https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_FIFA_Women's_World_Cup The 2023 WWC Draw is fast approaching - - - - - like late night Friday/early morning Saturday approaching. Here in the States, the Draw will take place on Saturday Morning at 2:30 a.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. CT and 11:30 p.m. Friday on the California Coast where McSkillz will be holding a Vigil. These times are confirmed by my handy dandy DISH Network Programing Guide. FS1 has the coverage and will have a 30 minute “Pre-Draw Show”. The top 15 Teams from the FIFA World Rankings will be represented except for the bad-Korea (#10). One look at the Pots and your imagination can conjure up some delicious Group possibilities. It’s a little unstable that there are 3 spots still open and won’t be filled until late February 2023. Notably, Chile and Portugal still have a chance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_...ation_(inter-confederation_play-offs)#Group_A Gaze upon the Trophy, just look, it is OURS. Its rightful place is within the geographical borders of the U.S. It is as much a part of the United States of America as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. As I will be in Australia, it’s coming home - - - - - - - - one way or the other.
So Canada cannot be drawn into the US group and China, South Korea, & Japan cannot be drawn into the Australia group, if I understand the rules correctly. US, Netherlands, Denmark, Nigeria looks to be the toughest outcome, since we couldn't get the other EUFA teams into our group if we already have two from that confederation.
7 hours out and I'm pacing and chain smoking......and this is just the DRAW. I'm such a mess but you all already knew that. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2022/10/five-things-to-know-womens-world-cup-draw If I'm ready this right, we'll draw into the 1 position in Pot C - H. If so, no 5 hour flights to Perth which is good.
AAAAAaaarrrrrgh. 30 minutes in and no Draw. I have hotel reservations to make. Ryan sitting next to Vlatko. AAAAAaaarrrrrgh. 38 minutes, 35 seconds in and no Draw
US is in the group with Vietnam, Netherlands, and Group A playoff winner... How many goals will US score against Vietnam? I think goal differential is important... Playoff winner is probably Portugal...Not a big deal for US... I think the coach of Vietnam should look for Vietnamese-American players who play in US colleges...Such players could be helpful...That could be a difficult task... I do not know if Vietnam team will earn any point during group stage...I just hope that the team does not lose by big margins...Losing 0-10 does not help grow the popularity of women's soccer...In my opinion... By the way, it was nice to see Alexi Lalas helping out in New Zealand...
As good a draw as we could have hoped for. Certainly better than any I can remember. 1) easy travel. One hour flights all the way to the final if we win the group. One four hour round trip if we come in second in group. 2) rest days between games are also favorable. For once we aren’t starting our cup nearly a week after the start of competition. Again, if we win group that’s also pretty good. This will be important with older players. 3) Netherlands will be a good team and Parsons will have them ready, but they aren’t the quality of a full strength USA squad ( assuming we have a full strength squad). 4) the USA avoids 5 of the top 7 teams in the World until the final. The folks that spend most of their time in Australia will be beating up on each other in the knockout rounds. 5) we didn’t draw Sweden for once.( couldn’t , we were both in pot 1. ) They have the best record against the USA of any team. Of course, we will probably have to get by them in the KO round. I see them as the big obstacle to the final.
USA really lucked out with the travel element. In a tournament as spread out as this, that is a huge benefit. For USWNT fans looking to make the global trek, it's nice to just fly into Aukland and not have to travel by plane for the entire group stage. As I noted in the International forum, the lack of repeat matchups from previous World Cups is refreshing. Compared to the 2019 draw, Brazil vs. Jamaica is the only one (for now). If Cameroon or Thailand win their playoff bracket, we will have one other repeat (USA vs. Thailand, or Netherlands vs. Cameroon). Portugal favored in that bracket however, so either of those is less likely. Despite them being a theoretically tougher matchup, I am rooting for Portugal. They were entertaining in the Euros, just beat Iceland 4-1 in their last playoff game, and would be making their World Cup debut. I'm always in favor of variety! Thailand and Cameroon qualified in both 2015 and 2019. Plus, having Thailand and Vietnam in the same group would be kinda disappointing. As for the other playoff brackets, I hope Haiti can make it! Dumornay is a real talent. Chile was there in 2019 and were pretty boring to watch, with the exception of Endler's saves. Never seen Senegal play so I can't comment. The final bracket (Chinese Taipei, Paraguay, Panama, PNG) looks to be the weakest. I'll be cheering for Panama, mostly for Yenith Bailey's sake. That woman deserves the global spotlight (and a move to a higher profile club). Maybe I'm just biased toward CONCACAF representation! Pretty cool if USA, Canada, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Haiti and Panama all were present.
