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Post by centurion on Jun 18, 2015 1:45:50 GMT
What a win by Korea! Stunning the Spanish, winning their first ever World Cup match, and moving on to the Round of 16!
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jun 18, 2015 3:28:34 GMT
What a win by Korea! Stunning the Spanish, winning their first ever World Cup match, and moving on to the Round of 16! I've actually been meaning to post about the South Korean team...but then I get distracted. After the USA and Thailand, South Korea would be my favorite team...based solely on the Seoul Sisters of golf and my fandom of them...particularly Grace and Se Ri.
Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach
I waited a day after the United States Women’s National Team beat Nigeria 1-0 to post because I wanted to see which squad would oppose the Americans in the round of 16. Well, that and I needed a day to mourn the Cleveland Cavaliers losing the NBA Finals. But…moving on, it will be the USA vs Colombia. There are many reasons to worry about our chances moving forward. Although we should win against Colombia, don’t forget that they pulled off a huge upset during the group stage beating France. What really worries me is the USWNT attack game. 1-0 against Nigeria doesn’t fill me with confidence, especially considering Nigeria played with 10 players for 20 minutes. More importantly, in the last 13 games they’ve played, the US Women’s squad has been shutout 5 times. That can’t happen going forward. I don’t know if they can ride Hope Solo in goal and players like Meghan Klingenberg on defense all the way to a championship. That’s a lot to ask. There’s bound to be a game where the other team gets an early goal, maybe two. Remember that it took a couple of stellar saves by Solo to keep Australia from being up 2-0 early in the first game. If the USA falls behind, do they have the legs to chase down the opposition. It’s not talked about as much as some other issues surrounding the team, but many of the stars of this team, outside of Alex Morgan, are over 30…Abby Wambach is 35. This team is still ranked #2 in the world, an elite squad. But they look a lot more vulnerable than they did in Germany in 2011 when they made the final, finishing runner-up to Japan. Certainly, as a fan of the team…and heck, just as an American…I hope the offense kicks into gear. No matter what happens, lose to Colombia or win the World Cup title, I’ll root for the US Women’s National Team until the final whistle and beyond. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jun 23, 2015 5:07:26 GMT
more pics and video on my blog: United States Women’s National Team Defeat Colombia 2-0 In 2015 Women’s World Cup Round of 16Team USA Celebrates Goal By Alex MorganThe most important thing is to win and advance. The United States Women’s National Team did just that…some might argue only just that…with a 2-0 victory over Colombia in the 2015 Women’s World Cup round of 16. Focusing on the good first: Alex Morgan, the biggest gun we have on this squad, scored the initial goal that put the Americans up 1-0 in the 53rd minute. Carli Lloyd would add the finishing touch with a penalty kick goal in the 66th minute. Speaking of penalty kicks, Abby Wambach missed one earlier when a red card was issued to Colombian goalkeeper Catalina Perez after she fouled Alex Morgan charging alone into the box, behind the defense. So while the USA did score twice, which is an improvement from the last couple of games, both goals were scored with Colombia having 10 players on the field. I will say that Morgan looked a lot better moving around in this match, getting taken down and bouncing back up while going the distance in minutes played. Although Hope Solo and the the American defenders have not surrendered a goal since an early score by Australia in their first match, I don’t know if they can just ride Solo and the D to victory. Defense might win championships but you still have to score to win games. I’d like to see more of Cristen Press out there in the next game against China. Press has the talent to put pressure on an opposing defense. Our Ladies will need it as Megan Rapinoe will miss the next game after receiving her second yellow card (as will Lauren Holiday). I do have to give credit to Colombia for making things difficult for the USWNT. Don’t forget that Colombia beat world #3 France in Group play, the same French team that looked very impressive against South Korea in the round of 16 knockout stage. So Colombia is a team on the rise. They did a lot of talking before the match. As they grow as a team, perhaps they should concentrate on doing their talking with their play during the match instead. It’s takes more than bulletin board material to beat teams like the USA. ALEX MORGAN CARLI LLOYD HOPE SOLO
