How much better is Brazil with Marta and Cristiane? A goal a game better? Two? It's never really fair to guess at those kinds of things, but that's what we're left with when the U.S. defeats a Brazil team missing those stars, but cuts it very close.
8 comments:
I've got a thing for Amy Rodriguez.
She's cute, isn't she? I'm guessing she's going to get a lot of camera attention at the Olympics. Her skills as a player deserve that as well.
Andrea:
Are you going to the Olympics?
Who (else) is going (not going)?
Aside from the major network coverage, where would you look for good soccer coverage?
I think Germany, Brasil and the US are a cut above the rest. The one with the 'easy' semifinal - Germany in the last WC - will have a big advantage. I think Brasil found it difficult to focus on Germany after (the emotional high of) beating the US last year.
I was supposed to go to the Women's World Cup, but that didn't work out, so I'm not getting my hopes up for the Olympics. On the other hand, going to the World Cup in Germany kind of came together late, so who knows?
ALL the USWNT are cute! :)
Those two of course make Brazil stronger but I have no doubt they will be contained by both the U.S. of A. & Canada too if the opportunity should by chance present itself. :)
Oh yeah, Coach Pia, don't upset the momentum & flow of the team on the eve of a HUGE game with a brain cramp Keeper switch! A switch when your Keeper has 3 clean sheets in a row! lol
Couldn't find the game on-line anywhere so I was relagated to Match Tracker.
No ESPN or Fox Soccer channel for me. :(
To my limited eye in limited viewing, USWNT looked anxious (except for Carli) in the first half and were playing a lot like under Ryan, long passes to Abby in general and nobody in particular.
The 2nd half things changed. More possession and Rodriguez (particularly) was fearless in running at anything in a blue Brazil jersey. Over play her, miss, and she's gone. Just wonderful speed. And wasn't it Tobin Heath springing Abby down the left wing that led to A-Rod's goal?
Marta and Cristiane will trouble the US more on counters than the squad available this weekend did but Rampone, Margraff, Mitts, and Buehler when she got in looked solid and if US play like they did in the 2nd half, Brazil (and anybody else, for that matter) will spend a lot of energy chasing the US attack. On the other hand, if they play like in the first half, Marta and Cristiane will get chances and Hope will have to make good on her WC "boast" (or get help from Mr. Post like the German keeper did in the WC final) or US will find itself behind early.
Still, US (Pia) consistently show they can make halftime adjustments and they look really pretty good when they hold on to the ball and make the other folks come to them. With the wheels of Kai, Rodriguez, Heath, et al, Abby and Shannon in the air on set pieces, and Carli (the cannon) Lloyd being way more assertive out of midfield this squad have more dimensions than the team that went to China for WC. I think they'll be fun to watch. Hope, AC, you get the chance.
ghost
(Coach, you gotta upgrade that cable selection!)
lol Ghost, I've got all the Cdn sports cable channels but ESPN, etc. aren't options for me unless I go to satellight I suppose.
I was just going through my "Explorer Favs" & discovered I can watch tomorrow nights game on-line on Fox Soccer Channel, unless of course they block it to Canada like ESPN 360 did! :(
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