E10.South Africa - China South Africa (Vera Pauw): Kgatlana for #9 Amanda Dlamini; Motlhalo for #11 Octovia Nogwanya. 20 Thembi Kgatlana, 10 Linda Motlhalo 12 Jermaine Seoposenwe, 2 Lebohang Ramalepe, 6 Mamello Makhabane, 7 Stephanie Malherbe 3 Nothando Vilakazi, 5© Janine Van Wyk, 4 Noko Matlou, 15 Refiloe Jane 1 Roxanne Barker China PR (Bruno Bini): Gu for #11 Wang Shanshan; Gao for #5 Wu Haiyan. 12 Wang Shuang 17 Gu Yasha, 13 Peng Fengyue, 15 Zhang Rui 10 Yang Li, 8 Tan Ruyin 4 Gao Chen, 6© Li Dongna, 14 Zhao Rong, 2 Liu Shanshan 1 Zhao Lina 20' 0-0 #20 Thembi Kgatlana (whose jersey number exceeds 18 ) outruns 2 to to 7m 6-left, shoots wide right low. No supporting run to tap in at far post. 29' 0-0 China subs in (1 of 3) #5 WuHaiyan for #14 Zhao Rong. Injury? 43' 0-0 China backpass, Zhao Lina bends over and receives with hands. RSA promptly protest, Zhao drops ball like a hot potato -- too late! DFK inside the box!! 44' 0-0 SA dfk at 15m mid-right -- #5 Van Wyk blasts into wall, chases rebound to 12m 6-right, shoots rising across mouth. Zhao tips it onto crossbar 1/4 left, China clears into far touch. 45+1' 0-1 China turns past circle top, quick pass upfield -- the CF dummies over it! #17 Gu Yasha continues her run from 25m box left, alongside ball through box top mid-left to 9m. Shoots left instep bend with slight chip, over Barker's left leg, bends away into right side netting low. HT 0-1.
65' 0-1 China subs in (2 of 3) #11 Wang Shanshan for #10 Yang Li. 72' 0-1 #11 Wang Shanshan(?) spins past #4 Matlou at 27m mid-right, gets tripped down. Foul, yellow card on Matlou. 77' 0-1 Gu Yasha(?) long cross to arc top, #11 Wang Shanshan splits the gassed CBs, touches to box top center. Shoots to left low, Barker sprawls and blocks it just wide left low. China are dominating on half-chances, but cannot get past Barker. 78' 0-1 China left ck, to 6m center, Wang Shanshan heads down to center, bounces directly to Barker. 79' 0-1 China cross from somewhere left to 6-top right, Wang Shanshan shrugs off #4 Matlou flopping over her back, stays upright and shoots -- directly into Barker. 80' 0-1 South Africa subs in (1 of 3) #18 Nompumelelo "Mpumi" Nyandeni for #6 Mamello Makhabane. 84' 0-1 South Africa subs in (2 of 3) #14 Sanah Mollo for #20 Thembi Kgatlana.
88' 0-2 China square to #8 Tan Ruyin alone at circle top. Tan touches forward once, looks up, blasts long to left 90. It drops just short, but Barker, backpedaling frantically, can only lean back and tip it up into the bottom of crossbar 1/5 left, and down into 1/2 back left. Who even thinks to shoot from th -- oh hey nice idea And -- her 1st-ever goal for China!! +2'. 90+1' (of +2') 0-2 Through-ball sends #11 Wang Shanshan on a breakaway ahead of #18 Nyandeni, through box top mid-right to 15m. Shoots to spot, Barker dives and kick-saves it away through box top arc left. Wang chases it down, turn and shoots -- high or touched over. Not her day. FT 0-2.
