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2019 Women's World Cup in France ... June/July

In a properly called match, that’s a foul, all day, every day.

Frankly, I didn’t like much of what I saw from the front 6. Mewis and Lavelle has some nice runs into the middle but the attack fizzled. Ertz had to play a lot deeper so she wasn't able to provide support behind. And Jill, where were the subs? It shouldn’t have taken until the 85th minute to get Lloyd in, especially with the abuse that Morgan was taking. And then the 89th for Horan?

As Canada and Sweden come out for their match, how much money has Jack White made from FIFA?
 
Not a great game by the US... Wish the US had gotten one in the run of play but I'll take advancing. Thought the Ref was odd. Lack of fouls at times then lack of cards at others.. And even in the cards given..
Morgan should have been subbed a bit earlier IMO
 
I didn't think it was clear at all, and they replayed it enough. I'll agree to disagree.
 
Canada had a chance with a penalty. Saved then got lucky Sweden was offside before they gave one.

Foul outside the box last seconds of the game.
And Canada goes back home.
 
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I didn't think it was clear at all, and they replayed it enough. I'll agree to disagree.

You thought she missed her with the foot? Because I saw several angles that showed contact. And that's all it takes. Stud somebody in the leg in the box and you're getting called. All day, every day.
 
In a properly called match, that’s a foul, all day, every day.

Frankly, I didn’t like much of what I saw from the front 6. Mewis and Lavelle has some nice runs into the middle but the attack fizzled. Ertz had to play a lot deeper so she wasn't able to provide support behind. And Jill, where were the subs? It shouldn’t have taken until the 85th minute to get Lloyd in, especially with the abuse that Morgan was taking. And then the 89th for Horan?

As Canada and Sweden come out for their match, how much money has Jack White made from FIFA?

Front 6 really let the US down today, the more I think about it. We didn't try to get over the top nearly enough and I thought Ellis left WAY too much to her players. She she should have been goosing the formation or SOMETHING because they settled into this kind of loping pace that just isn't how they play when they're effective. I know Spain has scary speed, but I thought we showed them far too much respect. What? They're gonna out-run O'Hara and Dunn all day as a Plan A, B and C? Not bloody likely. And nobody is clawing their way through the middle with Ertz in there. Just a weirdly passive setup from the US all around.

Bottom line ... I think Ellis got caught tinkering with an eye for the next opponent again. FRANCE is the one that will require a softly, softly approach with some protection on the flanks, not freaking Spain. I don't know why she insists on doing that, but it's playing with fire at this level. Other than the fact that she's a terrible communicator, that's the one thing about Ellis that drives me nuts. Just go win the game that's in front of you, Jill. Why over-complicate things?
 
The round of 16 wraps up today. Japan and China stand in the way of sending 7 European teams into the quarterfinals.

Italy v. China
Netherlands v. Japan
 
Japan is a bad matchup for the Dutch, but the Orange have been so good in this tournament that might not matter. Nobody in the tournament can counter with Japan's precision and the Dutch are so aggressive at surging numbers forward that there should be a fair number of chances to hit them back. Could be an interesting cat and mouse game ... if it's not a blowout.

And I think Italy walks the dog on China. China defend fairly well, but Italy does everything else well. That one shouldn't be much of a contest.
 
Well ... Italy made it look easy on the scoresheet, but not so much on the pitch. They held off a furious Chinese attack to win 2-0. China forced 9 corners and jacked 19 shots in the direction of net. Only 6 on frame, but if they had showed anything like that intensity early on maybe they'd have been more used to actually trying to score and stuff.
 
Netherlands through 2-1 on another late PK .. for a handball that for me was a 50/50 call. Rough way to go out for Japan, in a game that saw them dominate the 2nd half but lack the finish to make it pay off.
 
Quarterfinals start today with Norway v. England. The winner advances to play the winner of US-France.
 
Clash of styles custom made for a tight game. England love to possess and stretch you, and Norway love to soak that up and hit on the counter. Norway struggled to absorb France's pressure, but mostly because they're so stupidly fast out wide. England are good and technical on the wing, but nobody has the kind of speed France has. Should be interesting.
 
3-0 Early in the Second England barring a Miracle (Not a Norwegian Specialty) will continue.
Utland has at least made England look Vulnerable.

England keeps the sheet clean. Due in part by some nice clearances by their D. They await the winner of US @ France.
 
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England's D was very cohesive and well organized and they were just too much for Norway going forward. That's a classy, well rounded team. Norway played well in this tournament but they showed how much a team built on D first misses their offensive threat when Hegerberg was ruled out for the World Cup. Small countries like Norway just don't have the depth in the player pool to take their best player out of the mix and keep rolling. Meanwhile both the US and France left ladies at home that would start on almost every other team in the tournament.

Speaking of the US and France ... today's the big day. Huge media blitz yesterday and both sides seemed to more revel in the chaos rather than shrink away from it. Weirdly enough, both coaches can be fairly simplistic technicians so this one is likely to build down to who plays better on the day. Both teams are deep and experienced, and both are super talented. They're also both built to score and then figure out the defense on the fly so this SHOULD be a dynamic matchup. Now, watch it turn out to be 1-1 or 0-0 and be decided by PKs.
 
Just about to start. Hoping for the US to pull through but it's not going to be easy.

Rapinoe off the set piece. Halftime holds the Rapinoe goal as the only one of the half.

Rapinoe gets a second the Renard one late the result ends with that scoreline..
2-1 USA.
 
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Got hosed on an offsides call that would have put them up 3-0 ... where is VAR when you actually need it? Whatever ... Reynard comes through on a set piece but the US defense outplayed the French attack all game and the USWNT closes it out 2-1 to move on.

I don't often like Jill Ellis' game plans, but she kind of nailed this one. The US set up in a very Italian looking 4-3-3 with the midfield keeping a pretty tight gap to the back four. It suffocated the French angles from the middle and pushed them wide. Now, you'd figure the French WANT to be wide with that Dunn on Diani matchup, right? Nope. Crystal Dunn hung in there like an absolute champ. She wasn't perfect, but she more than held her own against the best winger in the world. I absolutely NEVER want to hear another know-it-all question Crystal Dunn. She's a beast.

Speaking of beasts ... Rapinoe. Holy crap woman. Come up big next time, eh? The US played the counter/counter game pretty doggone well. Especially considering that is NOT what they normally do. Somewhere a random Italian manager is nodding his head knowingly. How do you beat a team that absolutely lives on the break? You make them play technical, tight passing soccer and pick their way methodically down the field. France couldn't do it. They had possession, sure. But no danger.
 
The View I think showed that the toe of Dunn's boot may have been offside. (cm's or inches not even 6 of them inch things.) Wish I had such confidence in the perfectness of the views to get it 100% right... At least the second goal was good by a larger margin.
Sucks for France and they are out of the olympics...(2020)
 
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