2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

[geepers]

Aussies hold their nerve over a 20 kick shootout. Gonna be tough to beat with that crowd behind them.

 

[crgildart]

MATILDAS!!!!!!!!!!!

England is still my personal favorite but the Aussie Lasses have some special chemistry happening at home.. Sweden is probably the best team left. Would a Swede win buy the US team any consolation??

 

[James]

Would a Swede win buy the US team any consolation??

No. But rooting for them against Spain. They’ve gotten better plus Asllani of Sweden told off American press trashing the USWNT. Something Carli lloyd (just sad) and Alexi Lalas (bloviator without a port) of Fox Sports couldn’t manage. I never thought I’d rather listen to Rob Stone of Fox use up time then the others.

"I had an interview with an American journalist yesterday and he was talking so much in his question," [Asllani] said. "I was like, 'How can you ask me this?' He asked basically, 'Oh, the U.S. are talking about the American team is so over, la, la, la.' And I was like, 'Don't talk (expletive) about the American team.' That's basically what I said."

Sweden's Kosovare Asllani defends legacy of USWNT 'pioneers' after early World Cup exit

The United States has received criticism after its earliest exit in World Cup history. Sweden's Kosovare Asllani defended the USWNT as "pioneers."

www.usatoday.com

You can’t make this stuff up. As “evidence” of the USWNT player’s crap attitude post 2015, Lalas goaded Lloyd into getting specific. He thinks it’s great for ratings. She comes up with they made appointments with massage therapists and didn’t show up, plus littered on practice fields expecting staff to pick it up. Of course Lalas jumped all over that babbling about details. Did he consider asking Lloyd what she did about this problem as co-captain ? Video

I can only think of former USWNT coach Pia Sundhage’s NYTimes interview before the 2015 Wcup. She said if Lloyd thought you believed in her she could be among the best players, but if not, among the worst. It was very delicate managing her.

(Don’t know why it’s so large)

Meanwhile, the Aussie’s have Matildas Mania. Whatever happens, they have won the country. It’s a bit of a combination of 1999 and 2011 for the USWNT. When they came back after losing the the 2011 final to Japan, the USWNT was mobbed. Abby Wambach asked on the Today Show, “They know we lost, right?”

 

[James]

I read that the Australia - France game was the second most watched sporting event in Australia since Cathy Freeman in the 400m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Once the final numbers are in, it may beat it. Likely the match against England will beat it. I had to go look it up. What an event! @geepers , did you watch it in 2000?

Sydney Olympics, Part 7 ( only on youtube)
At 2:34, but the intro is worth watching. Australian announcer Bruce McAvaney’s call plus context for the race.

Another Aussie announcer, Tim Lane


US Nbc broadcast of the 400m. Tom Hammond call. Flashes of cameras going off in crowd.

 

[geepers]

@geepers , did you watch it in 2000?

Of course. The Phantom suit.

Also one of kids was part of the Opening Ceremony.


What is it with the USA ragging out their own soccer team? Gees, there's plans here to declare a public holiday in the Matilda's honor even if they don't win another match! If they win the cup Oz may take the rest of the decade off.

 

[dbostedo]

What is it with the USA ragging out their own soccer team?

We're jaded I think. And looking for reasons we aren't dominant anymore other than a simple "everyone else is getting better". It must be something the team or the system is doing wrong, right?

As @James pointed out, back in 2011 the team was revered even though they lost - but it was in the final, not an early exit.

 

[geepers]

We're jaded I think. And looking for reasons we aren't dominant anymore other than a simple "everyone else is getting better". It must be something the team or the system is doing wrong, right?

As @James pointed out, back in 2011 the team was revered even though they lost - but it was in the final, not an early exit.

Guess these things can be kind of fickle.

On August 6 just past, the Australian Diamonds won the Netball World Cup for the 12th time with a 61–45 victory over England in Cape Town. You'd barely know about it. No talk of public holidays or tickertape parades....

 

[dbostedo]

You'd barely know about it. No talk of public holidays or tickertape parades....

What's netball? Is it anywhere near as popular as soccer/football?

 

[James]

What is it with the USA ragging out their own soccer team?

It’s largely political. Rapinoe said 4 yrs ago they weren’t going to the White House if they won. (They went after 2015) Then there was the kneeling in support of Colin Kaepernick before that. Then the lack of singing the national anthem. A good percentage, at least on media, was rooting for them to lose. It’s sick.
That’s why the garbage that Lloyd and Lalas were spewing is so bad, because the haters eat that up.

Mikaela commented.
————————-
Amid all of the noise around the USWNT, Shiffrin encourages fans to exercise restraint.

“These conversations (if that’s what you call them) are truly unavoidable in big moments where a lot of people care,” Shiffrin wrote. “But sometimes I just feel like it’s awful. So incredibly ugly and hateful, especially when you are basically isolated at the wrong end of the barrel.”

Shiffrin added: “It is also undeniable that our USWNT raised the bar for soccer (and women’s sports in general) so exponentially that the entire world had no choice but to find that path, and start sprinting. And I have no doubt that our team will find their own path yet again, and raise that bar yet again. And they will continue to do this whole advocating for women’s sports, equality and inclusivity the entire time.”
——————-

Mikaela Shiffrin condemns ‘hateful’ criticism of USWNT after loss - Just Women's Sports

Mikaela Shiffrin offered supportive words for the U.S. women's national team amid all of the negative attention from the World Cup.

justwomenssports.com

 

[geepers]

What's netball? Is it anywhere near as popular as soccer/football?

