USWNT

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Took a 3-0 halftime lead and turned it into a 13-0 beat down.

[BudGirl]

My sister and I are rather disappointed that we'll be going to France after the World Cup.  How much fun would that have been to see them play?

[MRaup]

That was a straight up beatdown. Wow.

[MusicMan]

Alex Morgan’s 5 goals matched the USMNT’s output in the past 2 World Cups.

The team’s 13 goals surpassed the USMNT’s output in the last 3 World Cups.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Alex Morgan’s 5 goals matched the USMNT’s output in the past 2 World Cups.

The team’s 13 goals surpassed the USMNT’s output in the last 3 World Cups.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's almost like many of the best female American athletes play soccer while many of the best male American athletes don't. Or something.

[Noe]

They not only outmatched Thailand but showed the rest of the field that they are here to play. The passing was sharp and precise and Thailand was on their heels all night long. If I'm allowed the mixed sports analogy: it was like watching those mad skilled cross-over dribbles against average defenders. When you see defenders look to close on a play only to already have the other team get pass you and make two additional passes before you're even back in the play, at which point the shot is going on-goal, well... it's pretty much telling you the other side is ready to play at a very high level and you're not.

[drew corleone]

It's almost like many of the best female American athletes play soccer while many of the best male American athletes don't. Or something.

It's not just athletes. Our USMNT is not made up of bad athletes. They're just not as skilled at soccer as Europeans or Latin Americans. We have a population 4x the size of the reigning world champions. There are more than enough athletes to go around.

The best American soccer players at lower levels typically either score goals or play keeper. We've had plenty of those guys at the national level that were good enough for US Soccer to make a splash internationally. The USMNT struggles in the midfield and backfield because we do a poor job at developing those roles. Our soccer leadership is more concerned with getting power than developing a national system, and because of that we continue to fail.

Participation in youth soccer has exploded the past 20 years and ranks highest of all team sports in the US, but where other countries push these kids to academies and develop them from an early age, in the US we have a pay-to-play system and rely more on colleges to produce our top stars. It's not conducive to building a strong national team, regardless of the quality of athletes, yet the first thing anyone ever says is that to compete on the national level we need Lebron James out there.

[subnuclear]

I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure the current US men's team could be competitive against the Men's Thai team.

[Noe]

It's not just athletes. Our USMNT is not made up of bad athletes. They're just not as skilled at soccer as Europeans or Latin Americans. We have a population 4x the size of the reigning world champions. There are more than enough athletes to go around.

The best American soccer players at lower levels typically either score goals or play keeper. We've had plenty of those guys at the national level that were good enough for US Soccer to make a splash internationally. The USMNT struggles in the midfield and backfield because we do a poor job at developing those roles. Our soccer leadership is more concerned with getting power than developing a national system, and because of that we continue to fail.

Participation in youth soccer has exploded the past 20 years and ranks highest of all team sports in the US, but where other countries push these kids to academies and develop them from an early age, in the US we have a pay-to-play system and rely more on colleges to produce our top stars. It's not conducive to building a strong national team, regardless of the quality of athletes, yet the first thing anyone ever says is that to compete on the national level we need Lebron James out there.

Dead spot on!

Adding a few things:

1. There is no viable sports league to engender the type of "Lebron" athlete in the US. Face it, until we have the type of league that the European and South American countries have and pay the type of money they do (and provide the type of competition they do), it's hard to attract US athletes to the game and time and development it takes to be involved. Many of the leagues before the current MLS shot themselves in the foot by trying to change the game and the approach to the game to be more Americanized (as it were) and fail with the gimmicks. Think about it this way: The NBA is where all great basketball players want to be. But there are European, Asian and South American versions of basketball leagues as well. But they can't hold a candle to the NBA in terms of attracting top talent. The NBA is wise in investing in the world game though in order to sustain a presence for all players as the elite league to play in and keep that stranglehold in place.