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jun 27, 2015 4:33:20 GMT
Carli Lloyd Scores Winning Goal
Maybe United States Women’s National Team coach Jill Ellis knows exactly what she’s doing. After all, entering the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup the American squad’s top threat, Alex Morgan, wasn’t 100 percent and their all-time scoring leader, Abby Wambach, is past her prime. Our ladies have the deepest team, perhaps, but that depth is built on an aging foundation. Maybe coach Ellis knows this team isn’t built to overwhelm anybody with their attack game. If the Americans are to win the title, it will be with their defense. Following a 1-0 victory over China in the quarterfinals, it’s that defense that has extended the American’s scoreless streak in this World Cup to 423 minutes since an early goal in their first game. It the longest scoreless streak in Women’s World Cup play by any American team and the third longest streak in Women’s World Cup play by any team. I will say that on this night, the USA looked a lot sharper offensively than in recent games. They’re just not finishing opportunities. This game was not as close as 1-0 might suggest. The performance was impressive, especially devoid of the services of the suspended Megan Rapinoe. Carli Lloyd stepped up to score the game winner for our ladies. But we will need everybody to step up and play their game in the next match against world #1 Germany. As an aside, I continue to wonder who set up this draw…FIFA…where #1 Germany faces #3 France in the quarterfinals and then #2 USA in the semifinals. So #1, #2 and #3 in the world are on the same side of the knockout stage draw while #4 Japan, #6 England, #8 Canada and #10 Australia on the other side. That’s like having #1 Novak Djokovic and #2 Roger Federer on the same side of the draw at Wimbledon, preventing a #1 vs #2 potential final…then throw in #3 Andy Murray as a quarterfinal opponent on the same side of the draw so that at best the final could be #1 vs #4. Okay, FIFA. Whatever.
CARLI LLOYD
HOPE SOLO
JULIE JOHNSTON
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Post by mr3putt on Jun 29, 2015 1:37:56 GMT
Canada gave away 2 lame goals....ugh.
I don't care for Wambach or Rapinoe...so Go Germany!
So I'm hoping for a Japan vs. Germany final...but the fan fav match-up...now that Canada has been eliminated for next Sunday in Van City will be England vs. USA. I likely could get a cheap scalped tix...so I may attend next Sunday....if not....lots of fan sites outside the stadium in and around Van City.
I've been pleasantly surprised with the attendance especially the large crowds at the Canadian games....2 x 54,000 in Van City....heck....the recent Grey Cups in Van City haven't been sell outs.....approx 55,000 fans.
Kara Lang, reporter and retired Canadian soccer player, could be Brittany Lang's sister.
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jun 29, 2015 11:48:12 GMT
Canada gave away 2 lame goals....ugh. I don't care for Wambach or Rapinoe...so Go Germany! So I'm hoping for a Japan vs. Germany final...but the fan fav match-up...now that Canada has been eliminated for next Sunday in Van City will be England vs. USA. I likely could get a cheap scalped tix...so I may attend next Sunday....if not....lots of fan sites outside the stadium in and around Van City. I've been pleasantly surprised with the attendance especially the large crowds at the Canadian games....2 x 54,000 in Van City....heck....the recent Grey Cups in Van City haven't been sell outs.....approx 55,000 fans. Kara Lang, reporter and retired Canadian soccer player, could be Brittany Lang's sister. I was quite bummed by Canada and the Matildas losing. Canada, oh my goodness, what a horrendous start! And the goal by Japan against Australia was probably offsides. However, I can't complain too much about that as somehow I think fate was with Nadeshiko Japan (and they played better, to boot). So I bid fond farewell to the Matildas.
