International friendlies 2023

Added info: Caroline G. Hansen and Sophie Haug scored for Norway. Telma Encarnação scored for Portugal.

 

#WWC2023 Preperation matches

Overnight Results

Norway 🇳🇴 2-1 Portugal 🇵🇹

Jamaica 🇯🇲 1-0 Morocco 🇲🇦

— Wosoworld (@karlyboy71) July 16, 2023

 

#Womensinternationals@raffacarolina @DiarioFFeminino @rflalves @dnllopes0 @JoseRomanh93 @Karri_Kemyst @GolazodelGringo

Result

Kosovo 2-0 Leichtenstein
Donjeta Halilaj 75
Rrezona Ramadani 80

— Wosoworld (@karlyboy71) July 16, 2023

 

Indeed the japanese referee, incompetent and/or stupidily impressed by the australian crowd (or maybe acting according to some recommendations...) didn't "see" the clear foul in the penalty area. For the australian team playing in front of its 50000 supporters, no fouls called nor penalty against them. Very simple.

It is the real issue. Allowing a team make fouls, without thinking to the potental bad consequences and taking the risk of injuries., it's exactly what happened until this last foul by Raso on Bacha. At the 96 th minute, few seconds before the end of the match; Raso tackled Bacha, did she play the ball, humm, what for, the ball, no, she preferred play Bacha 's ankle... In front of her supporters, Idiot Raso forgot it was a friendly, few days before the WC, and the end of the match. Or she didn't care ...

After RMI at Melbourne 's hospital, Bacha sufers a sprain and it's sure she won't play the first match against Jamaica. We hope she will be able to play later (likely not before the round of 16 if France qualify), But maybe she will have to give up the WC. French staff didn't announce her forfeit, the deadline to call an other player is july 22.

And all that mess because of a totally incompetent referee, one more in the galaxy of stupid inept female referees. Oh, i was going to forget : not even a litlle yellow card for Raso.
lol
I wish her, **at least** the same.

Selma Bacha off Injured pic.twitter.com/YsAeGL6Jhr

— BIG DEMZ (@Unbothe93192853) July 14, 2023

 

The japanses referee : " oh sumimasen !"
Too late morron, Go back to Japan for the division 3 matches

 

from The Guardian:
Ireland players ‘feared for their bodies’ in abandoned Colombia friendly

 

U mean like during the Euro final match where VAR didn't see Williamson 's handball , arm raised 30 cm in front of the goal line, preventing the ball entering in the net ? Hahaha !
Given the pitiful level of skill of the central referees, assistant referees and those behind the screens, the matches are almost a coin toss.

 

Yes, a few of the Matildas played a bit too physical game for me. Because so close to World Cup. A bit risky! Anyway, they must know that the fouls they pulled won't fly with VAR. And now teams know what to expect and will plan accordingly. So, I am not sure what they were thinking. But I guess all's well that ends well.

 

Ho, fantastic !!
But maybe too late for the french team. And if we fail quickly, the other teams can at least thank us for showing the way. Is there a prize for that ?

 

Imho it was normal shoulder to shoulder fight for a ball, no kicking, not even trying to put opponent to the ground. Bacha lost her balance a bit and put her weight on her foot at the wrong angle, but I can't see Raso kicking it.

 

How about this challenge by the French player at the :39 second mark?

The Matildas did beat France 1-0, but Sam Kerr and Tameka Yallop were injured, all just days out from the FIFA Women's World Cup | @LucasRinaldo_ @TheMatildas @10FootballAU #WeAreMatildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone #AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/N2YSgyd6qv

— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) July 15, 2023

 

I agree. There is no evidence of any kicking contact between Raso and Bacha. Raso had every right to chase for that ball and try to toe poke it. Bacha just stepped wrong on her own foot.

 

I don't think the physicality was one sided. Both sides seemed happy to do whatever the referee let them get away with.

 

I'm struggling to say something about the Australia / France friendly and the refereeing. I examined the first 55 minutes or so of the match along with the unfortunate injury to Selma Bacha, who I hope will recover during the group stage. I know I'll eventually say something way too long-winded, but for now I I'll side against those who think the referee was poor, incompetent, biased.

As a couple people said, either here or in the USA forum, this was an enjoyable match to watch; and I have a general rule that the aesthetics of a match is an indicator of the standard of refereeing. An enjoyable match between good opponents, where you can see the quality of the talent and which invites thinking about the tactics of the teams is usually sign of reasonably well-refereed match.

It was a fast, physical match but I didn't see Australia playing negatively or cynically or out-of-control.

Referees can't be perfect, but when Australia fouled, they were called for fouls. We can certainly have a discussion on a few calls, such as the Geyoro shout for a PK in the first half and , I suppose, Raso's challenge on Bacha where Bacha got hurt — but they weren't emboldened to become cynical and rash by the referee.