2. This is the part of being American is all about: Melting Pot of Nationalities. As such, you don't get one set style of play for futbol. Futbol is a world game and the style is dictated by the part of the world you live in. In America, there is no one definitive "American" style of play. Instead, it is a mulligan stew of styles that don't really make it conducive to success. However, the women's game is styled to fit the women's strengths and there is buy-in by the players. The men, however, get taught so many different styles and influences, not one of them sticks long enough to make a difference. This is why Greg Burkhalter and his unique "American" approach to the game is an experiment the USMNT is willing to make. Finally, someone has realized you have a makeup of many different nationalities and influences for the men's style of play, it's practically useless.  Now, after all these years, they are going back to the one time they tried to make the style of play "American" and had success doing it. With Burkhalter, he's either going to push them forward with the athletes he has been given or they are once again going to panic and decide to change it again to whatever version or style of play that is the flavor of the month. Makes for more setbacks and never moving forward as a National team.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

It's not just athletes. Our USMNT is not made up of bad athletes. They're just not as skilled at soccer as Europeans or Latin Americans. We have a population 4x the size of the reigning world champions. There are more than enough athletes to go around.

The best American soccer players at lower levels typically either score goals or play keeper. We've had plenty of those guys at the national level that were good enough for US Soccer to make a splash internationally. The USMNT struggles in the midfield and backfield because we do a poor job at developing those roles. Our soccer leadership is more concerned with getting power than developing a national system, and because of that we continue to fail.

Participation in youth soccer has exploded the past 20 years and ranks highest of all team sports in the US, but where other countries push these kids to academies and develop them from an early age, in the US we have a pay-to-play system and rely more on colleges to produce our top stars. It's not conducive to building a strong national team, regardless of the quality of athletes, yet the first thing anyone ever says is that to compete on the national level we need Lebron James out there.

I don't disagree with any that but it doesn't explain why the USWNT so much more successful that the USMNT?

[subnuclear]

I don't disagree with any that but it doesn't explain why the USWNT so much more successful that the USMNT?

Extremely non-uniform asymmetries of men and women soccer participation by country. Also, the US has a competitive college athletic soccer program which act as a proxy pro league. Given most of the world doesn't have any kind of post-high school support for women's soccer beyond say Olympic teams, this is a big advantage.

[Bench]

Extremely non-uniform asymmetries of men and women soccer participation by country. Also, the US has a competitive college athletic soccer program which act as a proxy pro league. Given most of the world doesn't have any kind of post-high school support for women's soccer beyond say Olympic teams, this is a big advantage.

Right. The US has an infrastructure for the development of women's soccer that the rest of the world doesn't have. Meanwhile, much of the soccer world has an infrastructure for the development of men's soccer that the US doesn't have.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

You all make good points and they are all factors in the success divide between genders, however, I think it is wrong to discount the favored status of other sports in America of having a negative effect on the talent pool for men's soccer.  Also in a different vein, VAR is changing the way the game is played.

[Bench]

You all make good points and they are all factors in the success divide between genders, however, I think it is wrong to discount the favored status of other sports in America of having a negative effect on the talent pool for men's soccer. 

I think it's all part of the same issue. The fact that other men's sports are more favored in the US is why there's more of an infrastructure for those sports than soccer.

Also in a different vein, VAR is changing the way the game is played.

You are correct.

[subnuclear]

I'm not sure the sort of athletes that are good at soccer necessarily overlap with the athletes in US popular sports. Most US sports don't require the stamina and foot-eye coordination and probably 12 other things that a good soccer athlete needs. Conversely, I'm not sure Messi has the size for the NFL or NBA and would need totally different motor skills for MLB.

On the other hand, we'd all like to see someone like Kawhi Leonard play goalie.

[Noe]

I'm not sure the sort of athletes that are good at soccer necessarily overlap with the athletes in US popular sports. Most US sports don't require the stamina and foot-eye coordination and probably 12 other things that a good soccer athlete needs. Conversely, I'm not sure Messi has the size for the NFL or NBA and would need totally different motor skills for MLB.

On the other hand, we'd all like to see someone like Kawhi Leonard play goalie.

