News » The surprising move came just 16 months after he was

CHICAGO -- Tom Sermanni coached the U.S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. By evening, he was out of a job. Sermanni was fired by the U.S. Soccer Federation on Sunday after a disappointing finish last month at the Algarve Cup. The surprising move came just 16 months after he was put in charge. The dismissal was announced hours after Lauren Holiday and substitute Megan Rapinoe scored in the exhibition victory over China in Commerce City, Colo. "We felt that we needed to go in a different direction at this time," USSF President Sunil Gulati said. He said the federation will begin looking for a new coach immediately, with the team looking toward qualifying for the 2015 Womens World Cup. On Monday, a message on goalkeeper Hope Solos Twitter account addressed the firing: "Its a sombre day for us all today. Tom is simply a classy man in every way, and he will certainly be missed." Jill Ellis, the USSFs director of development, will serve as interim coach. She went 5-0-2 in that role in 2012. The womens team faces China again on Thursday in San Diego. "I was completely blindsided," Sermanni told SI.com on Sunday night. "Maybe Im losing my intuitive and perception skills, but I didnt sense a real unease in the team. But I could be wrong in that regard." Sermanni said he assumes there was "some degree of dissatisfaction among the players, otherwise we wouldnt have gotten to this point so quickly now." He added that the players did what he asked and he has "no qualms with them in the sense of having poor relations with them." He was hired in October 2012, but Ellis served as interim coach until he took over that January. Sermanni made his debut in a 4-1 win over his native Scotland on Feb. 10, 2013. He spent the previous eight years coaching Australias womens team, leading the Matildas to the quarterfinals of the last two World Cups. Sermanni helped the U.S. to a 13-0-3 record last year, but the Americans went 1-2-1 at the Algarve Cup, the last major tournament for the U.S. before qualifying for next years World Cup. The seventh-place finish included a 1-0 defeat to Sweden and former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, ending a two-year, 43-game unbeaten streak. That was the first loss following a 16-0-4 start under Sermanni. "To put it in a nutshell, they just felt that the way I was managing the team wasnt working," Sermanni told SI.com. "It could be the U.S. team is a unique team that has certain demands that perhaps my management style or my philosophy didnt quite jell with." His firing came about six months before North and Central American and Caribbean World Cup qualifying, which takes place from Oct. 16-26 at Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Mexico. On Sunday, Sermanni experimented with a 4-3-3 alignment (four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards) and talked about the team making the most of its offensive opportunities. "I thought our movement was good, thought our passing was quite incisive," Sermanni said. "What we shouldve done better is finish the game off a lot earlier. We really need to be finishing these games off when were creating chances." The U.S. outshot China 23-1 and ran its unbeaten streak on home turf to 81 games (71-0-10). Holiday was back in the lineup after missing the Algarve Cup because of a family commitment. She scored in the 39th minute -- the U.S. finally solving goalkeeper Zhang Yue after a flurry of shots. Holiday nearly had another goal early in the second half, only to have it deflected near the goal line. The defence allowed only one scoring chance to China, which played defensively even after falling behind. "The most important thing is coming together now and figuring out what works and what doesnt," forward Sydney Leroux said. "Were getting better every single day." Any further improvement will come under a new coach. Paul LaDue Jersey . FLIP SAUNDERS (Timberwolves): Im not the least bit surprised that he appointed himself as head coach after his search concluded. Dave Taylor Jersey . Andrew Luck couldnt believe his ears. Colts fans couldnt believe the scoreboard, and the Kansas City Chiefs couldnt believe their incredibly bad luck. http://www.kingsauthentic.com/authentic-luc-robitaille-kings-jersey/ . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. Jeff Carter Kings Jersey . The same cant be said of last Saturdays 2-2 draw at Olympic Stadium against a very weakened New York Red Bulls side and one which had three stalwarts in Henry, Cahill and Olave back home in Harrison, NJ. Dustin Brown Kings Jersey .C. -- After turning Tobacco Road into "Raleigh Top," Tennessee is headed to the round of 16.Winnipeg Goldeyes shortstop Tyler Kuhn led off Friday nights game at Shaw Park with a solo home run and then finished it in the ninth with another solo homer. But that was the beginning and the end of it. The Winnipeg Goldeyes didnt score another run. Friday night, Gary Southshore RailCats starter Stephen Hiscock held the Goldeyes to one run on seven hits through the first six innings and then the bullpen gave up only one more the rest of the way as Gary invaded Shaw Park and beat the Fish 3-2. It was Winnipegs fourth straight loss and during those four games, the Goldeyes have managed only five runs. Total. Winnipeg is now 34-18 on the season and remain in first place in the American Associations North Division, 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place St. Paul. “We just need to focus a little harder in those situations with runners in scoring position,” said Kuhn, who went three-for-five with two runs scored and two driven in. “And Im at fault, too. I had the bases loaded with one out in the second inning and just didnt get the job done. I didnt drive in a run when I should have. “But we have a good offense. Our defense and pitching is still strong. And this is baseball. You can lose four in a row and turn around and win five in a row. Its all about hard work. Thats baseball.dddddddddddd Come back to the park tomorrow, get our work done and turn this thing around.” After Kuhn opened the scoring with that solo shot in the first, Craig Maddox answered for Gary with a solo bomb of his own off Goldeyes starter Chandler Barnard in the second. Later in the inning, Drew Muren knocked in his first of two runs on the evening with a sacrifice fly and Gary had a 2-1 lead that they did not relinquish. In the fourth, Muren singled home a run to make it 3-1 and then Kuhn hit his second solo shot of the game and his third home run of the year in the bottom of the ninth to make it 3-2. Gary finished with three runs on nine hits, while the Goldeyes -- who had runners in scoring position in the first, second, fifth, seventh and eighth, but couldnt bring them home -- finished with two runs on 10 hits. Winnipeg left 10 men on base. Hiscock (6-4, 3.92 ERA) got the win for the Explorers, while Bernard (3-1, 3.65 ERA) suffered the loss. Former Goldeyes right-hander Barry Fowler got the save for Gary. The Goldeyes and RailCats will play Game 2 of this three-game series on Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Shaw Park. Ethan Hollingsworth (3-0, 2.84 ERA) will get the start for Winnipeg, while Stephen Bougher (4-3, 4.08 ERA) will take to the hill for Gary. ' ' '