England players look a little resentful while singing their national anthem. I don't think they were expecting as much criticism as they got for their draw against Mexico.
FAIL - Announcer just said Hope Solo instead Hope Powell.
Kickoff!
2 - Bardsley catches an incoming pass.
3 - Yankey jukes her way into the box and earns a corner. It eventually results in another corner, which is taken short and leads to another corner.
4 - This corner turns into a Jill Scott header, but her awkward position results in the ball going wide.
5 - Smitch looks eager for redemption, aggressive on the ball.
7 - Freekick for England is collected by Bindon.
8 - Kelly Smith down for a while - she was stepped on by Bindon when she challenged for the ball.
10 - Smith hobbles back into the game, walking off the pain.
12 - NZ captain Smith nearly blew if for her team as a wayward touch gets picked off by Ellen White, but the last defender closes her down to prevent the shot.
13 - Fara Williams fires a shot on target, Bardsley makes a save.
16 - NZ corner confidently handled by Bindon.
18 - GOAL! Bardsley is hung out to dry by her defense as Hearn scampers down to dink a little cross right in front of the goal. Sarah Gregorious pokes it home after the England defenders sandwiching her fair to clear. 1-0 New Zealand.
22 - Scott from distance - wide of the goal, but close enough to make Bindon dive for it.
24 - Smith jukes and jives in the box, but her cross is cleared. Still a corner. NZ clear it.
27 - England are fighting for the equalizer, NZ defending with numbers.
32 - Smith offside. That was a poor run - she must be a little desperate to be that sloppy with the offside.
33 - New Zealand in the box again, but England finally clear and Smith runs hard at the defense, before shooting side. Smith needs to be introduced to her teammates again.
37 - NZ with a freekick, but Green shoots straight to Bardsley.
38 - Gregorious free in the box, closing in on Bardsley, but Unitt toepokes from behind to save the day for England.
41 - New Zealand putting a bit of pressure on England's goal, breaking the rhythm of the English squad chasing the game.
44 - Smith in the box, but her cross deflects off a NZ defender and pops forward for Bindon.
45 - Scrappy New Zealand have England as frustrated as Nigeria yesterday - actually , more, because they're ahead.
Halftime - Could NZ pull off the shocker? We'll see second half.
46 - Maybe England will have better luck going at the other end of the field.
47 - But it's NZ who threaten first! Gregorious latches on to a free ball, gets deep in the box and loops a cross to Hearn, whose header pops over the crossball, but barely.
50 - Smith from the arc - but she didn't set up well at all, it was just an impatient swipe at the ball and it goes over by far.
54 - Smith, setting up fro a FK, shoves an NZ defender who doesn't back up fast enough for her. England are clearly frustrated. They're letting NZ see them sweat, which only encourages the underdogs more.
56 - It's E. White's turn to show she's cranky, shoving Moody down from behind.
57 - On the freekick, Smith isdraped with and England defender - no call.
59 - Gregorious free on a break, but eventually England get the ball back.
60 - Now England is in the NZ box, but a deflection results in a goalkick.
63 - GOAL! Alex Scott crosses into the box at the perfect angle and gangly Jill Scott heads the ball into goal. 1-1
65 - Kelly Smith fires on goal - oh, wide, actually.
67 - On the replay of the goal, it definitely looked like Scott pushed off on NZ's Smith to reach the ball, but the announcers are pretending they didn't see that.
69 - Kiwis have a corner, but take it poorly, into the side netting.
72 - White comes on for Percival, and nearly is the hero with a chance on goal, but bobbles the shot leaning back for the ball.
75 - NZ are fighting for this game, showing more initiative since England's goal, than England has.
78 - Fara Williams from distance - Bindon looks comfortable with the catch.
80 - NZ in the box, but then England break out and make a hash of the counterattack with an offside.
81 - GOAL! Clarke! NZ's organized defense breaks down, Bindon is off her line, but without the ball, Scott with the cool layoff and Clarke is deadly - one-timing a roofer into the net.
84 - England have been pretty dire, but it looks like they'll move on with this win, if they hang on.
87 - Williams shot on goal, but Bindon makes the kick save to keep NZ in range of the equalizer.
90 - New Zealand have run out of gas. England is doing just enough to deny chances.
Final whistle! England escape and are likely to move on.
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Women's World Cup - Japan v New Zealand
Time for kickoff!
2 - I'm ready for the match with the breakfast of champions, real whipped cream and strawberries on a chocolate brownie - Breakfast at Germany, the AC version.
3 - Corner for Japan, nothing comes of it.
4 - Nearly a corner straight into the goal from New Zealand there.
6 - GOAL! Through ball from Ohno reaches Nagasato who chips the goalkeeper. Sweet. Japan 1-0
8 - Nearly another goal for Japan there, but NZ recover.
12 - GOAL! New Zealand fight back - ball goes over the top to Percival, and Amber Hearn makes a far post run to head the ball in. 1-1
14 - Shocking marking on that goal.
16 - Fun facts at the WWC - Japan is only the second-shortest team at the Women's World Cup. The shortest? Mexico.
17 - Save from New Zealand's Bindon.
18 - Sakaguchi off the post! Japan goes close there, but Bindon saves Sawa's following shot.
22 - Japan looking nervous - overshooting a lot of their passes. When they're on, they're great to watch, with tricky quick passes.
25 - Japan's corner - is served well, but Binden corrals the ball before a shot is taken.
28 - Bindon gets NZ out of trouble again. She and Riley are easily the busiest players on their squad.
29 - Then Bindon bobbles one - but Sawa can't take advantage.
30 - Japan is actually looking decent on corners so far. They're mixing up the strategy, not going short every time.
