77' 0-3 China scored while I was out. The near-side AR could start a Hottest AR thread Edit: China through-ball down box left, #17 chases to 3m box left and hits Gretzky's thin shot.
With Canada's problems scoring goals they may not get out of group. how big a disaster would that be?
China can steal games, Netherlands can score goals and New Zealand doesnt give up many. Canada is going to need Sinclair and Tancredi to return to Olympic form.
China is running riot. 5-0 now, all goals in the second half. I realize it's Argentina, but they are playing some beautiful stuff. Edit: 6-0! And somewhere, Herdman is pacing around nervously watching this.
86' 0-4 China dominating possession like a cyclone at 20m wide right, exchanging quick 1-2s that Argentina disrupt but can't clear. Finally the RB #4(?) overlaps past them both, perfect diagonal pass leads her down through 3m box right. She creeps patiently to 1m mid-right, crosses hard toward 6-top center -- blocked out, but it drops to #25 trailing at 6-top right. Half-volley down, deflects off same defender, across mouth under sprawling GK into left side netting. 88' 0-5 And before I could press Enter ... China ping down to 3m box right, #17(?) sprints in stride and crosses one-touch to 4m 6-right. #15 Wang cuts diagonally, lunges past 1 with right foot extended, flick-redirects ball between GK and right post. China take that tiebreaker over Brasil's 4-0 ... 90' 0-6 And before I could ... China through-ball from 27m arc right to #25 cutting diagonally to arc top right, she shoots Lloyd's shot across mouth, past GK's dive, bounces into left back low. +2'
90+2' (of +2') 0-6 China left corner, eventually cleared across. FT 0-6. 2nd half highlights looked like U-17 Japan beating the drum. Argentina GK's saves were their highlights ...
The studio crew is classic. A bunch of older, normal-looking men with resonant voices, and a gorgeous, busty woman in a miniskirt. Typical.
I mean, Fox definitely dolls up Mitts and Osborne. But this is another level. Objectifying of beautiful women aside, I am impressed by the resources Brazilian TV is giving to women's soccer. They are even sending reporters to cover the U.S. training sessions apparently.
And they lead off the Brasil-USA pre-game with Solo's ESPN Body Issue footage!! Dang -- we don't get that kind of coverage here ...
Funny if, after all this attention, Ellis decided not to start Hope. It probably won't happen but would be a good idea in my opinion to see how Harris and Naeher handle a more high pressure game. Give them each a half.
Because the USMNT is not expected to win. They are well known to be behind the curve in the men's game. The USWNT is expected to win and continues to be one of the top teams in the world. Klinnsman has brought in a ton of playerss, but he has done nothing good yet. They have not played a better style of soccer yet. They are not winning games with possession. They did not get farther in the World Cup then they did the previous 2 times. They only got out of their group by the same attributes they have always had, scrappiness, heart, physicality, and playing the full 90 minutes. They also leaned on Tim Howard playing out of his mind and having one of the best WC performances ever to keep them in games. I did not like the Ellis hire, I still don't like it based on what we have seen so far. I liked the Sermanni hire. I also thought he needed to quit bringing in everyone and their sister. He needed to find and settle on playing/training some newer players that he felt really had a chance to make the 2015 WWC roster, maybe 5 of them. He didn't need to bring in every NCAA or NWSL player of the week. I don't think he should have been fired, but he definitely needed to tone it down because it was not helping the USWNT beat top ranked teams. Anyway, there is definitely a large reason for the USWNT and USMNT to be lead differently. Two different teams in two totally different situations.
This midfield will be a hot mess. Heath and Rapinoe will stay wide, reading to whip in crosses (Pinoe) and take on from the dribble (Heath). They'll be looking for Leroux and Wambach in the middle. Lloyd will run wherever she wants. And Holiday will be stranded by herself trying to contain the Brazilian attacking midfielders. ...unless somehow they all discover some positional discipline in the next hour. On the plus side, yay Chalupny! Would rather see her grit in midfield though. We have solid outside backs!
The Abby at #10 needs to stop. Even though this will likely look like a 4-4-2 as the game wears on. Glad to see Chalupny get the start
I dont need to hear any more about the 4-3-3 getting forwards into the game...they have two and one of those is in the midfield.