Re: Semifinal 1: NOR/BRZ vs. GER/SWE [R] This is one screwed up tournament. How the hell do the arguable top 2 teams in the world, Brazil and Germany, get in the same group, go 1 and 2 in the group and then get in the same half KO draw. Additionally the 3 third place teams are in the other 1/2 of the draw. Talk about a tilted bracket.
Re: Semifinal 1: NOR/BRZ vs. GER/SWE [R] Funny, msnbc reports that Brazil will face the US in the semis. Checked FIFA's website and they're saying it's Japan vs the US.
Re: Semifinal 1: NOR/BRZ vs. GER/SWE [R] For what it's worth, wikipedia has U.S.-Japan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_-_Women%27s_tournament. I'd check www.olympics.com or www.nbcolympics.com but since I am three hours behind NBC's East Coast live feed (PT gets NBC's coverage three hours after ET watches it) I don't want to spoil anything that I haven't seen yet and am avoiding those two sites.
My guess on the bracket setup is that one half of the bracket was always only going to have one group winner, so the third place teams went into the other half. Ostensibly the two group winner side of the bracket has the tougher semi-final, so those teams got the supposedly easier quarterfinal matches. I didn't check before the Games started, but the official Olympic website does show the bracket in terms of group standings. I expect I'll be rooting for the Germans over Brazil.
I'll be up at 6 for this one... My prediction is that is will be a tough fought match and that Germany will come away with a 2-1 win.
No Way!!! Brazil has to win that match. Those girls have worked so hard the past few years building a program and gold-medal worthy team. It would be devastating for them to lose to Germany (again!). I think they will remember how it felt to lose to them in the World Cup last year and will use that to fuel their victory tomorrow. I've been a USWNT supporter since 1999, but honestly if they reach a final with Brazil.......GO BRAZIL!
I'm not sure I care who wins, but it will be interesting if the US and Brazil are finalists. That'll be a passionate match. My favorite foreign team, Sweden, is out, so back to the Damallsvenskan for Hedvig now. I'll be back up in 3 hours as well.
I think germany will win but I think Brasil can better play soccer(technical etc.).But the germans have german qualification(fighting,discipline,never give up)And you has only beaten the germans if the ref is under the shower.A game is 90 minutes with 22 Players and at the end the germans wins(Gary Linneker).
And here's Neid's Flavour of the Day: Angerer - Stegemann, Krahn, Hingst, Peter - Laudehr, Lingor - Garefrekes, Prinz, Behringer - Mittag Pohlers still on the bench, in other words, with Peter on for the injured Bresonik.
Yes, the left bracket had 1-2-2-2 seeds, the right bracket had 1-1-3-3. 3 doesn't divide 8, so the asymmetry was inevitable. Then the left #1 seed (Brasil) will inevitably end up in the same bracket as its own group's #2 (Germany), since it has all of the #2s. I suspect China was "seeded" into the 1-1-3-3 half to give them the best shot at reaching the semifinals. They had their chance. It wasn't inevitable that both semifinals are replays of group matches. All 4 teams had to win their QFs (with one upset in Japan-China) to make that happen.
'keeper change for Brasil before the game. 12 BARBARA GK 2 SIMONE D 4 TANIA (C) D 5 RENATA COSTA D 16 ERIKA D 6 MAYCON M 7 DANIELA M 8 FORMIGA M 9 ESTER M 10 MARTA F 11 CRISTIANE F shut up, Brandi.
halftime Brasil took the air out of the ball for the last minute, just knocking it around in the back. Germany started well, but has not matched Brasil's increased passion.