E15.South Africa - Brasil South Africa (Vera Pauw): Smeda for #2 Lebohang Ramalepe. 20 Thembi Kgatlana, 10 Linda Motlhalo 12 Jermaine Seoposenwe, 17 Leandra Smeda, 6 Mamello Makhabane, 7 Stephanie Malherbe 3 Nothando Vilakazi, 5© Janine Van Wyk, 4 Noko Matlou, 15 Refiloe Jane 1 Roxanne Barker Brasil (Oswaldo "Vadão" Fumeiro Alvarez): Debinha for #16 Beatriz Zaneratto João; Raquel Frernandes for #11 Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva; Érika for #10© Marta Vieira da Silva; Andressinha for #8 Miraildes "Formiga" Maciel Mota; Bruna for #4 Rafaelle Leone Carvalho Souza; Poliana for #2 Fabiana da Silva Simões; Aline for #1 Bárbara do Monte Barbosa. ~~~~~~~~ 7 Débora Cristiane de Oliveira, 15 Raquel Fernandes dos Santos, 9 Andressa Alves da Silva 5 Thaìsa de Moraes Rosa Moreno, 17 Andressa Cavalari Machry, 13 Érika Cristiano dos Santo 6 Tamires Cássia Dias Gomes, 3 Mônica Hickmann Alves, 14© Bruna Beatriz Benites Soares, 12 Poliana Barbosa Medeiros 18 Aline Villares Reis
E16.China PR - Sweden China PR (Bruno Bini): Wu for #14 Zhao Rong. 10 Yang Li 17 Gu Yasha, 15 Zhang Rui, 12 Wang Shuang 13 Peng Fengyue, 8 Tan Ruyin 2 Liu Shanshan, 6© Li Dongna, 5 Wu Haiyan, 4 Gao Chen 1 Zhao Lina Sweden (Pia Sundhage): Schough for #10 Sofia Jakobsson; Samuelsson for #9 Kosovare Asllani (and Rubensson to LM?); Sembrant for #4 Emma Berglund. ~~~~~~~~ 12 Olivia Schough, 8© Lotta Schelin, 13 Fridolina Rolfö 17 Caroline Seger, 7 Lisa Dahlkvist, 16 Elin Rubensson 6 Magdalena Eriksson, 3 Linda Sembrant, 5 Nilla Fischer, 15 Jessica Samuelsson 1 Hedvig Lindahl
09' 0-0 RSA through-ball from circle top left, #20 Kgatlana turns fast through arc tangent left to 15m center. Aline slides under her, shot saved with torso, takes laces across her left shoulder. Aline stays down in discomfort, play continues. 15' 0-0 Brasil through-ball to 10m mid-right, Raquel runs on, Barker slides out and pokes it away. Raquel tumbles over her, no call. 16' 0-0 RSA chip from midfield mid-right past box right foot, too far for Smeda. 24' 0-0 Tamires runs on and shoots hard left foot from arc top left to 1/3 right, Barker palms it over crossbar. 25' 0-0 Brasil right ck to 5m 1/5 left, Barker catches. Punt bounces (or is flicked?) into a footrace to Brasil's box top -- but it bounces to Aline. 29' 0-0 Andressinha passes square right from arc top box left. Quick pass down mid-left lets Tamires turn past the RB, to 8m mid-left -- her plant foot slips as she shoots, Barker sprawls and smothers.
[CHN-SWE] 27' 0-0 Sweden counter across circle top, long ground pass through box top mid-left sends Schelin(?) chasing to 5m wide left. Schelin cuts back through box left to 12m, ball poked away -- China out-footwork Sweden, midfielder spin-shields LB #6 Eriksson at 24m mid-left, clears ball upfield and gets pulled over a leg throw. Foul on Eriksson. 32' 0-0 #12 Wang Shuang leans left foot out -- rakes Dahlkvist's foot?? Foul on China? 33' 0-0 Eriksson fk at 40m center, driven chest-high into box, bounces out off torsos. HT 0-0.
