The situation is still not clear, even for Australia. If they could grab 4 points in the next 3 games it's pretty much set. Next round will be quite decisive for all 5 of them.
Australia have two wins while everyone else aside from China can get at most three. Even three more points for Australia would essentially ice it. Four points literally guarantees it in every iteration I've looked at so far. Okay, I've found one combination of results with Australia on 10pts that puts Japan+SKorea as advancing, and one combination that puts China+NKorea as advancing. Since Japan, S.Korea, and N.Korea all need to win out to get 10 or 11pts, those are the only two possible combinations, and both need every result to go just the right way.
https://www.facebook.com/auswomensgame/videos/vb.118568318183900/1164455460261842/?type=2&theater All of Australia's goals against Vietnam.
thanks for the links. Got the funny feeling Japan home advantage could actually be a curse! Cuz previously their best weapon's been their accurate, long balls to the surging striker. But both Korea & Australia bunkered as to not let that happen. Hopefully in the last 3 opponents the sense of urgency to get a W will open up the game for Japan a bit more
I'm trusting your work on this. Australia's off to a great start and all those draws help them. They're in a great spot but it's a tough tournament and everything can change if they don't come through against South Korea. If they should defeat South Korea and if Japan finally gets going with a win over China, then I'm pretty sure Australia only needs a tie against China on the last matchday to guarantee a place in the Olympics. [Australia would have a minimum of 10 points, China a maximum of 7 points, South Korea a maximum of 8 points. Japan would have a max of 10 and North Korea a max of 11 but since those two still have to play each other in the 4th matchday, only one of them could wind up with 10 or more points]
I mean there are still 3 more rounds to go. Other than Australia got a good start(that's all), the two stronger teams got bitter results than the two weaker teams, but nothing is settled yet.
Australia may only need one more win at this point, or even just a draw, with the rate that the other teams are "drawing" against each other at this point. But yeah, 2 wins guarantees it for the Matildas. A win & a draw (4 more points) makes it about a 99% chance they get through as a Top 2 team as well. Almost no scenario blocks them from going through if they just get 4 more points, but mathematically it's still possible.
The curse was Laura Bassett's own goal. It sent both teams in reverse. England has not lost to Germany since, after playing them multiple times since Bassett's goal in the wrong Basket. And ever since Bassett's blunder, Japan is playing like total butt. They were beautiful and precise in 2011 & 2012. This is not the same Japanese team. The 2011 & 2012 Japanese teams would beat this South Korea team by at least 2 or 3 goals. I still expect Japan to win these last 3 games and qualify. Should I stamp a Guarantee on it?
North Korea is the only team that we should be rooting against in this competition. When they were banned from the 2015 WWC, they should have also been banned from the 2016 Olympics. They should have been banned for this whole cycle that includes both the WWC and Olympics. And with only 2 points in 2 games, and games against Australia and Japan left. It's not looking good for them.
The next 3 games will see the fitness and squad rotation be an important part of the equation. I am sure there will be an intensity decrease from now on and would love to see the GPS data from players in the forthcoming games.
You'd better do that, yeah. Although, on second thought, if I am really relying on a Guarantee stamped by WWC_Movement, that means I am seriously scraping the barrel...
The remaining games : 04/03 Vietnam - North Korea South Korea - Australia Japan - China 07/03 China - South Korea North Korea - Australia Vietnam - Japan 09/03 South Korea - Vietnam Australia - China Japan - North Korea
pre tourney; I actually picked China & N Korea to win, but I didn't know that Catlyn Foord was going to make it back(she suffered a broken collarbone just a few months ago). Foord's the best darn defensive fullback in the whole bleeping world(or in other words, the polar opposite of Stef Catley!) and making Alana Kennedy a midfield slayer? freaking genius, coach Staj! Was expecting more from North Korea, but their's a reason they're called the hermit kingdom! Still, why your picking on them and their glorious leader, Donald Trump Jr? And apparently their is trouble in Bini paradise, as they ain't peaking at the right time. That be ashame as I was expecting their super hot goal keeper to be China's pole bearer in Rio! did you see the S. Korea/JA match? was Korea's #7 the player named Ji?(She along with Kennedy are the two best players of the tourney so far)......And who the heck was the lovely #14?
Who are you and what have you done with hotjam2? Are you taking about Wang Fei? She basically quit the NT. And the football teams don't participate in the Opening Ceremonies, because they're not in the host city. Ji So-Yun is number 10. Number 7 is Jeon Ga-Eul.
any links to the current games?..............please J fans, know you upset with me and I should really be cheering for your guys do to the all the hard work & dedication y'all put in...................but no way, Jose! China's got the awesomely hot gk........that be good enough to betray any kind of friendship.......Go China!!!
http://www.zoptv.com/live/cctv-5-plus HT now, China's up one after a terrible blunder from CB Tanka after a backpass
China 2 Japan 1 Australia 2 South Korea 0 Table 1. Australia 9 pts 14-1 ( max 15) 2. China 7 pts 5-2 ( max 13) ------------------------------------- 3. North Korea 5 pts 3-2 (max 11) 4. South Korea 2 pts 2-4 (max 8) 5. Japan 1 pt 3-6 (max 7) 6. Vietnam 0 pt 0-12 (max 6) Next 07/03 China - South Korea North Korea - Australia Vietnam - Japan 09/03 South Korea - Vietnam Australia - China Japan - North Korea
Japan with 1 point through three matches. Amazing. It's turned into a three (or four, I guess SK isn't fully dead) team tournament, and a draw against North Korea puts Australia through.
Zhao Lina just send Japan packing! Isn't she the hottest goalkeeper in the world(without a felony) or what ???