Ugh. Not sure what you meant by the Leonard comment, but this is the sort of impressions I got from sports enthusiast when I was a kid. (So it's not what you are saying of course, it's what I used to hear from people that irked me). The black players should be goalies if they ever decide to play soccer because that is where they fit best with their *current* skills. Ugh, ugh, ugh! It used to be a well-known thought process that people said black athletes were also not meant to be quarterbacks in football because they were skilled to do other things... plus not having the mental aptitude for that position. Then there was the mindset that blacks could not play hockey because of the wrong skillset... and of course, they could never compete as Olympic swimmers because of skillset as well.

All those attitudes have changed of course, for the better. An athlete is an athlete is an athlete.  It's not a pre-disposition of skillset, it's a pre-disposition of passion. There is more passion for a sport, not a lack of skill. Skill is learned but said work is only going to happen if the passion to play a sport at a very high level is there. So what do young athletes in America see most on television? NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL way before they see MLS or anything else. I've seen great basketball players fail at playing volleyball because they don't understand how to apply a skill they already have. For example, it's a different approach to jumping in volleyball than it is in basketball. In volleyball, you take the same approach to jumping as a rebounder does, but you jump up not forward before you strike the ball. In basketball, you jump forward to grab the ball, not strike it.  I use the same skillset I used while throwing a baseball that I use to properly strike a volleyball. The arm action, the square of the shoulder, everything is the very same thing... it just needs a translation.

So in short, it's not a lack of athletically gifted players in America, it's a lack of passion to play a game nobody watches and no money can be made unless you are like Pusilic and go to Germany and excel. And I think Messi could do what Altuve did if he had the same passion as Altuve, not the same skillset. Or do what Spud Webb used to do in the NBA.

[BudGirl]

I thought he meant Leonard in goal because he has huge hands.

[Noe]

I thought he meant Leonard in goal because he has huge hands.

Yes, I know. I'm saying what I used to hear as a kid was myopic, not what SN was saying. It just reminded me how some folks view athletes in a compartmentalized view. It was wrong back then, it more wrong now.

Watch this kid play volleyball and then think to yourself "How many coaches in basketball probably thought to themselves... he's playing the wrong sport, he should be playing basketball for me and I can coach him up!". Why? It's not a lost to the sports world that he loves volleyball and one day this will be the best USMT Olympic player (like Loy Ball who made the same decision to play volleyball and gave up basketball and scholarships to great basketball colleges to do so). This kid is amazing with his skills and yes, some of that vertical is all about the same muscles and approaches that the best basketball rebounders and dunker use.  That 10 meter spike is incredible and you only see that sort of attack from professionals playing in Russia, Brazil, France and Italy (where American players go to hone thier skils too). In those European nations, volleyball is a passion for atheletes so they train young. But the Americas started to take back the game American's invented and we get some very passionate players in the West Coast and Northeast and Upper MidWest. Almost the same passion as Football is in Texas and Basketball in Indiana (where Loy Ball is from).

So even without a pro league for those kids growing up, it's still a game of skill they love to play and excel at. But after college, they have nothing left but to pursue it in Europe. America invented this game but gave it up to Europe and Brazil to make into an avenue of pursuit professionally. But see how if you have a passion to play (again like Pusilic going to Germany) you will find a way to make it "your" game. The only thing missing is the passion that Pusilic has for soccer and Loy Ball had for Volleyball and apparently this kid has for volleyball.

America has the best athletes in the world but some of the games they love to play have no avenue of pursuit for a life-long endeavor by said athlete... like track and field, volleyball, soccer, swiming, alpine sports, et. al.

[subnuclear]

I thought he meant Leonard in goal because he has huge hands.

And is a fantastic rebounder overall. Does it translate into being a goalie overall? Don't know. Would like to see.

[subnuclear]

And I think Messi could do what Altuve did if he had the same passion as Altuve, not the same skillset. Or do what Spud Webb used to do in the NBA.

I disagree. I think being able to track a baseball as well as Altuve does is a very rare gift and the same for Messi and ball control (and whatever else he does) and I don't think one translates into another and it can only be learned to a certain extent.

