I was hoping for a miracoulous equalizer from this last CK, but it ends 1-0. Germany much much less convincing than France, and China tougher than probably most expected. Given the first half chances, 1-1 would have satisfied me more, but the result wasn't unfair.
Based on this game if Germany make the final I will be very surprised. Teams like France and the Netherlands will march through their defence.
Yes, exactly: They had two chances that had to be finished, and those misses cost them the match. On the first, the Chinese player had a virtually an open net but took an extra touch that she didn't need to take--should have just taken the shot--and then missed wide. And the second was nearly as bad.....
The game ends with 11 Chinese Players on the Field. The strategy of China was to kick on everything that moves. I do not want to know how the hocks of the Germans look like. And China succeeded. The germans lost ones bottle.
My thoughts exactly. Chinese players went hard at times at their opponents (especially in first 20 min) and half of fouls and cards given against them were valid but at the same time, number of calls were unfair or seem double standard.
I still don’t understand why it’s a trend in Germany now playing players out of position and constantly rotating
Just finished my recording. Germany didn’t look like favorites, had trouble keeping their cool. China is certainly a better club that S. Korea, but France looked soooooo much better. Can’t imagine China gets thru the next match without several players picking up second yellows.
To be fair, playing against established defense is the hardest thing in football... But yeah, the chemistry lacks, it goes slow going forward, players out of positions...
Yes, and, as I wrote during the match, I guess she should have been carded for that. Popp has quite a temper: remember when she was sent off in the 2018 Champions' League final (thus basically determining her team's loss, since, in 10 vs 11, they crumbled apart under Van de Sanden's pushes)? Back then it wasn't a reaction, but I remember how vehemently she tried to defend her tackle, claiming that she had hit the ball, when she had clearly hit the leg of the player.