 

I think she let go too many fouls and did not give enough cards. Saying that I will say the same thing for the referee at the u-19 euros between Czechia and France

 

The referee, Asaka Koizumi, didn't get off to a great start, missing a foul almost at the beginning; just after 0'30 when the Villainess Hayley Raso clips Bacha in France's defensive end, Bacha hopping on one foot a couple times before playing the ball out of the back
The match, for now, by the way is on YouTube https://youtu.be/JPrQqu2jHWo?t=691

In the 1st half the video is 11 minutes ahead of the game clock
At about 2'05 Gorry (AUS) blocks Diani heavily with her legs (Foul called)
At about 5'35 Foord (AUS) takes down a France player with her foot.(Foul called)
So in first 5 minutes, foul-wise, it's not a great start by Australia. Three fouls, all obvious, the first one missed by the CR, Koizumi. On the other hand, Koizumi has blown the whistle twice on AUS, so the message isn't being sent that she's going to let everything go.

***
But is the referee letting too much go by Australia early in the game? We can take a look at some complaints by France

7'20 France attempts to pass to Le Sommer running diagonally in midfield with an Australian right by her. It's shoulder-to-shoulder and the defender isn't giving Le Sommer any running room. Is there a hold or a shirt grab? I can't see it myself, but even if there is, is it something we expect referees to always catch?

11'55 on a throw in, Cooney-Cross (AUS) has an arm on Le Sommer, but as Le Sommer breaks to the ball, she gets separation from Cooney-Cross. Le Sommer goes down and looks to the referee, but there's no call.

One important thing in refereeing is to not feel like there has to be a call, every time a player hits the ground. A ref shouldn't send a signal that to get a foul called, all you have to do is go to ground. It's a contact sport. Reasonable contact is expected and a no-call is probably the correct call here

17'40 our future Villainess Raso (she's very busy this game) makes excellent back-track to deflect ball and create a turnover. As Australia tries to counter, Raso gets taken down by Dali sliding into the side of her legs.

Why is France complaining so much? Why are they complaining here? I don't believe Dali gets the ball, and even if she did, she appears to knock down Raso before the ball. It's not a big deal; it's not a violent tackle; but it's a simple foul.

Why is France complaining so much in the 18th minute — unless it's to encourage their fans to do the same (tee-hee!) It's a good game between good teams. But at this point, as far as kvetching about the referee, France has lost a fair amount of credibility with me

***
A more significant, and a t least plausible, complaint is when Selma Bacha gets fouled heavily a little after 26'40; (<-link to the play) France playing nicely out of traffic, switching the ball to the near touchline and springing an attack to Bacha running on a parallel track. She gets tripped by Gorry (AUS) and collides heavily with the Villainess Raso (again!) who has stepped up to block her way.

The heavy collision makes a plausible case for a yellow card, but I notice a clean, honest attempt by both Gorry and Raso to make a play. Gorry tries to stop her challenge short, keeping her studs down and not reaching fully with her leg. She still trips Bacha, so it's a clear foul, but the only reason there's a heavy collision is because Raso has taken up a position in Bacha's path, but not doing anything wrong.

A yellow card here would probably be OK for what referees may call "game management" reasons, to soothe Frances' feelings (and the feelings of its fans, tee-hee!). But it's also OK that the referee sees what she sees, which is no real fault on anyone for the resulting impact.

***
I'll leave this here for the moment. Later on, I may post links to a few segments of the 1st half, 3-4 minutes long, which show what a good competitive, well-played game this is by both sides.

When a game has aesthetic value even in the non-highlight moments, it's an indication, I believe, of a well-refereed game, one in which, A) teams can show their quality because they're not being fouled out of the game, and B) teams can play hard because they can't just look for the referee to bail them out with soft calls

 

Senoir Friendly
FT: 🇲🇦 Morroco 0-2 Zambia 🇿🇲
[Banda bags brace]

U23 Friendly
FT: 🇲🇦 Morocco 2-3 Iceland 🇮🇸 pic.twitter.com/rrbFOq6LND

— JWsports1 ⚽️ (@JWsports1) September 22, 2023

 

The Ferns continue their disappointing run losing 0-3 to lower ranked Chile in their first of 2 away friendlies in Santiago, Chile.

Having said that the referees tend to favor the home team too much in Chile. They again handed a red card to Wilkinson just like they did to Sara Eggesvik of the Philippines when they visited Chile when the replay showed Sara committed no foul while a Chilean player was clearly guilty of a handball in the penalty box turning a potential draw or win to a 0-1 loss to Chile. The Philippines were forced to finish the rest of the game a woman down.

 

wonder why Malawi isn't participating in the WAFCON qualifiers?

 

Solomon Islands and Vanuatu will play a pair of friendlies in Honiara on Nov. 3 & 7.

 

The matches were cancelled.