Semifinal #2: USA vs. BRA (9/27; PRE & PBP) [R]

Brazil didnt sub because they wanted to keep scoring and stick it to the US for their past results with us

 

I agree. Was there really a need to be down on Scurry? There are ways to voice displeasure without taking everybody down with you.

 

Marta is the best female player in the world and probably the best female player i have seen. She beat US defenders on the dribble constantly. She outclassed anybody on the field. Wambach isnt close. Marta with her skill and quickness burt our fastest defender and made our whole defense just look terrible. Her performance tonight is the best i have ever seen from a female player. The scariest part is she is only 21 she hasnt even her her peak potential yet not to mention she will play in at least 2 more world cups.

I Just hope Brazil Pounds Germany.

Solo had all the reason to be mad and she is right it isnt 2004 anymore. If Greg Ryan tries to start her against Norway i wonder how she will react. Would she tell him he should stick with Brianna since he already abandoned her?

 

USA - lots of $$$$ in women's soccer and people there pay attention to women's soccer, which means more money for FIFA

Brazil - not so much care or interest in women's soccer and the real doesn't buy a whole lot

FIFA would fix the game for the USA if it was money-based.

 

It's official. The team mutiny is full-on at hand. It seems as if the USSF has one course of action:

1. Fire Ryan. TODAY. Get him the heck away from this team.
2. Only young players and players who haven't played yet start against Norway. No one cares about 3rd/4th place. This is the first friendly before the Olympics.
3. If the players who don't start don't like it, send them home with Ryan.

 

She's got balls saying that...It will probably get her kicked off the team...but KUDOS TO HOPE!

She should have started.

 

She flat-out rules. Very few USSF players, male or female, would have the guts to say what everyone is thinking. Props to her. She can play for me any time.

 

I agree that Scurry takes the on-field responsibility for the OG. As the keeper, it's her job to organize and direct the corner defense; to make the call for "keeper" or "away" in time to permit the defender to respond; and, once she decides to go for the ball, to do so even if it means defending against your teammate. The hesitation caused the goal, and that is a function of lack of playing time/chemistry/confidence. Ryan is a coward and a bastard for not admitting same, because this is EXACTLY why many so vehemently protested the move (and his handling of it) pre-match.

I disagree on any faulting of Scurry for goal 2 (I don't recall, but don't think you blamed her for the goal, so this is for others). As a keeper, you no doubt know that awful feeling of diving in reaction to a shot, then having a deflection redirect your momentum of the dive, however slightly, and then feeling the ball slide off the fingertips. Literally, a quarter inch more hand to the ball and it's wide of the post. Agonizing.

That said, I absolutely agree with the impact on the team of seeing the "shot-stopper" beaten. Again, it's not to blame Scurry, I think she's blameless on the goal. But for the team (and those of us watching), it's the draining effect of seeing goal one caused by the very problem the 'keeper change introduced, then goal two beating the 'keeper at her strength. Devastating.

The OG was a combination of nerves and lack of continuity among the players, and you have covered this quite well in your comments.

Ryan's disavowal of the impact of his stupid decision...If I were his boss, I would have called into the interview room to fire him...live, mid-interview. Prick.

 

article on hope's quotes

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/09/27/hope-solo-rips-ryan-scurry-wrong-decision-i-would-have-ma/

 

Steven Goff's article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/27/AR2007092700756.html?hpid=artslot

 

this has nothing to do with how I accept defeat. Ive been quite vocal about the way they've been playing since the first game REGARDLESS of the outcome. Having watched EVERY WC game the US has played since 95, im pretty familiar with what to expect. This cup they did NOT live up to a top team. I accepted a tough Germany loss in 03 just fine but they didnt play like shit doing it. What I cant accept "graciously" is the lack of basic fundamentals from the US team. I said it back in group play that this team wouldnt make the finals. Hell Im surprised it wasnt sooner with England.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3039111&categoryId=2378529&n8pe6c=2
Link to Hope Solo video... not the video I wanted to see from her...

 

Yes she should have started.

Ryan should have known what a negative life force she would become when he made the decision.

Both should go for the choices they've made.

 

Yeah no doubt Marta is good, but it's pretty easy to shake, rattle & roll when the other team is down 1 defender. And the poor sportsmanship shown by the Brazilian player after Boxx was sent off, just totally classless & low. I think that action verified for me that this was a huge strategy on Brazil's part -- to get a USA player sent off.

If this match heralds the switch to a more male-like game with regards to dives & acting as if mortally wounded, then Brazil better watch out. There's retaliation in the men's game too, will the women be far behind? Maybe an innocent looking leg-injury tackle from behind when no one is looking is on the agenda for Marta or Crisitiane or Daniela.

That said, I just hope Germany pounds Brazil & makes the "Drama Queens" suffer.

Christine S

 

yeah, at first i liked her just because shes pretty . now i like her because she has the guts to stand up to a bad coach. Sometimes players need to call out a coach in the media like this when the coach does a horrible job, just ask the 2002 Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League.

 

I've spent my soccer coaching career recruiting keepers like that. Props to her.

 

I give Hope credit for speaking her mind. It's refreshing to have an athlete actually say how they feel and not tow the party line.

I don't think she would have made a difference today because Brazil played fantastic soccer.

While this is a team sport, it takes individuals to make up a team. Ryan screwed with the chemistry and deserves no sympathy. Brianna was great in the day, but Hope is right. That was then and this is now.

We will never know whether she would have changed things, but kudos to her for having the tenacity to say it.

 

Can't blame Solo for being emotional about this, but whether her outburst is the right course of action is -of course- debateable. I'd be surprised if pressure isn't put on her to issue an apology or retraction of some sort soon, just for the good of the image of the team and the program.

One problem is that she now puts a good deal of pressure on herself if she is selected to start the match against Norway. Stating emphatically that she would have made the saves Scurry missed means she would have almost no margin for error in the third place match, if selected.

 

The comment wasn't from the goal celebration, it was the celebration about Boxx's undeserved second yellow (not even a foul), and Christiana's celebration of the sending off.

At best, over-enthusiastic for that bad call (and I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt). At worst, a bookable offense in its own right, and a no-class move.

 

so the red card was bad but it wasnt even the Brazil players fault it was the referees. Now the reaction to the call was not necessary but Marta was playing well before any player was sent off and the US was losing before any player had been sent off.