USWNT facing Iceland today at 1:30 p.m. ET in Algarve Cup

(Via U.S. Soccer) – After earning the full six points from its first two Algarve Cup matches with a 2-1 win against Norway and a 3-0 triumph over Switzerland, the U.S. Women’s National Team is well-positioned to earn a berth in the championship game with its Group B finale against Iceland remaining. The USA-Iceland match will kick off at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 9, but will not be televised due to inadequate lighting at the Municipal Stadium in Lagos, Portugal. 

GOING FOR 10: Should the USA advance to the championship game, it will be the program’s 14th Algarve Cup Final. The U.S. WNT most recently won the Algarve Cup in 2013, beating Germany 2-0 in the title game to earn its ninth title, the most of any country. The U.S. team trained for eight days in Portugal before the starting this tournament that features six of the world’s top-10 ranked teams, including the top five. Brazil, currently ranked eighth, is participating for the first time. In all, 11 of the 12 participating countries are ranked in the top-20 in the world.

USA ADVANCEMENT SCENARIOS: As there are three teams in groups B and C that could end up winning the group with six points, and two in Group A (along with Brazil, that could finish with seven), the scenarios of who could make the championship game under this new Algarve Cup format are vast and varied. But this much we know…

• With only two teams – the USA and France – on six points after the first two match days, those two countries are in the driver’s seat for berths to the final. With wins, both teams will qualify for the championship game.
• Should the USA draw with Iceland and finish on seven points, it would still win the group, but then would have to beat out at least one of the other group winners to earn a spot in the title game, with the first tiebreaker being goal differential and the second being goals scored. The USA is currently at plus-4, Brazil is at plus-2 and France is at plus-4, but much could change in the final round of matches as far as goal differential and goals scored.
• If the USA falls to Iceland, there would still be a chance to win the group with six points, and even advance to the championship game, but it would have to rely on the correct confluence of results and scores in Group B and the other groups.

22nd Annual Algarve Cup Standings
Group A

Group A Update: Germany rebounded from a 4-2 loss to Sweden on the first match day to defeat China PR 2-0 on goals from Anja Mittag and Alexandra Popp. Germany did suffer an injury blow, losing talented central defender Luisa Wensing to a broken leg. Sweden fell to Brazil 2-0 on a long-distance free kick from Marta and a penalty kick by Andressa, but still has a chance to win the group with its finale coming against China. Germany and Brazil meet in one of the marquee matches on the final match day with both likely needing a win to take first in the group. Brazil also suffered an apparent serious injury when forward Debinha went down in the 15th minute and needed to be replaced.

Group B

Group B Update: The USA moved into first place with a convincing 3-0 win against Switzerland, with all three goals coming in the second half. Alex Morgan finished a deftly played free kick from Lauren Holiday with a close-range volley, Amy Rodriguez pulled off some fancy footwork in front of the net to make it 2-0 and substitute Abby Wambach added a third on a long-range chip over the goalkeeper after running onto an errant back pass. In the other Group B match, Norway used a ninth-minute goal from Emilie Havvi to defeat Iceland 1-0. The results mean the USA needs just a tie against Iceland to win the group, but a win will ensure the U.S. a berth in the championship game as France is the only other team with six points after the first two match days and thus the only team that accrue the full nine points after three games.

Group C

Group C Update: France walloped Denmark with four goals in the first half from four different players – Eugenie Le Sommer, Camille Abily, Kenzi Dali and Claire Lavogez – and was up 3-0 inside of 14 minutes on the way to an eventual 4-1 victory. Japan rebounded from its 2-1 loss to Denmark to defeat host Portugal 3-0 on goals from Yuri Kawamura, Kumi Yokoyama and Yuika Sugasawa. That sets up a France-Japan clash on the final day of group play while Denmark is also still in the running for the group title with its one match remaining against Portugal. France needs just a tie to win the group, but like the USA, can clinch a berth for the title game with a win.

For a full listing of the 2015 Algarve Cup schedule and results, visit the tournament page on ussoccer.com.

2015 U.S. WNT SCHEDULE:

* Algarve Cup

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 24-Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), 21-Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), 1-Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS (10): 16-Lori Chalupny (Chicago Red Stars), 22-Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), 6-Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), 26-Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), 25-Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Dash), 11-Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), 5-Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), 3-Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), 19-Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 7-Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), 14-Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), 17-Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), 12-Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City), 10-Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), 9-Heather O’Reilly (FC Kansas City), 15-Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS (5): 2-Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), 13-Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), 23-Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), 8-Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas City), 20-Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)

U.S. ROSTER NOTES:

• Carli Lloyd’s two goals in the 2-1 victory against Norway on March 4 gave her 63 for her career and 12 at the Algarve Cup, making her the third all-time leading scorer at the Algarve Cup behind Abby Wambach (21) and Kristine Lilly (13). Alex Morgan has 12 at the Algarve Cup.
• The USA’s five goals so far in the tournament have come from four different players.
• Lloyd is the only U.S. player carrying a yellow card caution.
• Morgan did not play in last year’s Algarve Cup as she was recovering from an ankle injury. Midfielder Lauren Holiday also missed last year’s tournament, due to a family commitment. She has scored six goals in the Algarve Cup.
• Hope Solo came into the tournament with a U.S. record 78 career shutouts and with the clean sheet against Switzerland now has 79.
• U.S. captain Christie Rampone is currently the second most-capped player in U.S. and world history with 304.