Tim Tebow is an amazing and passionate athlete, but can he learn to hit a baseball at the MLB level? What's missing if he can't?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I think athletes like Myles Straw or Mike Trout or Russell Wilson or Steph Curry or Sidney Crosby could have been great soccer players if it were their passion and they played from an early age.

[Noe]

I think athletes like Myles Straw or Mike Trout or Russell Wilson or Steph Curry or Sidney Crosby could have been great soccer players if it were their passion and they played from an early age.

Ding, ding, ding!

[Noe]

I disagree. I think being able to track a baseball as well as Altuve does is a very rare gift

What does "track a baseball" mean?

and the same for Messi and ball control (and whatever else he does)

You are missing the bigger picture of what it means to be elite at whatever sport  you want to give your god-given skills and passion to. Don't ever sell any athlete short of what they can do once that clicks inside of them. There were people in futbol who doubted Messi just as there were people in baseball who doubted Altuve. By compartmentalizing athletes and saying "you should try playing X because you're not made for this game" is selling short the athlete and that is just not right (IMHO). We would never have a movie like "Rudy" to applaud as well.

and I don't think one translates into another and it can only be learned to a certain extent.

So you say that they chose the right sport given their skill and not so much their passion? So who gets to tell an athlete "You're a basketball player and you over there you are a baseball player and you over there, it's football for you". What criteria would you use... where they are from and what height and weight and current skill they have? That is sad to me. Again, IMHO.

Tim Tebow is an amazing and passionate athlete, but can he learn to hit a baseball at the MLB level?

You want to tell him no before he tries?

What's missing if he can't?

Nothing because he tried it and while he may not perform to your standard, he gave it a shot and proved to himself that he can't perform at a very high level (but certainly can perform at a level well above a mediocre or average level athlete). I love it when we fans get to decide what excellence means for a stud like Tebow. He's out there trying and that is commendable to me. Again, IMHO. Making up one's mind before giving the kid a chance is par for the American course I guess and why we will never tap resources available to us to build a solid soccer athlete in America. We don't believe athletes are made here to even try.

[Noe]

I think athletes like Myles Straw or Mike Trout or Russell Wilson or Steph Curry or Sidney Crosby could have been great soccer players if it were their passion and they played from an early age.

Your original question about the USMT in soccer was a good one and while we all have opinions that vary (and we are entitled to said opinions), one thing that intrigues me is how success can be achieved once we take the status quo or things we are currently trying and throw it out the window and really refuse to accept we as American's suck at soccer and thus accept our standing in the world as also-rans at the World Game.

It took guts for a Herb Brooks to say "no" to the status quo. It took guts for the USMT in Volleyball to refuse to let the other nations of the world to take our game and make it their world game.  The criticism I have of the USMT in soccer is the fragmented, disjointed, very vague and lacking depth leadership for the team. Cut off the head the rest of the snake dies. I've never been impressed by what the USMT leadership does here in America. I think they've settled and are okay with status quo. It took being absolutely embarassed by losing in the Concacaf and missing out on the World Cup altogether for *others* to call out this leadership and say "enough"! Herb Brooks did not let the USMT Hockey dictate to him lower expectations, he said to them "We can beat them!" (meaning the Russians)... "we have to take their game and shove right back at them!". That was met with pure disbelief that anyone can think that way in a game that is dominated by the Russians and other Scandinavian countries. Yet Herb Brooks proved he was right by building a team, not just a bunch of skilled players.

Leadership.

All the best leadership you can find in American spend their time teaching, coaching, testing and thinking of new strategies in *other* sports rather than futbol. Along with skilled passionate players, you need equal skilled passionate and great leaders. But you don't have a Bill Belechick teaching soccer strategy and studying his opponents to learn how to beat them... he does that in the NFL. A Greg Poppovich in Basketball and so on... even in the college ranks. The USMT in Volleyball has a team that is World Class and none of the players play in American Professional Leagues. But when they come home to prepare for World Cups, Olympics, and FIVA Championships, they are considered top five in the World. Only Brazil, Russia, France and Italy can hold a candle to the US Men's team in Volleyball. Why? The coaches and strategist for volleyball aren't professional league coaches... they are all invested college level coaches who are darn good... Herb Brooks-like.

