Women's World Cup: Canada 2015

[pulphack]

That... is... genius... I'd give them the cup just for that, frankly. I also suspect she has gained her 'understanding' of the offside rule from talking to Matthieu Baudry and Nathan Clarke of Leyton Orient, who had some issues with this themselves last season...

By the way, Yahoo were plugging that rebound against Brazil as a 'horrendous goalkeeping error', which it blatantly wasn't - yes, she fumbled it, but it was struck with some venom and her defenders should have stopped it before it even left the forward's boot. Honestly... Good strike, mind, and the kind of thing all good goalpoachers dream of.

[dem]

Jun 22, 2015 11:49:36 GMT pulphack said:

That... is... genius... I'd give them the cup just for that, frankly.

THAT video is how you raise the profile of the women's game.

Never thought I'd write this after the dull opening weekend, but am genuinely excited about tonight's double header. If England can overcome a very impressive Norway (I'm not too hopeful), you'd have to fancy 'em to do Canada in the last eight - and before a huge crowd for a change.

In the groovy after midnight slot, USA versus Columbia likewise has clash of the tournament potential. The exuberant South American outfit have been my favourite watch of the tournament, a heady cocktail of outrageous skill and frightening malevolence. A half-decent ref and they'd have finished with nine versus England, and their flair for the darker arts even rattled the French, who are hardly wallflowers. That the USA fancy themselves World Champions by divine right should make for an interesting contest.

For the truly dedicated, the Netherlands face holders Japan at 3 AM on Wednesday morning.

[dem]

Columbia 0 USA 2: A bit after the event I know, but it was all still too raw for me to write about in the immediate aftermath. Indeed, such was my abject despair at untimely exit of Lady Andrade's fab girl gang (told you they had a red card in 'em), even hotshot Abby Wombat's spectacularly miscued spot kick fast lost its initial hilarity factor. The reprieve was short lived. A howler by the substitute goalie and a second penalty - this one nervelessly converted by Carli Lloyd - put stars and stripe mob out of reach. So Las Chicas Superpoderosas (The Powderpuff Girls: surely no nickname has ever been less appropriate!) pack their bags, the yanks swagger on, pausing only to brag some more about how great they are. Don't tell me footballs a harsh mistress. I already KNOW.

The Marley Hill Spankers. Sadly, not the USA women's next opponents.

Photo found in the Women's Football section of on Patrick Brennan's instructive Donmouth local history site.

England 2 Norway 1: Much as I'm glad to see them progress, I've mixed feelings about England's dramatic victory, seeing as it came at the expense of the magnificent Norwegians. While not at their best, the blonde bombshells still played the Lionesses off the park for upwards of an hour, and were denied a stonewall penalty because Ada Hegerberg , too honest for her own good, refused to go to ground under Lucy Bronze's attempt at a rugby tackle, sparing her opponent a straight red card in the process. Inevitably the same player went on to bag England's winner with a super 25 yard scorcher. A famous fightback for sure, and our girls time-wasted expertly once ahead, but really, 'the Grasshoppers' have only themselves to blame for failing to notice their opponents had finally snapped out of their torpor and started to play a bit.

Japan 2 Netherlands 1: In the battle of the Duracel bunnies, the Clockwork Orange kept going to the end, but for all their commendable effort, this was not really as close as the scoreline suggests, yet another goalkeeping clanger gifting the battling Kirsten Van Den Ven an injury time consolation. The reigning world champs play an attractive passing game, as exemplified in their second goal, slammed home by Mizuho Sakaguchi, after a lightening counter attack that somehow seemed to involve the entire squad.

Last Eight

France V Germany (Fri. 21.00 )
China V USA (Sat. 00. 30)
Australia V Japan (Sat. 21.00)
Canada V England (Sunday 00.30 am)

*Memo to self*. Asking innocent young library assistant if she can order in a copy of Women With Balls may lead to a grotesque misunderstanding and forcible ejection from premises. Next time, make note of author's name and full book title beforehand.

[ripper]

Once that Norwegian goal went in I thought it was curtains for the girls, particularly as England were not playing at all well. They now have a chance to get to the semi-finals, but need to stop shipping goals...they haven't kept a clean sheet yet.

