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Kristine Lilly's game-winning goal in the Algarve Cup final was key to the U.S. earning FIFA's No. 1 ranking.
© internationalsportsimages.com / isiphotos.com
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CHICAGO (March 16, 2007) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has moved into the top position in the latest FIFA Women's World Rankings that were released Friday, bringing an end to the three-and-a-half year reign of FIFA Women’s World Cup holders and current European champions Germany.
The USA has gone unbeaten in regulation time in 39 consecutive matches dating back to the end 2004, 38 of those games under head coach Greg Ryan. The USA won the prestigious Algarve Cup last Wednesday by a 2-0 score over Denmark, while Germany finished eighth in the tournament. The USA also won the Four Nations Tournament in China last January, defeating the hosts 2-0 for the title.
The USA will bring its number-one ranking to the Boston area when the American women open their 2007 domestic schedule vs. Mexico (tickets) on April 14 in Foxborough, Mass., in a double header with the New England Revolution. The schedule continues with a match against Canada (tickets) on May 12 in Frisco, Texas. The USA will wear pink uniforms in that match to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.
The top-ranked USA, captained by the legendary Kristine Lilly, will then embark on a six-game 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup Send-Off Series, starting against China on June 16 in Cleveland and continuing against Brazil on June 23 in East Rutherford, N.J. in a rematch of the 2004 Olympic gold medal game. The remaining four venues and opponents are still to be confirmed.
The Germans dropped to number two in the world, Norway, Sweden and North Korea held strong at positions three, four and five, while Denmark moved up two spots to sixth. France was seventh, Brazil dropped two spots to eight, Japan moved up to two places to ninth while the USA’s CONCACAF neighbor Canada held strong at No. 10.
The rankings now include a record 142 teams, the most since its introduction in July 2003, when the USA debuted at number one. After losing to Germany in the semifinal of the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Americans had lost that ranking, until regaining it today. Since the end of the 2003 Women’s World Cup, the USA has gone 60-2-12.
The rankings are based on a range of factors including result, home advantage, importance of match and opponents' strength. It is published four times per year. The next FIFA Women's World Ranking will be published on June 15, 2007, leading into the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China, to be held from Sept.10-30 in five venues: Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuham and Tianjin.
The entire FIFA women’s world rankings are available at
FIFA.com.
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2007 U.S. Women's National Team Schedule/Results
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Date |
Opponent |
Location |
Kickoff/
Result |
TV |
| Jan. 26 |
Germany + |
Guangzhou, China |
0-0 T |
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| Jan. 28 |
England + |
Guangzhou, China |
1-1 T |
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| Jan. 30 |
China + |
Guangzhou, China |
2-0 W |
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| March 7 |
China @ |
Silves, Portugal |
2-1 W |
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| March 9 |
Finland @ |
Ferreiras, Portual |
1-0 W |
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| March 12 |
Sweden @ |
VRd San Antonio, Portugal |
3-2 W |
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| March 14 |
Denmark @ |
VRd San Antonio, Portugal |
2-0 W |
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| April 14 |
Mexico |
Gillete Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.) |
5 p.m. ET |
MatchACCESS |
| May 12 |
Canada |
Pizza Hut Park (Frisco, Texas) |
7:30 p.m. ET |
FSC (live)/FSeE (delay) |
| June 16 |
China |
Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland, Ohio) |
7 p.m. ET |
MatchACCESS |
| June 23 |
Brazil |
Giants Stadium (E. Rutherford, N.J.) |
5 p.m. ET |
ESPN2 |
| July 14 |
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TBA |
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| July 28 |
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TBA |
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| Aug. 12 |
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TBA |
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| Aug. 25 |
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TBA |
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| Sept. 10-Sept. 30 |
FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007 |
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