So until the ranks of leadership in the American soccer world get up there in leadership, even a grealty skilled American side is just running around chasing a football wondering what they hell they're supposed to be doing to try and beat Brazil. Hell, what to do to beat  Belize even.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

As far as college sports go you can't overlook the influence title 9 has had on men's college soccer. There are many colleges that have women's soccer balancing men's football, like at UT.

[Noe]

As far as college sports go you can't overlook the influence title 9 has had on men's college soccer. There are many colleges that have women's soccer balancing men's football, like at UT.

And you can't name a world-class level coach at any American college that matches club or academy-level soccer coaches around the world. But you can in terms of basketball and even volleyball. The college coaches in America are very respected around the world as better or even with the best coaches around the world when it comes to basketball and volleyball and even track and field.

Soccer, not so much.

But then again, as a for instance, in club-level academy coaching, you have men like Davi coaching at the lower levels of the Barcelona club (waiting his turn perhaps to be promoted to the big club). Davi could out-coach any professional level coach in America and much more when it comes to American college coaches. So very little get's passed on to great skilled players by coaches and peripheral coaching such as you see in the MLB with the trainers and coaches like at DirectLine that make good major leaguers into elite major leaguers. Nothing like that exist in soccer unless the player decides it's better to be a professional in another country at a very young age to go through the better process and leadership they have. But when the same player comes back here to play for the National team, do they have better or more refined coaches with high level strategies to ultilize what the player has learned. I say no, no they don't.

[Duman]

Let me add one more element of this.  I think the high school sports structure also impacts this.  One son's peers was a great soccer defender and a good quarterback.  He quit soccer after his freshman year because it was the "wrong" type of off season exercise.  He was trying to bulk up and all the running of soccer was not helping him do that.  The kid signed to play QB at Army so the choice worked out for him but American Football is king in most high school in America.  I think this is changing some with concussion information but that will take a few decades to show up in the USMNT. 

Let's also not discount the power of winning the world cup on home turf.  That has made soccer the desirable sport for girls to play.  I know it was among my kid's peers.  It was either Soccer or Basketball.  Other sports were what you did in the off season. 

[Noe]

Let's also not discount the power of winning the world cup on home turf.  That has made soccer the desirable sport for girls to play.  I know it was among my kid's peers.  It was either Soccer or Basketball.  Other sports were what you did in the off season.

There is also the discussion of urban versus suburban sports for youngsters. Like baseball, soccer in America, where kids have more training and opportunities to play are in suburban areas. That is why the MLB runs it's Urban Baseball programs to try and cultivate more opportunities and in turn more love and passion to play for young urban athletes. Face it, only basketball is tops when it comes to being available for young urban kids to hone their skills to play a game. My days as a sandlot playing kid are over. To play baseball at a high level requires fields and most of the suburban fields are for very exclusive leagues and many of them are select in nature. Very few urban kids get a chance to play there unless they are scouted and recruited and even then, there are not that many people looking at urban areas to find baseball players. Basketball players? Yes. Baseball? Not so much until the money the MLB is giving to raise fields and equipment for urban baseball takes it's hold and turns some of what we've built in America as to the "Haves and Have Nots" in sport development for children.

This takes us back to the conversation about soccer (futbol). What is the predominent way to get talent to play the game in America? Yes, it's a suburban sport much like select baseball. Are their any avenues to hone the skills of urban kids, mostly those kids in love with basketball because it is easy to develop one's skills on the blacktop? I see some delapitated fields for soccer in the urban area and mostly see Hispanic kids running around playing the game with much older Men competing in the same leagues. It's not really the same type of development as the suburbs and I don't think we have a mature enough league sponsored help. Of course, the MLS is using strategic areas where they can foster a realtionship with rural areas, like the Rio Grande Valley. It's a start, but in order to tap into urban athletes, you have to be very intentional like the MLB and open up avenues where they live.