E12.Brasil - Sweden Brasil (Oswaldo "Vadão" Fumeiro Alvarez): Identical. 16 Beatriz Zaneratto João, 11 Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva, 9 Andressa Alves Alves da Silva 10© Marta Vieira da Silva 5 Thaìsa de Moraes Rosa Moreno, 8 Miraildes "Formiga" Maciel Mota 6 Tamires Cássia Dias Gomes, 4 Rafaelle Leone Carvalho Souza, 3 Mônica Hickmann Alves, 2 Fabiana da Silva Simões 1 Bárbara do Monte Barbosa Sweden (Pia Sundhage): Berglund for #3 Linda Sembrant; Rubensson for #15 Jessica Samuelsson. 8© Lotta Schelin, 13 Fridolina Rolfö, 10 Sofia Jakobsson 9 Kosovare Asllani, 7 Lisa Dahlkvist, 17 Caroline Seger 6 Magdalena Eriksson, 4 Emma Berglund, 5 Nilla Fischer, 16 Elin Rubensson 1 Hedvig Lindahl
04' 0-0 Brasil cross ~4 times from the right. Cristiane fights between 2 at 6-top right for a soft header tap, Sweden shank a clearance to 9m right post. Andressa Alves lunge-pokes a medium-power shot to Lindahl. Much pressure. 06' 0-0 Sweden pass to Rolfö around 22m center, chip shot from arc top left goes wide left. Since Brasil are in their home canarinhas, Sweden have gone to the Stealth Blue dark kit. 08' 0-0 RB #2 Fabiana holds at right corner arc, Sweden pokes it over. 09' 0-0 Marta right ck, to 9m center, headed away. 11' 0-0 Seger(?) passes down wide right for Jakobsson beating Tamires to 3m. Ground cross to 6-top center, Asllani arrives but meek toe-poke with no power, rolls softly to 1m 1/3 left, Bárbara smothers it.
14' 0-0 Brasil left ck, to Cristiane jumping 1-v-2 at 9m 6-left. Brasil foul? 21' 1-0 Brasil hoof long from circle center to arc top, Beatriz jumps 1-v-2 but Sweden flick-head past her, bounces past spot toward 8m. Lindahl comes out on knees to catch, #4 Berglund slows down without touching ball and tries to shield off Beatriz. Beatriz hops left-to-right behind Berglund, sneaks left toes past and pokes ball over Lindahl's left shoulder, drops softly into back right. 22' 1-0 Schelin turns at 13m center, shoots past Bárbara into 1/4 left back low. Offside! 24' 2-0 Brasil long switch to Tamires at arc top box left, quick pass down mid-left lets Marta run unmarked to 2m. Marta ground cross to 3m left post, Cristiane turns left heel block behind, reflects over #4 Berglund's leg, across mouth into right side netting just behind post, with Lindahl stranded near post. 26' 2-0 Beatriz(?) steals at arc top wide right, drives hard down mid-right to 7m, cross blocked over. The speed Sweden is already not-young and not-fast, and Brasil's speed --
29' 2-0 Sweden thread a pass through box top mid-right to 8m, square pass left misses everybody, chased through box left. 31' 2-0 Rolfö chips from box top wide left, Bárbara catches. 32' 2-0 Asllani chases to arc top mid-left, ball gets just away from her -- she hooks at it just as Formiga, overtaking from behind, gets her shoe in the way. Foot pain, Asllani goes down in a ball, stays down. Beatriz drives hard down wide left, shoves Rubensson down -- foul. 35' 2-0 #5 Thaìsa is down on her back on the field. Stoppage, trainers, all others get water. 36' 2-0 Stretcher is out. They strap her in. 38' 2-0 Thaìsa returns? Sweden backpass to Lindahl, go up left touch -- Rolfö dribbles past 2, loses it to Fabiana(?).
Welp SWEDEN. 3-0 On a serious note, the commentators(lame as usual) are going on about Sweden and the lack of mental toughness. I don't think this is their problem at all. Unfortunately, their players aren't able to keep up. Pia should resign at HT.
41' 2-0 Schelin chases to box right foot, hop-cross but ball already fully over. Sweden is not loading the box with attackers -- surely fearing that they can't get back in time if they lose it. 43' 2-0 Marta chips from 25m center toward spot, Cristiane cuts left-to-center and takes a forward tumble. Foul, penal , yellow card on LB #6 Eriksson. 44' 3-0 Marta pk, left instep into back right low (Lindahl dove wrong). +1'. 45+1' (of +1') 3-0 Brasil sprint down wide left, poor cross floats onto roof back right. HT 3-0.
