Was that Japan-France game one of the ones that happened while Sawa was dealing w/ vertigo? I wasn't following so it's an honest question. I do think the game could go either way.
No, she was already ok since months by then. It has to be said that, if France scored 10 vs Japan's 3, it's also true that France took 3 goals, while Japan just 1. Best attack vs best defense?
France (Bruno Bini): Bussaglia (matches 1, 2, QF) reclaims RM from Abily. Hot-running Thomis (1, 3, QF) over Le Sommer. Abily has started 2 and is a flexible sub (for Soubeyrand once, Bussaglia once). 7 of 11 (in bold) will have started all 5. 11 Marie-Laure Delie 17 Gaëtane Thiney, 12 Elodie Thomis 14 Louisa Necib, 6(c) Sandrine Soubeyrand, 15 Élise Bussaglia 8 Sonia Bompastor, 2 Wendie Renard, 4 Laura Georges, 7 Corine Franco 18 Sarah Bouhaddi Japan (Norio Sasaki): Their A+ lineup, used in matches 1, 2, and QF vs Brasil. 4 of 11 will have started all 5. 11 Shinobu Ohno, 17 Yuki Ogimi 8(c) Aya Miyama, 6 Mizuho Sakaguchi, 10 Homare Sawa, 9 Nahomi Kawasumi 5 Aya Sameshima, 3 Azusa Iwashimizu, 4 Saki Kumagai, 2 Yukari Kinga 1 Miho Fukumoto
It's been interesting to me all along that Camille Abily is not a regular starter for Bini. I think she's a wonderful player but it's not like I've been able to see her regularly the last couple years since she returned to France. When France , however, piled up the goals in the 2nd half against North Korea, Abily was a big part of that, getting the plays going that sprung Thomis. Trivia: Abily and Miyama were teammates for the LA Sol in WPS season one. And Bompastor and Sawa were teammates, too, weren't they, for the Washington Freedom?
Whimsical: London's committee subjects its world guests to a lot of cheesy Brit pop, e.g. "Chariots of Fire" for the gymnastics medal ceremony walk-of-honor muzak. Charming: Fans (and players) of every country know "We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions". The entire indoor volleyball stadium sang the 2nd part (in tune, no less). Then Chinese, Russian, Brasilian, and neutral fans were doing the stomp-stomp-clap, as Brasil's WVB did a herky-jerky dance with exactly that cadence. It's a global meme We shall have our revenge. Next time USA hosts, we'll pipe "It's My Life" into GB's dorm rooms.
New Zealand gave everybody a tough time because they're a competitive side. They gave Brazil and GB all kinds of trouble, losing only to late goals in both games. Riley is a great player but she alone can't stifle the US as if the US was as one-dimensional a team as some people insist. Riley was beaten by Rapinoe on that low cross that both Morgan and Wambach missed right in front of goal. One great thing about Riley though is her stamina. I remember a remarkable 50 yard trackback of hers in the 87th minute of a WPS game.
I'm surprised Soubeyrand gets the start. Will she be able to go all 90 or is that a sub that Bini already knows he'll need to make? And every time I've seen Thomis (admittedly not that many times) for Lyon & France she's flattered but deceived (meaning her touch or shot decision making betrayed her in the end).
01' 0-0 Probing. France hoof too long down the right, clear into midfield left touch. 02' 0-0 Japan free kick, into box, #4 George clears. My NBC audio feed is ~30 seconds ahead of the video ...
Kolabear, watching the WWC and this Olympic tournament reminds me how lucky we had it when we had the WPS and in particular the Los Angeles Sol, all these wonderful players were on that team.
06' 0-0 France slide at midfield and chip to #11 Delie in a 1-v-2 at 35m center. She runs diagonally away from both of them, Kinga slide-tackles clear at her box top right. Was Delie-vs-6 for a bit there ... 07' 0-0 #14 Necib shoots from 25m arc top, low bouncer through traffic to left post low. Fukumoto gives up a big rebound to 6-top (her) right, has to scramble to fall on it before Delie arrives.
11' 0-0 #12 Thomis cuts back to 8m wide right, crosses left foot toward Delie. Japan blocks at 5m right post. Rebounds to #14 Necib standing alone at 9m 6-right!! She settles, doesn't one-touch, holds in front of 2 -- too long, does nothing, they swarm her and clear. Gun-shy!!
Necib spent about 5 seconds all alone with the ball in the box pondering what she could do with the ball that was sufficiently pretty. Japan's defense finally terminated her ruminations.
13' 0-0 #11 Ohno fouled by #2 Renard just past midfield circle right. Free kick to box top, cleared. 14' 0-0 France counter, pas diagonally to #17 Thiney alone at 25m box left, as Japan sag to their box top. Pass into box top center, poked away. 15' 0-0 France plays quickly up the right, to Thomis at 25m box right. France's pace are causing Japan to scramble and drop back a bit. Long shot rolls to right post low, Fukumoto scoops it up.
17' 0-0 #12 Thomis runs from midfield box right to 25m, 2 defenders backpedal and neither want to challenge her. She squares to Soubeyrand(?) at box arc top center, slightly behind. Soubeyrand half-spins, one-touch flick through box arc left, misses across wide-open #17 Thiney. Thiney must bend her run outward to retrieve. Crosses to box top center, long shot floats to Fukumoto. Japan are really not-playing Thomis in a curious way.
21' 0-0 Miyama dribbles at 30m center, Bussaglia drops off and does not challenge her. Miyama circles patiently, plays back. Japan finally lose it long. 22' 0-0 Japan show off a long midfield ping sequence. That's better. 23' 0-0 France defend well, Japan switch into right corner and lose it over.