Else, go ahead and live with the fact that you will never tap into the urban athlete and let them all play basketball instead. Ironically, both baseball and soccer draw from other countries that in the urban streets, their sport is played and the talent thrives.

[subnuclear]

I think athletes like Myles Straw or Mike Trout or Russell Wilson or Steph Curry or Sidney Crosby could have been great soccer players if it were their passion and they played from an early age.

Marisnick and Springer would be my Astros nominations.

[Bench]

It's pretty typical that 75% of a thread about women's soccer is a bunch of dudes talking about  men's soccer.

[subnuclear]

I count 15/29 posts about women's soccer which is barely a majority. The other posts weren't exclusively about men's soccer.

[Lefty]

Ugh. Not sure what you meant by the Leonard comment, but this is the sort of impressions I got from sports enthusiast when I was a kid. (So it's not what you are saying of course, it's what I used to hear from people that irked me). The black players should be goalies if they ever decide to play soccer because that is where they fit best with their *current* skills.

They did the same thing to Hakeem when he was a kid.

[HudsonHawk]

I'm not sure the sort of athletes that are good at soccer necessarily overlap with the athletes in US popular sports. Most US sports don't require the stamina and foot-eye coordination and probably 12 other things that a good soccer athlete needs. Conversely, I'm not sure Messi has the size for the NFL or NBA and would need totally different motor skills for MLB.

On the other hand, we'd all like to see someone like Kawhi Leonard play goalie.

Stamina and foot-eye coordination is not a talent that kids outside the US are born with and kids in the US are not. They are acquired skills. Kids in the US could become just as proficient as kids in say France, if they worked at it the same from a young age.  Kids play football, baseball, and basketball because those are more popular sports, not the other way around. There is nothing in the history of global athletics to suggest the US simply produces second-rate athletes.

[HudsonHawk]

Tim Tebow is an amazing and passionate athlete, but can he learn to hit a baseball at the MLB level? What's missing if he can't?

Apparently you're missing that some people are better at things than others. Just because Tim Tebow is not a Major League hitter does not mean that Jose Altuve doesnt have the athletic skills to have ever become a soccer player. Furthermore, there are tons of kids in every soccer crazy country who will never develop into world class players. That doesnt mean that country can't produce great soccer players.  Your argument here is seriously flawed.

[subnuclear]

I never said that the US couldn't produce world class soccer players. In fact I said the opposite.

[Noe]

I never said that the US couldn't produce world class soccer players. In fact I said the opposite.

I read you wrong then because you definitely sounded parochial and fragmented in your assessment of athletic talent. People often do when talking about talent, usually assigning people groups and geographical areas to only being skilled to do things based on gender, body types (size and weight) and other factors. Skiers are better from Norway because they are geographically advantaged and people from Kenya are better marathoners because they are geographically advantaged. Well, no, they're not. They are passionate about those athletics probably more than people outside of their region. That sort of thinking is myopic and really narrow-minded. Not saying you, but I hear it all the time and cringe because it is usually from well meaning, well informed fans of sports that will not listen to facts that when a kid is passionate about a sport, you've got half the battle won.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Scotland got screwed by the VAR today. Speaking as an ex goal keeper.

[Noe]

Scotland got screwed by the VAR today. Speaking as an ex goal keeper.

The technique she used to cut down the angle and give her the agility to go left or right has been used by goalies in futbol for ages. There is no way you can leap to the left or right from a dead start. You are taught to use a forward motion to get the body in motion to leap in the direction you *think* the strike will be. That's why goalies look foolish when they ultimately leap right and the ball is struck to the left. She did everything absolutely right, in the sense that this is futbol 101. So to use a technicality of leaving your line in such a critical point in the match is very disheartening. I was very annoyed that some were saying is was a good call because she technically broke a rule. If so, then take away the farce and let them take a free shot on goal from further out, sort of like a free throw in basketball. You have to give the goalie a chance to have as much momentum as the ball striker has moving onto the ball. Asking a goalie to make a play from a dead start is crazy. No one does it.

