U.S. Women Defeat Sweden
Lindsay Tarpley scored her first two international goals and Shannon Boxx had one as the United States women’s national team began the Four Nations tournament Friday at Shenzhen, China, with a 3-0 victory over Sweden, runner-up in last year’s World Cup.
Boxx, of Redondo Beach, gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead with a 13th-minute header off Kristine Lilly’s corner kick. It was Boxx’s fifth international goal in 10 matches.
Tarpley, 20, scored twice in the second half, in the 51st and 66th minutes.
She got the first goal when Julie Foudy’s long pass into the penalty area was headed by Abby Wambach back to an onrushing Tarpley, whose first-time volley from 21 yards out beat Swedish goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren into the net’s lower left corner.
“It was just a great feeling to score for the national team and contribute to a big win on this level,” Tarpley said. “Sweden is a very good team. They are physical and have a really good sense of the game. It was a great team effort to score three goals.”
Tarpley’s second goal was a header from four yards out on a cross from Kate Markgraf.
“She had a great game for us as a young player stepping in and starting at the attacking center midfield,” U.S. Coach April Heinrichs said of Tarpley, who took five of the teams’ 15 shots. “She kept possession, changed the point of attack, created a couple of opportunities for herself and obviously finished two. Those are qualities we feel that position has to have. The pass has to be dangerous as well as the player herself.”
The U.S. played without veterans Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, both of whom will rejoin the team for Olympic qualifying on Feb. 25 in Costa Rica.
In the first match of the round-robin event, China beat Canada, 2-1, with goals by Bai Li Li and Teng Wei. Veronique Maranda scored in the 90th minute for Canada.
Sunday, the U.S. plays China and Sweden plays Canada.
Lewis Gets the Call
Ricky Lewis, who appeared in 13 games as a rookie defender with the Galaxy last season and started seven, was named to the U.S. under-23 national team by Coach Glenn Myernick for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.
The rest of the roster: goalkeepers D.J. Countess and Doug Warren; defenders Nat Borchers, Jose Luis Burciaga, Chad Marshall, Logan Pause, David Stokes, Zak Whitbread and Chris Wingert; midfielders DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Brian Carroll, Bobby Convey, Brad Davis, Eddie Gaven and Ed Johnson, and forwards Landon Donovan, Alecko Eskandarian and David Testo.
The tournament begins Monday in Guadalajara with the U.S. grouped with Panama, Canada and Honduras. The other group has Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.
Galaxy Goings-On
Speculation about the impending arrival of Austrian midfielder Andreas Herzog on a free transfer was met with silence Friday, but the move is expected to happen early next week.
Galaxy spokesman Nick Ammazzalorso said the team had no comment.
Herzog, 35, last played with Rapid Vienna but parted with the club last May, according to ussocceruk.com. He has scored 26 goals in 103 matches with the Austrian national team and played in three international games last year. Because Austria did not qualify for Euro 2004, Herzog should not miss Galaxy games this summer for international competition.
The Galaxy midfield is in flux with Mauricio Cienfuegos retired, Simon Elliott traded to Columbus, and Memo Gonzalez starting his second season.
Quick Passes
The Columbus Crew acquired forward-midfielder Devin Barclay, 20, from D.C. United for future considerations.... Reinaldo Rueda, who led the Colombian under-20 team to third place at the FIFA World Youth Championship, has been selected to coach the senior national team.... Giacinto Facchetti has been appointed president of Inter Milan, succeeding Massimo Moratti.
*
Times wire services contributed to this report.
