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[OT] US Women's National Team


dEnnis the Menace

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Posted

Ok I swear this is not a "why don't they do it THIS way..." rant from the non-soccer guy ... but if it was "golden goal" that would have been amazing ... I just love the sudden death element.

 

We wouldn't have said the same last week, though.

Posted

Ok I swear this is not a "why don't they do it THIS way..." rant from the non-soccer guy ... but if it was "golden goal" that would have been amazing ... I just love the sudden death element.

 

I like both for different reasons. I like the chance for the down team to rebut, but I do love the celebration that comes with sudden death.

 

That aside, this game has been very entertaining. Certainly a good alternative in these hockey-less summer months.

Posted

Dammit. I liked the Heath substitution but (and I did NOT want to write this at the time) fear that we'll miss Rapinoe's placement if this goes to PKs. And now it looks like it will.

Posted

Leaving Solo in there was an awful idea.

 

She has not had a great game, but she's the better option when this goes to PKs.

Posted

She has not had a great game, but she's the better option when this goes to PKs.

 

But is her knee going to hold up? That's the question. I guess we find out now.

Posted

3 mistakes before the PKs began:

 

1) Starting Rapinoe, who has not played a full game all tournament (and it's her first WC, too). Don't care that she's my favorite player on this team; we needed her late, not early. She can absolutely dominate late in a game (just as she did early), but her placement of a ball is more important late, when the opponent is tired (or in PKs) than it is early.

 

2) Speaking of which, the full-court press early failed to yield results and left the team tired at the end. Japan played with a more even pace, which is why they had plenty of gas in the tank to sustain pressure late.

 

3) Solo's rollout that led to the first Japan goal was a complete mental mistake. In fact, I think it's the first and only time I've ever seen her roll a ball out to a back rather than bounce it a couple of times and give it that beautiful drop-kick that she has. The rollout is a great move if you've got a need for a quick goal AND a clear set-up downfield; she had neither the need for a quick goal nor the set-up downfield (as demonstrated by the failure to get the ball out).

Posted

3 mistakes before the PKs began:

 

1) Starting Rapinoe, who has not played a full game all tournament (and it's her first WC, too). Don't care that she's my favorite player on this team; we needed her late, not early. She can absolutely dominate late in a game (just as she did early), but her placement of a ball is more important late, when the opponent is tired (or in PKs) than it is early.

 

That's easy to say now, but she set up the first goal. IMO the loss can be attributed to us choking in the clutch. Giving up two leads and shanking three pks...

Posted

That's easy to say now, but she set up the first goal. IMO the loss can be attributed to us choking in the clutch. Giving up two leads and shanking three pks...

 

I said it then, too. Could have subbed her in at halftime or minute 60 and she still could have set up that goal.

Posted

Not a soccer fan at all, but watched this game and it was very entertaining!

 

A couple of uninformed observations I made:

1. The U.S. women choked. Not PC nor delicately put, but there is no other way to call this one.

On both goals against, they panicked or missed coverages and looked bad. They couldn't hold

either late lead, and most importantly, they messed up 3 out of 4 penalty kicks.

2. The Japanese women were much more relaxed looking, especially just before the penalty shootout

- most were smiling and savoring the moment compared to the grim faced do-or-die appearance of

the Americans.

 

Heck, somebody wins and somebody loses, and, as we all know as Buffalo sports fans, the sun still comes up tomorrow.

Posted

Heck, somebody wins and somebody loses, and, as we all know as Buffalo sports fans, the sun still comes up tomorrow.

 

Interesting choice of words considering the parties involved (Japan) :-P.

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