Just want to say that I've been to New Zealand in 2009 and 2014. It's a wonderful country. I've been to many places in the North and South Islands. Including Auckland (where international flights land), Wellington (the nation's capital), Christchurch (the most English part of the nation), Rotorua (a fascinating center of Maori culture), and Napier (the Art Deco Capital of the World!). I've also taken the glorious ride on the TranzAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch. If any of you heading there for World Cup games have time to explore the North and/or South Islands, you will be very lucky in that non-soccer way.
Soooooooooo, the WWC Draw is completed, the strategic reservations for the establishment of the Auckland Beachhead have been executed. 270 days to the first WWC Match so what is there to do now…………………. Let the Season of predictions and wild-*ssed speculation beginnnnnn !!!!!! I couldn’t resist preparing this Round of 16 Bracket based on Group results following the FIFA World Rankings (Group and 1st and 2nd place references). And yes, I realize that many of my fellow posters do not accept and embrace the FIFA Women’s World Rankings as the Holy Gospel according to John. Take a gander at the potential path of the Fightin Tancredi’s…..hmmm, HMMMMMM. They mentioned the Teams on the opposite side of the U.S. Bracket on the Fox Draw Show but I don’t remember them pointing out the 800-pound Gorilla potential quarterfinal matchup of England vs. Germany – Holy Cr*p. Circle your calendars, save the date, e-mail your boss today …….talk about a total stop down.
along with an underwhelming performance at Euros(completely out played in the quarters by an French team missing so many of their best thanks to their idiotic coach, lol) as well as that 1-5 warm up loss to England(giving up 4 goals in about 15 minutes?), and that’s with considering so much to choose from; strong performance by the u20 squad & all Dutch Ajax club who took the Uber stacked Arsenal to the wire in Champions League, as well as seeing the 3 Dutch starters perform so well for Wolfsburg(possibly the 2nd best club in Europe). Also a lot of ‘abuse’ charges levels at his former Thorns club at management & an former coach. Parsons didn’t get accused himself , but it feels like he should of known about it(as these abuses were kept quiet for an long time) but getting back to this thread; yeah, forgot Holland’s in our group. People got to remember that the Dutch outplayed the over-the-hill gang at the last Olympics, but lost the PK shootout. So definitely a formidable opponent for the US, especially with our own very iffy coach who can’t seem to utilize the NWSL’s 12 full time professional clubs as well as the 30K college age players at his disposal(all other countries would die to have that much talent available). Just yesterday KC(without any regular USWNT’s) wipeout the Reign(with 4 of Vlatko’s preferred starters) in the NWSL semis.
I am surprised that the Philippines is not getting as much coverage or commentary on the US forums. Most of their players are Fil Ams and are products of US NCAA colleges some of whom play in top tier clubs in Europe. I think with the Philippines being grouped in Grp A which is a comparatively even group with no top ten ranked teams they have a good chance of pulling some surprises and advancing even from the Pot 4 position in the draw.
This is a completely irresponsible post. A thourough report full of all the details of what happened is public record and contains not a peep about Parsons. Neither has there been a peep about Parsons in any of the other reporting on the incidents.
At least on BS, there really isn't that much commentary about the USWNT. It hypes up around games, but otherwise, will go days without much commentary. I'm not sure where the discussion happens, but it's not here. It is a good story, but no one in the US women's side of journalism really talks about Americans playing for other NTs. Jamaica went to the last WWC with a heavy US roster but didn't get much coverage. There are usually a number of formerly US-eligible players on other teams as well, but you might see an article about it just before the WC.
I feel for Vietnam in our group, with tie-breakers based on goal differential, and the other three teams viewing them as an easy 3 points, it would not surprise me if they get put in a very deep hole. Not knowing anything about the team though, who knows, they might have the defense to avoid being demoralized and come out with their heads held high.
Yeah Vietnam probably had the toughest draw in the WC but it does give them a chance to play games with some really good teams right off the bat which doesn't happen often for them. Even the team from Pot 4 which is the playoff winner will most likely be a European team (Portugal) the highest ranked in the playoffs. Their main focus at this point would be to find ways to keep the goals against them down since the last time a team(Thailand) from SEA faced the US in the last World Cup they were demolished 13-0.
I understand. I think the PWNT will receive a lot more attention if they manage to spring some surprises over higher ranked teams and advance out of the group stage. Many of the Fil Ams on the PWNT had hopes of facing the USWNT but that won't be possible until the quarterfinals at the earliest which is highly unlikely.