russia, Spain

Source: BBC

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Women’s shortlists for FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala 2012 revealed

FIFA and France Football have today announced the names of the players and coaches on the shortlists for these awards (see below). The final decisions will be made, as usual, by the captains and head coaches of the women’s national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football.

The shortlists for the FIFA Ballon d’Or (best male player) and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football awards will be revealed in four days’ time on 29 October 2012.

The winners of all of the awards will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 7 January 2013, during which the FIFA FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Puskás Award – for the most beautiful goal of the year – the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented.

The list of ten female candidates has been drawn up by experts from the Committee for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup as well as by experts from France Football. The list of ten coaches has been drawn up by football experts from the FIFA Football Committee, the Committee for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup as well as by a group of experts from France Football.

On 29 November 2012, FIFA and France Football will announce at a press conference in São Paulo (Brazil) the names of the three men and three women, as well as the three coaches for women’s football and three coaches for men’s football, who have received the most votes (without unveiling the winners). The three nominees for the FIFA Puskás Award and the FIFA FIFPro World XI shortlist for the best forwards will also be announced (the shortlists for best goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders will be unveiled on 19, 22 and 26 November, respectively).

Women’s shortlists for the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala 2012

The following ten women (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the title of FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2012:

Camille Abily (France), Miho Fukumoto (Japan), Carli Lloyd (USA), Marta (Brazil), Aya Miyama (Japan), Alex Morgan (USA), Megan Rapinoe (USA), Homare Sawa (Japan), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Abby Wambach (USA).

The following ten coaches (in alphabetical order, first nationality and then team) are in contention for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football 2012:

Bruno Bini (France/France national team), John Herdman (England/Canada national team), Patrice Lair (France/Olympique Lyonnais), Maren Meinert (Germany/Germany U-20 national team), Silvia Neid (Germany/Germany national team), Hope Powell (England/England national team), Norio Sasaki (Japan/Japan national team), Pia Sundhage (Sweden/USA national team), Steve Swanson (USA/USA U-20 national team), Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan/Japan U-20/U-17 national teams).

Source: FIFA.com

England FA launches five-year plan to promote women's football

The Football Association has launched a five-year plan aimed at making women's football the second-most played sport in the country.

Currently 253,600 women footballers play every month and the FA hopes to build on this.

FA chairman David Bernstein said: "Women's football is the area with the most potential for growth in the nation's favourite game."

It is behind men's football, cricket and rugby in its player count.

The FA's plan calls for:

• The creation of an Elite Performance Unit and the appointment of a head of elite development to develop the best young players.

• Delivering a new commercial strategy for women's football to include more broadcast coverage to elevate the profile of the women's game.

• Expanding the FA Women's Super League by introducing a second division in 2014 to enable promotion and relegation.

• Grow participation and fanbase.

Bernstein added: "We are determined to lead development at every level and have created a robust plan for doing so using all our resources and knowledge."

The FA is determined to build on the success enjoyed by women's football at the London Olympics, when 70,584 turned out at Wembley to watch Team GB defeat Brazil in a group match.

Under the proposals, it will invest a further £3.5m into the women's game over the next four years to deliver the Elite Performance Unit and the expansion of the Super League, which recently completed its second season.

The plan also states that, for the first time, broadcast and commercial rights for the women's game will be sold separately from the men's game to help promote women's football as a brand in its own right.

"This is the right time to be developing commercial plans to bring new partners into women's football," said FA general secretary Alex Horne.

"The standards of football are high and the international game is very strong. We have to keep pace with the top female footballing nations both on and off the pitch.

"We need partners who will work with us to raise our profile and really take the game forward. I'm convinced this is the right time for this plan to be put in place."

England coach Hope Powell said she hoped the plan could help the national team move up from its current world ranking of eighth to challenge the likes of Germany, France and the USA.

"This ambitious and wide-ranging plan sets out the basis of what we are trying to achieve," she told BBC Sport.

"The FA wants to build winning teams and the establishment of the performance unit and the Super League Two will hopefully help our ultimate goal, which is to win something.

"But we have to remember that the likes of Germany and France are doing things, too, and, at the moment, are ahead of us."

Powell also reiterated her desire for Team GB to be represented at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

While Horne acknowledged that the men's participation at London 2012 is likely to be a one-off, he said that the FA would look at the possibility of the women competing again.

"For the men's game, the pinnacle is the World Cup, but for the women's game it's different," he said. "In my opinion, the women's Olympic tournament is the pinnacle. We are willing to talk to the home nations about whether we aim for 2016. It is on the agenda."

