Usa goalie mens. USMNT vs Costa Rica: A Comprehensive Analysis of the US Men’s National Soccer Team

How does the USMNT prepare for upcoming matches. What is the current roster composition for the US Men’s National Soccer Team. How has the team performed in recent international competitions. What are the key players to watch in the USMNT lineup.

USMNT’s Upcoming Friendly Against Costa Rica

The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) is set to face Costa Rica in an international friendly on June 9, 2021, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. This match marks a significant milestone as it’s the first friendly opportunity on U.S. soil during a FIFA window since 2019. The game, presented by Allstate, will be broadcast on ESPN2, UniMás, and TUDN at 7 p.m. ET.

This friendly comes on the heels of the USMNT’s thrilling 3-2 victory against Mexico in the inaugural Concacaf Nations League final. The match against Costa Rica, combined with the previous friendly against Switzerland and the Concacaf Nations League Final Four, serves a crucial purpose in the team’s preparation.

Why is this friendly important?

This series of matches simulates the match cadence players will experience during the upcoming three-match window of the World Cup Qualifying campaign, which kicks off in September. This strategic scheduling allows the team to acclimate to the demanding rhythm of international competition and fine-tune their performance under pressure.

USMNT Roster Breakdown: A Mix of Domestic and International Talent

The USMNT roster for the Costa Rica friendly showcases a diverse mix of players from both domestic and international clubs. Let’s break down the roster by position:

Goalkeepers

• Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 6 caps/0 goals)
• David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; 0 caps/0 goals)

Defenders

• John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 43 caps/3 goals)
• Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 17 caps/0 goals)
• Sergiño Dest (Barcelona/ESP; 10 caps/1 goal)
• Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 5 caps/0 goals)
• Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 44 caps/1 goal)
• Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 11 caps/0 goals)
• DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray/TUR; 64 caps/0 goals)
• Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 13 caps/2 goals)

Midfielders

• Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 30 caps/2 goals)
• Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig/GER; 13 caps/1 goal)
• Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 23 caps/7 goals)
• Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 24 caps/7 goals)
• Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 5 caps/0 goals)
• Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 11 caps/0 goals)

Forwards

• Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg/AUT; 6 caps/2 goals)
• Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC; 2 caps/0 goals)
• Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 37 caps/17 goals)
• Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 7 caps/3 goals)
• Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 17 caps/5 goals)
• Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys/SUI; 5 caps/1 goal)
• Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 12 caps/1 goal)

This roster reflects a blend of experienced veterans and promising young talents, with players representing clubs from across Europe and Major League Soccer (MLS). The diversity in playing experience and styles could prove beneficial as the team prepares for future competitions.

USMNT’s Triumph in the Concacaf Nations League

The USMNT’s recent victory in the inaugural Concacaf Nations League championship marks a significant milestone for the team. Facing their long-time rivals Mexico in the final, the U.S. team demonstrated resilience and skill, coming from behind twice to secure a 3-2 win in overtime.

Key moments from the final

1. The USMNT fielded its youngest lineup ever in a title match against Mexico.
2. Christian Pulisic, the team captain, scored a crucial penalty in overtime.
3. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who entered as a substitute in the 67th minute, made a game-winning penalty save against Andres Guardado.
4. Gio Reyna and Weston McKennie scored goals to erase deficits on either side of halftime.

Individual accolades

Several USMNT players received recognition for their performances throughout the tournament:

• Weston McKennie earned The Best Player Award, scoring four goals in total, including one in the final.
• John Brooks, Christian Pulisic, and Gio Reyna were named to the CNL Best XI.

McKennie’s performance was particularly noteworthy, as he set a USMNT record by scoring the fastest hat trick in team history during the Nations League opener against Cuba, netting three goals within the first 13 minutes of the match.

Historical Context: USMNT vs Costa Rica

The upcoming friendly against Costa Rica is part of a long-standing rivalry between the two nations. The USMNT holds a narrow 17-16-5 edge in the series, which spans 38 matches played since 1975. This rich history includes encounters across various competitions, including FIFA World Cup Qualifying, the Concacaf Gold Cup, and Copa America Centenario.

Memorable matches

One of the most iconic matches in this rivalry is known as the “Snowclasico.” This 1-0 victory for the USMNT took place in snowy conditions during qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, reigniting the competitive spirit between the two teams.

MLS connection

The rivalry between the USA and Costa Rica has been further enhanced by the presence of Costa Rican players in Major League Soccer. Over 50 Costa Ricans have played in the league, fostering a sense of familiarity and competitiveness between the two nations’ soccer cultures.

USMNT’s History in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, the venue for the upcoming friendly, has its own place in the USA-Costa Rica soccer narrative. The city hosted a World Cup qualifying match for the 2006 tournament, resulting in a convincing 3-0 victory for the USMNT.

Key statistics for USMNT in Utah

• Utah has hosted three World Cup Qualifiers in total.
• The USMNT has been successful in all matches played in Utah, scoring six goals while conceding only one across three games.
• Overall, the USA boasts an impressive 4-0-1 record in the Beehive State.

This history of success in Utah bodes well for the USMNT as they prepare to face Costa Rica in the upcoming friendly.

Tactical Analysis: USMNT’s Playing Style and Strategy

The USMNT’s recent performances, particularly in the Concacaf Nations League, have showcased a dynamic and adaptive playing style. Under the guidance of head coach Gregg Berhalter, the team has been developing a possession-based approach with an emphasis on quick transitions and high pressing.

Key tactical elements

1. Fluid formation: The team often employs a flexible 4-3-3 formation that can easily morph into a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 depending on the game situation.
2. High press: The forwards and midfielders are instructed to apply pressure high up the pitch, forcing opponents into mistakes and creating turnover opportunities.
3. Quick transitions: The team aims to move the ball rapidly from defense to attack, taking advantage of the speed and technical ability of players like Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna.
4. Positional play: Berhalter emphasizes intelligent movement off the ball, with players constantly creating passing options and exploiting spaces.

Player roles and responsibilities

Understanding the roles of key players is crucial to grasping the USMNT’s tactical approach:

• Christian Pulisic: As the team’s primary attacking threat, Pulisic often operates as an inverted winger, cutting inside to create chances or score goals.
• Weston McKennie: A box-to-box midfielder with excellent aerial ability, McKennie provides both defensive cover and attacking support.
• Tyler Adams: When fit, Adams serves as the team’s defensive anchor in midfield, breaking up opposition attacks and initiating the team’s build-up play.
• Sergiño Dest: The attacking full-back provides width and creativity from deep positions, often pushing high up the pitch to support the attack.

This tactical framework allows the USMNT to adapt to different opponents and game scenarios, making them a versatile and unpredictable team.

Player Development and the USMNT’s Future

The current USMNT roster reflects a promising trend in U.S. soccer: the emergence of young, talented players competing at high levels both domestically and internationally. This development pipeline is crucial for the team’s long-term success and competitiveness on the global stage.

Youth academies and MLS

Major League Soccer has played a significant role in nurturing young American talent. The league’s emphasis on youth academies and homegrown player signings has provided a pathway for talented youngsters to gain professional experience. Players like Daryl Dike and Jackson Yueill are products of this system, showcasing the potential of MLS-developed talent.

European opportunities

Simultaneously, an increasing number of young American players are finding opportunities with top European clubs. This trend is exemplified by players such as:

• Christian Pulisic at Chelsea
• Weston McKennie at Juventus
• Gio Reyna at Borussia Dortmund
• Sergiño Dest at Barcelona

These players are not only gaining valuable experience at the highest levels of club football but are also bringing that experience back to the national team.

Balancing youth and experience

The challenge for the USMNT coaching staff is to effectively integrate these young talents with the team’s more experienced players. This balance is crucial for success in major tournaments, where a mix of youthful energy and seasoned leadership often proves decisive.

As the team prepares for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and beyond, the continued development of young players and their successful integration into the national team setup will be a key factor in the USMNT’s pursuit of international success.

The Road Ahead: World Cup Qualifiers and Beyond

The friendly against Costa Rica serves as a crucial stepping stone in the USMNT’s preparation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar presents a significant challenge, with the team aiming to secure their spot after missing out on the 2018 tournament.

Qualifying format and challenges

The Concacaf World Cup qualifying tournament will feature a new format for the 2022 cycle:

• Eight teams will compete in the final round of qualifying, an increase from the previous six-team format.
• The top three teams will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the fourth-placed team will enter an inter-confederation playoff.
• Matches will be played in a triple-header format during international windows, presenting a unique physical and logistical challenge for the teams.

Key objectives for the USMNT

As the team looks ahead to the qualifiers and potential World Cup participation, several key objectives come into focus:

1. Tactical refinement: Continue to develop and perfect the team’s playing style, ensuring that all players are comfortable with their roles and responsibilities.
2. Squad depth: Build a deep and versatile squad capable of handling the demands of the qualifying schedule and potential injuries or suspensions.
3. Mental resilience: Foster a strong team mentality that can withstand the pressures of high-stakes matches, particularly in challenging away environments.
4. Consistent performance: Aim for consistently high-level performances, avoiding the ups and downs that have sometimes characterized past qualifying campaigns.

The friendly against Costa Rica, along with other upcoming matches, will provide valuable opportunities for the coaching staff to assess the team’s progress towards these objectives and make necessary adjustments.

Long-term vision

While the immediate focus is on World Cup qualification, the USMNT’s long-term vision extends beyond Qatar 2022. With a talented young core and an increasingly sophisticated development system, the team is positioning itself for sustained success on the international stage.

Key elements of this long-term vision include:

• Continued emphasis on youth development and creating pathways to the senior team
• Expanding the pool of players competing at high levels in top European leagues
• Building a distinctive and effective playing style that becomes synonymous with U.S. soccer
• Aiming for deeper runs in major tournaments, including the World Cup and Copa America

As the USMNT continues to evolve and grow, matches like the upcoming friendly against Costa Rica serve as important milestones in the team’s journey. They provide opportunities for players to gain valuable international experience, for coaches to refine tactics and strategies, and for fans to witness the ongoing development of a team with ambitious goals and bright prospects.