Sweden look terrible out there. Brazil looks amazing. That potential USA-Brazil semifinal is setting up to be a great game. China actually looks better than Sweden and should defeat Sweden in the final match.
46' 3-0 Sweden subs in (1 of 3) #2 Jonna Andersson for LB #6 Magdalena Eriksson. 49' 3-0 Asllani slides inside-out through Formiga's leg, flips her over. Foul, yellow card on Asllani. 50' 3-0 Brasil are pattycake-passing sideways across the back. Sweden lurk across circle top, Brasil toy with that. Brasil pass up wide left, good turn inside toward arc top center. Pass down mid-right for Marta to 8m, 1st shot blocked back to 12m, she steps back and hooks left foot roundhouse -- over bar. 53' 3-0 Cristiane chases toward box top mid-left, Fischer gets knee-to-laces micro-touch(?), Cristiane tumbles into box as the through-ball misses behind her. No call, play on. 55' 3-0 Sweden switch from 27m mid-right to 22m mid-left, one-touch header into box but too far for the CF (whomever it is) still at arc top left and not cutting. 56' 3-0 Andressa Alves chases down wide right, too far. 57' 3-0 Brasil subs in (1 of 3) #17 Andressa Cavalari Machry for #8 Miraildes "Formiga" Maciel Mota.
Sweden is slow and uninspired and has played this way for quite awhile. Time for an overhaul, methinks. The Samba Queens are still too soft in front of the net, despite the score line. :/ We need to be more clinical. This won't work against stronger teams.
64' 3-0 Sweden subs in (2 of 3) #12 Olivia Schough for #13 Fridolina Rolfö. 64' 3-0 Cristiane dribbles upfield vs. #2 Andersson, pulls up hopping and rotating finger for a sub: right hamstring. Cristiane sits down in tears, holding it. Sweden play on ... 66' 3-0 Brasil subs in (2 of 3) #7 Débora "Debinha" Cristiane de Oliveira for #11 Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva. Two trainers help Cristiane hop around the endzone. 70' 3-0 Debinha chases a poked through-ball (Marta?) to 6-top left post, Lindahl scoops it up first. 72' 3-0 Brasil ping backward at wide left, one-touch forward pass to Debinha, give-and-go sends her up wide left. Fischer comes across and knocks ball off her and over endline? 74' 3-0 Sweden subs in (3 of 3) #14 Emilia Appelqvist for #9 Kosovare Asllani.
If that's a hamstring pull, Cristiane's time at Olympics is most likely over. RIP Sweden. Marta makes is 4-0 Welp. 5-0!
80' 4-0 Andressa Alves dribbles inside to 24m mid-left, gets sandwiched by 2, goes down and loses ball -- no call. Brasil steals on the right, pass to Marta at arc top. Marta turns through arc left, flick pass toward Andressa Alves blocked back and behind her -- Marta does a ridiculous donkey tap at full run, over own shoulder into own stride to 9m 7-left, chips past shocked Lindahl into center back. She just used Rubensson like a human prop in a dunk contest. 83' 4-0 Brasil subs in (3 of 3) #12 Poliana Barbosa Medeiros for #2 Fabiana da Silva Simões. 86' 5-0 Andressa high switch from 27m mid-left to Debinha at arc top box right. Simple square pass to Beatriz at box top mid-right, she spins easily past tired defenders, blasts across mouth and Lindahl's dive into back left edge. There is still time for a few more, if Sweden's defense keeps zoning out. 89' 5-1 Sweden passes to from circle left to 30m center not marked, turn-and-pass and Schelin times her backcut perfectly, in alone through arc top to 15m. Schelin shoots right instep over Bárbara, into back left high. +2'. FT 5-1. Egad.
So, Sweden needs to win against China to get 2nd and play either Germany or Canada in the next round. Otherwise, it might be the US and a potential SF against Brazil.
Pia from an interview with the Swedish paper Expressen today: "Honestly, I don't think I would get to -- nor would want to -- continue as Sweden coach if we fail tonight." Pretty clear. She also says there will be changes to the starting XI. Last Chance Saloon.