Women's World Cup 2019

[InstaFace]

It's upon us. ESPN has a tournament preview, a USWNT preview, and the full match schedule.

Dates: Friday June 7th to Sunday July 7th (in France)
Times: Mostly 9am ET, 12pm ET and 3pm ET, but some variations during bracket play (6/21+)
US TV: Fox & FS1 for English
Venues appear to be mostly Ligue 1 first-team stadiums

USWNT matches:
- Tues 6/11, 3pm ET vs Thailand
- Sun 6/16, 12pm ET vs Chile
- Thurs 6/20, 3pm ET vs Sweden
- R16 Mon 6/24, either 12pm (group winner vs B2) or 3pm (runner-up vs E2)

Other teams have warmup friendlies against peers, but not us! Since the SheBelieves cup in late Feb / early March, we've played:
- A 5-3 win against Australia (ranked #6) on 4/4 that was absolute mayhem defensively
- A 6-0 win against Belgium on 4/7
- A 3-0 win against South Africa on 5/12
- A 5-0 win against New Zealand on 5/16
- A 3-0 win against Mexico on 5/26
...none of which tell us anything about where we sit against the top ~10 teams in the world, who are a completely different class. Except Australia, who started a very young squad and might well have gotten a result if Rapinoe didn't go into Hulk mode, scoring 1 while creating 2.

Oh, and in that SheBelieves cup - we had breakdowns defensively that led to a pair of 2-2 draws against England (#3) and Japan (#7), followed by a narrow 1-0 win vs Brazil (#10) that we may not have fully deserved. So while we're on a long unbeaten streak, it hasn't instilled the kind of confidence that we had in 2015, having won the Algarve Cup over France and had a bunch of other decisive victories.

While we have an absurd surplus of talent at forward and midfield, the cracks in our armor are all at the back. With Julie (Johnston) Ertz having converted to DM, and Sauerbrunn in and out of the lineup (injuries?), our experienced and reliable CBs are largely gone, and at the wings we've got Crystal Dunn, a converted forward, starting at RB. Our #1 GK, Bridgeport CT's own Alyssa Naeher, is solid but largely not capable of the spectacular efforts of her precedessor. We still hold possession really well, but decent attacking teams can get our defense crossed up on the counter (I've only watched 2 of the 4 friendlies since Australia, so it's possible I haven't seen them grow into it). But you know what, despite all of that - we're still ranked #1, beyotch. Other teams better respect and fear. Except Sweden. But the rest of them, look out.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Nice overview.

Dunn has mostly been playing LB. The best LB in NWSL, Jaelene Hinkle, is out of the picture due to her refusal to play for the US when they were wearing Pride Night kits.

 

[luckysox]

It’s really tough to say exactly what we have here vs. other top teams; the roster has just not been steady throughout the past year due to injuries and the staff trying to get a look at everyone. If we recall, in 2015 we basically changed attack methods mid tournament as Ellis realized that Wambach just could not carry the team anymore against elite opponents. The over the top serve for headers was not cutting it. And then boom, all of a sudden it clicked. Wambach off the bench, more possession and better mid field play, Carly Lloyd going nuts, and there was the title. I’ll be interested to see how it all comes together this year. And I want to also point out that Rapinoe can and does go beast mode often; if she’s healthy, she can create off the left side amazingly, and Tobin Heath can also create. And the US still has Alex Morgan up front, with some very solid non 2015 players stepping in, too. I worry most about the defense breaking down.

It should be fun and I can not wait.

 

[InstaFace]

Rapinoe is my favorite player on the squad, though it's close with Ertz. She just has unerring instincts for where the hole is, has great precision at distance, tries audacious stuff, and is always thinking attack. She can be beat for speed but we have other people to worry about the speed merchants. So yeah, she can beast with regularity.

 

[Ale Xander]

Not liking the draw, of the US playing France, in Paris, in the Quarters, if both teams win their group (and each R16 game.)

 

[dirtynine]

I’ll be at the 6/16 v Chile in Paris. Bringing my daughters to their first big international match. Here’s to a bunch of goals, a lot of signing and locking up advancement.

 

[InstaFace]

A nice story about the Jamaican Women's Team, the first to qualify for the WWC from the Caribbean, and the struggles they've gone through (to put it lightly).

This Dalton Wint guy sounds like a real piece of work, straight out of the Jack Warner era.

 

[AB in DC]

Not liking the draw, of the US playing France, in Paris, in the Quarters, if both teams win their group (and each R16 game.)

I was thinking maybe they could tank the Sweden game to get a better match-up, but no, that just sets up a quarterfinal against #2 Germany. No real benefit there.