International Friendly: USA vs. Costa Rica

CHICAGO (June 8, 2021) – Following the thrilling 3-2 victory against Mexico that secured the inaugural Concacaf Nations League title, the U.S. Men’s National Team will take advantage of the first friendly opportunity on U.S. soil during a FIFA window since 2019 to host Concacaf rival Costa Rica on June 9 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

USA-Costa Rica, presented by Allstate, will be broadcast on ESPN2, UniMás and TUDN at 7 p.m. ET. Fans will be able to follow the match via Facebook, Twitter @USMNT and Instagram @USMNT and the official U.S. Soccer App.

The Costa Rica match, combined with the friendly away to Switzerland (May 30) and the Concacaf Nations League Final Four (June 3 and 6), simulated a match cadence similar to what players will experience during the upcoming three-match window during the World Cup Qualifying campaign which kicks off in September.

USA Detailed Roster by Position (Club/Country; Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 6/0), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 43/3), Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 17/0), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona/ESP; 10/1), Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 5/0),  Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 44/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 11/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray/TUR; 64/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 13/2)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 30/2), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig/GER; 13/1), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 23/7), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 24/7), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 5/0), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 11/0)

FORWARDS: (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg/AUT; 6/2), Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC; 2/0) Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 37/17), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 7/3), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 17/5), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys/SUI; 5/1), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 12/1)

SI SE PUEDE

Heading into the inaugural Concacaf Nations League championship, the USMNT had only won once in seven finals against Mexico. Sporting its youngest lineup ever in a title match, the United States twice came from behind to capture a 3-2 win in overtime. Penalties at each end proved decisive, with team captain Christian Pulisic burying his opportunity past Guillermo Ochoa while Ethan Horvath denied Andres Guardado to secure the USA’s victory. Goals by Gio Reyna and Weston McKennie erased deficits on either side of halftime, while Horvath entered the match in the 67^th as a replacement for the injured Zack Steffen and set the stage for the dramatic finish.

Weston McKennie earned The Best Player Award for the tournament. He deposited a total of four goals, including the second U.S. goal in the Final. McKennie memorably scored the fastest hat trick in USMNT history during the Nations League opener on Oct. 11 vs. Cuba, the midfielder recording his three goals within the first 13 minutes of the 7-0 victory in Washington, D.C.

In addition to McKennie, defender John Brooks and forward Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna were named to the CNL Best XI.

ROSTER UPDATES

Following the win against Mexico, defender Matt Miazga departed camp in preparation for his upcoming wedding nuptials. Meantime, both goalkeeper Zack Steffen and defender Bryan Reynolds have been ruled out with bone bruises. Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman was added to the roster and arrives Tuesday evening into Salt Lake.

In addition, Daryl Dike is available for the match. In camp since the beginning, he stayed with the team as a non-rostered player during the CNL Final Four.

ONE UP ON THE TICOS

Heading into this summer, the USMNT have a narrow 17-16-5 edge in the series through a rich history of 38 matches played since 1975. 

There have been numerous legendary moments in that time, with 29 of the encounters taking place across three different competitions: FIFA World Cup Qualifying, the Concacaf Gold Cup and Copa America Centenario. Perhaps the most memorable meeting was in the Snowclasico, a 1-0 win in snowy conditions during qualifying for the 2014 World Cup that reignited a sometimes-fiery rivalry. MLS has also served as a breeding ground of familiarity for these opponents, as more than 50 Costa Ricans have played in the league.

USMNT IN SLC

Salt Lake City has its own piece of USA-Costa Rica history, having hosted a World Cup qualifying encounter on the road to the 2006 tournament in Germany. Two goals from Landon Donovan, an insurance strike from current USMNT general manager Brian McBride and world-class saves from Kasey Keller led the USA to a 3-0 shutout before 40,586 boisterous fans on June 4, 2005, at Rice Eccles Stadium.

In total, Utah has hosted three World Cup Qualifiers. The USMNT has been successful in all, scoring six goals while surrendering only one through three matches. Overall, the USA is 4-0-1 in the Beehive State.

CONCUSSION SUBSTITUTIONS

As part of its continuing efforts as a leader in player safety, U. S. Soccer is implementing concussion substitutions in 2021. The new rule – approved by IFAB for trials – allows teams to make two concussion substitutes to replace players with head injuries, regardless of the number of substitutions already used.

U.S. Soccer already implemented the new concussion substitution rule for the first time during the 2021 SheBelieves Cup this past February in Orlando, Fla.

“Adopting this new rule is an important step as we continue to lead the way in player safety,” said U.S. Soccer Chief Medical Officer Dr. George Chiampas. “It was critical to come together as a sport with our professional leagues and proceed in this pilot program, prioritizing the well-being of our players above all. We’ve worked hard to raise awareness of head injuries in soccer over the last several years, and this change should go a long way in protecting players suspected of suffering a concussion.”

PRIDE MONTH

As part of its “One Nation” social responsibility efforts to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, U. S. Soccer will once again partner with the You Can Play Project to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month during friendly matches this June. The You Can Play Project is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches, and fans without regard for sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

The U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams will wear pride-inspired rainbow numbers during certain June friendlies.

The game-issued jerseys for each player on the roster for the USMNT match and one of the two USWNT matches in Houston will be put up for auction following the games from June 12-26, with proceeds donated to You Can Play. This will be the third time the USMNT and USWNT have worn pride-inspired rainbow numbers.

In addition to the jerseys, the USMNT and USWNT captains will wear game-specific rainbow arm bands and pride-inspired rainbow corner flags will be used during the matches. Fans can also purchase special pride-inspired U. S. Soccer rainbow merchandise, which will be available at the U.S. Soccer Store. Any money U.S. Soccer receives from the U.S. Soccer Store for the sale of these products goes directly to You Can Play.

FIRST CAPS IN OFFICIAL COMPETITION

With the USMNT playing its first non-friendlies since November 2019, a total of eight players earned their first appearances in official competition for the USMNT. In the semifinal against Honduras were starters Mark McKenzie, Gio Reyna and Antonee Robinson and second half substitutes Brenden Aaronson and Jordan Siebatcheu. In the championship match, substitutes

Tyler Adams, Ethan Horvath, and Tim Weah all made appearances.

By virtue of playing against Honduras, dual nationals Mark McKenzie, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson and Jordan Siebatcheu are now officially cap-tied to represent the United States in international competition. Tim Weah reached the same status against Mexico.

ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

With Concacaf choosing the “Mile High City” of Denver to host the Nations League Final Four, the USMNT shifted its camp base to Crans Montana in the Swiss Alps. Training for five days at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet ahead of the friendly against No. 13-ranked Switzerland on May 30, the group went through efforts on and off the field to adjust to the conditions at altitude.

Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen missed the camp due to the UEFA Champions League final and joined the group on May 31 in Denver.

TROPHY ROOM

With the USMNT collecting the first trophy on offer this summer – the Gold Cup still remains – several players have already earned silverware with their clubs. A total of 10 players on the roster enter the Nations League Final Four with a championship under their belt,

Including five league winners and perhaps the biggest club trophy of all.

Brenden Aaronson did the double, winning the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup. Zack Steffen also won two trophies with Manchester City, backstopping the club to the English League Cup and becoming the first USMNT player to win the Premier League. Sergiño Dest (Barcelona) lifted the Copa del Rey in Spain, while Weston McKennie (Juventus) in Italy along with Gio Reyna (Dortmund) in Germany and Mark McKenzie (Genk) in Belgium also won their respective domestic cup competitions. Tim Weah is a French league champion with Lille, his club winning the title for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, Ethan Horvath and Club Brugge are league winners for the second season running and Jordan Siebatcheu helped Young Boys to the top of the Swiss league table for the fourth consecutive year.

And of course, the first U.S. international to play in and win a UEFA Champions League Final as Christian Pulisic added another massive milestone to an already impressive list of records when Chelsea defeated Manchester City on May 29 in Porto.

TOP FOUR IN BIG FIVE

Members of the USMNT finished in the top four in each of the five biggest leagues in Europe, starting with the league title winners in England (Steffen, Manchester City) and France (Weah, Lille). In Germany, U.S. internationals populate three of the top four with Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, second), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, third), and John Brooks (Wolfsburg, fourth). Sergiño Dest completed his first season at Barcelona with a third-place La Liga finish. Christian Pulisic and Chelsea secured the fourth spot in the Premier League on the final matchday, a feat and position matched by Weston McKennie and Juventus.

All eight players will be a part of next year’s Champions League.

30-PLUS

In another sign of U.S. internationals staking their claim at prominent clubs abroad, nine players on the roster just completed seasons where they made 30 or more appearances in a top-flight European league: Weston McKennie (34 GP; Juventus), Yunus Musah (32 GP; Valencia), Jordan Siebatcheu (32 GP; Young Boys), Gio Reyna (31 GP; Borussia Dortmund), Josh Sargent (31 GP; Werder Bremen), John Brooks (31 GP; Wolfsburg), Reggie Cannon (31 GP; Boavista), Sergiño Dest (30 GP; FC Barcelona) and Matt Miazga (30 GP; Anderlecht).

USA ROSTER NOTES

• A total of 21 of the 23 players on the Nations League roster appeared in the tournament.

• The 23-player roster averages 17 caps.

• Players ply their trade in 11 different countries: England, Germany and USA (4 each), Belgium (3), Spain (2), Austria, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey (1 each).

• With 64 caps, DeAndre Yedlin is the senior-most player on the roster, followed by Tim Ream (44), John Brooks (42), Christian Pulisic (37) and Kellyn Acosta (29).

• Ten players won 12 different trophies with European clubs this past season: Brenden Aaronson (Austrian League and Cup), Sergiño Dest (Spanish Copa del Rey), Ethan Horvath (Belgian First Division A), Weston McKennie (Super Coppa Italiana, Coppa Italia), Mark McKenzie (Belgian Cup), Christian Pulisic (UEFA Champions League), Gio Reyna (German DFB-Pokal), Zack Steffen (English Premier League, English League Cup) and Tim Weah (French Ligue 1).