[Craig Herbertson]

Jun 24, 2015 10:54:50 GMT dem said:

Columbia 0 USA 2: A bit after the event I know, but it was all still too raw for me to write about in the immediate aftermath. Indeed, such was my abject despair at untimely exit of Lady Andrade's fab girl gang (told you they had a red card in 'em), even hotshot Abby Wombat's spectacularly miscued spot kick fast lost its initial hilarity factor. The reprieve was short lived. A howler by the substitute goalie and a second penalty - this one nervelessly converted by Carli Lloyd - put stars and stripe mob out of reach. So Las Chicas Superpoderosas (The Powderpuff Girls: surely no nickname has ever been less appropriate!) pack their bags, the yanks swagger on, pausing only to brag some more about how great they are. Don't tell me footballs a harsh mistress. I already KNOW.

The Marley Hill Spankers. Sadly, not the USA women's next opponents.

Photo found in the Women's Football section of on Patrick Brennan's instructive Donmouth local history site.

England 2 Norway 1: Much as I'm glad to see them progress, I've mixed feelings about England's dramatic victory, seeing as it came at the expense of the magnificent Norwegians. While not at their best, the blonde bombshells still played the Lionesses off the park for upwards of an hour, and were denied a stonewall penalty because Ada Hegerberg , too honest for her own good, refused to go to ground under Lucy Bronze's attempt at a rugby tackle, sparing her opponent a straight red card in the process. Inevitably the same player went on to bag England's winner with a super 25 yard scorcher. A famous fightback for sure, and our girls time-wasted expertly once ahead, but really, 'the Grasshoppers' have only themselves to blame for failing to notice their opponents had finally snapped out of their torpor and started to play a bit.

Japan 2 Netherlands 1: In the battle of the Duracel bunnies, the Clockwork Orange kept going to the end, but for all their commendable effort, this was not really as close as the scoreline suggests, yet another goalkeeping clanger gifting the battling Kirsten Van Den Ven an injury time consolation. The reigning world champs play an attractive passing game, as exemplified in their second goal, slammed home by Mizuho Sakaguchi, after a lightening counter attack that somehow seemed to involve the entire squad.

Last Eight

France V Germany (Fri. 21.00 )
China V USA (Sat. 00. 30)
Australia V Japan (Sat. 21.00)
Canada V England (Sunday 00.30 am)

*Memo to self*. Asking innocent young library assistant if she can order in a copy of Women With Balls may lead to a grotesque misunderstanding and forcible ejection from premises. Next time, make note of author's name and full book title beforehand.

'The Marley Hill Spankers'. Oh for a time machine

[dem]

Cheer up! Just the four games to go. Come Monday 6th July it will all be over and this thread will seem like a bad dream.

Another lovely photo from Patrick Brennan's incredible Donmouth site. The Dick Kerr ladies take on Fémina at Herne Hill Velodrome, 11th May 1925.

France 0 Germany 1: Game of the tournament. France absolutely battered 'em, but poor finishing and an inspired performance by Nadine 'The Human Octopus' Angerer saw the trophy favourites ride their luck for 120 minutes before scraping through 5-4 on penalties. Out-muscled in midfield, torn apart on the right, and second to nary every ball, the suddenly sluggish dead certs required a debatable penalty six minutes from normal time to stay in the competition, Celia 'The Human Ice-cube' Sasic cooly converting to cancel out Louisa Necib's deflected opener. Even then, the French should have won it, Gaetane Thiney's ghastly miss in the last minute of extra time when she somehow slotted wide of a gaping net summing up a cruel evening for the brilliant Bleu's.

China 0 USA 1: Had to settle for the measly highlights package, worth catching for the most chortlesome missed sitter by the Yanks' Amy Rodriguez. Clean through on goal, she opted for a nonchalant chip over the keeper, only to get it hopelessly wrong and slice approx. 50 yards wide of the post. Carli Lloyd spared her blushes with a well-taken header shortly after the break to set up a date with the jammy Germans.

