You cannot discount emotions in a soccer match(or any sport for that matter). Brasil playing well was helped by the events that occured leading up to the game and during the first half. Ryan made a bad decision based solely on the fact that it created a controversy two days prior to the game and took focus away from the teams momentum. Aside from that, I believe Hope prevents own goal by calling off defender. Marta still scores but a 1 goal game is different rather than a 2 goal deficit and a man down. The referee made one of the worst calls in sports history. There is a reason why there are assistants. Had a foul been called, big deal, play goes on and US still has 11. Nothing should be taken away from the Brasil team as they got stronger as the match continued but it would be wrong for anyone to say that the events caused by Ryan and the referee did not give Brasil the fuel, emotion and confidence needed to beat the US. It is also easy to say the US did not score but soccer is a game of momentum and with those events occuring, the US was not playing with the confidence they are use to and when it comes to scoring goals in soccer, it is ALL about confidence.
posted by pfarley at 04:26 PM on September 27, 2007
Heartbreak for women's US soccer team.
You cannot discount emotions in a soccer match(or any sport for that matter). Brasil playing well was helped by the events that occured leading up to the game and during the first half. Ryan made a bad decision based solely on the fact that it created a controversy two days prior to the game and took focus away from the teams momentum. Aside from that, I believe Hope prevents own goal by calling off defender. Marta still scores but a 1 goal game is different rather than a 2 goal deficit and a man down. The referee made one of the worst calls in sports history. There is a reason why there are assistants. Had a foul been called, big deal, play goes on and US still has 11. Nothing should be taken away from the Brasil team as they got stronger as the match continued but it would be wrong for anyone to say that the events caused by Ryan and the referee did not give Brasil the fuel, emotion and confidence needed to beat the US. It is also easy to say the US did not score but soccer is a game of momentum and with those events occuring, the US was not playing with the confidence they are use to and when it comes to scoring goals in soccer, it is ALL about confidence.