 

[ninjacornelius]

I was thinking maybe they could tank the Sweden game to get a better match-up, but no, that just sets up a quarterfinal against #2 Germany. No real benefit there.

Along those same lines, I thought that France might want to dodge the US by finishing second in their group, but then they'd get one of Australia or Brazil, followed by one of England or Japan, and then still see the US in the semifinals. Not great for them either.

 

[67YAZ]

It's most the talented and stacked field in history, there's no easy path to the final anymore. The US needs to get the attack rolling, pour in the goals, and figure out a solid defensive set up. The Sweden match should be the first real test of the defense, the US has to put forward its best effort to see if will hold up in the knock out rounds.

The US games should be really entertaining, hopefully in a good way.

 

[InstaFace]

The US games should be really entertaining, hopefully in a good way.

If you were setting a spread, you'd probably put USA -4.5 vs Thailand and -2.5 vs Chile. So those will be mildly amusing. It's the knockout games that will probably be super open in both directions.

US is currently tied with France at ~7/2 payout to win the thing, but about 1-to-4 favorites (bet $100, win $25 net) to win their group. Sweden 7-to-2 underdogs. So there's money to be had betting on Pia Sundhage.

 

[DJnVa]

France opening against a South Korean squad that is missing it's top 2 keepers. South Korea is ranked inside the top 15 in the world, but there's a larger gap than in the men's game, so this could get out of hand if France can deal with their nerves.

EDIT: and 1-0 France in 9th minute.

 

[67YAZ]

A 2nd French goal reversed on VAR, offside by literally a foot. But South Korea is looking very nervy and making a lot of sloppy mistakes. Should be long before France gets that 2nd.

EDIT: There it is, a towering open header on a corner. SK are just not in this match.

 

[67YAZ]

And a 3rd in first half stoppage time, another heard off a corner from Renard. This one is a perfectly placed looper. She is a weapon on set pieces.

 

[luckysox]

So South Korea looks pretty, well, bad. But France is damn impressive. I’m not sure which of these things is more true in this game, though.

That shot Henry just made to put France up 4-0 was *perfect*.

 

[luckysox]

And a 3rd in first half stoppage time, another heard off a corner from Renard. This one is a perfectly placed looper. She is a weapon on set pieces.

She’s like Wambach was for the US, but taller. It seems like she should score on every corner!

 

[67YAZ]

She’s like Wambach was for the US, but taller. It seems like she should score on every corner!

Yeah, it was the second - a cushioned header into the far lower corner - that really impressed. She’s skilled.

 

[InstaFace]

France is #4 in the world, very narrowly behind England for 3rd and meaningfully ahead of Canada (?!) for 5th. They're a great team.

In other news, here is a Carli Lloyd puff piece.

 

[luckysox]

Canada’s last hurrah with Sinclair. They’ve been a tier behind for a bit now.

 

[67YAZ]

A horrible midfield turnover gives China a 3 on 2 break down the middle...and they blow it by being too slow and indecisive. Wow. Germany very very lucky.

 

[67YAZ]

So far this half, Germany has hit the crossbar and had one cleared off the line while China muffed a fantastic break and just hit the post.

 

[Section30]

There sure are a lot of late continuation fouls. I can't tell if China is that clumsy or is it a deliberate tactic to try and slow down Germany?

 

[DJnVa]

Tough red on South Africa in 80th minute. Seems like correct call by the book, but man. Defender was clearing the ball, and falling backwards and on her follow through her studs get the inside of the thigh of Spanish player. Now 2-1 Spain and the red card on the play puts RSA down to 10.

 

[OCST]

Nigeria are not good.

 

[OCST]

Italy- Australia very entertaining. 1-1 through 65’

England-Scotland later today. If a men’s match you’d have some security concerns I’d think. Wonder if anyone would be so inclined here, I wouldn’t think so.

 

[DJnVa]

Cool story on the Jamaican keeper...who will quite obviously stand out from her teammates.

Donaldson, who was there with his own U17 girls team, cut straight to the chase: “I said to Greg … ‘Hey, Greg, by any chance do you have any Jamaican players on your team?’ And he said, ‘Let me think about it.’ And he starts thinking and then says, ‘Where’s my goalkeeper? I believe she has Jamaican heritage. There she is over there.’ ”

In the distance, Donaldson saw two goalkeepers going through their prematch warm-up and made his way down to the field.

“So I see two keepers warming up,” said Donaldson, who came onto the soccer scene as a 17-year-old with the Jamaican national team in the late ’70s, “one who could be black and a second keeper who is clearly more white than black. So I walk up to the one and I said, ‘Hey, I heard you’re from Jamaica … that you have Jamaica roots in you,’ and she looked at me like I had 10 heads. So I went back to Greg and said, ‘I thought you said your keeper was Jamaican?’ and he said, ‘She is … you spoke to the wrong keeper. That’s Sydney over there.’ ”

 

[SocrManiac]

Watching Italy/Austria. I can’t believe how awful Australia’s kit tops are. They’re hideous in cut and design.