[RSA-BRA] 33' 0-0 Brasil cross high from ~box right, Barker catches at right post high. 34' 0-0 Andressinha shoots from ~arc top right, wide left low. Brasil with most of the attacks, but South Africa are a very disciplined bunch, and play pretty good technical soccer. 35' 0-0 LB(?!) #6 Tamires drives down wide left to 5m, #17 Smeda slide-tackles off her and over. 37' 0-0 RSA turn at 30m arc left with a huge hole before them, dribble to 24m. Pass to box top right, quick cross toward spot -- headed away. Motlhalo(?) collects, dances away from 1 to box top, rounds 2 centerward -- finally drives back in and loses ball on a 4th defender's shins. 39' 0-0 Debinha drives centerward to box top mid-left, blasts left foot curl to right post, Barker dives but knows she's short -- off right post hard, glances rightward. RSA counter up wide left to #10 Motlhalo looking behind -- Bruna steps up and shoulder-charges her chest, Motlhalo rotates her feet above her head and goes down like a plank. Foul, yellow card on Bruna. 43' 0-0 Van Wyk runs forward toward circle back right to blast a ball deep, Andressinha flies in sideways and cleats Van Wyk in the soft inner part of the right knee/thigh. Both feel pain, Andressinha actually stays down longer -- jammed something? Yellow card on Andressinha. 45+2' (of +1') 0-0 Brasil fk at 24m wide right, sailed to 4m 4-left, Barker catches high. HT 0-0.
Shame on NBC for not airing this match. Idgaf about gymnastics or swimming. They could have aired this match on CNBC..
46' 0-0 Brasil subs in (1 of 3) #10 Marta for #6 Tamires. 48' 0-0 RSA chip high from circle top toward arc top right, 1-v-2 chase. Kgatlana(?) somehow sneaks a foot past, shoots from ~16m mid-right -- rocket wide right into endboards. 52' 0-0 Marta passes to arc top right, continues her run across arc top leftward, receives return pass. Dribbles around 3 to 16m mid-left, chips back toward spot -- Van Wyk heads away. RSA outlet quickly up right touch, cross to 15m center but only Brasil defenders are there. 54' 0-0 Poliana serves down box right, #15 Jane slide-tackles over. 54' 0-0 Marta right ck, to 5m mid-left. Raquel mis-plays the bounce -- up into her arm? 55' 0-0 Brasil nice through-ball to Raquel at 7m mid-left, #4 Matlou clears into far touch. 56' 0-0 Brasil left throw-in, cleared away. Serve from the left to 8m 1/4 left, back-header through traffic directly into Barker's hands -- good positioning, best hands we've seen today 57' 0-0 Raquel (now on the right; they switch a lot) spins ccw down wide right to 2m, LB #3 Vilakazi trips or kicks her foot. Foul, yellow card on Vilakazi.
[CHN-SWE] 51' 0-0 LB #2 Wang Shanshan left throw-in at own 15m, RB Samuelsson fouls? 52' 0-0 Crafty midfield ping. China backpass to Zhao Lina. 61' 0-0 Rolfö turns down box right to 2m, low cross through 4m, Zhao smothers without rebound as Schough(?) slides up centerline into net behind her. 62' 0-0 Sweden subs in (1 of 3) #9 Kosovare Asllani for #7 Lisa Dahlkvist. 70' 0-0 #17 Gu Yasha spins cw away from a logjam to box top left, shoots on the turn -- wide left toward side netting, Lindahl catches. China want a corner kick, not given. 71' 0-0 Schelin chases LB #2 Wang Shanshan down box right, grabs left shoulder with right hand from behind and hauls Wang around into a 180 spin-and-sit. Foul. 72' 0-0 #13 Peng(?) lags a perfect 30m pass down mid-right, somebody chases it to 4m, good ball stop. Sweden jam the center with numbers, China meekly backpass and dribble away -- past arc top Gu Yasha shoots from ~arc top left, saved?
Maybe Brazil is just playing safe. A draw would still win them the group. Even a loss would still win them the group unless China defeats Sweden by 6 goals.
