Re: Happy Birthday Silvana! for a second there you had me flipping out for missing a CWNT players' bday ... but ... er ... silvana's birthday is on may 10th ... i checked at a few places too to be sure. but either way, it'll be intersting to see what coach pellerud will do with his lineup w/izzy injured elaine
Nice article about both teams and the rising popularity of women's soccer: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/WorldCup/Women/2003/10/05/218178.html
The referee for this game, Elovirta Katriina, has done two games so far this tournament. She did the Japan-Argentina match and the China-Australia match.
Though I'm happy for Canada's progress over the years, it's pretty hard for me to cheer their style. I guess I'll be pulling for Sweden with their quicker and cleaner physical approach. That Jane Toernqvist is an absolute doll too. Her awareness and composure on defense reminds me a lot of Baresi. I can't believe MasterCard's All-Star ballot has her listed as a forward!?! And their options for midfield are a bit short while the forwards section is overstacked. http://promotions.yahoo.com/fifamc_2003/static/ballot_en.html
Accuracy of Information at the FIFA site Sorry, but I guess I should have known better than to trust the FIFA site and post any personal information about a Canadian player without double checking with Elaine first. (BTW - did you receive any of the PMs I have sent to you during the past couple of days Elaine??) It doesn't look like anyone was double-checking a lot of the information that was posted at the FIFA site because I came across a lot of mistakes in articles posted at the Norwegian site. In any event, here's the link to the FIFA information about Silvana Burtini that incorrectly gives her birth date as October 5, 1969: 17 BURTINI Silvana
"Though I'm happy for Canada's progress over the years, it's pretty hard for me to cheer their style. I guess I'll be pulling for Sweden with their quicker and cleaner physical approach. That Jane Toernqvist is an absolute doll too. Her awareness and composure on defense reminds me a lot of Baresi. I can't believe MasterCard's All-Star ballot has her listed as a forward!?! And their options for midfield are a bit short while the forwards section is overstacked" All true and no Swiatek for goalkeeper either. Go Canada! But I have liked the Swedes as well. Underdog rules apply then. The place'll be rocking cause it's Soccer tonight!
Sweden has had a ton of chances and just missed high or wide. Canada takes advantage of their chance, Lang with a rocket shot off the free kick, 1-0 Canada. A Canada-Germany final could be ugly, style wise.
It's too bad that everyone has left. I didn't see much of the first hal, but this has been some of the most exciting soccer, male or female, I've seen all year.
They've been chasing Sweden the entire match. Valiant effort by Canada, but Sweden played very well tonight.
Great performance by both teams but Pellerud gave in too early. Should have kept on Latham to counter-balance the bunker defense. She was their best offensive player tonight. She could have given them more time to get downfield. But overall Canada just didn't have the energy after the late goal. That being said, Sweden has the attacking tandem in the world right now.
Too bad. Hate that bunker style. Timko belongs in mid-field, but what can you do............. Sweden deserved to win with all those chances, but man oh man did Canada almost pull it off!
SON OF A .... so close. Good game, back and forth. Sweden had the better chances and they finished when it counted. Lang strike was a beaut. Both of Sweden's were beaut's and smart. We were close.
SO FRICKEN CLOSE! But you knew after they scored the first, then they kept pressuring and we could barely clear it let alone create a chance for ourselves that we weren't going to take it. I mean, I still had faith, but they were creating so many chances.
Yeah, I know, Canada started the second half not so bad. Thought they really took it to the Swedes, then Lang scored Canada bunkered and got shelled! Nice bizarre call by the ref in the second half. The one where she called the ball back for a foul on Hooper after the Swedish player had got safely around Hooper and was heading towards the goal. Clearly the Swedes were unhappy and really who could blame them............. Thought Sweden owned the first half and we had a few horseshoes.
We shouldn't have bunker after Kara's goal. It shuld have been OBVIOUS to Even that Sweden's strikers were far to quick for our defenders (I think each of them were made to look fairly silly on a couple occasions). Our bunker shortened the field ... to half the size ... and gave Sweden more chances to hold the ball and create chances then they would hav normally had if we had continued doing what we were doing. We are at our best when Kara is running that god damn flank, not sitting on a back line.
11 minutes from a silver medal. Well done Canada!! Next stop the Olympics. Hope we have our back line healthy.