45+2' (of +2') 3-0 Majri left ck, gentle outswing to 10m 2/5 right. Renard fakes a run-up behind Hwang Boram, gets her also stepping forward, then Renard plant-stops and jumps leaning backward, looms over Hwang and heads precisely into back left low, with Kim Minjung frozen. A dream to some, to others a nightmare HT 3-0. Korea can't win a ball, can't keep it, and can't run with France gone rampant. Then they're compressed into their own box, and they still can't defend airspace. France are sharp and relentless. We hope they get this out of their system
In 2015, France had a cakewalk round of 16 match vs Rep Korea (see below). A 3-0 final score-- unless the French take their feet off the gas this score will be higher. How lovely to see a World Cup on, wait for it, natural grass. See Canada? This is how it's done.
I had a suspicion that South Korea would get overran like this. But I thought they would defend corners a little bit better than this. The two goals from corners have been way too easy.
To be fair, the tallest Korean player must be what, 5'7"? At 6'2" Renard almost doesn't need to jump.
This is true, but you have to make an effort to stop her. Obviously the height difference is a factor, but the second France goal she had a clear run at the ball. They have to make it a bit more difficult. They could have players standing by the posts.
Only been able to watch for the past 7/8 minutes. Man, France in total control, but playing with no emphasis(understandable).
Yes, but at 68' only: too little, too late. Meanwhile, Gauvin in and Cascarino out for France. Diani will move on the Right-side, where Cascarino was operating.
63' 3-0 Kang Chaerim(?) turns down box right to ~3m, shross to 2m 1/4 left. Bouhaddi slaps ball down, picks up the bounce. A bit nonchalant, but sufficient. 70' 3-0 France bad square pass across own arc top? Kang Chaerim collects and counters to 18m mid-right, shoots right foot rising across mouth, just over left 90. 76' 3-0 Diani crosses from 12m wide right, Korea heads away. Korea have been much more aggressive in heading away crosses. 77' 3-0 Hwang(?) longball from own 25m box right past circle top. Renard(?) lifts left foot waist-high to volley away, instead deflects ball down behind her. Lee Mina is ~4m offside, but not off a defender's deflection -- she counters ahead of 3 to 15m right post, shoots right instep on the run, pulls it wide left low.
A mistake by Renard had gifted a chance to Lee Min-A, but she wastes the shot: it could have been a goal for Korea, as random as it was the chance.
82' 3-0 Le Sommer turns inside at 27m wide left, reaches right foot out and replaces ball with shoe just as Kim Hyeri reaches left foot out for ball -- and steps-upon that foot. Brief stoppage, Le Sommer continues. 84' 3-0 Kim Hyeri shoots from 24m arc right, small deflection sends ball just wide of right post low, Bouhaddi smothers it anyways. 85' 4-0 Le Sommer spins at circle top left, rides off a challenge on her right shoulder, taps to Henry at 22m mid-left. Henry veers inside to 19m arc left, shoots right instep bend over/around Kim Minjung, into back right edge 1/4 high.
I worry about the future of the game in Asia. I feel the gap between Asia and Europe is only going to get bigger.
I felt that France showed their cards too much in their set plays, you better believe the USWNT took notes on all of them but overall you couldn’t ask for a better opener in front of your own country. South Korea definitely can play better than 0 shots on goal. Why they insisted on allowing so many corners when France is number 1 in set pieces is anyone’s guess. I know it’s early but unfortunately, Korea is going out early if they play that way in their next two matches.
Ebb and flow. US and China were the early leaders, with Scandinavia there as well. Then Germany came along, and the US and China both dipped. China seems not to have recovered. But Japan made a good note and, at least for now, is in the very upper tiers, where as most Scandinavia teams are not where they were in the beginning, relative to others. But France really seems like the team they were pretending to be the last couple of WWCs, while England is now appearing, I think in large part to the domestic league which has allowed some players to move Continental. The key, I think, will be to have Asian players either have a thriving domestic league, or to move to Europe (where there is both domestic and Confidential play. The women's game as a whole is growing (could you have imagined Argentina or Chile being the WC 8 years ago?).