12/21/24
September 17, 2007
Women's World Cup 2007.: Good grief. I didn't even know it was on, and it's almost in the quarterfinals by now. Germany, Brazil and England thru to the quarters. The final first round matches to be played over the next two days will decide the rest (top contenders include Korea, USA, Australia, Norway and Denmark). Match schedule (from ESPN Soccernet, including results and ESPN telecast times).
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 06:51 PM - 34 comments
I've gotten up early twice to watch the US matches ... I haven't been able to watch much of it due to the early times though. I'll be watching the USA-NIG game tomorrow hoping for a result (tie or better sends us through).
posted by Ricardo at 09:56 PM on September 17, 2007
We get the Matildas* games on free to air down here. It's been great football so far. *As in 'Waltzing', 'Giant Female Kangaroo Mascot' and probably a host of other equally lame reasons. However spare a thought for the women's field hockey team - the 'Hockeyroos'. Urk. The Northern Girls and The Matildas go at it at 4:45 am eastern, Wednesday morning. Available in Canada free on CBC. A tie or Australian win and Australia goes through, Canada must win to move to the quarter-finals. The teams have met 13 times, each with a 6-6-1 record. Canada is 3-1-1 in the last five. All thirteen matches were friendlies.
posted by tommybiden at 10:32 PM on September 17, 2007
I've been following Canada's group on CBC. Looking at the stats now, those Germans really beat up on poor Argentina, eh?
posted by juv3nal at 12:27 AM on September 18, 2007
I watched the Germany-Argentina game. Argentina attacked okay for the first five minutes or so, and after that, they could have played it on half a field. The matches have been pretty good for the most part. Kelly Smith is phenomenal. If anyone else in England could play at all, they'd be a real force.
posted by chicobangs at 01:00 AM on September 18, 2007
Tommy - Canada v Australia should be a cracker, with everything at stake as you say. Luckily here it's on at 7.45 in the evening. I'm having some female soccer players (including my daughter) and their parents over for dinner beforehand.
posted by owlhouse at 02:13 AM on September 18, 2007
I've not been able to follow much of this as the games have mainly been on when I've been at work. Which is a shame as apparently it's been very entertaining. Hopefully England will make the final and I'll be able to catch that.
posted by squealy at 04:13 AM on September 18, 2007
I thought the US was lucky to draw with N. Korea. Their off-ball movement was not well timed and passing was shabby. They really turned it around for game 2 against Sweden.
posted by FonGu at 04:30 AM on September 18, 2007
With games starting 'round 7am here I have been able to enjoy the games with my morning kauphy. Is the game chat still usable? If so, is anyone interested? been gone way to long
posted by Folkways at 04:31 AM on September 18, 2007
Not been following too closely even though plenty of the games are free-to-air here in the host nation. Can't work out the venues for the later matches. If England play anywhere close (Tianjin is not too far) I think I'll make the effort to turn up and support. Away the lasses. China look like they'll struggle to get out of their group which is not going to help crowds for the later stages.
posted by Abiezer at 06:38 AM on September 18, 2007
I've been enjoying the tournament so far, thanks mainly to England's good performances. They were undoubtedly disappointed to allow a 94th minute equaliser against Japan, but when they held Germany scoreless for the first time in about a thousand games while Japan were only beating Argentina 1-0, qualification always looked on. Chico's probably being a bit harsh in saying no one else on the England team can play, but he's right that there's no one at Kelly Smith's level. Her problem is that she's clearly the best forward we have, but also the best attacking midfielder in the team by far. England were transformed against Japan when When Aluko was substituted, allowing Smith to be pushed up as the schwerpunkt. Hope Powell has showed tactical flexibility and England's defence is solid, (all three goals allowed so far have been direct from free kicks, not open play), but they're missing a transition from back to front, moving the ball from that defence to Smith. Other players to watch are Germany's Prinz who took the record for goals in the WWC yesterday and Brazil's Marta who is amazing. The Americans looked tentative against the Axis of Evil Korea and weren't helped by having to put stitches in Wambaugh's head or by goalie Hope Solo, (great name), who threw Korea's first into her own net. They looked better against Sweden, but clearly aren't at full speed yet. Chances are the US and England will meet in the next round.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 06:43 AM on September 18, 2007
Chances are the US and England will meet in the next round. Yes and we Yanks are gonna yank England up by the panties causing the worlds first mass wedgie while kicking their butt's up and down the field! USA RULZ!!!!!!! Hi there Mr B.
posted by Folkways at 07:42 AM on September 18, 2007
allowing Smith to be pushed up as the schwerpunkt Learn something new everyday. USA RULZ!!!!!!! Yeah, if it weren't for us, you'd all be ruled by inbred Germans.
posted by yerfatma at 09:13 AM on September 18, 2007
I thought the US was lucky to draw with N. Korea. Their off-ball movement was not well timed and passing was shabby. This US team isn't nearly as technically proficient as past teams. We seem to have put together a team to beat Germany: strong and powerful. Teams with good ball skills like North Korea will always give bigger, slower teams problems and I agree we were lucky to draw with them. Now it's England in the quarterfinals and we'll see what happens there. One advantage England have is that most of their players play in a professional league and that regular competition can only be a plus. We'll see.....
