Jan. 10, 2006
Complete U.S. Women's Soccer Release
CARSON, Calif. - Former Santa Clara University standouts Aly Wagner and Leslie Osborne were among the 20 players chosen by United States women's soccer head coach Greg Ryan to represent the U.S. in the Four Nations Tournament that begins Jan. 18 in China.
Wagner is one of eight players from the 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning squad to be competing in the Four Nations Tournament, while Osborne, the Honda Sports Award recipient in 2004 for the Broncos, was a member of the 2004 Olympic Residency Training Camp and already has 11 caps under her belt.
This will be the fifth time the USA has traveled to China in January for the Four Nations tournament, also participating in 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The USA has won the tournament three times, which always features four of the strongest teams in the world, taking top honors in 1998, 2003 and 2004. The tournament in 1998 marked the first time the U.S. women had returned to China since winning the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. When the Americans touch down in southeastern China on Jan. 12, it will mark the sixth time in the last nine years they will have traveled to China, which includes a trip in 2001 that featured two exhibitions against the Steel Roses. The USA will open the tournament on Jan. 18 against long-time rival Norway before facing France on Jan. 20 during the second match day. The USA will finish the tournament on Jan. 22 with one of the world's toughest international women's matches, facing China on their home soil. All the U.S. games will kick off at 4 p.m. local time/ 3 a.m. ET.
2005 Four Nations Tournament - Guangzhou Olympic Stadium, Guangzhou, China
Jan. 18
USA vs. Norway 1:30 p.m. local / 12:30 a.m. ET
China vs. France 4 p.m. local / 3 a.m. ET
Jan. 20
USA vs. France 1:30 p.m. local / 12:30 a.m. ET
China vs. Norway 4 p.m. local / 3 a.m. ET
Jan. 22
France vs. Norway 1:30 p.m. local / 12:30 a.m. ET
USA vs. China 4 p.m. local / 3 a.m. ET