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The atmosphere at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final topped the list for the 2007 "Best of" U.S. Soccer Awards.
© John Todd / isiphotos.com
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CHICAGO (December 18, 2007) – The next four winners of the 2007 “Best of U.S. Soccer” awards were announced on Tuesday on ussoccer.com, with Studio 90 presenting the fan’s choices for Best Assist, Best Fan Atmosphere, Best Goal (Women) and Best Photo.
The sixth annual installment of the awards are presented this year by Soccer America, the No. 1 soccer magazine in the United States, and fans had a chance to vote from Nov. 14 to Dec. 7 for all 11 categories.
Fans can watch a special presentation of these four winners, plus the first three winners for Best Store, Best Performance (Team) and Best all_access Video, on ussoccer.com’s Studio 90, which will showcase all 11 category winners. The final four winners for Best Bar, Best Blog, Best Goal (Men) and Best Performance (Player) will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 19
On the heels of the 2007 “Best of” Awards series, U.S. Soccer will announce the winners of the 2007 Athlete of the Year Awards, which include Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female. All four winners will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 20, on ussoccer.com. As the oldest and most prestigious awards of their kind, U.S. Soccer’s Athlete of the Year Awards date back to 1984 for the men and 1985 for the women. As in years past, online votes for the annual award were tallied and equivalent to 50 percent of the total votes, while the other 50 percent was represented compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives, including National Team coaches to the National Board of Directors.
Earning the third most votes of any nominee across the 11 categories, Freddy Adu’s spectacular spin move and set-up for Josmer Altidore against Brazil during the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was crowned Best Assist. Adu received 24.4 percent of the vote to beat out Justin Mapp’s quick-footed dribbling run and set-up against Norway (14.2) and Kristine Lilly’s swerving cross to Abby Wambach against Sweden during the Women’s World Cup (14).
The race for Best Fan Atmosphere had a familiar theme, as it came down to the Men’s National Team’s two matches against Mexico. Despite a great atmosphere at University of Phoenix Stadium, it was the packed house at Soldier Field in Chicago for the Gold Cup Final that pulled away with 31 percent of the vote. Soldier Field was the location for two of the top three choices as the MNT’s match against Brazil finished third with 17 percent of the vote.
While the February match against Mexico didn’t win for Best Atmosphere, it was involved in the winner of another category – Best Photo. The picture of Landon Donovan finishing off the tricolores and providing the familiar 2-0 scoreline earned 17.6 percent of the vote to win the category that garnered the most total votes of all 11 categories.
Best Goal (Women), presented by Sierra Mist, was one of the biggest landslides of the 11 categories, as Abby Wambach’s strike against Sweden in the FIFA Women’s World Cup earned nearly half of the total votes with 45 percent. Heather O’Reilly’s tying goal against North Korea, also in the World Cup, was second (14.6), while Carli Lloyd’s long distance blast against New Zealand during the Send Off Series took home the bronze (10.5).
2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Results – Assist, Fan Atmosphere, Goal (Women), Photo
Best Assist
1. Freddy Adu vs. Brazil (July 6) 24.4 %
2. Justin Mapp vs. Norway (Jan. 20) 14.2 %
3. Kristine Lilly vs. Sweden (Sept. 14) 14.0 %
Best Fan Atmosphere
1. MNT vs. Mexico (June 24) 31.0 %
2. MNT vs. Mexico (Feb. 7) 20.3 %
3. MNT vs. Brazil (Sept. 9) 17.0 %
Best Goal (Women) – presented by Sierra Mist
1. Abby Wambach vs. Sweden (Sept. 14) 46.0 %
2. Heather O’Reilly vs. North Korea (Sept. 11) 14.6 %
3. Carli Lloyd vs. New Zealand (Aug. 12) 10.5 %
Best Photo
1. 2-0! 17.6 %
2. Not So Fast My Friend 15.3 %
3. Love the Pink Jerseys 12.6 %
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