There are now 4 more FIFA Women’s Soccer inks in the sidebar, and there is a category for just for this, so you can get to any of the 8 posts by clicking on the category on any of the posts.
But for you guys who are really lazy :-) here’s the direct link.
I’ll add the brackets to the posts once we know them, but the posts themselves will be bare-bones.
If you give me some advance notice for the important matches I can move the thread to the front page – hopefully the US will be one of the 16 teams – but either way, I’m sure there will be the big games.
If one of you soccer fiends wants to find be a better photo, I will replace this one.
*I’ll check back in the morning and read the thread to find out everything I did wrong. :-)
USA! USA! USA! (too soon?)
*I’m super tired after working 30 hours in 3 days, so I won’t be surprised if I have bungled something!
(Goodnight.)
Mart
Germany is out! (I cringe everytime I here USA! USA! USA!)
Scout211
Sweden vs USWNT
Sunday 5:00 AM ET, 2:00 AM PT
Fox, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock
Schedule and knockout round brackets
LifeInTheBonusRound
@watergirl, you get some rest. The world continues.
Splitting Image
A lot of upsets in the first round. Some traditonal powers out and new blood coming in. Germany, Italy, Brazil and Argentina going home and Morocco, Jamaica, South Africa and Nigeria going through. New Zealand missing out on goal difference.
Good stuff all ’round.
Alison Rose
Thank you, WG! Here’s hoping the US can find some of their old magic and beat Sweden. I would hate to see them go out this early…
trollhattan
@Mart:
Did NOT see that one coming.
trollhattan
@Scout211: The schedulers shot themselves in the…uh…foot assuming US would win the group and get the watchable time slot for this round. Oops, now it begins when all the Pacific coast sports bars have to close.
Not liking our chances for advancing.
trollhattan
Even if it’s way too early, based on the matches I’ve been able to binge from my sick sofa I think England and Japan are likely to meet in the final, England grabbing the trophy. Nobody has solved Japan yet though, so….
Another Scott
@trollhattan: I think I saw you mention something about COVID in an earlier thread. Sorry. :-(
Feel better, and recover fully and quickly.
Best wishes,
Scott.
WaterGirl
@Mart: My USA USA USA was a joke, mocking the people who do that. I hoped it would be obvious. :-)
What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?
@trollhattan: Sweden seems like they have a shot. Haven’t tied or drawn yet. 3 straight Ws is pretty impressive and nobody’s really even put a scare into them.
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Oh, sure, they weren’t there 30 minutes ago when I put the posts together! I will all the info tomorrow.
Maxim
Rest well, WG!
Traveller
I like Lindsey Horan‘s take on this…all teams are better, the talent across the world has greatly developed, this is good for all women everywhere and good for soccer itself.
I do not expect the US Team to always be dominant…other teams have women that want to win just as much, (and maybe more), than the US side. I have watched too many games and they all are battling out there…often it is not the beautiful game, it is just brutally physical…I may raise my eyebrows, but it the world cup and so…moderately understandable.
So far, to me, the best team is Japan…they are playing very well and, after a lackluster start, England looks adequate again. I think the US Team has a fair chance, and that’s all anyone gets in life.
Best Wishes, Traveller
raven
@Traveller: It’s no different than the change in basketball.
trollhattan
@Another Scott:
Thank you. As a hobby, it sucks, cannot recommend, zero stars.
Kent
The US really needs to figure out how to get its younger stars unleashed. Watching the Portugal game I was particularly sad to watch Megan Rapinoe who came in during the second half and looked totally over her head. I don’t think she made a single successful pass, she basically just turned the ball over when it came to her, or fed it downfield into traffic.
I’ve not been at all impressed with the US coach. I don’t know his back story but I don’t see him lasting past this tournament regardless of how they do.
Poor Sweden. They blaze through their group which they win handily, only to find that they have the US waiting for them. Even a US team that is off their game is not who you want to face in the first elimination round. I can guarantee that.
