Jill Ellis interim coach of US women

CHICAGO (AP) - Jill Ellis will coach the U.S. women's soccer team in the next two matches during the search for Pia Sundhage's successor.

After leading the U.S. to its second straight Olympic gold medal, Sundhage stepped down Sept. 1. She will now coach her native Sweden.

Ellis, a former assistant to Sundhage, became development director for the U.S. women's national teams in January 2011. She is not a candidate to replace Sundhage.

The U.S. plays Germany on Oct. 20 at Bridgeview, Ill., and again three days later at East Hartford, Conn. Gulati hopes to select a new coach by late October or November, but said it's possible the new coach may not start until January.