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ByPatrick Johnston,Yahoo! Contributor Network Jul 19, 7:10 pm EDT
Now that the 2011 Women's World Cup is over, the awards have been handed out. Japan captain Homare Sawa cleaned up the individual awards by winning both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot. In addition to winning the tournament, her team also took home the Fair Play Trophy for accumulating the fewest cards. Sawa and three of her teammates also landed on the 2011 World Cup All-Star team.
Here is the complete list of the 21 players selected (nation in brackets):
Goalkeepers: Ayumi Kaihori (Japan), Hope Solo (United States)
Defenders: Alex Scott (England), Laura Georges (France), Erika (Brazil), Saskia Bartusiak (Germany), Sonia Bompastor (France), Elise Kellond-Knight (Australia)
Midfielders: Shannon Boxx (United States), Homare Sawa (Japan), Caroline Seger (Sweden), Jill Scott (England), Kerstin Garefrekes (Germany), Shinobu Ohno (Japan), Louisa Necib (France), Anonman (Equatorial Guinea), Aya Miyama (Japan), Lauren Cheney (United States)
Forwards: Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Marta (Brazil), Abby Wambach (United States)
Japan and the United States, which played for the title, led all teams with four selections. France, which made a surprising run to the third-place match, had three selections. A total of nine nations were represented on the All-Star team.
I sternly disagree with putting Erika from Brazil on the All-Star team because of her unsporting play against the United States in the quarterfinal. Erika pretended to be injured to waste time and seal the win for Brazil. When she was stretchered off the field she leaped off the stretcher before it was even set down on the sideline to try to resume playing in the match. Erika was only given a yellow card for that disgrace.
I was surprised that Lisa Dalhkvist of Sweden did not make the list at midfield. She scored three goals, which was the fourth most in the tournament behind Homare Sawa, Marta and Abby Wambach. Two of Dalhkvist's goals were game-winning goals.
Ayumi Kaihori's selection was well-deserved at goalkeeper. Once she stopped Shannon Boxx on the first penalty kick in the final, I felt the USA's chances were pretty slim. Kaihori must have studied the film from the Brazil match because she knew where Boxx was going with the shot the whole way.
As an American soccer fan, I really wanted Alex Morgan or Megan Rapinoe to make the All-Star team. I really can't believe they were left off the list.
The 2011 World Cup was enjoyable to watch as a fan even though my country, the United States, came up short in their quest for a third World Cup title.
More from Patrick Johnston:
Most surprising 2011 World Cup teams—France and Japan
Will Japan successfully defend World Cup title in 2015?
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