Decisions Get Even Tougher
They’re not making it easy for Tony DiCicco.
Two weeks from today, the U.S. women’s national team coach will name his 20-player roster for this summer’s Women’s World Cup. The trouble is, none of the fringe players are fading quietly into the night.
On Sunday afternoon, in front of a sellout crowd of 14,652 at Dekalb Memorial Stadium, they once again made a strong claim for being picked as the U.S. shut out Japan, 7-0.
The fact that Mia Hamm finally ended her scoring drought with her first goal in nine games was all but lost amid the clamor of the youngsters fighting to make the roster. Consider:
* Striker Danielle Fotopoulos banged in two goals on the same weekend she graduated from the University of Florida, the school she led to the NCAA championship in December.
* Defender Sarah Whalen’s speed was very much evident as she scored her first goal of the year.
* Midfielder Aly Wagner, who had scored her first international goal in Thursday’s 9-0 rout of Japan in Charlotte, N.C., again had a sparkling game as a playmaker.
* The only other players over whom question marks still remain--goalkeepers Tracy Ducar and Siri Mullinix--never had a chance in the Japan series to showcase their skills, so weak was the Japanese attack.
Ducar, who played all 90 minutes in Thursday’s victory, didn’t have a shot to stop in that game. Mullinix, who made her national team debut Sunday and played the second 45 minutes, had only two saves to make, neither of them difficult.
It remains a toss-up which keeper DiCicco will select as his No. 3 behind starter Briana Scurry and backup Saskia Weber.
DiCicco has a near-impossible task in cutting two players from his 22-player squad.
“I’ve got some very tough decisions here,” he said. “We put the [reserve] players out there and basically put it on their shoulders. They played well. They played hard for 90 minutes. It’s a case where I don’t know if we can make the right decision. We’re just going to make the decision at the time that we have to and hopefully it’s the right decision.”
“Everybody here, if they’re not part of this World Cup team, is part of our future.”
The U.S. put the game away early, Hamm setting up Shannon MacMillan for the first of her two goals in the 17th minute and then scoring herself 60 seconds later, breaking a scoreless streak of more than 600 minutes dating from Feb. 9.
“It was one of those ‘finally’ goals,” Hamm said. “It’s good. I’m glad. I think it was a quality goal. I think our team is playing really well right now. All the reserves have done so much for this team. They showed that today. We’re happy that they were able to get the opportunity, especially on national television, to show what they’re all about.
“So, yes, that goal meant a lot to me, but right now what I’m more happy about is how well we’re playing as a team. I’m glad I don’t have to make the cuts. I wish we could keep everyone. This team is so special right now. Everyone is pushing really hard for each other. If we could keep everyone, we would.”
Three goals in the final nine minutes, the last from Tisha Venturini, sent the crowd home happy.
DiCicco would have felt the same if he wasn’t the one carrying the ax. For two players, the cuts will be especially cruel.
