Notre Dame's Amanda Cinalli is one of several Nordic Cup veterans who will be looking to avenge the 2006 title-game loss to Germany. (US Soccer photo)

U.S. Advances To Nordic Cup Title-Game Rematch With Germany, After 1-0 Win Over Sweden

July 23, 2007

Notre Dame women’s soccer players Amanda Cinalli and Michele Weissenhofer will have the chance to play for a gold medal in international competition, following Sunday’s 1-0 win over Sweden by the U.S. Under-21 National Team. The win sends the Americans on to Tuesday’s title game at the annual Nordic Cup, considered the world’s premier tournament for youth women’s soccer. The championship game will be a rematch of the 2006 final, as the USA will look to avenge its 2-0 loss to Germany a year ago. The United States won Group B while Germany used a 6-0 win over the host country Finland to win Group A. The championship will be decided back in Vaasa at Hietalahti Stadium, with the USA set to make its 11th straight appearance in the final while looking for its eighth Nordic Cup title in the past nine years.

For the second straight game, Santa Clara sophomore forward Kiki Bosio came off the bench to score the game’s only goal (72nd minute). The goal originated former Virginia midfielder Sarah Huffman (a 61st-minute sub, swung a pass to Bosio near the ride sideline. Bosio dribbled across the top of the penalty area, lost a defender and bent a curving leftfooted shot into the upper left corner.

Cinalli – who has played for Notre Dame and Team USA as both a forward and midfielder – started the game before being replaced in the 58th minute by Bosio. Weissenhofer, one of the three youngest players on the USA roster (as is Bosio), played the final 15 minutes, after again coming on for UCLA forward Danesha Adams.

Weissenhofer and Bosio both boast potent flip throw-ins and the pair combined to delight the Kaale Stadium crowd with a half-dozen strong throws during Sunday’s game. One of Weissenhofer’s throws hit the goalpost whole another went straight into the net (waved off, as a throw-in is an indirect set play).

The United States and Germany have met three times previously in a Nordic Cup final, with the Americans winning in 2000 and 2002 (3-1, in Finland) while Germany posted the 2-0 title-game victory in 2006.

Norway and Finland will play for them bronze medal while England will face Sweden in the fifth-place game,

(Note that game information has been delayed coming from U.S. Soccer for this tournament and game photos have not been available, as of this time. A recap from Tuesday’s title game will be passed along on und.com when it becomes available – with additional comments from Cinalli and Weissenhofer also forthcoming later in the week.)

U.S. UNDER-21 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT
(game-2; 2007 Under-23 Nordic Cup; Kaale Stadium – Vaasa, Finland)
July 22, 2007

USA 0 1 – 1 Sweden 0 0 – 0

USA 1. – Kiki Bosio (Sara Huffman) 72nd minute.

USA Lineup: 1-Cori Alexander; 10-Rachel Buehler, 4-Nikki Krzysik, 16-Stephanie Logterman (12-Kendall Fletcher, 46), 13-Manya Makoski; 3-Tina DiMartino (23-Becky Sauerbrunn, 86), 11-Ali Krieger, 6-Angie Woznuk (14-Sarah Huffman, 61); 9-Danesha Adams (19-Michele Weissenhofer, 75), 5-Kelsey Carpenter (8-Ella Masar, 46), 15-Amanda Cinalli (7-Kiki Bosio, 58). … subs not used: Kelsey Davis.

Sweden Lineup: – 1- Stéphanie Ã-hrström; 2-Lina Nilsson (6-Maria Nilsson, 86), 3-Malin Levenstad, 4-Emma Wilhelmsson, 9-Linda Forsberg; 10-Maria Nordbrandt (14-Madelaine Edlund, 66), 11-Jessica Landström (5-Alexandra Nilsson, 86), 13-Linda Sembrant (7-Lena Andersson, 81), 16-Anna Bodén (15-Emmelie Farfa, 72); 17-Lisa Dahlkvist; 18-Emelia Erixon (8-Emma StÃ¥lhammar, 52). … subs not used: 12-Malin Andersson.

Shots USA 9, SWE 5

Saves: USA 2, SWE 4

Corner Kicks: USA 5, SWE 2

Fouls: USA 5, SWE 11

Offside: USA 1 , SWE 0

Yellow Cards: Danesha Adams, USA (11th minute); Malin Levenstad, SWE (21st)

Officials: referee: Lina Langbacka (Finland), referee assistants Jenny Kaarnasaari (Finland) and Maria Antikainen (Finland) , fourth official Anja Kunick (Germany)