Source: BBC

Women's Euro 2013 Play-Off 2nd Leg: Spain 3-2 Scotland

Ignacio Quereda's side were set for elimination until Verónica Boquete's goal in added time at the end of extra time fired La Roja into the finals.

Spain forward Verónica Boquete recovered from an extra-time penalty miss to fire Spain into their second UEFA European Women's Championship at the expense of Scotland following an absorbing UEFA Women's EURO 2013 play-off second leg at the Pabellón de la Ciudad del Fútbol in Madrid.

The visitors – defeated by Russia at this stage four years ago – forged ahead tonight through Emma Mitchell's second-half opener. Scorer of the Spanish equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw in Glasgow, Adriana again restored parity with a fine strike, yet Kim Little's extra-time goal looked to have settled matters despite Silvia Meseguer equalising again. Gemma Fay subsequently stopped Boquete's spot kick, only for the No9 to gain a 122nd-minute reprieve and send Spain through.

Under teeming rain at Las Rozas, Anna Signeul's Scotland side showed urgency in the first half and went close when attacker Jennifer Beattie dragged a shot from the right narrowly wide. Beattie was involved again soon after, her cross finding the head of Rhonda Jones whose effort towards the corner was expertly fielded by home goalkeeper Ainhoa Tirapu.

According to coach Ignacio Quereda, Spain's failure to qualify for the finals since their first appearance in 1997 was their motivation going into the second leg. His team would have taken an important step towards achieving their target had Scotland keeper Fay not denied the onrushing Adriana whose attempt was parried from danger by the Scotland No1 towards the end of the opening period.

Scotland, meanwhile, were seeking to make their first Women's EURO appearance and were finally rewarded with a 62nd-minute breakthrough when Jane Ross jinked down the right before flighting a cross to the far post where Mitchell slid in to send a shot high into the roof of the net.

Spurred on by the home support, Spain regrouped and struck an excellent 74th-minute equaliser. Adriana – who had missed a first-leg penalty – accepted a pass from Boquete before angling towards the area and picking her spot beyond Fay's reach at the far post.

This closest of contests then appeared to have been decided in extra time as Little burst through on the left before finding the tightest of angles to thread the ball past Ainhoa and in off the upright. That was with 98 minutes on the clock, yet Spain were far from finished. After Miriam Diéguez fed Meseguer to blast home from distance, the stage was set for a dramatic finale. Boquete missed from the spot before finding the net with the last kick of the game.

Source: UEFA.com

Women's Football Euro 2013 Play-Off: Austria 0-2 Russia

Russia took a major step towards qualifying for UEFA Women's EURO 2013 courtesy of first-half goals from Valentina Savchenkova and Natalia Shlyapina in Austria.

Sergei Lavrentyev's side adopted a counterattacking approach in St Polten and it paid dividends, with Savchenkova putting the visitors in front after 26 minutes and Shlyapina following suit close to half-time. With Austria unable to respond, they now face a major challenge if they are to avoid disappointment in Thursday's second leg in Rostov-na-Donu.

Despite the result, it was Austria who dominated the early stages as forwards Nina Burger and Laura Feiersinger made busy starts. They were also able to thwart their opponents thanks to some precise marking in midfield and defence. That left Russia looking for chances on the break, and the visitors seized their opportunity when Elena Terekhova took possession on the right wing and sent in a well-timed cross to Savchenkova, who took one touch to steer the ball past Anna-Carina Kristler from the edge of the box.

The home side immediately set about chasing an equaliser and, with 37 minutes gone, Viktoria Schnaderbeck fired narrowly over with a half-volley from a Feiersinger corner. They soon found themselves two goals down, however, Savchenkova releasing Shlyapina with a through ball and the six-goal scorer in the group stage finishing calmly with a right-footed shot between the goalkeeper's legs.

After the break, Austria continued trying to break down Russia's well-organised defence with admirable intent. Schnaderbeck had an effort blocked close to the hour mark and substitute Lisa Makas forced a good save from Elvira Todua with a strike from 22 metres out that was heading for the top right-hand corner.

Russia still posed a threat on the counter, but Dominik Thalhammer's charges were able to prevent further damage and nearly reduced the deficit when Schnaderbeck's volley from Verena Aschauer's cross flew narrowly wide. Todua then did well to deny Aschauer and Feiersinger in quick succession with six minutes remaining, as Russia held out to take a firm grip on the tie.