• Nine players just completed seasons where they made 30 or more appearances in a European top-flight league: Weston McKennie (34 GP; Juventus), Yunus Musah (32 GP; Valencia), Jordan Siebatcheu (32 GP; Young Boys), Gio Reyna (31 GP; Borussia Dortmund), Josh Sargent (31 GP; Werder Bremen), John Brooks (31 GP; Wolfsburg), Reggie Cannon (31 GP; Boavista), Sergiño Dest (30 GP; FC Barcelona), Matt Miazga (30 GP; Anderlecht)

IN FOCUS: COSTA RICA

ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Esteban Alvarado (Limon FC; 19/0), Aaron Cruz (Saprissa; 0/0), Leonel Moreira (Alajuelense; 17/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Francisco Calvo (Chicago Fire/USA; 55/7), Oscar Duarte (Levante/ESP; 57/2), Keysher Fuller (Herediano; 12/1), Yael Lopez (Herediano; 0/0), Bryan Oviedo (FC Copenhagen/DEN; 59/2), Aaron Salazar (Herediano; 0/0), Kendall Waston (Saprissa; 45/7), Ronald Matarrita (FC Cincinnati/USA; 37/3)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Bernald Alfaro (Alajuelense; 3/0), Celso Borges (Deportivo La Coruña/ESP; 133/23), Allan Cruz (FC Cincinnati/USA; 21/2), Luis Diaz (Columbus Crew/USA; 4/0), Randall Leal (Nashville SC/USA; 19/0), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense; 129/26), Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano; 58/0), Gerson Torres (Herediano; 3/0)

FORWARDS (4): Felicio Brown (Wisla Krakow/POL; 1/0), Joel Campbell (Club Leon; 98/19), Alonso Martinez (Alajuelense; 2/0), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense; 62/11)

IN THE CNL

Costa Rica twice went to penalties in the Final Four, stretching both Mexico and Honduras to the limit. In the semifinal, a closely contested match ended 0-0, with El Tri outlasting Costa Rica 5-4 in penalties. In the third place match, Costa Rica scored first and last in regulation, with teams ending level at 2-2 before the Ticos suffered a second straight 5-4 defeat in the penalty phase.

LOCALS AND EXTRAÑEROS

Costa Rica boasts a nearly full-strength roster with players plying their trade both domestically and abroad. Chicago Fire captain Francisco Calvo leads an MLS contingent of five players, including a pair from FC Cincinnati. Alajuelense midfielder Bryan Ruiz headlines the domestic contingent and is the leader in both caps (129) and goals (26).

U.S. National Under-18 Team – 2020-21 Regular Season

2		Sean Behrens	D	03/31/2003	5-9 (175)	175 (79)	L	Barrington, Ill.	University of Denver (NCHC)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
4		Jack Hughes	F	11/02/2003	6-0 (183)	165 (75)	L	Westwood, Mass.	Northeastern University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
5		Ty Murchison	D	02/02/2003	6-2 (188)	189 (86)	L	Corona, Calif.	Arizona State University (IND)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
6		Luke Hughes	D	09/09/2003	6-2 (188)	182 (83)	L	Canton, Mich.	University of Michigan (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
7		Jack Devine	F	10/01/2003	5-11 (180)	173 (78)	R	Glencoe, Ill.	University of Denver (NCHC)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
8		Justin Janicke	F	06/30/2003	6-0 (183)	180 (82)	L	Maple Grove, Minn.	University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
9		Liam Gilmartin	F	01/07/2003	6-2 (188)	190 (86)	L	Falls Church, Va.	Providence College (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
10		Ethan Straky	D	04/18/2003	5-11 (180)	174 (79)	R	Ormond Beach, Fla.	University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
11		Chaz Lucius	F	05/02/2003	6-1 (185)	185 (84)	R	Grant, Minn.	University of Minnesota (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
12		Sasha Pastujov	F	07/15/2003	6-0 (183)	175 (79)	L	Bradenton, Fla.	University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
13		Tyler Boucher	F	01/16/2003	6-1 (185)	200 (91)	R	Haddonfield, N.J.	Boston University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
15		Ryan St. Louis	F	06/13/2003	5-10 (178)	168 (76)	L	Riverside, Conn.	Northeastern University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
16		Jeremy Wilmer	F	08/16/2003	5-7 (170)	142 (64)	L	Rockville Centre, N. Y.	Boston University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
17		Aidan Hreschuk	D	02/19/2003	5-11 (180)	182 (83)	L	Long Beach, Calif.	Boston College (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
18		Logan Cooley	F	05/04/2004	5-10 (177)	154 (70)	L	West Mifflin, Pa.	University of Notre Dame (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
18		Jacob Martin	D	03/18/2003	6-0 (183)	190 (86)	R	Eagle River, Wis.	University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
19		Red Savage	F	05/15/2003	5-11 (180)	175 (79)	L	Scottsdale, Ariz.	Miami University (NCHC)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
21		Caden Brown	F	06/22/2003	5-11 (180)	170 (77)	L	St. Louis, Mo.	University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
24		Ty Gallagher	D	03/06/2003	6-0 (183)	190 (86)	R	Clarkston, Mich.	Boston University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
25		Dylan Duke	F	03/04/2003	5-10 (178)	181 (82)	L	Strongsville, Ohio	University of Michigan (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
26		Andre Gasseau	F	07/03/2003	6-4 (193)	202 (92)	L	Garden Grove, Calif.	Boston College (H-East)	Shattuck St. Mary’s 16U
27		Ryan Chesley	D	02/27/2004	6-0 (183)	187 (85)	R	Mahtomedi, Minn.	University of Minnesota (Big Ten)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
27		Roman Schmidt	D	02/27/2003	6-5 (196)	206 (93)	R	Midland, Mich.	Boston University (H-East)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
29		Gibson Homer	G	12/29/2003	6-5 (196)	209 (95)	L	Grand Rapids, Mich.	Miami University (NCHC)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
30		Kaidan Mbereko	G	07/28/2003	5-11 (180)	182 (83)	L	Aspen, Colo.	Colorado College (NCHC)	U.S. National Under-17 Team
58		Rutger McGroarty	F	03/30/2004

USMNT 2021 Gold Cup roster: Who made the U.S. men’s soccer national team and who missed out

The controversial picks that U.S. national team fans were expecting didn’t arrive this time.

U.S. men’s soccer national team head coach Gregg Berhalter revealed a 23-man roster for the 2021 Gold Cup on Thursday that he says can win the regional championship for national teams. The U.S. squad, which is comprised of 19 MLS players, will have it first training session on July 6 with its first Gold Cup match set for July 11.

“We don’t want to look at this as an experimental team,” Berhalter told media on a conference call. “We want to look at this as a team that can win the Gold Cup. Let’s be really clear with that. That’s going to be our expectation. Will it be dififcult? Absolutely. But we believe there’s enough backbone and veteran leadership in this group to make a run and win the Gold Cup.” 

USMNT 2021 Gold Cup roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

DEFENDERS (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista / Portugal), Shaq Moore (Tenerife / Spain), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)

FORWARDS (6): Paul Arriola (D. C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen / France), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke / Germany), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)

Five players could make their USMNT debuts during the Gold Cup: Busio, Hoppe, Pines, Sands and Williamson. This is also the first-ever U.S. call-up for Busio and Sands. 

Who made the U.S. roster?

Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman come in as the starting center backs, but Berhalter admitted that the roster is thin on center back depth due to the lack of international experience of backups Donovan Pines and James Sands. Atlanta’s George Bello and Colorado’s Sam Vines will be competing for the left back spot.

In midfield, Berhalter pointed to Kellyn Acosta, Jackson Yueill, Eryk Williamson and newcomer Gianluca Busio competing for three central midfield spots and how it could “be the strength of this group” given their ability to shift around and swap positions during a game. He highlighted Busio’s recent performances for Sporting Kansas City and how “he can make a big impact with us.”

But Berhalter also said the team has depth issues at winger. He indicated Matthew Hoppe and Jonathan Lewis project to be the left wingers and Paul Arriola and Nicholas Gioacchini can play at right wing, but two of them are arguably center forwards (Hoppe and Gioacchini).

Along with fellow Nations League holdovers Acosta, Yueill and Cannon, Berhalter praised Sebastian Lletget and “how important they are to this group. I can’t imagine our roster right now without those four players.”

The U.S. men will open the Gold Cup group stage by facing Canada, Martinique and a team that will qualify from the preliminary round. All three of its Group B matches will be held at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. The USMNT will be making a run at its seventh title and first since 2017 after it lost the 2019 final against Mexico.

Who was left off the U.S. roster?

Berhalter made it clear that he called in players who were in form and in stable club situations. 

Johnny Cardoso, Erik Palmer-Brown, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Matt Miazga and Bryan Reynolds weren’t under consideration given their need to perform and impress with their European club teams during preseason. That was not the case with Reggie Cannon, who plays at Boavista. He is expected to be transferred away this summer, which made him available. 

Right backs Aaron Herrera, Kyle Duncan and Julian Araujo were on the outside looking in. In Araujo’s case, Berhalter revealed that he wasn’t ready to commit to the U.S. national team given his status as a dual national and the option of playing for Mexico is still a possibility. An appearance in an official competition like the Gold Cup would have tied him to the USMNT.

“It’s a case of him being a dual national and not fully being ready to commit to the team,” Berhalter said. “He knew that the Gold Cup would lock him in permanently and he wasn’t ready to make that step. I don’t want to speak for him, but I imagine when he looks at the depth of the right back position he sees a logjam there. And he doesn’t maybe fully see his pathway to being a starter at the next World Cup. What I can tell you is that we really value Julian and we think he’s an oustanding player. We think he can make a run at being a starter on this team.”

Fitness was the issue for FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal, while his club teammates Jesus Ferreira and Ricardo Pepi were “right on the cusp of it, but there hasn’t been enough to show that they need to be involved in this.”

An apendectomy ruled out New York Red Bulls phenom Caden Clark from consideration. Berhalter said that he was “really looking forward to working with him” and will continue to monitor him as he gets set for a transfer to Bundesliga side Red Bull Leipzig.

Orlando City right winger Chris Mueller was under consideration to help with the depth at the position, but Berhalter said he ultimately went with other options.

Berhalter can still replace a player on the roster due to injury up to 24 hours before the team’s first match of the group stage. The replacement player must come from the players who were originally on the 59-man preliminary roster (complete list below).

• Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC)
• Frankie Amaya (NY Red Bulls)
• Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy)
• Corey Baird (LAFC)
• Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids)
• Johnny Cardoso (Internacional / Brazil)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur / England)
• Justin Che (FC Dallas)
• Caden Clark (NY Red Bulls)
• Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes)
• Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United)
• Kyle Duncan (NY Red Bulls)
• Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers)
• Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas)
• Leon Flach (Philadelphia Union)
• Chase Gasper (Minnesota United)
• Jonathan Gomez (Louisville FC)
• Julian Green (Gruether Furth / Germany)
• Bill Hamid (D. C. United)
• Aaron Herrera (Real Salt Lake)
• Henry Kessler (New England Revolution)
• Tim Melia (Sporting Kansas City)
• Djordje Mihailovic (CF Montreal)
• Chris Mueller (Orlando City)
• Moses Nyeman (D.C. United)
• Erik Palmer-Brown (Manchester City / England)
• Kevin Paredes (D.C. United)
• Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas)
• Andres Perea (Orlando City)
• Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas)
• Robbie Robinson (Inter Miami)
• Rubio Rubin (Real Salt Lake)
• Memo Rodriguez (Houston Dynamo)
• Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas)
• Mason Toye (CF Montreal)
• Auston Trusty (Colorado Rapids)

U.S. Men’s Water Polo Rallies to Top Japan in Olympic Opener

The U.S. men’s water polo team found itself down three goals less than two quarters into its Olympic tournament Sunday. It took a big effort to turn it around.

Five goals from Alex Bowen did the trick, leading the U. S. to a 15-13 win over Japan in its Olympic water polo opener at the Tatsumi Water Polo Centre.

A goal by Seiya Adachi put Japan up, 7-4, with 3:29 left in the second quarter. But Ben Hallock scored twice before the half, and Bowen added the final goal to get the U.S. into the break down just 8-7.

U.S. Men’s Water Polo’s Alex Bowen; Photo Courtesy: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Japan had another push to go up 10-8, but again the United States had an answer. Marko Vavic scored and then fed Hannes Daube to tie the game at 10, and Bowen came up clutch late to score with 15 seconds left in the quarter to put the U.S. up 11-10. It was the first lead since 1-0.

“From there, I think that was just a step in the right direction,” Max Irving said. “So we could like allow ourselves to really take a breath, play with more confidence, get back to doing the things that we do particularly well.”

It would also end up as a 5-0 run that proved decisive. Irving and Luca Cupido scored to make it 13-10, and though Japan pushed back, they wouldn’t get any closer than 14-13 with 1:49 to play. Drew Holland made the offense stand up with nine saves.

Team USA earned 13 power plays, converting on six. But it allowed four penalty shots to the Japanese, all of which they converted, as well as a 5-for-7 man-advantage rate.

Adachi tallied a hat trick for Japan, as did Mitsuaki Shiga and Yusuke Inaba. Katsuyuki Tanamura stopped 11 shots.

For Irving and company, it’s a tough test passed in the opener.

“We were kind of expecting it,” Irving said. “It was the first game for us, first Olympics for a lot of us, so we knew that it was going to be a difficult game. I think we showed a lot of resilience and composure, staying with it, staying confident throughout the course of the game, and then by the end we were able to jump out in front and have the result that we wanted. ”

US men’s national team gets pelted with bottles during CONCACAF final win vs. Mexico

A thrilling CONCACAF Nations League final between the United States men’s national soccer team and rival Mexico was tainted by several episodes of disruptive fan behavior as the Americans pulled out an improbable 3-2 upset in extra time on Sunday night in Denver.

The game became the second of the tournament to be paused because of anti-gay chants from Mexican fans, although it’s unclear which American player was being targeted. Previously Mexican soccer fans were heard directing the word, p***, at Costa Rica’s goaltender in their semifinal matchup. A similar chant was heard during Mexico’s Olympic qualifiers against the US and the Dominican Republic in March. 

Furthermore, Team USA’s Giovanni Reyna was hit in the face with an object while celebrating teammate Christian Pulisic’s go-ahead goal in the 109th minute. Reyna, who scored Team USA’s first goal of the night, was examined on the field before being helped off by trainers.

He did return to the field for the trophy presentation, but there were several other incidents involving trash being thrown at American players on Sunday. Fortunately, the team appears to have escaped any significant injury. 

‘Total lack of respect for what’s happening on the field and all effort that both teams are putting into the game,’ US manager Gregg Berhalter said after his first major victory with the team. ‘I think he’s going to be OK, but he did take something to the head, and it could have been a lot worse.’ 

Angry Team Mexico fans begin throwing cups and bottles at Team USA after Christian Pulisic netted the go-ahead goal on a penalty kick in extra time 

Team USA’s Giovanni Reyna was hit in the face with an object while celebrating teammate Christian Pulisic’s go-ahead goal in the 109th minute. Reyna, who scored Team USA’s first goal, was examined on the field before being helped off by trainers.

Team USA’s Tim Weah (the son of former pro player and President of Liberia, George Weah) is seen getting hit with an object from the stands after Christian Pulisic netted his penalty kick

Team USA members celebrated the go-ahead goal in a corner of the field where Team Mexico fans were seated 

Team USA looks up into the crowd amid a cascade of empty cups and bottles 

Giovanni Reyna celebrates with teammates after winning the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final between US and Mexico at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday. Reyna had been hit in the face with an object thrown by a fan less than an hour earlier

There were other incidents, including one in which a fan ran onto the field in extra time. He was quickly corralled by security. 

Minutes earlier, another fan was seen jumping through the CBS Sports set during a segment at the end of regulation. The man appeared to jump over the railing and out of the reach of security, but it’s unclear what happened to him after that.

As for the anti-gay chant, the match was briefly stopped in extra time as players from both teams pleaded with fans to stop. Mexico’s semifinal win over Costa Rica was also paused over the same chant, which originated at the club level but has been adopted by fans of the national team, according to multiple reports from the country.

Had the chants continued, officials had the option of sending players to the locker rooms, and could have either suspended or abandoned the match as well. 

One was seen jumping through the CBS Sports set during a segment following the end of regulation. The man appeared to jump over the railing and out of the reach of security, but it’s unclear what happened to him after that

Christian Pulisic’s late penalty kick earned him his second cup win in the last eight days 

The play on the field wasn’t any less chaotic than the scene in the stands.

As Berhalter put it: ‘One of the classic, odd U.S.-Mexico games.’

For starters, Chelsea’s Pulisic was lifting a trophy for the second time in eight days after becoming the first American to play in, and win, the UEFA Champions League Final.

His penalty kick appeared to seal Team USA’s win extra time until a handball gave Mexico PK in the 124th minute.

The problem for the US was that it was backup Ethan Horvath in net and not starter Zack Steffen, suffered a knee injury earlier in the game.

‘If you’re on the bench as a keeper, you don’t expect to come in the game,’ said the 25-year-old Horvath, who had about 20 family and friends at the match.

But while he never expected to play Sunday, Horvath still found himself saving Andrés Guardado’s penalty kick to clinch the Cup Final.

‘This is the perfect way to end the year,’ Pulisic said.

Fans celebrate the United States win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League Finals at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday 

Messages across the board remind fans to stay civil during the first half of the championship game at the Concacaf Nations League Finals at Empower Field at Mile High

Mexico fans show their support during the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final between the United States and Mexico at Empower Field At Mile High

Jesús Corona put 11th-ranked Mexico ahead 63 seconds in after a sloppy giveaway by defender Mark McKenzie, whose poor pass into Corona’s path in the U.S. penalty area allowed the Mexican to break in alone on Steffen.

El Tri appeared to go up 2-0 in the 24th minute on a header by an unmarked Héctor Moreno, but a video review disallowed it for offside after Panamanian referee John Pitti consulted VAR.

Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, tied the score in the 27th minute with his third international goal. The 18-year-old kicked in a rebound after Weston McKennie’s header from Pulisic’s corner kick hit a post.

Diego Lainez gave Mexico a 2-1 lead in the 79th, one minute after entering, when he cut inside from Tim Ream and beat Horvath.

By then Berhalter had changed tactics. He started five defenders that included Sergiño Dest as a wingback, a formation that could morph into a 4-3-3, then switched midway through the second half to four in the back.

Pulisic, fresh off of winning the Champions League with Chelsea on May 29, made the decisive move when cut inside the penalty area in the 108th minute and was pulled down by Carlos Salcedo.

Mexico”u2019s #23 Jesus Gallardo, left, puts his hand on the throat of United States”u2019 Midfielder Sebastian Lletget, #17 as Midfielder Andres Guardado, #18, center, gets in a shouting match with United States

Pitti did not initially signal a penalty but consulted a video review and then pointed to the spot. Mexico coach Tata Martino appeared received red card, apparently for putting a hand on an official during the review, and Hirving Lozano was given a yellow card for arguing after the decision.

Pulisic sent the ball to the upper corner past the left arm of goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa for his 16th international goal.

Pitti again did not make a call in the 119th minute when Luis Romo’s header went off the left arm of McKenzie, whose arm was perhaps only slightly outstretched. Another lengthy wait for a video review followed.

‘It plays with your head a little bit when it takes long for the ref to decide whether it’s a PK or not,’ McKennie said, ‘and he didn’t lose his head. He went with his gut and his instinct and his training.’

Horvath waited to the last moment and dived right to bat away the penalty by Mexico’s captain.

‘It’s been a tough season for him, and to come have a performance like that in his hometown was the stuff that storybooks write about,’ Berhalter said.

The U.S. survived an extended 11 minutes of stoppage time following the second extra period and beat Mexico in a competitive match for the first time since 2013 following a stretch of three losses and a draw, gaining confidence ahead of the start of World Cup qualifying in September.

‘We’re a young side and we need to learn how to win,’ Berhalter said. ‘It’s also about the fight and spirit. .. They really showed the heart of champions.’

Team USA’s backup goalkeeper Ethan Horvath seals the win by denying Mexico’s Andres Guardado on a penalty kick in the 124th minute 

U.S. Men’s Player Pool | US Lacrosse

U.S. Men’s Team Player Pool

The following individuals have participated in U.S. men’s team event since the 2018 World Lacrosse championship.

Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner looks forward to heightened circumstances on US men’s national team

Of course, playing in a friendly isn’t the same as a tournament game.

“Obviously it’s a little bit different,” Turner admitted in a pre-tournament press conference. “The games pack a little more punch.”

But while he’s aware of the heightened circumstances, Turner also noted that he’s used to it. It’s the nature of his position.