[MusicMan]

Scotland got screwed by the VAR today. Speaking as an ex goal keeper.

Replay used to nitpick calls that are correct by the letter of the rule but completely ignore the way the game has been played for a century?

Who could have seen that coming?

Sincerely, the baserunner’s hand coming off the bag for a fraction of a second.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Noe]

Replay used to nitpick calls that are correct by the letter of the rule but completely ignore the way the game has been played for a century?

Who could have seen that coming?

Sincerely, the baserunner’s hand coming off the bag for a fraction of a second.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Outstanding!

[Noe]

Cameroon's goal in added time was great technique by the goal scorer. It was, however, bad sportsmanship to continue celebrating like they did. And then have the player get injured because of it was a bit much to deal with. Why? Just score the goal, celebrate and then get ready to play out the remaining seconds in the match. But then again, celebration in the Woman's World Cup seems to be a issue nowadays and no one seems to be following Carly Lloyd's golf clap sarcastic celebration.

[MusicMan]

Sure seems like the USWNT dominated that first half more than a 1-0 score reflects.


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[Noe]

Tobin Heath is a beast! That was an absolute great play on her goal. Her dribbling is World Class and I doubt there a defender who can stay with her. Beautiful! Scary when they decided to let VAR take a look at whether Carly Lloyd was offsides on the same play.

[Noe]

Norway vs Australia is one of the most exciting matches I've seen in a good long while. Shame it has to go to penalty kicks. It should have ended in a dramatic late goal score. Here we go...penalty kicks to declare a winner.

[Noe]

And Norway advances on a 4-1 penalty advantage. Shame it ended this way, both sides had great chances to win in the regular 90 minutes and Norway had excellent chances to win in extra time. Had it not been for the Australian keeper, Norway would have advanced with a one or two goal advantage after the extra time. Still, in spite of the anti-climatic penalty shootout, the match was worthy of great applause for drama and excitement by both sides. If England advances past Cameroon, these Viking women from Norway will give England a run for their money.

[HudsonHawk]

If England advances past Cameroon, these Viking women from Norway will give England a run for their money.

If the Norwegian women don't play Ride of the Valkyries when they storm the field, it's a damn shame. 

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

England advances past Cameroon, these Viking women from Norway will give England a run for their money.

Inglaterra leads Camerun 3-0.  60 minuto marca

[Lefty]

Cameroon got a potentially game-changing goal taken away because a player had about 1 inch of their back heel ruled offside on replay.

[austro]

Inglaterra leads Camerun 3-0.  60 minuto marca

England will have to play a lot better to beat Norway. The Norwegians won't miss those sitters, and if the English defense plays like they did today, Norway will also create a lot more of those sitters.

[Noe]

If the Norwegian women don't play Ride of the Valkyries when they storm the field, it's a damn shame.

Absofreakinglutely! Helga the ax weilder... err... the goalie on the Norway team is one scary Viking. She could be in any Viking movie that features a shield maiden warrior and everyone would be convinced she has to be a product of CG and not a real person. The fact that they play a solid defense and just enough offense is a testament of how they will not only defend their turf, but also get on their horses and attack your land as well... and take it! Can you tell I kinda like this Norway side?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

6:34 mark Rapinoe scores on a penalty kick. 1-0 USA  over ESP

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Sloppy play by USA allows Spain to tie it at 1-1 at 9:00.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Spain is going toe to toe with and not intimidated at all by the US squad.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

2-1 USA in a tough hard fought victory over Spain

[Noe]

2-1 USA in a tough hard fought victory over Spain

It was a good match for Spain, kind of sloopy for the USA. But that is what is going to happen for the rest of the tournament, hard marking, slowing down the ball, don't let the US get going in any way shape or form. The USA squad will have to be patient with what is going to be the opposition's approach and work in to win matches like they did today.

