To be entirely fair, while Canada can generally "hang with" the USWNT, this year has not produced results that suggest they will "hang" in this encounter. The USWNT has been buzzsaw all year, while Canada has had several losses and has produced less impressive results against weaker teams than the USWNT has. As cpt suggested, a Canadian win would not be seen as a huge upset - to which I would qualify "in general". At the same time, current form does suggest than an upset would be more surprising now than it would be at other times.
They've also been inserting teenagers during friendlies all year to try them out and give them minutes. As for the losses, they lost to Sweden, France and Germany but defeated the likes of Brazil and Japan while being the reigning Bronze medalist. The US are the favorites, but saying Canada can't hang is flat out untrue
Well, "hanging with" is an entirely subjective metric to begin with, but all I'm saying is that recent results (teenagers or not - it's not like the USA hasn't been rotating players either) suggest that the USA and CAN are currently further apart in strength then they normally are. Make of that what you will.
We'll find out in a couple of days if Canada can hang with the U.S. I would think that Canada would want to try and win the game and see how they match up. You can't do that if you don't play your best players. Competitive spirit!
The third place match is about to start and the stands are nearly empty. A disgraceful showing by US so called football fans.
Any streaming link that's not geo-blocked for Europe? I am going to watch Japan's final at Women's Youth Olympic Futsal, but I could go back and forth between games, if there was a streaming available...
Bailey has already made three saves but she seems a bit hurt. She is down and is receiving treatment.
That's somewhat misplaced - I don't think anyone has ever said US fans support anything not directly involving "their" team. Also, this is in Dallas, which doesn't have an NWSL team and doesn't usually draw well for the USWNT anyway (the semifinal against Jamaica didn't crack 8k). This was never, ever going to be a well-attended match.
It looks like Panama, except for Bailey, is having trouble with the quite wet surface. They are very tentative when in possession. Shaw heads past Bailey. The Panamanian defense is not playing in this match. They are just standing around and letting Jamaica have their way. There have at times been three Jamaican open in front of goal. No matter how good Bailey plays she cannot stop every wide open shot.
Plus it's kicking off at a time when most people are still at work. I'm not saying it would be a sell-out if it was later, but there would be at least a few more in the stands.
The ref is letting Jamaica thug up all over the field. Since they are a lot bigger this means that Panama must get absolutely clean touches to make progress or get shots.
I tried to look around for a working streaming link, but it looks like they don't work, at least from here in Europe. It's a shame.
The game is also starting at 4pm local time. People are still at work & just getting out of school. I'd expect the US-Canada Final to be packed.
I know it rains in Panama (That is all I saw when I was there) but Panama is playing like the have never seen wet before. They are VERY tentative and running like they are afraid of slipping.
The commentators just got a play by Bailey completely wrong! They said of a play in the box by Bailey "Bailey flaps at it, but she grabs it later." What really happened was that Bailey reaches over an attacker and taps the ball away and the steps around her and picks it up on the bounce. Also the one true weakness of Bailey has been shown, her distribution is less than stellar. She hits fairly long but her accuracy is poor.
Actually when I have been in LA I found the locals fine about their driving BUT when a out of towner was in the mix things did not go so well. One thing that a lot of people from outside the area don't seem to understand is the LA use of the turn signal. When you see one blink on the freeway on the next blink they are making the lane change. It is up to everyone else to get out of the way in time. At the half it is Jamaica 1 Panama 0.
That's something that can easily be improved with time. She's only been a keeper for a year. Most of the other fundamentals are there and have been put on full display in this tournament.
Exactly. That is one of the reasons that I think that with decent coaching she could be one of the best in the world. Every weakness she has shown is correctable by a bit of decent coaching and her being receptive thereof.