Newest U.S. star Leroux takes stage
commerce city » The most dangerous player on the field didn’t score, one of Team USA’s goals came on a swerving free kick that wasn’t really intended as a shot, and the result was an entertaining 2-0 victory for the Women’s National Team over China that saw the U.S. dominate play.
But the message this “friendly” exhibition sent to 14,903 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Sunday is that the U.S. has a new star in forward Sydney Leroux, clearly a player to watch in the run-up to the 2015Women’sWorld Cup in her native Canada.
Leroux, 23, didn’t score, but she set up the first goal by Lauren Holiday in the 39th minute by shredding the Chinese defense— as she spent much of the afternoon doing.
“You wouldn’t want to be playing against Syd, any day of the week,” said U.S. coach Tom Sermanni, who later on Sunday was relieved of his coaching duties. “She’s physically very impressive, and she’s got really good soccer skills. She can beat players one-on-one, she’s got change of pace, she’s good in the air and she’s a handful for any defenders. She creates a lot of stuff for us, whether she’s directly involved or indirectly involved.”
Leroux was born in Canada to a Canadian mother who played softball for the national team and an American father who played baseball. Growing up, her dream was to play soccer for the U.S., so she moved to Arizona when shewas 15 and later played for UCLA. She is “very excited” by the notion of playing for the U.S. in her native country next year in the World Cup. Qualifying play begins in October.
“Of course that’s on our mind, but the most important thing is just coming together right now, figuring out what works andwhat doesn’t,” Leroux said. “We’re getting better every single day.”
Since making her senior national team debut in January 2011, Leroux has scored 28 goals in 49 appearances, fourth best among active players on the team.
“Her potential and her raw talent are limitless,” said midfielder Megan Rapinoe, whose free kick intended to find a teammate in the penalty box wound up in the net for the second U.S. goal in the 78th minute. “For a long time, early on in her career, she was so much faster and had so much raw talent, she could get awaywith that. She’s really starting to develop the other side of her game, knowing the game better. She’s only 23, and she’s already established herself as a starter on this team.”
AbbyWambach, theworld’s all- time leading scorer (167), spent some time giving Leroux on-field advice as the second half unfolded.
“Sydney is a younger player, she has physical abilities that nobody else on the field has, so I want to put her in a position to be successful,” said Wambach, 33. “Whenever she has an opportunity to go ‘1 v. 1’ against a defender, I’m always encouraging her to take somebody on, because she has that physical ability, the presence and the skill to get the ball into the box when she beats that player.”