The @FIFAWWC play-off drawSemi-finals (2 legs, 1-9 October)Netherlands🇳🇱 v 🇩🇰DenmarkBelgium🇧🇪 v 🇨🇭Switzerland— UEFA Women's EURO (@WEURO) September 7, 2018
Wow, we have the final of last Euros right away! It would have made for an interesting play-off's final, actually... Should Denmark take their revenge, what a revenge it would be!
We will now see for sure whether the Dutch Euro win was a fluke or not. they will have it all to play for against a difficult opponent!
Well, remember that "catching up" is always a relative term. Last cycle, most group winners dropped 0 or 2 points, and all but one group was decided before the final matchday. This year, most group winners dropped 3 points, and four groups were decided on the final matchday. So yes, the world is catching up; and the teams that used to coast are now routinely tested. It's just that, this year, the traditional powerhouse teams got lucky enough to pass muster (and I do say "lucky" because one goal more or less in the right game would switch many of who advanced).
Suivez le match des @psg_feminines contre le Mexique ! #ICICESTPARIS https://t.co/BJSb6j0iA8— PSG Féminines (@PSG_Feminines) September 4, 2018
The semifinal playoffs are announced, but UEFA doesn't seem to be aware yet. Fri 5 Oct - Netherlands v Denmark - 1st leg - (18:00 GMT / 20:00 CEST) Rat Verlegh Stadion, Breda https://www.onsoranje.nl/teams/207834/programma/wedstrijd/31002 Fri 5 Oct - Belgium v Switzerland - 1st leg - (18:30 GMT / 20:30 CEST) King Power at Den Dreef Stadium, Leuven http://www.belgianfootball.be/nl/agenda/belgian-red-flames-zwitserland-0 Tue 9 Oct - Denmark v Netherlands - 2nd leg - (16:00 GMT / 18:00 CEST) Energi Viborg Arena, Viborg https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/kvindelandsholdet/program Tue 9 Oct - Switzerland v Belgium - 2nd leg - (kickoff time TBA) in Biel/Bienne - https://org.football.ch/kalender.aspx We talked about UEFA not updating their Women's Champions League info. But their website is still missing most of these dates and locations, when all the Netherlands' tickets are already sold!
Some TV info for playoff semis NED v DEN, BEL v SWI (Fri 5 Oct, Tue 9 Oct)... if you can get past the geoblock. Denmark: DR 1, both games "First leg will be played in Holland on October 5th at 8 pm, while a return show will be held in Viborg on 9 October at 6 pm. Both matches appear directly on DR1." Netherlands: Veronica TV (?) Switzerland: SRF Info, RTS Sport (1st leg) – SRF 2, RTS 2 + sfvplay.ch (2nd leg) Belgium: Proximus 11 The 1st legs are at about the same time. The 2nd legs kick off quite early and will also overlap somewhat – Denmark at 16:00 GMT and Switzerland at 17:00 GMT.
Looks like they all have two legs to play coming up. That's how I can tell this is female football. If it were men, they would have three legs.
I'm a bit worried about the Dutch defense. Will Bloodworth play centerback again, with Van der Gragt injured. She is athletic and faster than Van der Gragt but hasn't played the position much. It was Bloodworth's mistake that led to one of Norway's goals in the last qualifier (I didn't realize that she was playing centerback in that game.) Defensive depth is not a strength of the Dutch women, and of course the Danes are a good attacking team. The Netherlands have to be strong defensively, first and foremost, in this game.
??? I guess the joke @sbahnhof was referring to was the one made by @WWC_Movement (by the way, although I admit he often crosses the line, I consider @WWC_Movement basically harmless, so he's not in my ignore list: I can see all of his messages and explain what happens).
Semi-finals start tonight... Less than an hour to kickoff (from Women's Soccer United) In Denmark it's on DR2 (not 1).
Dutch team news: Sari van Veenendaal and Vivianne Miedema are out of the lineup tonight. In goal, Loes Geurts makes her first appearance since June 2017. Lineth Beerensteyn is in to replace Miedema. - English autotranslated: https://www.meemetoranje.nl/29318-oranjeleeuwinnen-met-twee-verrassende-namen-tegen-denemarken (Archived)
Netherlands starting XI (Miedema is on the bench, "not fit enough") Geurts; Van Lunteren, Dekker, Bloodworth, Van Es; Groenen, Spitse, Van de Donk; Van de Sanden, Beerensteyn, Martens Denmark Johansen; Theresa, Boye, Arnth, Veje; Troelsgaard, Holmgaard, Junge, Thögersen; Nadim, Harder
Van de Sanden to Beerensteyn, glorious header for 1-0 1-0 bij # NEDden Voorzet van rechts, Lineth Beerensteyn kopt binnen. pic.twitter.com/U73gFIjo10— ronaldomroepbrabant (@ronaldbrabant) October 5, 2018
Literally the worst way to follow it Belgium and Switzerland are live on SRF Info - Belgium's already 1-0 up through Janice Cayman Ein denkbar schlechter Start für die Frauen-Nati. Cayman schiesst die Belgierinnen in der 5. Minute in Front – #BELSUI 1:0*. #srffussball pic.twitter.com/3eDKJurzDS— SRF Sport (@srfsport) October 5, 2018
Yea, I can't find a livestream that works or doesn't require registering for some sketchy site, which I don't want to do. Frustrating as I'm dying to watch this match. Odd that Miedema, the Dutch star central forwards, did not start the match--she has not been hurt but maybe got a bump in training? The good news is that her replacement has scored!
Wow: just saw the Miedema didn't start because, according to the poster above who is quoting somebody unknown (Dutch coach?) that she "wasn't fit enough." That is somewhat astounding given that she has been brilliant this year for Arsenal against some admittedly less than stellar competition.