“You have to be perfect, but this is what goalkeepers always strive to be,” Turner explained. “You sort of live on the fence; either you’re a hero or you could be the villain. So every single time we’re stepping out onto the field we’re chasing perfection, we’re chasing that consistency. My approach doesn’t really change day-to-day, match-to-match.”

It’s a mentality that’s helped him deal with a recent rise in profile. After going undrafted at the start of his MLS career, and fighting for a starting job in New England, he’s become one of the league’s newest stars.

Turner has anchored a Revolution team that currently sits atop the Eastern Conference. His acrobatic saves in a 3-2 win over NYCFC in June won him MLS Player of the Week (a first for a New England player since 2017). Both his personal success and that of the team have led to an increased level of media attention, and now he’s in contention for the starting role with the national team.

“I guess it’s new, but it doesn’t feel any different,” Turner said when asked about the praise he’s received.

Despite the recognition, Turner said he stays grounded thanks to the players and coaches at the club and national team level that holds him accountable.

“Not much really changes, the attention’s flattering, but my focus is on putting my best foot forward and having good performances and racking up consistency.”

Looking towards the Gold Cup, which gets underway for the US on Sunday against Haiti (8:30 p.m. ET), Turner will be a part of a relatively younger and less experienced team. Unlike the dramatic win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League Final a month ago, the current roster includes only a few European-based players.

In the place of national team regulars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie — both of whom featured in the UEFA Champions League this past season — is a largely MLS-based group.

Still, Turner views the lack of international experience as a motivating factor for the current US team, citing hunger and intensity as the team’s chief asset.

“We have a lot of guys on this team that want to prove themselves,” he said . “They want to show that soccer here in MLS is great and we want to step out onto the field and get good results and play for a championship.”

With no friendlies scheduled before the start of the tournament, practices have been the only place to impress U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter.

“Tackles are flying and guys are vying for spots in the team,” Turner said of the recent training sessions. “Everybody wants to make an impact. Everyone wants to be in that Starting XI, so it’s been real intense.”

After Haiti, the U.S. will face Martinque on July 15 before the final group stage game against Canada on July 18. It’s a series of tests that the U.S. won’t take lightly, as Turner — whose Revolution teammate Tajon Buchanan could feature for Canada — knows well.

“It’s no secret. It’s a little bit more of a challenging group than some of the other ones,” he admitted. “Haiti’s a team that took Mexico to extra time in the last Gold Cup. It’s going to be intense, but I think everybody here is up for the challenge, and like I said, one game at a time.”

And while it might not be the most experienced US team, Turner noted that the goals for the tournament remain “crystal clear.”

“I think there’s an expectation with this program [that] when we step out onto the field in the Gold Cup, we expect to make it to the final, reach the final and challenge for the trophy.”

USA – Russia: forecast for the Olympic men’s volleyball tournament

In the morning 26 July 2021 men’s the national team Russia will play against the United States in the Olympic volleyball tournament . “Playmaker” presents the alignment and forecast for this match.

USA – Russia

XXXII Summer Olympic Games. Volleyball. Men.Group B. 2nd round
Start of the game: July 26, 05:05 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Channel One

Results at the Tokyo Olympics

USA: 1 game, 1 victory, sets 3: 0

Russia: 1 game, 1 win, sets 3: 1

Alignment

The USA team, like the Russian team, plays in Group B, where the teams of Argentina, Brazil, France and Tunisia. In the opening game at the tournament in Tokyo, the Americans confidently defeated the French national team in three sets – 25:18, 25:18, 25:22.At the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the Americans won bronze medals, while beating the Russian team with a score of 3: 2, in the match for third place, but in that match , the Americans lost the first two sets – 23:25 and 21:25, but eventually managed to win three subsequent games (25:19, 25:19, 15:13). The Americans approached the current Olympic tournament with mixed feelings. In the League of Nations in June, the US team finished 7th with 8 wins and 7 losses. However, the composition of the team differs by almost half.According to the bookmakers’ quotes , the US national team is the clear favorite of the upcoming meeting – bets are accepted on its victory with a coefficient of 1.46, on the victory of the Russian national team – 2.55. Team USA won the Olympics three times (1984, 1988, 2008).

The Russian national team under the leadership of Tuomas Sammelvuo played the last match before the Games in the League of Nations in June, when the Russians beat the Brazilian national team (3: 0). At the same time, the Brazilians won the League of Nations, and the Russian national team won 11 victories with 4 defeats and finished in 5th place , failing to make it to the semifinals.It is worth noting that in the League of Nations, the Russian national team beat the Americans with a score of 3: 1 . The Russians started the tournament with a difficult victory over the Argentine team with a score of 3: 1, while losing in the first set – 21:25, but then, not without difficulty, brought the match to victory – 25:23, 25:17, 25:21. Considering the unsuccessful start and the loss of the first set in the match with Argentina, it can be assumed that the Russians will start the meeting with the US team more actively and may win the first set. In addition, the match should be expected to last at least 4 sets.

Teams Head-to-Head

In the last six matches, the teams have equally divided the victories . The Russian national team won the League of Nations match in June with a score of 3: 1 (25:22, 25:19, 17:25, 25:19), and in November 2019, the teams met in the World Cup and the Americans already won – 3: 0 (25:23, 25:11, 25:16).

Betting options for consideration

Russia’s victory in the 1st set (2.65)

Number of sets in the match: 4 (2.34)

Total points in the match less than 185.5 (1.85)

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“It’s easier to be a goalkeeper than a mother” She burst into the harsh world of men’s hockey and became an NHL star: Hockey: Sports: Lenta.ru

As you know, only real men play hockey. But there are exceptions. In the National Hockey League (NHL), a woman, Canadian Manon Reom, once played as a goalkeeper in the men’s ice squad. “Lenta.ru” talks about her amazing career.

Phil Esposito spent two years collecting players for his brainchild – the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey club. The most productive forward of the legendary super series Canada – the USSR in 1972, a regular participant in the NHL All-Star Game, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame – he knew the game from the inside and understood what a novice team needed.

Remembering that summer day in 1992, Esposito said: “I was in Montreal, looking for players, I got to a junior team match. Someone invited me to look at one hockey player. I saw the guy and thought that he was not very good. However, he said, “I like this little goalkeeper. I want to talk to him. He has something about him.” I went down, and then she came out. I couldn’t believe my eyes: “My God, this is incredible! Who is this girl?” They answered me: “She can become our goalkeeper.”

The little girl goalkeeper was Manon Rehom. She was born in Canada, the home of hockey. Already at the age of five, the girl realized that dolls and bows were not interesting to her, and asked her father to buy skates for her.

In Quebec, where Reome lived, there was no team for girls, so my father had to try – he bought his daughter’s skates and built an ice rink in the backyard. Gradually, the girl joined the hockey company. Neighborhood boys saw themselves as strikers, tearing goalkeepers, so Reon could only defend the net.And she did it well.

However, few people cared about it. In the early 80s, everything was bad with women’s hockey, not only in Canada, but all over the world. Sections for girls simply did not exist, and all attempts by Reom to get into the boys’ team were suppressed by the coaches with an unequivocal “no.”

“I’ve heard no so many times just because I was a girl. They didn’t let me play, although I was on par with the best goalkeepers in Quebec. The first coach who took me to the team was at the Bantam AA level (in the Canadian junior league system – the second strongest level in the age group 13-14 years old – approx.”Lenta.ru” ). Two years later, all the players were invited to Midget AAA (the highest level in the category of 15-17 years old – approx. Lenta.ru ), but I was not. Because there was no room for girls. If you do not play there, you cannot get into the major junior league, ”said Manon.

Thanks to her own perseverance and the help of her father, the girl got into the women’s regional league, the team “Sherbrooke Jofa-Titan”. The efforts of the Réom family were not in vain – in November 1991, Manon was invited by the team of the Major Junior League of Quebec “Trois-Rivieres”.Many first draft pickers and future Olympic champions have emerged from this league. Manon became the first girl there. It seemed that we could stop there. But no – the girl’s talents opened her way to big hockey.

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Before arriving in Montreal, Esposito watched hundreds of videos with training of potential candidates for place in the “Lightning”.Reom showed a chic level for her age, and Esposito did not understand that there was a girl on the record: “This guy, of course, is too small (Reom’s height is 170 cm – approx. Lenta.ru ), but he has good reflexes and moves he’s great. Let’s invite him to training camp. ”

On the first two-sided, she was given 20 minutes to play, and during this time she repulsed 14 shots out of 14. After such an enchanting result, Esposito said that Reom could appear at the goal and in the official exhibition match.“My knees were shaking,” Rehom recalled. – I never even thought that I could participate in an NHL exhibition match. I thought I would go there, practice with the players for a week, gain experience, and they would send me back. ”

Rehom made her NHL debut on September 23, 1992. According to her recollections, when she went out on the ice from the locker room, her heart beat too fast and was ready to jump out of her chest. “However, as soon as I stood at the gate, the excitement disappeared. I felt at ease.I forgot that this is an NHL game, that the fans and the media are around, ”she says. 90,022 9,0002 75 journalists and eight thousand fans came to see the first female goalkeeper go down in history. Rehum conceded the first goal in the 121st second of the game against St. Louis, but before the break she managed to beat off seven shots out of nine. The first half of the match ended in a draw – 2: 2.

Replacement veteran Wendell Young missed two goals. The fans chanted Manon’s name, demanding her return to the ice.However, the coach did not hear them.

The day after her debut, the hockey player signed a contract with Tampa and was sent to the farm club, the backup team of the Atlanta Knights, to play in the International Hockey League. According to the Canadian, she was paid at the club about 35 thousand dollars a month. But the main thing is that she played hockey on a par with men. She was invited to TV, showered with gifts. But she asked not to give her concessions and not to consider her special.

When asked why the club signed the girl, Esposito replied: “Because we needed mention in the newspapers, that’s why.It worked. We made her a millionaire and she really helped the club become recognizable. ”

Many journalists wrote that a woman in a team is nothing more than an advertisement. However, Russian center-forward Alexei Yashin, who played with Reh in the IHL, says that the Canadian’s performance should not be taken as a show. “She looked – including hockey – good,” he notes.