35 - New Zealand is bypassing the midfield with their long passes.
38 - Japan still threatening on their corner chances, but close doesn't count.
42 - New Zealand with a corner chance of their own - Kaihori claims it in her box.
45 - Bowen clips a player as Japan breaks on the counter - Yellow card.
Halftime - Even draw would be considered a poor result for Japan. Goes to show that parity in the women's game is growing.
47 - Japan closes in on the NZ goal, then is offside.
49 - Freekick for Japan - Miyama to take. She used to play in LA, nice technical player who tended to get nervous shooting at the goal. Her kick is fine, but Bowen punches it clear.
54 - New Zealand look more lively, Japan dead in the heat. The announcers keep referencing how Barcelona's style is echoed by Japan. That's a terrible comparison when Japan are creating so little.
55 - Ohno coming off, Iwabuchi coming in. Now they're comparing her to Messi. Please, just stop.
57 Which is not to say that I don't believe Iwabuchi is an amazingly talented player, by the way. On her first touch, her pass gets cut off. Like Whitehill points out, Iwabuchi had players open on the other side.
59 - The pressure of being "the next Mia Hamm", which Whitehill mentions for USA players, is more realistic than being like Messi.
61 - Wilkinson in for Gregorius.
63 - Japan's player seem afraid of making a mistake. They're tentative.
64 - Corner for New Zealand - foul call on Wilkinson for pushing the keeper kills it.
68 -GOAL! Iwabuchi is fouled just outside the box. Miyama, who has had a quiet game so far, nails the freekick with perfect bend past Bindon. 2-1 Japan leads.
74 - Now it's New Zealand who seem out of ideas.
77 - High kick from Hearn kills an NZ attack.
83 - Great builup by Japan ends in a tame Iwabuchi shot that was easy for Bindon.
88 - Just when I was going to type that Japan is playing boring, but effective keepaway, Iwabuchi gets cheeky and tried to chip Bindon. Not too shabby.
90 - Miyama's sloppy foul gives NZ a good freekick chance, but Hearn is no Miyama. Misses the target on the freekick. Too high.
Fulltime! Like Germany yesterday, Japan didn't get the extra goal differential they wanted, but they got the most important thing - the win.
2 - I'm ready for the match with the breakfast of champions, real whipped cream and strawberries on a chocolate brownie - Breakfast at Germany, the AC version.
3 - Corner for Japan, nothing comes of it.
4 - Nearly a corner straight into the goal from New Zealand there.
6 - GOAL! Through ball from Ohno reaches Nagasato who chips the goalkeeper. Sweet. Japan 1-0
8 - Nearly another goal for Japan there, but NZ recover.
12 - GOAL! New Zealand fight back - ball goes over the top to Percival, and Amber Hearn makes a far post run to head the ball in. 1-1
14 - Shocking marking on that goal.
16 - Fun facts at the WWC - Japan is only the second-shortest team at the Women's World Cup. The shortest? Mexico.
17 - Save from New Zealand's Bindon.
18 - Sakaguchi off the post! Japan goes close there, but Bindon saves Sawa's following shot.
22 - Japan looking nervous - overshooting a lot of their passes. When they're on, they're great to watch, with tricky quick passes.
25 - Japan's corner - is served well, but Binden corrals the ball before a shot is taken.
28 - Bindon gets NZ out of trouble again. She and Riley are easily the busiest players on their squad.
29 - Then Bindon bobbles one - but Sawa can't take advantage.
30 - Japan is actually looking decent on corners so far. They're mixing up the strategy, not going short every time.
35 - New Zealand is bypassing the midfield with their long passes.
38 - Japan still threatening on their corner chances, but close doesn't count.
42 - New Zealand with a corner chance of their own - Kaihori claims it in her box.
45 - Bowen clips a player as Japan breaks on the counter - Yellow card.
Halftime - Even draw would be considered a poor result for Japan. Goes to show that parity in the women's game is growing.
47 - Japan closes in on the NZ goal, then is offside.
49 - Freekick for Japan - Miyama to take. She used to play in LA, nice technical player who tended to get nervous shooting at the goal. Her kick is fine, but Bowen punches it clear.
54 - New Zealand look more lively, Japan dead in the heat. The announcers keep referencing how Barcelona's style is echoed by Japan. That's a terrible comparison when Japan are creating so little.
55 - Ohno coming off, Iwabuchi coming in. Now they're comparing her to Messi. Please, just stop.
57 Which is not to say that I don't believe Iwabuchi is an amazingly talented player, by the way. On her first touch, her pass gets cut off. Like Whitehill points out, Iwabuchi had players open on the other side.
59 - The pressure of being "the next Mia Hamm", which Whitehill mentions for USA players, is more realistic than being like Messi.
61 - Wilkinson in for Gregorius.
63 - Japan's player seem afraid of making a mistake. They're tentative.
64 - Corner for New Zealand - foul call on Wilkinson for pushing the keeper kills it.
68 -GOAL! Iwabuchi is fouled just outside the box. Miyama, who has had a quiet game so far, nails the freekick with perfect bend past Bindon. 2-1 Japan leads.
74 - Now it's New Zealand who seem out of ideas.
77 - High kick from Hearn kills an NZ attack.
83 - Great builup by Japan ends in a tame Iwabuchi shot that was easy for Bindon.
88 - Just when I was going to type that Japan is playing boring, but effective keepaway, Iwabuchi gets cheeky and tried to chip Bindon. Not too shabby.
90 - Miyama's sloppy foul gives NZ a good freekick chance, but Hearn is no Miyama. Misses the target on the freekick. Too high.
Fulltime! Like Germany yesterday, Japan didn't get the extra goal differential they wanted, but they got the most important thing - the win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)