Friday, July 1, 2011

WWC - England v New Zealand

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.

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