Then, from 1992 to 1997, Rehom played 24 official matches in various professional men’s clubs in the lower leagues (in the IHL and the East Coast Hockey League).“I remember that as soon as there was information about Rehom going out on the ice, all the tickets for our match with“ Houston ”were instantly sold out. Yes, Manon and I lost then, but how many fans pleased us! ”Yashin recalls.

Photo: Gary Hershorn / Reuters

In 1993, the Canadian once again took to the ice in a Tampa exhibition match. Although she played in the NHL for a matter of minutes, Rehom remains the only woman to have signed a contract with an NHL club and was a full-fledged member of the team.

The hockey player not only signed a contract with the “Lightning”, but was also invited to the Canadian national team, however, this time for women. As part of the Canadian team, she won gold at the 1994 World Cup and silver at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano.

Rehom can be called a pioneer not only in men’s but also in women’s hockey. It was only in 1992 that the International Olympic Committee decided to include women’s hockey in the program of the Winter Olympic Games, starting with the Olympic Games-98 in Japan. When women’s hockey was first shown on TV at the Games, it was Reom who was on the ice.

Women’s ice hockey was gaining popularity. The number of women’s teams from 1991 to 1993 more than tripled, and the number of players, according to official figures from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), from 5,533 to 12,392 people. This is also due to Reom.

The career of a female goalkeeper in men’s hockey has been full of events, but journalists are still asking Rehom to share his impressions of that one night. And the Canadian does not refuse anyone, each time remembering the joy that overtook her then: “More than twenty years have passed since then, but that day remains one of the most important in my sports career.”

Rehom married her former teammate Garry Kara, which was also an event for the hockey community – for the first time on the same team NHL players tied the knot. She left hockey after the birth of her son in 1998. She worked as a marketer in a company selling sports goods: she helped girls choose their hockey equipment.

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10:42 – October 4, 2017

Now Reom is divorced, lives in the suburbs of Detroit, has two sons.Both play hockey, with the eldest at the goal. “I have to tell you,” laughs Rehom, “it’s much easier to be a goalkeeper than a goalkeeper’s mother.”

Rehom also graduated from Northeastern University and opened a coffee shop in New York. At the age of 28, with the help of investors and friends from the hockey world, the goalkeeper decided to make another revolution and open a women’s hockey league. Created in 2015, the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) is gaining momentum every year. There are currently four teams in the league – Metropolitan Riveters, Buffalo Beats, Boston Pride and Connecticut Vale, and as Rehom herself says, this is just the beginning.

Photo: Chris O’Meara / AP

In addition to sports, Rehom is involved in social activities. In 2008, she founded a fund to help girls in “non-female” professions. The Canadian also chairs the committee of the One Goal association, which promotes children’s hockey.

Rehom was named in Time Magazine’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women Pioneers in Sports. “I had no idea that my life would change so much,” Rehom admits. Many girls dream of playing like Manon.How could Rehom have imagined all this in that distant 1992? “Strangers came up to me and said:” You inspire my daughter. She has your poster on her wall. And now she is doing a school project about you. ” And this is the most pleasant thing that I have ever heard about myself, “the former hockey player admits.

Now the story of the legendary female goalkeeper is being filmed in Hollywood. Although hockey, undoubtedly, remains a men’s sport, men’s hockey has always been, is and will be more powerful and spectacular , but thousands of girls can follow Reom’s example, pick up a club and go out on the ice.

University of Virginia Men’s and Women’s Football

The University of Virginia is renowned for developing some of the best football talent in the country with the NCAA Division 1 Atlantic Coast Conference program featuring former US men’s national team captain Claudio Reina, one of the all-time performance leaders. Jeff Aguz and current US women’s team athletes Emily Sonnett and Morgan Brian Gotrat.

Under the guidance of a respected strength and conditioning coach, Peter Alston , men’s and women’s programs use the Catapult wearable solutions to improve teamwork, monitor the health and well-being of their athletes, and support the coaching staff in making objective decisions.

Daily use Catapult

In his role, Alston develops and implements performance technologies for both football programs.

“Part of my role is to provide feedback to other coaches so that they can make informed, accurate decisions and enable athletes to develop.

“We wear Catapult to every workout and every game, and the information we collect has become truly useful and effective for the athletes we serve,” explains Alston.“We have had a positive experience, we started investing more in athlete monitoring technology and since then we have become more and more satisfied with the objective information that we collect and the feedback it provides.”

Benefits of Using Catapult for NCAA Programs
With Catapult, Allston was able to influence various aspects of the University of Virginia’s curriculum.

1. Better planning based on the requirements of the game.

“Given the data we can gather, coaches can now ask questions about what training should look like in a particular training week or phase,” said Allston. “We can find a way to make sure athletes are getting what they need physically to prepare for the next game, and this helps establish the daily building blocks that coaches use when planning their workouts.

“It also allows us to do a showdown on our workouts.For example, we might end up with a much more difficult session than anticipated, or it might not turn out to be as difficult as we hoped. With this feedback, you can effectively analyze where the load came from, the requirements of each exercise, and identify areas for improvement.

“Ultimately, this is the essence of learning. You are trying to optimize the performance of the game so that the better we understand the game we are training for, the better we can prepare for it. “

2. Acceleration of an athlete’s return to play after injury

In terms of getting back into the game, Catapult has been instrumental in supporting Allston’s ideas for Cavalier coaches.

“We can go beyond general performance analysis and analysis, we can now narrow down the questions people need to do based on their situation, development needs, strengths and weaknesses.

“The Catapult serves as a useful guide to workload and return to work.It provides specific feedback on how we should plan our training to get the athlete back in full shape as quickly and safely as possible. ”

3. Goalkeeper monitoring.

In addition to observing field athletes, Catapult detects the specific movements of football players. the most unique position is .

“There isn’t actually a ton of research on monitoring goalkeepers, but with Catapult we can create our own performance targets related to optimizing goalkeeper performance.

“The Catapult Goalkeeper Algorithm allows us to measure the number of dives, the direction of the dive, the load and the time to feet,” says Allston. “This data allows me to provide feedback to our athletes and the goalkeeping coach, ensuring that we are pushing all program participants for the better, not just the field athletes.”

4. Live feedback to optimize each workout.

“Another benefit of using Catapult is that it integrates our entire real-time performance tracking infrastructure.Instead of going to the field with a tablet, laptop and everything else, I can just bring one system and see the GPS data and heart rate in real time. ”

During training, the strength and conditioning coach will look at the athlete’s data in real time to focus on build-up during training.

“I will be running the Catapult system live, and every time athletes finish a segment of training, I will be sure to check the indicators and, if necessary, provide coaches with feedback on whether we are on the right track.for the target volume for the day if we need to increase the intensity of the workout. This kind of intervention is another positive thing that we can do with a monitoring system.

Find out more about Catapult Football Solutions from by clicking here , because you too can improve your team’s performance, monitor the health and well-being of your athletes and support the coaching staff in making objective decisions.

Image Credit: @UVAMenSoccer

90,000 Russia lost to the USA in the shootout in hockey

The Russian men’s national hockey shootout team was defeated by the USA team at the Sochi Olympics.

The meeting at the Bolshoi Sports Palace ended with a score of 3: 2 in favor of the Americans, in which the goals were scored by Cam Fowler (37th minute) and Joe Pavelski (50th), Pavel Datsyuk (30- I, 53rd).

Winning bullet on TJ Oshi’s account.

Russian and American hockey players from the first minutes of the match began to live up to the expectations of a bright, uncompromising match, which had the loudest sign of the group stage of the Olympic Games. The first skirmish between the players took place at the end of the first minute, when Evgeny Medvedev and Ryan Callahan almost fought.During the first period, the audience saw everything they were waiting for – power tricks, dribbling, throws and bright “rescues”. We didn’t see only the abandoned washers.

The captain of the Russian national team Datsyuk corrected the situation after the break. In the very middle of the match, he burst into a foreign zone after a timely pass from Andrey Markov and sent the puck exactly to the right corner of Jonathan Quick’s goal. “Bolshoi” celebrated the goal for seven game minutes, until Alexander Radulov earned a removal, and Fowler did not convert the majority.

In the third period, the situation repeated itself. Again Radulov went to the penalty box, and again the Russian team conceded. This time the majority was realized by Pavelski after the transfer of Patrick Kane. The second goal of the Russians, in which he took a direct part, helped Radulov remove the status of the anti-hero of the match. The forward closed the goalkeeper’s line of sight, which allowed Datsyuk to score a double. Immediately, with the score 2: 2, Fedor Tyutin scored the third goal, but it was not counted due to the barely moved gate.In overtime, the Americans were supposed to score, but Kane could not beat Bobrovsky during the “one to zero” exit. Extra time also did not reveal the winner, and in the series of post-match throws, luck smiled at the Americans.

Zinetula Bilyaletdinov’s team scored 4 points in two matches of Group A, the Americans (5 points) lead the standings. The Russians in the final match of the group will play with the Slovaks (0 points), the Americans – with the Slovenes (3 points).

Canadian goalkeeper, defensive scorer and tournament victors.Who revealed at MCHM-2021

In the future, some of these players will surely prove themselves in the NHL.

In the future, some of these players will surely prove themselves in the NHL.

The main tournament among the youth teams is over.A tournament that attracts a large audience every year. A tournament where every talented young man can declare himself to the whole world. This year, a few lesser-known players took the chance and really made their way in Edmonton. No one knows if the guys will manage to build a great career, but it is now interesting to watch their development. We tell you what names MFM-2021 revealed to the general public.

Devon Levy, Goalkeeper, Canada

The composition of the “maple leaves” at the MFM is always impressive, even if some Canadian geeks are not there.This year the team was helped by forwards Dylan Cosens, Connor McMichael and defender Bowen Byram. Each of them has long been playing at a high level in the CHL.

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The defense and attack of the Canadians before the tournament seemed much brighter than the goalkeeper’s line. The main goalkeeper was Devon Levy, who was drafted by Florida only in the seventh round under the overall number 212. For comparison: Nashville chose Yaroslav Askarov at 11th, American Spencer Knight left 13th, and Swede Hugo Alnefelt was 71st in the 2019 draft.

We saw these three goalkeepers at the MFM-2020. But Devon Levy was not invited there. Before Edmonton, he had no national team experience. Nevertheless, Levy looked confident, he completed the shutout three times. At the end of the tournament, Devon became the best goalkeeper and got into the symbolic team.

