43' 0-0 Rapinoe dribbles over midfield box right, #5 Ebi slides through her plant foot. Foul, yellow card on #5 Onome Ebi. 44' 0-0 USA fk at midfield box right, to 13m center, Wambach header to 15m mid-left. Nigeria clear and counter up centerline, miss the last pass.
Cat Whitehill, lol. (ruff paraphrase) "This time she used her foot maybe that's what she needs to do instead of using her head." hahaha
well Abby, you've done it again... I guess even when this oldie is having a bad day, her will makes up for it.
44' 0-0 Krieger bulls vs. 1 down box right, shielded off, falls trying to push. But defender coughs it over line. 45' 0-1 USA right ck, Rapinoe bends it fast to drop at 5m 5-left. Wambach hurdles 1, left-instep hopping vollaaaaaazo into back right edge? HT 0-1.
Really nice finish on the volley. Pretty much nothing was connecting the entire half (the team seems really disjointed today . . . far more than the first 2 games). Heath in particular is struggling, but I don't think any attacking player is standing out in a positive way.
Nothing is comfortable in this whole past year, and certainly not in this tournament nor the month before.
Not bad so far. Controlling the game, winning loose balls, great play from the back 4 and some enterprise up top. Still not happy with Lloyd but Rapinoe is having a good day. It should be 2-0 or maybe 3-0 right now but this is a complete performance so far against a talented team. Subs? I think Lloyd should come out for Press maybe at minute 60 and Bring Leroux and in for Morgan a bit later. Let Abby go 90 until we get 3 goals. Nigeria will have to open up now and go for it to guarantee themselves a knockout slot so that will open up spaces for us to exploit.
Abby had that goal to cap off a good half. Basically the forwards and CBs are good but the rest barring Rapinoe have been useless. At this point I'll take off Lloyd and Holiday and bring in Chalupny and Brian as they can't be worse than what these two have been doing so far. For me I think Lloyd is thinking too much and thats not her game. For better or worse she's just needs to go in beast mode and just shoot because that's what she does best. Holiday for her part is not thinking or doing anything out there.
I don't think it matters. We just need a striker to show up. With Johnston and Pinoe we are good enough. Abby showed up.
For two minutes, Lloyd was back and Holliday up front. That was pretty good. Then it went back to Holliday in turnover-waiting-to-happen space. But there has been better control of the passing, and not playing every ball route one. So SOME better play, but not enough. BTW, last game Tony DiCicco really pissed off my girlfriend with his commentary. Now I'm joining her. Tony, put away the friggin pom-poms with the "I feel a goal coming". Let the game freaking BREATHE!
Really forgettable first half other than the goal. Were there any shots on goal that resulted from passing on the ground?
I totally disagree. This is the best half we have put together other thn second half vs Australia. Nigeria is no joke so 1-0 is good.
The problem is the forwards are not getting any clear chances to do anything. Everything have been half chances at best.