IN THE RECORD BOOKS:

• With two goals against Norway on March 4, Carli Lloyd upped her career total to 63. She is in sole possession of seventh place on the U.S. WNT’s all-time goal scoring list, passing Shannon MacMillan who scored 60 goals in her career. Lloyd is the highest-scoring player in U.S. history who has played exclusively as a midfielder.
• Heather O’Reilly is the ninth player to hit 200 caps in U.S. history after reaching the milestone against Korea DPR on March 12, 2014. Now with 215, she is seventh on the USA’s all-time list. Abby Wambach (236) and Christie Rampone (304) are the only active players ahead of her.

U.S. WNT AT THE ALGARVE CUP

• The USA has a 55-12-10 record all-time at the Algarve Cup.
• The USA has scored 170 goals while allowing 62 at the Algarve Cup.
• There are now 38 different WNT players have scored at the Algarve Cup.
• Wambach’s 22 goals are tops all-time at the Algarve Cup for a U.S. player and one of the leaders all time in the 22-year history of the tournament.

Videos and Photo Galleries:

• WNT vs. Switzerland: Highlights – March 6, 2015 (Video)
• Strong Second Half Helps WNT Beat Switzerland (Photo Gallery)
• WNT Outside Backs on the Attack (Video)

ALL-TIME U.S. FINISHES AT THE ALGARVE CUP: The USA has had some tremendous and remarkable success at the Algarve Cup (eight straight appearances in the championship game from 2004-2012 and nine titles overall), but the USA didn’t win its first title until its sixth try in 2000 when a Brandi Chastain penalty kick defeated Norway in the title game 1-0. It took the USA three years to win it again.

IN FOCUS: ICELAND

Current FIFA World Ranking: 20
2015 Women’s World Cup Qualifying: Finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup qualifying Group 3 (6-1-3; 29 GF, 9 GA)
Women’s World Cup Finals Appearances: None

Record vs. USA: 0-12-1
Head Coach: Frey Alexandersson
Championship Honors: None
Leading Women’s World Cup Qualifying Scorers: Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (7), Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir (3), Dóra Maria Lárusdóttir (3)
Key Players: Elísa Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (FC Rosengard), Katrín Ómarsdóttir (Liverpool LFC), Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Bayern Münich), Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir (Avaldsnes), Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF)

2105 Algarve Cup Iceland Women’s National Team Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Sandra Sigurdardóttir (Stjarnan), 12-Sonný Lára Thráinsdóttir (Breiðablik), 13-Gudbjörg Gunnarsdóttir (Lilleström)
DEFENDERS (6): 2-Anna María Baldursdóttir (Stjarnan), 3-Lára Kristín Pedersen (Stjarnan), 4-Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir (Eskilstuna), 5-Arna Sif Ásgrímsdóttir (Þór), 15-Anna Björk Kristjánsdóttir (Stjarnan), 20-Elísa Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF)
MIDFIELDERS (8): 7-Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (FC Rosengard), 8-Katrín Ómarsdóttir (Liverpool LFC), 10-Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Bayern Münich), 11-Hallbera Gudný Gísladóttir (Breiðablik), 14-Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir (Stabæk), 17-Ásgerdur S. Baldursdóttir (Stjarnan), 18-Gudný Björk Ódinsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), 22-Rakel Hönnudóttir (Breiðablik)
FORWARDS (6): 6-Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir (Avaldsnes), 9-Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir (Kristanstads DFF), 16-Harpa Thorsteinsdóttir (Stjarnan), 19-Elín Metta Jensen (Valur), 21-Fanndís Fridriksdóttir (Breiðablik), 23-Gudmunda Brynja Óladóttir (Selfoss)

USA VS. ICELAND SERIES

• The USA and Iceland have played 13 times since the first meeting in 1998 and the USA holds a 12-0-1 all-time record. The most recent meeting came at the 2013 Algarve Cup in the opening match of the tournament, a 3-0 win in which Rachel Van Hollebeke (then Buehler) played in her 100th match and scored, along with goals from Shannon Boxx and Abby Wambach.
• The USA and Iceland played in the championship game of the 2011 Algarve Cup, a 4-2 victory for the United States, which trailed 2-1 in the first half before scoring three unanswered goals.
• The last four meetings between the teams have come at the Algarve Cup, all U.S. wins. The Americans won 1-0 in 2009, 2-0 in 2010, 4-2 in 2011 and 3-0 in 2013.