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jul 1, 2015 4:14:53 GMT
Carli Lloyd
Like millions of others, I’ve watched the United States Women’s National Team play three group stage matches along with knockout stage matches against Colombia and China at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. I didn’t recognize the team that took to the pitch against Germany. And that’s a very good thing. Facing their greatest challenge yet at this year’s World Cup, Die Nationalelf, the Americans delivered their greatest effort of the tournament so far. They came out in the first 45 playing with renewed pace and vigor. The only problem was their continued inability to convert chances. Alex Morgan was in full attack, creating opportunities but the ball wasn’t finding the goal. A lot of that can be credited to German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer. Her saves kept Germany in the match at halftime. Possibly the moment of the match came after Julie Johnston was called for a penalty, giving Germany a penalty kick. Germany has never…NEVER…missed a penalty kick in Women’s World Cup play, going 12 for 12. Oops, my bad. Make that HAD never missed a penalty kick as now they’re 12 for 13. Did Hope Solo freeze Celia Sasic with some crafty stall tactics? We’ll never know, but whatever the case may be Sasic hooked it from the moment it left her foot. Solo had committed the other way. It was potentially a catastrophic moment for the Americans. If they had trailed Germany in the second half, there would have been all kinds of negative ramifications. Instead, on a questionable penalty kick against Germany roughly ten minutes later, created by a foul on Alex Morgan in the box (or at least that’s what the officials said), captain Carli Lloyd beat Angerer to put the USA up 1-0 in the 69th minute. Look, I’m an American. I root for the US Women’s National Team. Contact was initiated outside the box, in my eyes. But the goal counted and the match played on. In the 84th minute, 9 minutes after Kelley O’Hara subbed in for Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd assisted on an insurance goal by O’Hara, putting the Americans up 2-0. Whether it’s England or Japan in the final on Sunday, if this American squad shows up…I have a good feeling. If the squad that showed up in the first 5 games (particularly the first 4) shows up…well, I always have hope.
CARLI LLOYD
w/KELLEY O'HARA
ALEX MORGAN
HOPE SOLO
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Post by mr3putt on Jul 2, 2015 2:16:25 GMT
Holy Moly....an England player scores on her own goal with 30 seconds left in injury time.
OK....looks like I need to go downtown and maybe the game to help the Japanese drown out the obnoxious USA USA chats. I wouldn't be surprised too see 10,000+ fans from Seattle attending this game.....heck they get 65,000+ at Century Link for the Sounders.
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jul 2, 2015 4:34:45 GMT
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jul 6, 2015 4:18:18 GMT
Team USA Wins The Cup!
In 2012, the United States Women’s National Team beat Japan to take the Gold Medal in Women’s Soccer at the London Summer Olympics. Redemption for losing the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup to Japan? Perhaps a small measure of redemption. But this is the one, the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, that the Americans needed to win to put to rest the heartbreak of that 2011 loss. Whether they faced Japan on the way to the title was not as important as winning the title, but it would make it sweeter, more fitting. The big threat on the horizon was Germany, who looked like a machine early on in Canada. The USA would gain their ultimate redemption by taking out both Germany and Japan in back to back matches to emerge 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions.
Carli Lloyd Wins Golden Ball
The Americans, behind a stout defensive back line and Hope Solo in goal, was riding a long scoreless streak going into the final. Yuki Ogimi would break that streak in the 27th minute. The problem for Japan was by that time the United States had already scored 4 goals in the first 16 minutes, highlighted by a hat trick by Golden Ball and Silver Boot winner Carli Lloyd. It is the first hat trick in a Women’s World Cup final. Unless the USWNT had a historic collapse, the game was effectively decided in the first 20 minutes. The only other score for Japan came on an own goal by Julie Johnston of the USA in the 52nd minute. Even that hiccup was quickly answered in the 54th minute by a goal from Tobin Heath, pushing the U.S. to a 5-2 advantage. For most of the second half, the Americans and their fans were more or less waiting for the final whistle to blow. When it did, the United States had won their first Women’s World Cup since 1999, their third overall.
Abby Wambach
At the end, as the American squad received their gold medals, it was Abby Wambach and Christie Rampone who together came up last to hold up the champion’s trophy together. Wambach is the greatest goal scorer in international history, but she had never won a World Cup. Rampone is the last member of the 1999 American team that won a World Cup. This was the last World Cup for both. You could see the respect as Carli Lloyd gave Abby the captain’s armband when she was subbed in. It was a special honor for their teammates to send them (and Shannon Boxx) off as world champions. In fact, they have all earned the title of world champions. For myself, I’ve posted about some of these players for many years. It doesn’t seem real that Abby Wambach won’t be out there next World Cup. Or Rampone, either. Who knows? Maybe this is it for Golden Glove winner Hope Solo or Megan Rapinoe or Ali Krieger. It’s hard to imagine Solo coming back again at 37 years old by the next World Cup. But she does keep herself in terrific shape and she doesn’t have to run up and down the field as a goalkeeper. Then again, Rampone made this team at age 40.
