Sports

SD players get their kicks in FIFA World Cup

Young soccer stars developed in local schools

SAN DIEGO.- The U.S. women’s national team will play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals this Sunday against Brazil in Germany. The match will be played thousands of miles away but it has some San Diego flavor.

Starting defender Rachel Buehler is a Torrey Pines High School graduate who played youth club soccer with the San Diego Surf. She is expected to make her 61st cap with the senior team Sunday.

Buehler, who has played for the Under-19, U-21 and U-23 national teams, is an integral part of the team’s core of players. She scored her second goal with the national team in the United States’ opening match in this World Cup against North Korea. She started against Colombia and Sweden.

Buehler is not the only player from San Diego in the Women’s World Cup getting some playing time.

Natalie Vinti and Natalie García represented San Diego playing with the Mexican national team. Vinti is a 2009 graduate of the University of San Diego. She helped the Toreros make it to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including reaching the second round in her junior season. She earned three All-WCC distinctions as the starting center back for the Toreros. She was also a first-team pick her senior year.

García will be entering her senior year at USD in the fall. She was a second-team All-WCC selection in 2010 after scoring two goals and adding in two assists, while leading USD in to the NCAA Tournament.

Both Vinti and García started matches for Mexico in this World Cup. Vinti played in all three of Mexico’s matches. García started in Mexico’s 4-0 loss to Japan, which eventually led to Mexico’s elimination from the World Cup after it failed to reach the quarterfinals despite a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in the final Group B match for both teams.

Vinti played high school soccer at Cathedral Catholic in Carmel Valley while García played at San Pasqual High in Escondido.

The North County wasn’t the only part of the region represented in a major tournament this summer.

Paul Arriola and Alejandro Guido of Mater Dei Catholic High in Chula Vista played integral roles in the United States’ Under-17 team in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Guido and Arriola were a key component in the American’s attack. Guido scored in the United States’ 3-0 win against the Czech Republic in the first group stage match. Guido started in all four of the United States matches. Arriola started in three. The Americans finished second in their group but were embarrassed by Germany in the quarterfinals, losing 4-0.

Mexico and Uruguay play in the title match Sunday at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com

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