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
The incredible tear-jerking reaction when Morocco learns they’re the first Arab country ever to make it to the World Cup playoffs (video)
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
@WaterGirl:
Include this sweet, non-jingo photo of Sweden’s team (photo)
HumboldtBlue
One out of every seven women (176 of 763 IIRC) at the World Cup either is currently playing, or has played at a university in the United States.
trollhattan
Megyn Kelly, everybody.
“Shut up and dribble.”
Mind you, this is an Aussie rag, probably Murdoch-owned, reprinting the Murdoch Post, but somebody needs to hit Megyn Kelly on the head with a dead mackerel for being anti-American and openly rooting against us.
trollhattan
@Kent: The forwards aren’t working together and the midfield, except Horan, aren’t executing the high press. Passing networks seem non-existent. Compare that to the last England match–I counted as many as 40 sequential passes while China just watched.
Vlatko messed up his lineup and has few options now. “Run what you brung.”
And oh yeah, Rose Lavelle has to sit having accumulated two yellows. Ouch.
raven
@trollhattan: Lest you forget.
Old Dan and Little Ann
@WaterGirl: i ironically shout USA! USA! to my wife at stupid times. Such as driving through states and all of a sudden people aren’t wearing helmets while on their motorcycles.
Feathers
I was awoken this morning at 6am by a neighbor’s World Cup party. Didn’t mind, fondly remembering the bars all opening for early morning breakfasts one World Cup summer.
Yarrow
@Kent: I’ve seen two games and have been underwhelmed by the US team. They seem like a collection of very good players but they aren’t playing effectively as a team. They lack that spark, that special sauce or whatever it is that separates the good teams from the great ones.
I don’t know if it’s the coach or something else but they just don’t seem to have “it.”
Alison Rose
@trollhattan:
And how the fuck does she know this? The other players are all grown women, Pinoe isn’t a coach. But what she IS is one of the best soccer players this country has ever produced. Way fucking better than Megyn “I’m afraid of Black people” Kelly. She needs to shut her useless face.
Yarrow
@trollhattan:
Yeah, that’s a real loss. She has seemed like a real bright spot for the team.
Yoursinthesnow
The US team is playing the ‘long pass’ brand of soccer that every good team in the world has abandoned for the ‘ticky-tacky’ style that the Spaniards have perfected. Long pass requires great mid field passers and speedy attacking forwards. Those players have not shown themselves on this team. The coach is not about to change things at this late date.
Mike E
@Yarrow: this opens up the midfield to Ashley Sanchez, who is a deft passer and shot taker. Shades of ’15 when Lauren Cheney carded out for the 1st knockout game and the US went on to take the cup.
Try and watch matches on Telemundo, anywhere but Fox…they concern troll and stir up culture wars, and that’s not just for women’s soccer.
Steeplejack
@Mike E:
Thanks for the reminder. I don’t think Sighthound Hall is subscribed to Fox Sports, but I think my Brazilian brother-in-law has them on Telemundo.
Anoniminous
@Mart:
Why do you hate the Japanese?
Yarrow
@Mike E: Well, sure. If one player can’t play due to a card or some other issue then it’s an opportunity for other players to show what they’ve got. I still think Rose Lavelle brought a spark to the team once she was on that they lacked when she wasn’t. Maybe others can do that. Remains to be seen.
Traveller
@Anoniminous: the link to Usa, Japan really made me laugh…obscure jokes can sometimes be difficult, but also, sometimes, they can be perfect. Thanks.
As to Rose Lavelle, she is a real loss to the team…and she was always fun to watch…hopefully someone is there to take her place and make their own individual mark on the game.
See everyone on Sunday!!!! Traveller
HumboldtBlue
Here is an explanation for the arc outside the 18-yard box — officially the Penalty Arc.
Fucking maffs. I mean it’s geometry, but that’s maffs, right?
currawong
I se the US team have upset the people of Melbourne by referring to the city as ‘Melby’ in a Twitter post.