[MRaup]

It was a good match for Spain, kind of sloopy for the USA. But that is what is going to happen for the rest of the tournament, hard marking, slowing down the ball, don't let the US get going in any way shape or form. The USA squad will have to be patient with what is going to be the opposition's approach and work in to win matches like they did today.

Certainly would help if the US ladies had any accuracy what so ever on their balls in the box. So many whiffed chances thanks to bad passes.

[Noe]

Certainly would help if the US ladies had any accuracy what so ever on their balls in the box. So many whiffed chances thanks to bad passes.

Agreed.

[MusicMan]

Certainly would help if the US ladies had any accuracy what so ever on their balls in the box. So many whiffed chances thanks to bad passes.

Also would help if the coach didn’t insist on playing a clearly hobbled Alex Morgan for 80 minutes.


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[chuck]

Sloopy lives in a very bad part of town.

[MRaup]

Sloopy lives in a very bad part of town.

Hang on, Chuck.

Hang on.

[Noe]

I think I just typed up a pooductive word!

[Limey]

England will have to play a lot better to beat Norway. The Norwegians won't miss those sitters, and if the English defense plays like they did today, Norway will also create a lot more of those sitters.

Yep. 

[austro]

Yep. 

I only saw bits and pieces of the game, but it seemed that England played much better and forced Norway to play worse. Congrats to them.

The USWNT's showing on Monday against Spain has me feeling uncomfortable about today's match against France.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I only saw bits and pieces of the game, but it seemed that England played much better and forced Norway to play worse. Congrats to them.

The USWNT's showing on Monday against Spain has me feeling uncomfortable about today's match against France.

I actually think France will win Hope I'm wrong.

[BudGirl]

I actually think France will win Hope I'm wrong.

My sister thinks the same.  I hope you are both wrong.

[Bench]

It's tough that three of the top four are on one side of the bracket, but if you're going to win you have to beat good teams. This should be a great game.

[MusicMan]

Megan. Fucking. Rapinhoe.


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[austro]

Megan. Fucking. Rapinhoe.

I wonder if Trump is going to keep talking trash to her.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Megan. Fucking. Rapinhoe.

That could be her gangster rap name

They call me Megan the fucking Rappin' Hoe
I take no shit from tha mutha fuckin Trump Troll
Ain't goin to the white house, I said fuck no
But if you need me to, I'll score a fuckin goal!

[Limey]

That could be her gangster rap name

They call me Megan the fucking Rappin' Hoe
I take no shit from tha mutha fuckin Trump Troll
Ain't goin to the white house, I said fuck no
But if you need me to, I'll score a fuckin goal!

That’s up there with John Barnes’ rap on “World in Motion”.  I’ll let you decide if that’s praise or not. 

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

That’s up there with John Barnes’ rap on “World in Motion”.  I’ll let you decide if that’s praise or not.

Don't know or care.

[Limey]

Don't know or care.

A true artist.  😊

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Rapinoe is out, no reason why is given. No problem, here replacement Press scores a header at 9:08 mark.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

18:00 minutes and it's tied at 1-1

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Morgan's header puts the US up at 31 minutes. On her 30th birthday.

[MusicMan]

Morgan's header puts the US up at 31 minutes. On her 30th birthday.

Saved penalty saves the day!


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[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Saved penalty saves the day!


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She really did. Great anticipation and great execution.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Great game.  What a huge play on the pk.

I liked the demeanor of the official. MLBUA will probably want footage of her performance suppressed.

[Limey]

Sounds like a great game and a tough loss.  I didn't see it because I thought is was today.   

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

So glad Rose Lavelle got her goal, didn't want the team to win on just a penalty kick.

[BudGirl]

USWNT making America great!

[BudGirl]

So glad Rose Lavelle got her goal, didn't want the team to win on just a penalty kick.

Me too.

[austro]

Me too.

Yeah, I wouldn't say that the penalty was undeserved, but I think it still would have been a bit controversial if it wound up being the deciding margin. I'm glad that LaVelle put a no-doubter up there to seal the deal.

[MusicMan]

They also had many more chances in the last 20’ that would have been more aggressive in a 1 goal game. 


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