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U.S. Women need huge result Tuesday to avoid disaster

11 Aug, 2008

By Chris Hummer, Potomac Soccer Wire Editor

The United States Women's National Team must at least tie New Zealand Tuesday morning in China in order to guarantee advancement to the elimination round of the Women's Soccer competition at the Olympics. Such a task would have seemed like a foregone conclusion at any other time in the history of the women's soccer for the U.S.

However, after the implosion in last year's World Cup, and an unimpressive first two matches in China, nothing is a sure thing, and the very reputation of the U.S. Women's program is on the line. If this team does not absolutely demolish New Zealand and make a serious run at an Olympic Medal, the days of their being ranked number one in the world will likely come to end for a very long time.

That would be a real shame considering the "head start" this country has had in women's soccer. To let such a large talent gap be closed by so many countries in such a short time would prove once and for all that the United States has a very long way to go when it comes to player development on both the men's and women's side of things - not just on the men's side.

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