I was also surprised to see Jamaica and Brazil both wearing yellow.

 

[Senator Donut]

Watching Italy/Austria. I can’t believe how awful Australia’s kit tops are. They’re hideous in cut and design.

I was also surprised to see Jamaica and Brazil both wearing yellow.

One kit related item from the match that confused me was that Brazil wears the five stars on their chests that the men have won at world cups. Italy and England didn’t wear the men’s stars today. The US men don’t wear the women’s stars either.

 

[Section30]

I don't like how VAR is being used. It means, to me, the referee on the field is not really in control of the game.

In the Jamaica game a penalty was awarded when a ball hit the right elbow of the defender which was against her body. If it had not hit her elbow it would have hit her ribs and be deflected anyway. But, after the ball the was advanced into the other half play was stopped and a penalty given. Brazil scores on a Penalty.

In the England game I saw play stopped and in review a ball was slightly deflected off the defenders arm on a cross that was going over the end line anyhow. Play stopped England scores on a penalty.

Why not VAR for holding on corners, running pick plays on corners, obstructing goalies on corners?. These plays have as much impact as incidental handballs.

I feel like we are taking the spontaneity out of sports and faceless arbitrators in TV booths are dictating how the flow of the game proceeds.

 

[67YAZ]

A day late, but watched the Scotland-England replay. Erin Cuthbert is a speedy little demon. If she puts in the work, she could be really fantastic. Too bad she spent the whole game by herself up top.

Canada up 1-0 and this follows a scoreless draw between Japan & Argentina. Kind of a lackluster day.

 

[Titans Bastard]

https://twitter.com/ByDougMcIntyre/status/1138503755886936064

Doug McIntyre @ByDougMcIntyre

#USWNT lineup vs. Thailand: Naeher; O’Hara, Dahlkemper, Ertz, Dunn; Horan, Mewis, Lavelle; Heath, Morgan, Rapinoe (capt.)

Becky Sauerbrunn is out with what @ussoccer is calling a “mild quad issue.” Ertz takes Sauerbrunn’s place on the back line, Mewis into Ertz’s MF spot.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Saw a stat that this is the first WWC game that the US has played in without either Hope Solo or Brianna Scurry in goal since 1995.

 

[Ale Xander]

FOX technical skills has a little to be desired. At least ESPN knew what to do with the graphics.

Also love soccer in that we have an Argentine, Spanish-speaking, referee speaking to the Thai captain, on French soil, in English.

 

[Ale Xander]

https://twitter.com/ByDougMcIntyre/status/1138503755886936064

Doug McIntyre @ByDougMcIntyre

#USWNT lineup vs. Thailand: Naeher; O’Hara, Dahlkemper, Ertz, Dunn; Horan, Mewis, Lavelle; Heath, Morgan, Rapinoe (capt.)

Becky Sauerbrunn is out with what @ussoccer is calling a “mild quad issue.” Ertz takes Sauerbrunn’s place on the back line, Mewis into Ertz’s MF spot.

This may be a good thing, I prefer Johnston-Ertz on the back line. Mewis is a better creator in some ways.

 

[Ale Xander]

KEEP SHOOTING

 

[Ale Xander]

boooooo

Probably would have went in without the tap.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I still don't see the offside.

 

[DJnVa]

I still don't see the offside.

There were two US players ahead of the one heading the ball, including Morgan (barely) who played it in.

 

[Ale Xander]

YOU CAN PUT IN ON THE BOARD!

 

[budcrew08]

No offside there for Morgan

 

[DJnVa]

Onside there though

 

[budcrew08]

The Thai goalie sucks lol

 

[Ale Xander]

That goal smelled like roses

 

[Ale Xander]

The Thai goalie sucks lol

This game is like BC v. Mt. Alvernia

 

[DJnVa]

Rose Lavelle with a sweet left footed shot from about 25 yards after a nice little pass from Alex Morgan.

 

[Ale Xander]

pity no-call

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Naeher actually touches the ball, on a shot from distance that any one of us could have saved.

Highlight of the game for Thailand so far.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Haha, somehow no foul on an NFL tackle of Lavelle.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I like that play and have often wondered why teams don't try stuff like that more often with the free kicks right outside the box. Especially where it's that close and hard to bring under the bar.

 

[Ale Xander]

That seemed easy, any one of like 7 players could have scored there, if they wanted it.