Apparently it's the most popular female only sport played worldwide.

Mikaela commented.

100% class.

 

[James]

Spain vs Sweden is 4am Eastern
Australia vs England is 6am
Damn this world cup.
Gotta say, that 6am match is an epic event. Doesn’t mean it’ll be a good game. I think I’m rooting for both, slightly towards the rainy isle.


You know in 1980 ABC didn’t broadcast the USA vs CCR hockey game live? They showed the 4:30 Movie (I think). IOC wouldn’t move the game for tv primetime, (imagine!), and Abc didn’t want to show it till a bit later.

 

[dbostedo]

most popular female only sport

Well that narrows the possible options quite a lot.

 

[fatbob]

At college I and the rest of the rugby guys played a bit of mixed netball on Sunday morning as a hungover social thing. It was brutal. For a non contact sport those girls sure knew how to throw elbows and get hands in your face.

 

[James]

Spain knocks off Sweden 2-1. All the goals are in the last ten minutes. Kind of crazy.
That Paralluelo for Spain is crazy fast. Her acceleration is off the charts.

Another Federation that’s a disaster for their women’s team. There’s a reason the Spanish players stay away from the coach after a win.

———————
15 of Spain’s top players sent a letter to the federation last fall, saying they didn’t want to be called up for the national team until their complaints about the training environment were addressed. Treatment of injuries and support services — or a lack thereof — were concerns, as was Vilda's heavy-handed way of dealing with his players, on and off the field.

It was clear the players didn’t trust Vilda and chafed at his management style, but they insisted they weren’t asking for him to be fired. Nor had they wanted the letter to become public, hoping instead their concerns would be addressed privately.

But the federation and Vilda went scorched earth. The federation scolded the players as if they were children, saying they needed to “accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness.” Vilda called the situation “a farce” and dropped the players, turning to Spain’s long list of up-and-comers.
———————————-

Spain's World Cup final run a blessing and curse. Federation unworthy of team's brilliance

Spain reaches World Cup final a year after 15 top players sent a letter to the federation expressing concern over the team environment, coach's style

www.usatoday.com

 

[dbostedo]

Spain knocks off Sweden 2-1. All the goals are in the last ten minutes. Kind of crazy.
That Paralluelo for Spain is crazy fast. Her acceleration is off the charts.

Another Federation that’s a disaster for their women’s team. There’s a reason the Spanish players stay away from the coach after a win.

———————
15 of Spain’s top players sent a letter to the federation last fall, saying they didn’t want to be called up for the national team until their complaints about the training environment were addressed. Treatment of injuries and support services — or a lack thereof — were concerns, as was Vilda's heavy-handed way of dealing with his players, on and off the field.

It was clear the players didn’t trust Vilda and chafed at his management style, but they insisted they weren’t asking for him to be fired. Nor had they wanted the letter to become public, hoping instead their concerns would be addressed privately.

But the federation and Vilda went scorched earth. The federation scolded the players as if they were children, saying they needed to “accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness.” Vilda called the situation “a farce” and dropped the players, turning to Spain’s long list of up-and-comers.
———————————-

Spain's World Cup final run a blessing and curse. Federation unworthy of team's brilliance

Spain reaches World Cup final a year after 15 top players sent a letter to the federation expressing concern over the team environment, coach's style

www.usatoday.com

 

[crgildart]

I had Sweden, mostly because Spain is not full strength.. Some of their better players were tied up with other contractual obligations. Pretty cool the B team ladies keep stepping up. The constant pressure looks exhausting but they are keeping it up for the entire 90+

 

[BrianB]

Spain has been fun to watch the last couple of games. They were very good today I thought. Between the 3 remaining teams it seems like anyone could win on the day and the remaining semi and the final promise to be entertaining.

This article describes some of the details of the conflicts with the coach. The hotel room thing in particular seems like a giant flaming red flag:
https://www.dw.com/en/womens-world-cup-spains-success-cannot-paper-over-deep-lying-issues/a-66499834
”There was a call for a change in the conditions they were operating under through Vilda's management, who was said to have created an environment of control, anxiety and stress that has emotionally impacted the squad. He allegedly forced players to leave the doors to their hotel rooms open at night so he could verify they were in their rooms. He was said to have also checked the contents of their bags if they left and returned.”

One player, Damaris Egurrola switched from Spain to the Netherlands because of Vilda
https://www.reuters.com/sports/socc...spite-controversy-ahead-world-cup-2023-08-10/
“Damaris Egurrola, who was born in the U.S. to a Dutch mother and Spanish father, made her senior debut for Spain in 2019 but switched to the Netherlands in 2022, saying she had issues with Vilda. The Lyon midfielder will take the pitch for the Dutch on Friday.”

 

[geepers]

 

[geepers]

Lionesses owned the 1st half.

But Matildas looking better at start of 2nd half. And Sam Kerr strikes back! Brilliant! 1-1.

 

[crgildart]

50K people without power here in Durham and I'm one of them. Wife needs the meager generator power for the bathroom to get ready to go to work so no juice for the TV. I'll keep the score up as it winds down