12/21/24
June 16, 2015
U.S. Beats Nigeria, Wins World Cup's "Group of Death": After finding out that qualification was guaranteed before the game, the United States defeated Nigeria 1-0 and won top spot in Group D of the Women's World Cup. Abby Wambach scored the only goal shortly before the half, turning a cross from Megan Rapinoe into a flying karate kick. The Americans' potential opponent in the first knockout game is looking like Thailand, France or Spain.
The U.S. has a defense that can win it all, but I fear the lack of scoring punch. Nice to see Abby Wambach scoring on a fantastic goal that shows her killer instinct.
posted by rcade at 12:28 AM on June 17, 2015
How can finishing second in that group still end up with a knockout game versus Brazil?
There should be a better reward for that effort.
posted by owlhouse at 03:43 AM on June 17, 2015
Congrats to Australia for going through. Owl or someone here had thought they wouldn't get out of the group this time around.
Wambach has said that the US attack has been affected by having to play on turf fields. Perhaps so, but the service has looked awful at times for several of the top teams.
I would not want to face France at the moment. They look like a hornet's nest ready to take out their sheer annoyance with each other on an unlucky opponent.
posted by beaverboard at 07:20 AM on June 17, 2015
Nice to see Abby Wambach scoring on a fantastic goal
She was the dominant player on the field for the first half (or at least the first half of the first half). Weird to me how the US faded, though I suppose the conversation would be different if the first goal wasn't disallowed. But they looked more dominant in the first 15 minutes than they did playing against 10.
posted by yerfatma at 10:05 AM on June 17, 2015
Bad officiating has been the hallmark of this tournament, which is really saying something IMO considering the level at, say, last year's MWC. Not offside, a handball, not a handball.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:46 AM on June 17, 2015
The Kyrgystan striker used both hands last night to score against Australia in the men's WC qualifier in Bishkek. Fortunately it was a consolation effort. And in the match I was at, the linesman tried to deny the ref's call on Lebanon's first goal. Cue about 5 minutes of total confusion.
Maybe it's just been a bad week for officials and the universe will right itself before the weekend.
posted by owlhouse at 10:59 AM on June 17, 2015
Thailand have been eliminated.
US plays the 3rd place from either Group E or F. The 3rd & 4th place teams from both groups play each other. All four of those teams have a chance of leapfrogging the current 2nd place teams in those groups. And the top spot in Group F is still completely up for grabs. So by my fuzzy math there are 7 teams that the US could potentially play.
As for the game... obviously happy with the win. Still not confident with our attack. Abby is not a 90 minute player anymore. Not sure why O'Reilly isn't getting any playing time. She appears to be in the same doghouse as O'Hara. Maybe Ellis just doesn't like the Irish.