Soccer Cup Algarve 2013

This year’s tournament is being staged a week later than in recent years, from March 6-13, and the U.S. team will depart for Europe on Feb. 25. Algarve Car Hire - Soccer Algarve Cup 2013 The majority of the games will be played at small venues across the Algarve region on the southern coast of the country, with several matches at the 30,000-seat Algarve Stadium. The placement matches will take place on March 13. Looking for a reliable and budget Algarve Car Hire at Faro airport? Chose http://www.AlgarveCars.co.uk

Since the expansion to 12 teams in 2002, the Algarve Cup format has been as follows: The winners of Groups A and B will compete for the Algarve Cup championship. The two second-place finishers in Groups A and B will play for third place while the third-place finishers in each group will play for fifth. The Group C teams will be competing for a chance to play for spots 7-12 as the winner of Group C will play the best fourth place team from Groups A or B for seventh place. The second place team in Group C will play the worst fourth place team from Groups A or B for ninth place, and the third and fourth place finishers in Group C will play each other for 11th place.

This will be the 18th trip to the Algarve Cup for the U.S. Women, who have won the tournament eight times, including three straight championships from 2003-05 at what has become one of the world’s most competitive international women’s events. Last year, the USA lost 1-0 to Japan in group play – which turned out to be the USA’s only loss of the year – and were forced to the third-place match where the Americans rolled past Sweden 4-0 on Alex Morgan’s first career hat trick.