Well, nah, I can't imagine this match would be fun for a neutral fan. But for us, we just had to watch our men utterly crap the bed twice in the last week, so I'm just happy to see at least one US team kick some ass. Plus, I think we also find it important to keep executing well and pouring on goals, not for the sake of beating poor Thailand, but as maybe some intimidation for the other tournament favorites. Winning this one by 5, 6 or more sends a totally different message to France and Germany etc than winning by 1 or 2
43' 3-0 Rapinoe left ck, to 5m center, Chor Charoenying catches high. 44' 3-0 Dunn underruns a bounce at midfield box left, Ertz covers behind her. Dunn long switch to Heath down wide right -- Heath flicks ball past Srangthaisong on the outside, cuts behind her on the inside through box right, settles at 2m mid-right. Heath jukes right and tightropes along endline to 6-right foot -- we've seen this before Backpass rattles through legs, finally cleared. 45' 3-0 Sung-Ngoen bumps Rapinoe down from behind at 25m box left, Rapinoe slides uncontrolled and undercuts #_, who lands-upon her. Both pop up unhurt, whew. +2'.
Rapinoe needs to calm down. She is playing like a wild woman (maybe she is one ) and costing herself any chance at solid attack.
What’s the point of this rules official that Fox has? She just keeps agreeing with the bad no-calls the ref is making.
45+1' (of +2') 3-0 Rapinoe fk at 25m box left, down mid-left to Dunn at 10m. Dunn spins cw, shoots hard off Chor Charoenying hands(?) at left post, over endline left. 45+2' (of +2') 3-0 Rapinoe(?) left ck, royal scramble in the box -- USA get about eight shots, all blocked by too many legs. Horan chases down 7-right, Boothduang comes inside-out and gets shins into Horan's thighs, Horan goes sideways and rolls down. No call, delay for VAR -- and the ruling is: three reasons why not HT 3-0.
That was a lot of almost goals in quick succession. I think the "rules analyst" has been wrong basically every time, with a great degree of certainty on plays that are debatable at best. Not sure how you can say Horan "jumped into" that - the defender comes late and hits both legs. If Horan jumped, it was an effort to avoid contact.
JP Dellacamera: "We're going to go to our VAR consultant, Christine Unkel" Christine Unkel: "I agree with the VAR decision" JP Dellacamera: "You haven't even seen the replay yet" Christine Unkel: "I don't need to, I agree with the VAR decision"
I tend to agree with you and think its a bad look for the tournament that a team like Thailand is even in a WC. There is nothing the US can do but beat up on them but it brings down the prestige of the tournament to have such a bad team qualify. I think the US will win the entire thing walking away so no surprise if this one finishes 9-0. Hope they get some competition at some point.
What's the point of VAR if it's going to give that second Spain penalty and not give both of the US shouts? If this was an actually competitive match and the US had those shouts, I'd be livid.
If the "rules" analyst was any good she would be reffing somewhere not adding to the stupidity coming through TV speakers. Like the rest of the Fox crew she is both inept and a poor speaker.
I think it will surely going to be the most lopsided result in this first round of group matches, but 3-0 at HT was enough for me. I Think I am going to catch some of the sleep I've lost while travelling from Paris last night. Tomorrow in the morning I am going to discover how many goals USA have scored.