Thanks for this. I know that Portland fans are cool. I'm just not a fan of lighting flares inside or outside of stadiums--and it happens quite a lot at men's pro games in Europe (and maybe elsewhere), I believe--sometimes multiple flares--and they can in some cases cloud the stadium in smoke. It is, to me, a weird tradition that I don't like seeing emulated in America. Flares strike me as somewhat anarchistic and are evocative of hooliganism, which of course has been a longtime problem in Europe and South America. (A problem that isn't as bad as it used to be--but only because there are now small armies of police at every major game.) I mean, flares are often lit by street rioters (having nothing to do with soccer). I'm a big fan of soccer but in Europe and South America, there is a definite primitive tribal element to the club fans--large groups of young men who drink heavily, chant all game long, hurl racist insults (sometimes), set off flares, etc. It is a populist/street sport that sometimes makes me uneasy--but then maybe I've got a bit soft! URRGGGHH!! I like the American soccer culture precisely because it is a bit more civilized and not so primal--and that is especially true of women's soccer!
Now you sound veeery old, mister. I can't believe I took you for being Dutch in the beginning. I'm pretty sure the woso players would love a bit of that tribalism on the terraces to be honest. Most of them are tired of playing in front of a few hundred supporters with tennis atmosphere every week.
Ha: I'm all for having fun--Dutch fans are well-known for it, of course (and maybe too the Norwegians!)--but fun shouldn't mean drunken violence, of which there is a lot in England, Argentina and elsewhere. I just read that away fans had been banned from all SuperLiga games in Argentina for the previous five years. That fairly proves my point. The second leg of the Boco-River Plate match had to be moved out of Argentina (!) because of fears of violence--even after away fans had been banned from each of the home-and-away legs. F--ked up. The Boco bus was attacked when it was entering the River stadium--windows broken, players shaken. Same thing happened to the ManCity bus when it entered the Liverpool stadium area last year. It's all crazy, poorly educated ultras who need a bit more in their lives than booze and soccer.
Ah, "dodgy keeper", that takes me back. Hopefully the Argentine trouble wasn't started by the local equivalent of that chant. You don't see many flares in women's games - there was one set off in Brazil's Paulista 2018 final for a few minutes. ( ↓ from Conmebol thread)
Coming to a place near you The official #FIFAWWC Trophy Tour launches today, starting a two-month journey across six continents. Later, we'll bring you a taste of the kick-off event, direct from Paris! pic.twitter.com/pJPmtLzqQg— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 24, 2019
https://www.ad.nl/buitenlands-voetb...wereld-zal-niet-meedoen-aan-wk-2019~a68ac1ad/ Ada Hegerberg met Shanice van de Sanden, nadat op 24 mei 2018 de Champions League werd gewonnen. © REUTERS Beste voetbalster ter wereld zal niet meedoen aan WK 2019 Ada HegerbergAda Hegerberg werd op 3 december 2018 de eerste vrouwelijke winnaar van de Gouden Bal, maar de 23-jarige aanvalster uit Noorwegen zal komende zomer niet meedoen aan het WK in Frankrijk. Minne Groenstege 26-02-19, 19:31 Laatste update: 20:11 M 1
Update on the possibility of VAR: WWC referees are currently at a training seminar in Qatar ramping up for the WWC. There they are getting some training in VAR. As a part of that training they are refereeing some U17 boys' games at the Al Kass International Cup to be able to get some of the training in real game situations. (Umpierrez was the first to use VAR to disallow a goal due to offside.) The final decision on whether or not the WWC will have VAR will probably be after this seminar, possibly in March. https://www.philly.com/soccer/var-w...-referees-20190204.html?__vfz=medium=sharebar