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 01:04 PM on September 18, 2007
Finally, something good about being at work at 4.30 am! I've gotten to see some pretty good soccer the past week or so, and watched nearly the entire USA - Nigeria tilt this morning. Must say I was relieved that the Nigerians weren't as needlessly physical as last year (I think it was last year when they did everything but hit the Americans over the head with cricket bats), but they were still pretty chippy. Some of those tackles were pretty close to being unnecessary, or even worse, flat out dirty. Of course, I also hated the US strategy around the 87th minute of just parking the ball in the corner to run off time. If you absolutely have to do that, don't get Abby Wambaugh to do it; those girls were knocking the crap out of her there at the end of the game.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:18 PM on September 18, 2007
That North Korea team isn't bad. At this stage I wouldn't be too worried as a USA supporter. To my knowledge, no commentator has yet made the allusion to the North Korean men's team of 1966 - eventual quarter finalists.
posted by owlhouse at 05:19 PM on September 18, 2007
One advantage England have is that most of their players play in a professional league and that regular competition can only be a plus. The "minor" leagues of US Womens Soccer is more talented, developed and competitive than most other leagues in the world. You can label those teams "Arsenal", "Liverpool" or "Bayern Munich", yet those are the cities that they play in and sponsor them, not a determining factor of overall strength in their leagues. I would bet our womens "Richmond Kickers" would beat any team in England, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Man U. I would bet the US Womens league (second tier) all stars would easily handle most other National teams. The proof is in how we do in this Cup. Most of our players only play for our US team or play in the W-League (our league).
posted by urall cloolis at 10:18 PM on September 18, 2007
Hope you guys in Halifax and Yellowknife didn't get up in the middle of the night to find out about the 24 hour postponement. Same time tomorrow, then.
posted by owlhouse at 07:12 AM on September 19, 2007
The "minor" leagues of US Womens Soccer is more talented, developed and competitive than most other leagues in the world. Indeed. That the womens' professional league folded had nothing to do with the quality of the players. Now, you can argue that this US side isn't up to the standards of the ground-breaking 90s team, or that the rest of the world has advanced, not least by taking advantage of the US college system. (Kelly Smith? Seton Hall graduate. Thanks, Title IX.) But the absence of a professional league hasn't deprived the US national side of regular competition, and has probably been advantageous in allowing the squad to bond. I hope the USA-England match is a cracker. At least neither team has been affected by the ridiculously short-notice postponements; at least the rescheduling now means that group deciders will once again be played simultaneously.
posted by etagloh at 06:46 PM on September 19, 2007
North Korea and USA are the top two favorites.
posted by Joe188 at 08:03 PM on September 19, 2007
...in Group B. Germany might have something to say about who's in the top two favourites overall. William Hill, (and all the other betting sites I've looked at) has the odds at : 1. Germany 6/4 2. USA 5/2 3. Brazil 5/1 4. North Korea 10/1 Personally, I'd rate the US #1 and Germany #2, but IANAB.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 08:25 PM on September 19, 2007
Well, if the US beats England, there'll be a certain element of the English population that hopes they lose to the Germans on penalties, just so someone else inherits that bastard of a burden.
posted by etagloh at 08:45 PM on September 19, 2007
Canada v Australia was a cracker, as promised. I thought we had the better of the game, although you northerners might dispute that. Now a semifinal for the Matildas probably against Brazil.
posted by owlhouse at 07:15 AM on September 20, 2007
Wow, what a heartbreaker for Denmark. That goal should never have been scored; it looked like the whole Danish defense left their goalie all alone, and she charged out against Pretinha, who just looped the ball right over her head. Tough to lose on a goal like that in injury time. Those Brazilian girls were lightning fast, too.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 09:25 AM on September 20, 2007
ouch. canada v. australia was a heartbreaker. grab the lead with 5 minutes left, only to concede one in f'-in injury time. grrr.
posted by juv3nal at 03:01 PM on September 20, 2007
Shenanigans at the China-Denmark match
posted by Abiezer at 01:01 AM on September 21, 2007
USA up 1-0 on a Wambaugh goal at start of 2nd. Great stuff to watch.
posted by hawkguy at 08:12 AM on September 22, 2007
The floodgates have opened. 3-0 US at 59 minutes. Foxx and Lilly scored the next two.
posted by hawkguy at 08:20 AM on September 22, 2007
After a close first half that had England looking like a potential spoiler for the Americans, it was a total blow-out in the second with the 3 goals and the English women looking more like the last U-13 girls team I coached than a world class side that finished second to Germany in the round robin stage. jeez is that a run on sentence or what
posted by Folkways at 09:12 AM on September 22, 2007
Sorry, Wambach. Jeez I could research a little before I make myself look like an idiot. At least I didn't say Belecheck.
posted by hawkguy at 09:23 AM on September 22, 2007
Sorry, Wambach. Jeez I could research a little before I make myself look like an idiot. At least I didn't say Belecheck. also, it's Boxx, not Foxx.
posted by goddam at 01:01 PM on September 22, 2007
I wouldn't feel too bad about the Wambach/Wambaugh thing, Hawk. In my first post I typed "Wambach" and though I'd better check the spelling. So I went to ESPN.com and they had her as Wambaugh. I'm not stupid. I just believe ESPN...
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:19 PM on September 22, 2007
David James on womens' goalkeeping.
posted by yerfatma at 09:29 PM on September 22, 2007
If only England had beaten America yesterday the evolutionary line in women's football might just have been speeded up a little. Not sure what he means by that? Other than that, the strange way that the position is treated has always confused me. My daughters' club has keeper training (voluntary for all players) every week during the season. (U8's and U11's.) So, perhaps we're on the right track.
posted by tselson at 11:02 PM on September 22, 2007
We get the Matildas* games on free to air down here. It's been great football so far. *As in 'Waltzing', 'Giant Female Kangaroo Mascot' and probably a host of other equally lame reasons. However spare a thought for the women's field hockey team - the 'Hockeyroos'. Urk.