Megan Rapinoe
However, those are questions for another day. Today…and probably into the foreseeable future…it’s party time for the United States Women’s Team. All the work, the pain, the injuries and letdowns. All of that is worth it now. With all due respect to the 99ers, it’s time for another group of great American soccer women to write their own championship story. The 15ers, I guess we can now call them, have done just that. And they did it in style, taking on the #5, #4 and #1 ranked teams in the world along the way without losing a match. Early on, there was some concern over their uninspired offense. They put those concerns to rest against Germany and Japan, turning it on when they needed it most. I salute Our Women, the United States Women’s National Team, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions!
CARLI LLOYD
LAUREN HOLIDAY
TOBIN HEATH
HOPE SOLO
ABBY WAMBACH
ALEX MORGAN
TEAM USA CELEBRATES!
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Post by philknj on Jul 6, 2015 20:36:11 GMT
I'm not a "football" nut, so I paid no attention to this event. However, with the championship game being played yesterday, I figured I should watch some to see what's going on in the world...I tune in around the 25-minute mark and the frickin' game is OVER! Although Canada was not playing, I wonder if any cars were turned over after the game...Vancouverites need to keep their skills sharp.
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Post by mr3putt on Jul 6, 2015 21:33:20 GMT
Ugh....my worst nightmare.
I went yesterday....thinking I might be able to get into the stadium for cheap and with 10 minutes already played...the few and cheapest scalped tix I could find was $200.
I thought there would be a few fan zones but there was only one....so I get there and 800 people are lined up waiting to get in...then the US scored the 4th goal....ugh.
So I walked to a nearby Costco....watched the 1st half on their TV....then went for a hot dog and ice cream cone.
Went back to the fan zone for the 2nd half and got in after only waiting for 5 minutes with 15 minutes left in the game.
The USA cheated.....they had men playing on their team....e.g.) Wambach & Rapinoe......lol.....even saw some of the US players spitting on the pitch....how feminine. Could you imagine seeing The Pink Diva laying an oyster on the 18th green at Lancaster....yikes.
Considering that soccer is not popular in North America...never mind women's soccer....it was great to see all the fan fare, high attendance and support from the Canadians to attend the venues. It was exciting to be outside the stadium to hear 54,000 fans cheering when a goal was scored.
Tons of Yanks here.....supposedly $900+/night for hotel rooms.
This event would have been amazing if held in Seattle too...the Seattle fans really love soccer....as I've said before....65,000+ attend the Sounders games.
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Post by mr3putt on Jul 6, 2015 21:42:54 GMT
I'm not a "football" nut, so I paid no attention to this event. However, with the championship game being played yesterday, I figured I should watch some to see what's going on in the world...I tune in around the 25-minute mark and the frickin' game is OVER! Although Canada was not playing, I wonder if any cars were turned over after the game...Vancouverites need to keep their skills sharp. I tried to turn over some cars...but I'm getting old...so I only smashed some car windows, spray painted a few buses and lite some garbage cans on fire yelling Babu Yee heading home.....more news at 11 o'clock. We left the violence to the US this past weekend. Chicago was not as violent as last year....only 9 dead and 46 wounded, unfortunately including a 7 yr old boy. www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/fourth-of-july-weekend-violence-shootings-chicago-311639971.htmlGotta luv your 2nd amendment.
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Post by philknj on Jul 7, 2015 14:36:15 GMT
Gee wiz, Sydney (The Turncoat) Leroux didn't play at all in the Final...is she the team's Gulbis?
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Post by bangkokbobby on Jul 20, 2015 23:21:20 GMT
I was thrilled to see United States Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan share the EA Sports FIFA 16 cover with Lionel Messi: ...of course, there were those who thought FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was pranked by a comedian with a shower of money (I presume fake) at a recent event, should have received the honor: ...in case you missed it:
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