U20 USA Soccer Team vs China

[Phil C]

The game is being played in Russian and is the semifinals. The winner advances to the championship game against the winner of the North Korea vs Brazil game. At half time it was 0 - 0. UT defender Stephanie Logterman is playing for the USA. GO UDA!

[Phil C]

The game is now at about the 75 minute mark. The USA has outplayed China but can't seem to get that ellusive goal. Some on Ladies! Score.

[Phil C]

After 81 minutes no score. There are 9 minutes left in regulation. We have outplayed them but just can't get that score. Come on USA!

[Phil C]

About 4 minutes to go and China just misses getting a score. That goes to show how important it is to get some scores which the USA has failed to do. You can outplay an opponent bad but they get one lucky score and you lose. But that is soccer and that is what makes it great. Come on USA! Score!

[Phil C]

Still tied after 90 minutes. There will be four minutes of stopage time. Come on USA! Get a goal!

[Phil C]

Regulation is over. We are in OT periods. We have outplayed them but China hangs on. China was a big women's soccer power in the 90s but have had some bad years since. This team indicates that they have a good future and should return to being a power. Come on USA! Get a goal! It may come down to free kicks though.

[Phil C]

There will be 30 minutes left of the game with no golden goal. They will play two 15 minute halves. If no one is ahead it goes down to free kicks. :(

[Phil C]

After 5 minutes of the first period OT they are still tied. USA has another chance to get a goal but it misses over the bar as usual. Come on Ladies. Get that goal!

[Phil C]

Can you belive this. USA gets another chance and sure enough hits the ball over the goal again. Frustration! :(

[Phil C]

This is the web site in case you want to follow the game.


http://www.ussoccer.com/

[Phil C]

USA misses another chance. We should have already won this game by at least two goals and yet China hangs on as we miss opportunities. Come on Ladies!

[Phil C]

Now China barely misses a score by inches with about 2 minutes left in the first 15 minute OT period. But I think that China was offside and it wouldn't have counted anyway. Too close for comfort. Come on USA!

[Phil C]

First overtime period over. 15 minutes left then free kicks. Can you belive that just before the end of this perioud the USA had a chance but kicked the ball wide to the right? Well on second thought with the way it is going I guess maybe you can. This is going to be a frustrating game if the USA loses the way they have outplayed China. China is a good team but man we had chance after chance after chance and couldn't get the goal. Come on Ladies! Fight and win and let's make some goals the last 15 minutes.

[Phil C]

Two minutes into the second OT period and we miss another goal. So what else is new?

:(

[Phil C]

We get a break at 4 minutes into the second OT period and get a free kick from 25 yards out. Of course the shot is wide. :(

The USA U20 web site is advertising the USA getting to the finals. That may be premature.

[Phil C]

About 9 minutes left and then free kicks. It appears China is stalling now wanting the game to go to free kicks which is probably the right strategy for them as much as they have been outplayed. They have a very good goalie in Zhang but we do too. Still China's best chance is free kicks it seems. We will see. If this game gets away from us it will be one of the most frustrating loses by the USA ever. Come on Ladies. There is time. Get that goal!

[Phil C]

Five minutes left! We got a corner kick but the Chinese goalie got it. Another missed chance. :( Come on Ladies! Get that goal in the next five minutes.

[Phil C]

About three minutes left. This has been a physical game. Two Chinese players went down and they had to bring out stretchers. If they win they are going to be so beat up in the championship game. Come on USA! Score!

[Phil C]

Two minutes left! We had a great chance with a free kick close to the goal but of course we kicked it over the bar. Man!

[Phil C]

Second overtime is over. Now free kicks decides the game. I don't know who will win but I hate for a game to be decided on free kicks. It is like in OT in football letting it be decided by Field Goal Kickers from 30 yars out. Oh well. Let's hope the USA can make them. They didnt' during the regulation game. Very frustrating indeed. :(

[Phil C]

I don't know about the USA goalie but China must have a good one in Zang so China probably has the advantage here. :(

[Phil C]

From now on it is penalty kicks score. China shot first and USA shot second and both made them so it is 1 - 1.

[Phil C]

It is now 3 to 3. Come on USA! Make those shots and let's block one USA goalie!

[Phil C]

Can you belive this. China misses a penalty kick and we have an opportunity to end it but miss ours. Frustration! Come on Ladies! It is still tied a 4 to 4 in penalty kicks!

[Phil C]

China wins 5 to 4! A frustrating match by the USA indeed who had their share of chances. What a bummer! But give China credit for hanging in there. We outshot them 21 to 4 and had 3 shots on goals to their 1 and 9 corner kicks to their 2 but still lost! A bad day for us in soccer indeed but maybe this experience will teach the young ladies that you got to get points when you can. We should have easily won this game by 2 goals or more but yet lost. But that is soccer. The best team doesn't always win which explains the passion of it.

The frustrating thing is that if China was that good of a team then it would be different. Of course they are a good team but we really should be in the finals. China is going to be so beat up that they might not play a good game. My guess is that they will play defense and try to force the game to penalty kicks. against the winner of Brazil and North Korea. But whoever wins the later game will probably beat China. We had our chances and didn't get it done.

Good try anyway USA girls! Next time let's get those goals.

[EricDraven]

Thanks for the updates.

[piratebg]

That was kind exciting. Thanks Phil. It sounded like the US completely dominated but they just couldnt get the ball in at all. That must have been one heck of a goalie for China.

[raider red 2000]

phil - thanks for the updates....i just read them all....and it seemed exciting.

[HAN SING]

Han Sing daughter ( ** Kiu )play for China. Han Proud of **.

[Phil C]

I hope this game is is on ESPN classics or somewhere for everyone to watch especially soccer players. It goes to show why soccer has such passion because even the team that is obviously not as good as another if you have a good goalie that plays a good game you have a good chance to win. It also goes to show that if you are the better team you better take advantage of your chances and gets some goals. Lots of lesson on this game both for superior and not so strong teams on strategy.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by HAN SING
Han Sing daughter ( ** Kiu )play for China. Han Proud of **.

:D