Women’s World Cup 2019

So .. USA vs England! The team I have a soft spot for and love to watch vs my home nation

Looking forward to this one. I'll be cheering England on hoping for a spot in the final, but good luck to both teams, well deserved!

This would have been my perfect final!

a reply to: valiant

I think we all would have liked to see this in the final....but its one game of football and anything can happen at this point.

I wasn't that impressed with England in the Group stage but they were excellent against Norway and I quite enjoyed the game.

No matter what happens in the semi they have done themselves and this country proud and have helped raise the profile of women's football immensely and give it some credibility.

a reply to: Freeborn

It's amazing how having zero expectations can impact your level of enjoyment. That's how I came into this contest, and that's how I gotta be in the USA game, hopefully that Lion heart comes alive and we get to the final, but as you say they have done themselves and the country proud at this point, and more people will start to take notice of the womens game, that's a big win already!

Today is the day!

Lionesses v USWNT

[Reminder: insert cougar joke here]

This should be a lively match. It is England's talent versus a questionable coach's decisions. A couple times the US side backs looked a little shaky on close marked passes and have turned the ball over in critical areas. Add a non-call on a VAR hand call and you might even call the US defense, untried.

Enjoy the game! I will find a stool at the bar and cheer on the US. But really, as with Germany, this is the World Cup, and runs can come from anywhere!!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Just a few minutes in and already USA look a lot more settled and confident.

England need to gain their composure and play to their strengths; fast, attacking football.

Oh, hell 1-0 as I type.

I was going to go to the pub to watch it but I've decided a much needed day of sobriety - overrated though it is - is in order.

Alex Morgan!

a reply to: shooterbrody

I got to watch the whole second half... oh my!!

England tied it up at 20. I walked in with US 2 - 1.

Talk about pressure! Lionesses with possession poured it on (some questionable play that was not called, like running roughshod over Lloyd more than twice), but was a question of finishing. And England couldn’t get it done.

First, an offside (VAR, again...) that was a correct call as the ball was served in onside then passed to an offside position.

Then... WTH/F???!!! It is called “incidental contact”! A player swings back to kick the ball and hits another... that’s the definition! Anyway, a penalty... oh snarf! The ball, weakly hit, doesn’t even bounce! Hope Solo never looked so good doing the same! And as those kids say...

No harm, no foul (except it was a yellow).

Then the clock and frustration took over as England got a second yellow and went down to ten. And as my coach, who barely spoke English said, “manage the clock” (luckily I speak crappy Spanish so I was team translator. ... I still remember coach crying after we lost, a second time, to the city winners... oh our little battles won and lost!!)

The USWNT needs opponents like this. And they did it without Rapinoe.

On to the final! And England, a great run, nothing to cry over. It hurts now but you are better winners now (less short tugging and running players over... more of The Beautiful Game!!)

May Ned v Swe be as good!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Congrats on a good run.
I thought our women were going to give it up.
I thought it was an impressive win.

a reply to: shooterbrody

This was good stuff on both sides!!



And like I said, a very entertaining match!! Either side could have won!!

a reply to: shooterbrody

That was awesome!!

Seriously awesome!!!

She rules! Although I think Hiram was awesome too!!

Had to watch a replay, was at the gym when it was live. Gutted is a word i'd use for that match, but also proud! best group of Lionesses i've seen in my lifetime, and people seem to actually be taking notice of them now, which is what they deserve! so at least those are some positives for me.

Congrats to USA though! great team and a marker of what I want the England women to aim for. I hope you guys win it now, good luck!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

England gave possession away far too often and looked hurried and nervy throughout the game.

USA were the far better side and deserved their win.

Women's football has always been looked down by most people here in the UK.
I think this World Cup has helped change that perception for many.

From what I've seen the Dutch are a good side and I expect them to beat Sweden - who have remarkably well to get to the semi's - but the US are the quality team in the competition and I honestly can't see anyone beating them.

That England v USA game can be seen as representing everything that has come and gone in the men's World Cup post 1966. It was "Englandy".

Contentious decisions, a crazy sending off. gamesmanship, goals chalked off in controversial fashion and the curse of the damned penalty kicks all seemingly conspiring against the English towards defeat. All it was missing was a heroic English woman wearing a bandage wrapped around her head having taken a battering in the line of duty!

Unfortunatly Phil Neville will not become the female version of Sir Alf Ramsey

That all said I thought USA used a very simple but effective tactic of long balls up to the front players. Then push up and press the England defenders and wait for the mistake. England couldn't handle it. Sending passes astray or miscontrolling the ball under pressure.

As for VAR I am still not convinced they can freeze frame the ball on the precise moment "the ball is played" as per the laws of the game. I was also not convinced that England deserved a penalty.

All in all America did the job professionally and got through to the final yet again. So congratulations to our cousins,

Apparently reaching the semi-finals means England sealed a place at the 2020 Olympics for Great Britain. So maybe next year hey?

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

I was / am very proud of the England side. I thought they were easily second best in the 1st half but actually the better team in the second half - and definitiely deserved to take it to extra time. That said, i couldn't shake the feeling that USA could have scored again, if necessary......

It was definitely a penalty though, you only have to look at the look of acceptance (rather than puzzlement or anger) of the player that committed the foul. If you watch it back, she clearly knew it when the ref yellow carded her - it was that resigned look of "yes ref, thought id got away with it there".

I have to say though that the Women's game is certainly looking far stronger this time around. It isn't that long ago that the US would have steamrollered teams like England and France, wheras now they know that the have to turn up for every game against the decent nations or they may lose - and that benefits all nations going forward.

Just one little gripe though following last night and this tournament in general and it is Alex Morgan (and no, not for that celebration!). After a tournament where many have been seriously impressed by the sportsmanship on display (not rolling around for everything), Alex Morgan has clearly emerged as the Neymar of the female game. It clearly stands out because no one else seems to be like it! She has all the talent in the world (like Neymar) but if you breathe slightly heavy on her, she rolls around like she has been winged by a sniper......

a reply to: mirageman

Sorry man... can’t Star your comment! But it is appropriate!

Morgan’s header was a thing of beauty though!



I am watching the replay and the first half that I missed. Man, the England side poured it on the second half. That was the brilliant part.

a reply to: mirageman

See... double post...

a reply to: Flavian

Meade is badass!!!

Glad we don’t have to face her again!

Very enjoyable US against England, also noticed that there was very much an edge to the game which made it even better, US probably deserved on the whole.

Tough one to call with Sweden against the Netherlands, Sweden were good in previous game, Netherlands not so much, however they do have the stronger side.

On the basis of giving the US a tougher game in the final, hope the Netherlands win

Nil - nil at the half but Sweden is looking the strong side!

Good stuff!!

Second half will be worth watching!!

Nil - nil at the half but Sweden is looking the strong side!

Good stuff!!

Second half will be worth watching!!