Australia 0 Japan 1: The won-one-nils are reigning world champs for a reason and their fluid passing game and awesome trickery trampled the Aussies, who battled on stubbornly to the last without ever creating a clear cut chance. The Japanese had virtually total possession, and Mana Iwabuchi's 87th minute decider was scant reward for 90 minutes near relentless pressure. England's best hope is that the Nadeshiko's finishing is as wasteful on Wednesday, because their ten box-to-box human dynamos will create another shedload of opportunities.

Canada 1 England 2: The Lionesses came through a bruising, ill-tempered clash with the terminally ratty hosts to clinch a scary semi with the girls in blue and pink. Two up in fifteen minutes - Jodie Taylor finishing brilliantly following a slip by Cannuck defender Lauren Sesselmann, Lucy Bronze heading home a second via the crossbar four minutes later - England were looking relatively comfy until capable but gaffe-prone net-minder, Karen Bardsley, came over all butter-fingered to gift Christine Sinclair a tap-in to ensure a nerve-shredding second half. Could the Lionesses withstand the host's ref-assisted onslaught? It was all looking a bit grim when our unpredictable keeper was withdrawn with a "mysterious" eye-inflammation, but Siobhan Chamberlain proved a dependable deputy (inconclusive video evidence suggests Ms Bardsley was staked out by her opponents, smeared in honey and her eyeballs attacked by soldier ants during a corner melee. Again, the ref kept her cards firmly in her pocket). An exciting last ten minutes littered with fouls and outrageous time-wasting by our girls could have seen a goal at either end and a red card for Ms. Sesselmann. Great scenes at final whistle. As the Lionesses celebrated wildly, the mean machine trudged off in tears, the 54,027 crowd and a fuming FIFA likewise, the latter's evil scheme to keep the hosts in contention until final day well and truly scuppered!

[pulphack]

England with brilliant but gaffe-prone keeper shock? Nice to see the girls living up to the lad's traditions, then. Hitting form at the right times, but the Japanese have the ticcy-taccy skills and the necessary steel. The Germans, though... shades of their male counterparts ability to ruthlessly steal games. The European women seem keen to ape the man's cliches so far. Have to say, this has been more fun to watch than most of the last two men's world cups for me (although I did miss virtually all of the last one somehow).

[Craig Herbertson]

The French were brilliant and extremely unlucky.

Is it just me or was there a secret agenda with the Ladies' Teams' names. Dick Kerr has a jaunty phonetic feel to it and Spankers...

[ripper]

Yet another 2-1 victory for our girls. Glad they're not playing Germany in the semi-final--shades of 1990 and 1996 in the boys game and all that. The Japanese will surely start as favourites but anything can happen in a one-off game so crossed fingers for the Lionesses to make it through.

[dem]

Germany 0 USA 2: Must admit, I watched this through a beer-induced fug, but it looked a case of the American's hitting top form as the pre-tournament favourites were deserted by theirs. Just as the French battered Germany in the quarter final, so the Yanks continued the job, the difference being they don't blow chances. Having withstood the pressure for an hour, Germany looked to be on course to do what they always do when Julie Johnston took out Alexandra Popp in the box and the ref pointed to the spot. Up steps The Human Ice-cube, the competition's top scorer and player of the tournament contender,to - miss! Ten minutes later, when USA were awarded a penalty of their own, Carli Lloyd didn't make the same mistake and, once ahead, her team saw the game out in relative comfort, Kelley O’Hara's late tap-in putting a gloss on it.

England 1 Japan 2: The Lionesses saved their finest performance until last, only to be undone in the final minute of injury time by the cruelest slice of bad luck. Deadlocked at the break, both sides having profited from dubious penalty awards, the English girls trooped off looking utterly exhausted by their magnificent effort, and anyone who has watched the tireless Nadeshiko's throughout this tournament must surely have wondered if the jig was up. It wasn't. The reigning world champs don't do ruffled, but even they looked a little bewitched, bothered and bewildered when the ball kept smashing against their woodwork as the Lionesses ran them ragged! And then, a great ball into the England box, Laura Bassett sticks out a boot to prevent a near certain goal, only to watch in horror as ... as ....

So tonight it's the 3rd & 4th place play-off, traditionally - in the men's game, at least - the match nobody wants to play, but I reckon both England and Germany will want to leave Canada on a high, and we might be in for another cracker!