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Topi Niemelä, defender, Finland

The Finns have got an even team. It was assumed that striker Anton Lundell and defender Ville Heinola would become its leaders.The 19-year-old Lundell has more than 100 appearances in the Finnish Premier League. Heinola also approached this mark. In addition, he has already played a bit in the NHL for Winnipeg.

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The debut of both hockey players at the MFM took place back in 2019. Two years later, the leaders of Suomi met high expectations. Lundell entered the top 3 scorers, and Heinola was included in the symbolic team. Besides them, the 18-year-old Topi Niemelä held an excellent tournament. Hardly anyone imagined that the Finnish newcomer would be the best defender of the World Cup.Note that Topi with 8 points (2 + 6) was the first in the list of defensive scorers.

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Brock Faber, Defender, USA

Americans brought a scattering of stars to Edmonton. Trevor Zegras, Cole Cofield, Artur Kaliev – the list of outstanding performers goes on. But Brock Faber certainly fell short of the status of a youth hockey star. He has only 6 matches in the NCAA behind him, until recently he had no experience of participating in major tournaments. However, at the debut MFM Brock quickly got used to it.He acted less efficiently than Niemelä, but extremely effective. Faber repeatedly cleaned up the flaws of his comrades and was generally reliable. Its value of usefulness is “+8”.

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And one more funny detail. During the tournament, some Los Angeles fans thanked Vancouver for trading in Tyler Toffoli for his expiring contract. For Toffoli, the Canucks traded Tim Schaller, Tyler Madden, and a second-round pick. Under the 45th number, the “kings” drafted just Faber.The young defender has not played in the NHL yet, but he has already inspired several fans with his play.

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John Farinacci, striker, USA

Another new world champion on our list. John had never played on the US national team before, neither in the youth team nor among the juniors. At the club level, he also did not demonstrate anything phenomenal. So in Edmonton he was clearly not counted on as the main striking force. In the playoffs, his average ice time was just over 14 minutes.At the same time, Farinacci scored important goals. In the quarterfinals, the forward scored a double, and in the next game hit the Finnish goal. During the entire tournament, John hammered 5 goals and twice assisted partners. Great performance for a third line center.

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We add that in the 2019 NHL draft, Arizona chose Farinacci under the modest 76th number.

Florian Elias, Forward, Germany

Before the World Cup, the undersized German played in his homeland and did not stand out for anything remarkable there.Moreover, at the senior level, he played only one match and received a “-1”. But then he unexpectedly entered the top three of the MFM. Lucas Reichel was unable to perform in Edmonton due to the coronavirus, so Elias played along with Peterka and Stüzle. It worked out well. In total, the 18-year-old strikers scored 29 points.

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At MFM-2021, Elias upset the Swiss, scored against the Slovaks, Finns, Canadians, and in the quarterfinals – the Russians, thereby extending the streak to five matches.By the way, his extremely gifted partner Tim Stüzle was recognized as the best striker of the tournament.

Alex Turcott, Forward, USA

Turcott is a well-known hockey player who has made progress. The fifth pick in the 2019 NHL was one of the top hopes for the Americans. At the same time, at the World Championships in the Czech Republic, Alex failed, unlike Zegras or Kaliev. Prospect Los Angeles has never scored there and earned -1 in five games. At MFM-2021, he played much more successfully.After the final, he even received praise from head coach Nate Liman.

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Turcott really showed himself in important games. In the final he scored the winning goal and earned “+2”, and distinguished himself in the match against the Finns. Also note his skills as a destroyer. Such a forward is capable of playing in the NHL.

Read also:

90,000 The composition of the German men’s Olympic ice hockey team at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Composition of the German men’s Olympic ice hockey team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea.

Goalkeepers of the German Olympic Ice Hockey Team

Dennis Endras (“Adler”)

Role: Goalkeeper
Date of birth: 14 July 1985
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Danny aus den Birken (Red Bull)

Role: Goalkeeper
Date of birth: 15 February 1985
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 89 kg

Timo Pilmeier (Ingolstadt)

Position: Goalkeeper
Date of birth: July 7, 1989
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Defenders of the German Olympic Ice Hockey Team

Christian Ehrhoff (Cologne)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: July 6, 1982
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 91 kg

Daryl Boyle (Red Bull)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: 24 February 1987
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 89 kg

Björn Krupp (Wolfsburg)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: March 6, 1991
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 95 kg

Frank Hördler (Eisberen)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: January 26, 1985
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 86 kg

Moritz Müller (Cologne)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: November 19, 1986
Height: 187 cm
Weight: 92 kg

Jonas Müller (Eisberen)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: November 19, 1995
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 85 kg

Yannick Seidenberg (Red Bull)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: January 11, 1984
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Denis Royle (“Adler”)

Role: Defense
Date of birth: June 29, 1989
Height: 193 cm
Weight: 104 kg

Forwards of the German Olympic Ice Hockey Team

Gerrit Fauser (Wolfsburg)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 13 July 1989
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 87 kg

Yasin Ehliz (Nuremberg)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: December 30, 1992
Height: 177 cm
Weight: 83 kg

Patrick Hager (Red Bull)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 8 September 1988
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Marcel Goch (“Adler”)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 24 August 1983
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 92 kg

Markus Kink (“Adler”)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 13 January 1985
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 96 kg

Brooks Matsek (Red Bull)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 15 May 1992
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Dominic Kagun (Red Bull)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: 2 July 1995
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Marcel Neebels (“Eisberen”)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: March 14, 1992
Height: 189 cm
Weight: 87 kg

Frank Mauer (Red Bull)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: April 12, 1988
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 90 kg

Matthias Plakhta (“Adler”)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: May 16, 1991
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 99 kg

Leonard Pföderl (Nuremberg)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: September 1, 1993
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 87 kg

David Wolf (“Adler”)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: September 15, 1989
Height: 189 cm
Weight: 98 kg

Patrick Rymer (Nuremberg)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: December 10, 1982
Height: 179 cm
Weight: 86 kg

Felix Schütz (Cologne)

Role: Attack
Date of birth: November 3, 1987
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 89 kg

90,000 “We have a manicure done, teeth are all in place.”Cruel destruction of male myths: News: Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)

On Sunday, as part of the educational festival about gender literacy, freedom of choice and dignity of people, Moscow FemFest discussed women’s hockey. The presenter Daria Mironova, together with Alexandra Kapustina (she played hockey for a long time, now she trains the youth team of the Nizhny Novgorod region) and the goalkeeper of “Agidel” Anna Prugova discussed the hate on the part of men, the role of women’s hockey and destroyed popular stereotypes about women’s sports.

“Fu, girl, and even the goalkeeper! She definitely won’t succeed! ”

– How did you become a hockey player?

Anna Prugova: In 2003, Platinum Arena opened in Khabarovsk, and my parents and I decided to go to hockey – for the first time in my life. I was captivated by the drive of this sport, the active struggle for the puck. At school I played volleyball, my mother wanted to send to a music school. But my soul did not lie to this, and soon told my parents that I wanted to be a hockey player, to become a goalkeeper.I am very grateful to them for their support. After all, many could say: “What are you, this is stupid and hopeless.” In general, by the eighth of March, dad bought a goalkeeper’s kit. It was 2004, but the ammunition was old. Tretyak played in this in the 70s. There was an amateur women’s team in Khabarovsk, in which she began to train. My parents had to take me to training on the other side of the city. They could say that it is far and unprofitable, but, fortunately, they supported my desire to play hockey.

Then I was called to train at a sports school with boys my year of birth.They made me a separate dressing room. I will remember the first training session for the rest of my life. The guys were shocked that the girl could play hockey. They teased: “Ugh, girl, and even the goalkeeper! She definitely won’t succeed! ” At that moment, something clicked in my head. Their words didn’t hurt me, they didn’t hurt me. I wanted not to cry, but to prove: you are wrong! Everything is different! I can’t be worse than you! I am the same as you and I can even be better! In general, I played with them for four years, we went to all-Russian competitions.Everyone was surprised that I was in a team with the guys. Then it was a rarity.

If in Khabarovsk I had my own room, then on the road they allocated one dressing room per team. The coach acted very wisely: if the team won, then the guys changed their clothes and went for a hitch, during which the locker room was at my disposal. If we lost, then 20 guys outside the door were waiting for me to change. Of course, I tried as quickly as possible :). But for the guys, this order was a good motivation to win.

“I could hit a striker in the side and take the puck”

Alexandra Kapustina: Dad brought me to hockey. We started with rinkball. Roughly speaking, Russian hockey, but on a small site. I also went to basketball, but I understood that due to my short stature I would not be able to become a cool player. I also chose hockey because we went to competitions abroad (it was in the early 90s). At the time, overseas travel was rare. After returning from abroad, we were taken to all the classrooms like monkeys to tell us what Europe looks like and how people live there.As soon as ice hockey was included in the Olympic program, our rinkball section became hockey. So I have been in women’s hockey since its inception in Russia.

The transition from rinkball was difficult. I didn’t like heavy equipment: I had to put on 15 kilograms. The puck was heavy, and the stick also felt uncomfortable. But then we felt the beauty of this sport: the speed of the puck, the ability to fight.

– The fighting spirit was!

– Nowadays women’s hockey is a non-contact sport.But when we started, everything was like a man’s. I have always been a big girl, cocky, with a boyish character. I was friends with the boys, played in the yard and I liked their fun. I found that hockey when it was possible to beat. I could hit the striker on the side and take the puck. But gradually the power struggle was banned: the puck was allowed to be taken only due to the possession of skates. It was hard to readjust because we were taught to play differently. But women’s hockey did not lose sight of this. On the contrary, today’s young people are lucky: now more attention is paid to the technique of using the puck, stick, and skating.

I developed as a player when women’s hockey in Russia was just in its infancy. The first Russian team was recruited from people who came from other sports. For example, from Russian hockey, where there are no complex technical elements. They came from swimming, water polo, figure skating. The skaters, of course, skated better than us, but at the same pace. They didn’t know how to jerk. But we envied their endurance: the girls could skate for a long time without getting tired. In general, women’s ice hockey in Russia was born in this way.

“Women’s hockey? What’s this? Some kind of joke? ”

– Your stories show that you are strong personalities who can feel confident in any team. Hockey is natural for you!