Source: UEFA.com

Women's Football Euro 2013 Play-Off: Ukraine 2-3 Iceland

Iceland have given themselves a good chance of reaching next summer's UEFA European Women's Championship in Sweden after defeating Ukraine 3-2 in the opening leg of their play-off.

Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir's 64th-minute strike proved the winner, deflating the hosts after they had battled back from going 2-0 down inside the first 25 minutes to level with a goal either side of half-time.

Iceland asserted themselves from the outset, regularly causing problems down the flanks, and pressing well out of possession to force the Ukrainians into errors. The tactics worked perfectly, and in the fifth minute a misplaced pass by Valentyna Kotyk allowed Katrín Ómarsdóttir to steal in and grab a lead for the visitors. Iceland doubled their advantage 20 minutes later, as a mix-up in the Ukraine midfield ended with Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir charging in on goal. She tucked the ball beyond keeper Iryna Zvarych with ease.

The hosts only really threatened from set pieces until, in the 39th minute, Ukraine caught their opponents on the counterattack. Daryna Apanaschenko's brilliant pass split the Iceland defence, and Tetyana Romanenko pulled a goal back. Pressing for a leveller, Anatoliy Kutsev's side heaped pressure on Iceland after the break, and their efforts were rewarded with a dangerous free-kick, which was dispatched in style by Tetyana Chorna.

In their eagerness to hunt for the win, however, Ukraine left space at the back and Iceland exploited it just after the hour. Vidarsdóttir converted Fanndís Fridriksdóttir's left-wing cross to take a potentially priceless lead into the second leg in Reykjavik on Thursday.

Source: UEFA.com

Women's Football International Friendly: USA 1-1 Germany

The top two teams in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, USA and Germany, played out a 1-1 draw at Toyota Park on Saturday, in the first of a double-header international friendly.

Abby Wambach put the home side in front within two minutes after latching onto an Alex Morgan cross-shot at the back post, but the lead lasted just 12 minutes.

A sensational solo goal by Anja Mittag brought the visitors back on terms, with the No11 driving at the USA defence before smartly lifting the ball over Hope Solo to equalise.

Despite some enterprising play, no more goals followed and the tie finished 1-1, with the two teams set to resume battle on Tuesday at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

The draw extended Olympic champions USA’s unbeaten run to 17 matches, with the Germans now without defeat for 15 games themselves. FIFA Women’s World Cup winners Japan were the last team to beat both sides.

Source: FIFA.com

Women's Football Euro 2013 Play-Off: Scotland 1-1 Spain

Scotland had to settle for a draw with Spain in the first leg of their Euro 2013 play-off at Hampden.

Kim Little fired the hosts ahead from the penalty spot on 26 minutes following a handball incident.

But Adriana Martin knocked in a loose ball soon after when Gemma Fay fumbled a shot from Sonia Bermudez.

Fay made amends with a great double save to deny Martin from the penalty spot in the closing minutes of the first half.

But Anna Signeul's side face a major task in Madrid on Wednesday if they are to qualify for the finals in Sweden next summer after being held by a very good Spain side.

The Scots might have gone to Spain with a valuable but narrow lead if Swiss referee Ester Staudli had given a third penalty of the game late in the second half with the home side pushing for the winner.

It was the women's debut performance at the national stadium and free admission helped to attract 4058 spectators - a record attendance for the team.

What they saw was Spain dominating most of the opening 45 minutes against a Scottish side looking to go one better than four years ago, when they lost to away goals to Russia at the same play-off stage.

However, it was Scotland who took the lead on 25 minutes after a Jenny Beattie header from a corner came back off the post and the assistant referee spotted a hand ball in the box and referee Staubli gave the penalty.

"Mintlaw Miracle", as the match programme described her, Kim Little made no mistake from the spot for her 25th international goal.

With Spain playing a confident, passing game, it was no surprise when Chelsea striker Adrianna Martin equalised five minutes later after Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay should have done better with a Sonia Bermudez shot.

If Fay was at fault there, she more than made amends right on half time with a brilliant double save from Martin's penalty when the assistant referee saw Rhonda Jones handle in the box.

The second period was much more cagey than the first, with Spain's Jennifer Hermoso and Scotland's Emma Mitchell both having half chances.

Hampden erupted when referee Staubli turned away a major Scotland claim for a penalty on 76 minutes, when it did look like Ruth Garcia handled in the box.

This time the referee said no and the home fans were denied the win they wanted to make this new Hampden experience just that little bit better.

Signeul remains confident her side will score in Madrid, but that is the least of what they will have to do if the passion of this performance is not going to be outdone by real pain in Spain.

Source: BBC