[ripper]

Such a cruel way to exit a world cup, but the Lionesses can be proud of their efforts and achievement. I hope that when the competition is over that there is continued coverage of ladies' football to give it a higher profile week-to-week, not just at competitions.

[dem]

England 1 Germany 0: (a.e.t.). What a great way to say goodbye!Germany, as ever, started like whirling dervishes and the first ten minutes proved particularly hard going for the Red Lionesses' reshuffled, ultra-defensive line up. Having survived the initial battering, England slowly found their game, albeit without threatening their opponents net. Jo Potter came nearest to breaking the deadlock with an attempted Laura Bassett tribute own goal, Steph Houghton clearing her colleague's woefully misdirected header off the line with a superb overhead kick. German play-maker Sara Daebritz, the victim of a robust shoulder charge in the back from Alex Greenwood which sent her flying at the hoardings, was proving a handful, but strike partner Celia Sacic again swapped her shooting boots for a posey designer pair and wasted two opportunities. First half ended with England ahead of the fouling contest if not the game, but the introduction of speedy Eniola Aluko for service-starved Ellen White on the hour proved a tactical master-stroke as now it was the Lionesses on the offensive and looking the better side. The referee belatedly remembered what her cards are for and randomly flashed three yellows in quick succession while ignoring the nastier stuff - a vicious retaliatory kick from Laura Bassett here, a a blatant elbow in the head of Lucy Bronze there, etc. Things got even spikier with the introduction of hard-case Alexandra Popp in extra time. Frau Popp, wearing Petr Cech protective headgear following a war-wound sustained versus USA, got straight into the swing of things, clashing with each opponent in turn and offering them outside for a knuckle. The impetus swung back in Germany's favour and the Lionesses did well to hang on. The match was ultimately settled 11 minutes from time when Lianne Sanderson was tackled all over by Tabea Kemme and did the decent thing in the circumstances - went down demanding a penalty. The Ref, who was by now finding both sets of players increasingly difficult to control, complied. Nadine Angerer and Alexandra Popp took this particularly badly, and fraught tempers briefly snapped again. Fara Williams took all the provocation in her stride, and cooly smashed the spot kick past the great Angerer to ruin her final international appearance.

The German's may have left a few star names on the bench, but they've world class quality throughout the squad and the slumped bodies and unashamed tears at the final whistle showed how much a first ever defeat to their bitter rivals hurt. Staying to applaud as the Lionesses received their medals showed real class.

More of same (with additional goals) in tonight's Japan vs. USA grudge final, please!

[dem]

FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ : Final
Japan 2 USA 5

A great night for the Americans but an awful one for the women's game, in that, any curious viewer tuning in for the first time would have had their every "glorified park football" reservation confirmed inside the opening fifteen minutes, by which time the Yanks were 4-0 ahead! Unfathomably, Japan, the outgoing world champs, went AWOL. Their concept of defending was so toytown you felt embarrassed for them but even more-so for England - how could they possibly have failed to score from open play against these clowns? A Carli Lloyd hat-trick inside 13 minutes, the third an audacious shot from the halfway line, had the almost exclusively pro-US crowd baying for ten, and with 75 minutes remaining, that target looked unambitious. What could have happened to the women in pink and blue? Where were the never-say-die Nadeshiko's of previous games? The social network was alive with conspiracy theories. Could FIFA have bought them off with promises of hosting the next finals plus huge cash sum? Had the evil Dr. Franz Breck from The Lost 47 Minutes used his evil mastery of electro-hypnosis to sap the Japs of their skills and transfer them to one instant-super-player? When would Uri Geller claim all the credit? Or was it all a tactical master-stroke on the part of coach Norio Sasaki, fielding his Subbuteo XI for opening half hour to lull a despised opponent into a false sense of security? The latter scenario seemed the most likely when, within a minute of Yuki Ogimi's powerful strike past Hope "Controversial" Solo, a goalmouth scramble almost plundered a second, but to reach half time without having conceding a fifth was their real achievement. Five minutes after the interval it was 4-2 when, in keeping with the occasion, Julie Johnston diverted a cross into her own net. But any slim hope of a miracle comeback were dashed when, within seconds of the restart, Tobin Heath tapped home America's fifth, effectively killing the game as a meaningful encounter with only an hour on the clock.