[RSA-BRA] 61' 0-0 Debinha chases into box top right for a fast ground pass -- too fast, Barker picks it up at 14m and promptly throws it upfield. Matlhalo shoots from ~17m mid-right to goalline center, Aline catches. 64' 0-0 Marta stutter-drives down wide left to 8m, shross outswings past right 90 and over. 65' 0-0 #15 Jane shoots just wide left? 65' 0-0 South Africa subs in (1 of 3) #14 Sanah Mollo for #10 Linda Motlhalo. 71' 0-0 Brasil shoots from ~arc right to 1/6 left high, Barker up-dives and pushes it over. That's how you use the trailing hand! 72' 0-0 Marta drives down box left, perfect slide-tackle over. 73' 0-0 Andressinha left ck, cleared away. Andressa Alves shoots from ~arc top, just wide right low. 74' 0-0 #14 Mollo dribbles loose to arc top box right, shoots on the run, rising -- off Mônica's left fist tucked against ribs as she hopped and turned away for a back-block. Ball deflects to endline mid-right, Aline dives for it but can't catch. 75' 0-0 South Africa right ck, nothing. Brasil longball bounces up centerline for somebody chasing alone, too far, Barker is alertly up at 15m to catch it. Barker is sharp.
[CHN-SWE] 78' 0-0 Sweden subs in (2 of 3) #4 Emma Berglund for RCB #5 Nilla Fischer. 80' 0-0 Sweden right throw-in, heaved down box right. Asllani chases #6 Li Dongna shielding, reaches around her at 1m and pokes ball off her, and over. Corner! 81' 0-0 Sweden right ck, cleared rightward to 10m mid-right. Chip cross, but Sweden pancake somebody, foul. 83' 0-0 China subs in (1 of 3) #11 Wang Shanshan for #12 Wang Shuang. 86' 0-0 #17 Gu Yasha leaps awkwardly for a Drunken Monkey clearance, lands on left buttock, pops back up and goes back down with acute pain. Trainer, Gu walks gingerly into touch. 89' 0-0 China subs in (2 of 3) #7 Li Ying for #17 Gu Yasha. 90+3' (of +3') 0-0 Yellow card on #13 Peng Fengyue. FT 0-0.
[RSA-BRA] 80' 0-0 Brasil fk at 22m mid-right, blocked over endline right. 80' 0-0 Brasil right ck, sailed over mouth to 4m 6-left, header skids down to 6m. Quick one-touch shot rises way high. 82' 0-0 Brasil subs in (2 of 3) #2 Fabiana for #5 Thaìsa. 83' 0-0 Brasil leap for a header(?) at 4m right post, Barker blocks it up and rightward. 85' 0-0 Brasil low shot to 1/3 left, Barker sprawls and blocks it over. 88' 0-0 Raquel croodles over a through-ball to 8m 6-left -- last-gasp slide-tackle deflects ball over bar. 89' 0-0 Brasil chip up centerline to 14m, Raquel runs on and lifts waist-high right instep chip -- Barker pushes it wide with right hand already high. She's been pretty magical -- hey come play for South Africa for the summer, play Brasil in Brasil and stone them cold 90+1' (of +3') 0-0 Brasil fk at 25m mid-right, deflected(?) down to 4m box right. Cross to 4m left post, jumping scrum can't turn it goalward, RSA clear. 90+2' (of +3') 0-0 Brasil fast cross from 6m box right, sliding tackle at 6-top right post blocks it over endline. 90+3' (of +3') 0-0 Brasil right ck, bounces around with Barker distracted -- RSA clear it, Brasil lose it into far touch? FT 0-0.
Group E: 7+7 (+8-1) E1.Brasil 4-1 (+2-3) E2.China 4-3 (+2-5) E3.Sweden -- eliminates New Zealand 1-3 (=0-3) South Africa
Playoffs (QFs, and paired lines are the SFs): E1.BRA-AUS.3Fg G1.USA-SWE.3Ef F1.CAN-FRA.2G E2.CHN-GER.2F
Am I being unfair to be reminded of the West Germany-Austria men's game in 1982? I guess that China would have had to lose pretty heavily to be eliminated, so maybe the analogy is off.