U.S. midfielder LESLIE OSBORNE On playing her first Women’s World Cup game:
“I wasn’t nervous. I think I was more excited than anything. This is my first World Cup start and my coach is telling me ‘I have confidence in you to mark their best player and I want you to play your game.’ I’ve been training for this for the last two years. I think all my nerves got out on the way during the National Anthem so once the whistle blew it was just fun from there.”
On why she was chosen to mark Sweden’s Victoria Svensson:
“I’m a physical player and I can mark one-v-one pretty well, so he wanted me on Svensson, their best player. I think that I match up against them because I play like them. I know their tendencies and I play that way, so I think that helps. I’ve done it before, marking top attacking players.”
On Wambach’s second goal:
“The ball Lil played to her was unbelievable, and the touch that Abby had with her chest was awesome. Her and Lil score those kinds of goals in practice all the time, so I’m not surprised that she can do it, but it was huge. The ball, Tarpley’s pass leading up to it, it was great.”
On facing Nigeria:
“We know what kind of game it’s going to be. They’re not only athletic, but they can play. They are going to mark us man to man all up and down the field. We know it’s going to be a back and forth game, kind of like the North Korea game. We’re ready for it. We keep getting better each game. Tonight was good for us to just get a rhythm possession wise, and I think we will do well against them but they are definitely good.”