Alexandra Kapustina: On the Internet, sofa experts write “why are these chickens rolling on the ice, let the borscht be boiled.” And I am still correctly conveying their words. Sexist ill-wishers can only speak nasty things behind the eyes. For some reason, they want to humiliate a woman, to mark her inferiority, that she is no more than a housewife.But in personal communication, I have not come across hating. The people I meet, on the contrary, admire the hockey players.

Anna Prugova: “I’ve met haters in my life. At first I hid that I was playing hockey. Perhaps because one day I came across a man who said, “You have nothing else to do? Hockey is not a woman’s business! Learn to do something else. ” It was useless to even argue with him. He had some kind of stereotype about women’s hockey, and the arguments were not accepted.

Alexandra Kapustina: Many men are skeptical about women’s hockey when they come to it from men’s: “Women’s hockey? What’s this? Some kind of joke? ” Alexander Semak (sports director of “Agidel”) said in an interview that at first he also treated this way, but soon changed his mind, because he saw how the girls give their best in training, how purposeful they are, that they plow more men. As women, we have to work harder in every field to be successful.The head coach of SKIF Vladimir Golubovich also did not at first know how to relate to women’s hockey, but then fell in love with it. Girls cannot do power techniques, so they demonstrate smart, high-speed, combination hockey. If WHL receives more media attention, the popularity of women’s hockey will continue to grow.

After the Sochi Olympics, when we were actively shown on TV, we attracted a lot of fans. Many people learned about our sport, parents began to bring their daughters to hockey more often.Everyone saw pretty girls who play hockey cool at the same time. The team I train has a goalkeeper who came to hockey because she liked Ani Prugovoy’s game for the Russian national team. Outside the site, Anya is a fragile, sophisticated, beautiful girl. And on the ice – a real fighter.

– It is important to note that WHL is the only professional women’s league in the world. There are no others!

– We, Russian girls, are lucky ones who have the opportunity to work only in hockey, constantly train and improve.Yes, our overall level is slightly lower than in Finland. We are seriously inferior in the class to Canada and the USA, but the reason for this is the massiveness – there are many more clubs and hockey players. There are three leagues at different levels in Finland. There is no need to talk about North America. By the way, there is also some semblance of a professional league there, but still, hockey players will not be able to live solely on salaries in clubs: the contract will cover the maximum rental of housing and food.

“You come to another city, and they look at you:“ Who is this? Are the movers coming? ”

Anna Prugova: “We need to break the stereotype and constantly say that women’s hockey is normal.Why are America and Canada out of our reach? Because they have equal rights. There is a sport – let both boys and girls do it. Everyone there reacts calmly to it. And when you come to another city with a hockey bag, everyone looks at you: “Who is this? Are the movers coming? ” And in Canada, the doors will hold you, without making a surprised look. Because they know that you are a hockey player, and that’s okay.

Girls from gymnastics and figure skating often come to hockey. And this is not surprising, hockey is a very versatile sport that includes many others.You should have a great stretch. As a goalkeeper, I am obliged to be able to sit on both the lateral split and the longitudinal split. We have step aerobics in our training program, for example. So hockey is a feminine sport.

– What stereotypes did you have to face?

– They say that women’s hockey is very traumatic. Excuse me, is figure skating safe? There girls without uniform after jumping painfully fall on the ice. The result is permanent bruising.In volleyball, girls have knocked out fingers and shoulder joints. Injuries are an integral part of professional sports. I heard from some parents that they forbade their daughters to play hockey, because they would be very injured and become rude. People think that all hockey players have broken noses. Listen, we live in the 21st century! All the girls are playing with masks. If you don’t know this, go online and take a look. Hockey doesn’t hurt to be feminine. We are on the air, look: Alexandra and I have had a manicure, all our teeth are also in place.In general, parents need to accept the choice of their daughters. He wants to go to gymnastics – to enroll in gymnastics. If he wants to play hockey, then it means hockey.

“If we play in dresses, men will love it”

Alexandra Kapustina: No girl will say that women’s hockey is “fu”. In the comments to the broadcasts of the WHL, only men pour mud on women’s hockey. From childhood, boys are taught to treat girls as weak creatures that cannot be offended.Moms, therefore, put men higher. In addition, the Bible says that women are made for men – this also leaves an imprint. Therefore, men treat everything around as created for them. They believe that any sport should please the male eye. But they are not interested in sports, but in girls in short shorts. This is by no means a rebuke to other sports. Volleyball is wonderful – a beautiful, powerful sport, broad-shouldered girls, your favorite pastime leaves an imprint on your figure. But they are in short clothes – and everything is beautifully visible.The same goes for synchronized skaters and skaters.

Anything that does not satisfy male pride, in the eyes of some, has no right to exist. Let us, please, look at sports as the right to do what we love. By the way, figure skaters do a great job to reach the international level. But not for the men to say after the performance: “Oh, how beautiful she is in a dress.” No! She does this in order to self-actualize and achieve something. She doesn’t care, guys, your opinion.She just wants to be the best.

Anna Prugova: Men say that figure skating is better than women’s hockey. Let’s not forget: our leading skaters are girls aged 14-15. By the age of 17, they complete their professional careers. It is possible to play hockey at a professional level even after 30. When men compare figure skating and women’s hockey, it seems to me that they are not captivated by the essence of the sport and the prospects of girls, but by short dresses. If we play in dresses, then men will love it, right?

Alexandra Kapustina: Gymnasts break their knees not to marry an oligarch.A girl, girl or woman chooses a sport not in order to please a man, but in order to self-actualize, achieve something in life, depend only on herself. And she chooses a man because she loves him and wants to be with him, and not to sit on his neck and cook borscht. Let’s treat each other with respect. <

– Women’s volleyball is shown on TV more often than hockey. It’s not just shorts, is it?

– Shows more rated events.Volleyball and basketball are more popular than women’s hockey in our country because these sports have taken root. And Russian women’s volleyball is known all over the world. Women’s hockey has appeared quite recently, the traditions have not yet developed. It takes time, but women’s hockey is progressing very much. Over time, we will achieve views and love for our sport.

– Ice hockey is part of the school curriculum in Canada for both boys and girls. In Russia, volleyball is played in schools. Is this also the reason?

– Sure.But not all schools have hockey rinks. My dad was a proactive physical education teacher. When I was five years old, we moved to the village because my father wanted to transform the village school. He built a court with his own hands, made a treadmill. They poured ice, played hockey. Dad knocked on all doors to get equipment out. A lot is done on enthusiasm. The more people like my father or the president of SKIF Sergey Kolotnev , the more hockey players there will be.

“Girls, the future is yours! But then “

– Have you ever encountered sexism in practice?

– Unfortunately, sexism in Russia flourishes in all spheres of life.When I finished my career and decided to become a coach, I immediately ran into him. Grabbed to the fullest! Any man with no hockey experience has a better chance of becoming a coach than me with my huge background in women’s hockey and training as a coach. It all crashes against the wall of sexism. All the coaches say: “Girls, the future is yours! You will be the trainers. You will lead women’s hockey. ” And then they quietly add: “But that’s later. When we leave. While we are here, we will train. You don’t need to be near us ”.In principle, the situation is similar in all other areas.

Anna Prugova: The problem of sexism is not just about athletes. Let’s take male dancers. After all, they also fly in: “Oh, that he is engaged in these dances – a woman’s business.” There is a stereotype that a man is a warrior who must be tough. But no one owes anything to anyone! Let’s take synchronized swimming. As soon as the news came out that men would appear there, people wrote in the comments: “Well, what is this? Let’s also include men in rhythmic gymnastics! ” Why is that? On the contrary, it’s cool! The supports have become stronger, entertainment has been added.In addition, athletes received a new opportunity for self-realization. Why does this cause such a reaction?

– Can we look forward to a bright future in women’s hockey?

Alexandra Kapustina: Required. Everyone associated with women’s hockey believes in a bright future. Each of us should contribute some of our enthusiasm and work to support women’s hockey. As a child, my mother explained to me why a piece of paper should not be thrown out on the street: “We all shout that we live in mud, in the middle of the garbage.But we ourselves throw it around! ” It’s the same here. For women’s hockey to have a bright future, we must all go for it. Parents, do not hesitate and lead both boys and girls to hockey. This is a great sport, a huge and friendly family.

In conclusion, we pass on the theses that were voiced during the speech by Daria Mironov a.

– For me, there is no division of hockey into male and female. If we look at the examples of leaders – the United States and Canada, we will see that men’s and women’s hockey are developing in the same way, including thanks to universities that support athletes and athletes regardless of gender.There is no attitude to women’s sports as something secondary, there are no post-Soviet stereotypes. Probably because the system has been built over the years. In the USSR we had a Red Car – the men’s team, but there was no women’s hockey. In North America, they built a common system.

In Russia, women’s hockey is also developing, although it appeared in our country only 26 years ago. The Women’s Hockey League is a professional tournament in its sixth season. Our hockey players are self-sufficient and interesting personalities.They, like men, do what they love. For girls, hockey is a profession.

Unfortunately, we do not yet have universal support for women’s sports, but the situation will change. For example, my son is five years old – and he does not distinguish between women’s and men’s hockey. For him, there is just a game. Moreover, when he hears the word “female” in any context, he asks: “Hockey?” Maybe if we teach boys from childhood to be calm about the fact that girls make their choice, then something will change in our heads.

We often hear ridicule that there is not a lot of attendance in women’s hockey, but at men’s competitions we also do not always see crowded stands. So this is not an argument. I would like people to be open about the fact that we have girls who have chosen hockey. Society is light on figure skating and dancing, but when we talk about boxing or women’s hockey, negative things immediately appear. And, of course, we hear that hockey is an exclusively male sport.But this is not so: there are photographs on the Internet of women in chic skirts playing hockey on the street in 1905.

It is ideal if men, before writing nasty things, watch at least one match and try to delve into the topic. But some immediately go to the comments and write: “Hockey players are” fu “, hockey is a man’s sport. Go cook some soup! ” People just need to accept the girls’ choice. Off-ice hockey players are just girls walking down the street, and you never hang your stereotypes on them.

The attitude of men to women’s hockey is often not formed according to sports criteria. Why is women’s volleyball, basketball or handball more popular? Because there the girls are naked and show more body parts.