OT: Soccer - USWNT Ties Japan 1-1
On Sunday morning (ET) it was a tale of two halves, as the USWNT gave up a first half goal, but Alex Morgan scored in the second half.
32' - a short chip pass gets Japan RB Kinga, on a well-timed run, behind the D, she crosses. Solo makes the save on the initial shot, which I think may have come off the sliding US defender, but Kinga pounces on the rebound.
72' - Alex Morgan darts into the box to get to a through ball and shoots low right - but wait! - offsides! WTF?! Replay looks onside. Ref goes over to consult with the asst ref, and further replay shows the ball came off a Japanese player, and it's a goal.
At halftime they showed a feature (link) where Shannon Boxx revealed she was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome in 2002 and lupus in 2007. Major respect for her playing through it.
Amy LePeilbet got the start at RB, and Kelley O'Hara at LB. With the short turnaround, I wonder who Coach Sundhage will start against Brazil.
Up next: Brazil, Tu @ 7AM ET on ESPN2 and 3. (Japan replay also on ESPN3.)
I'm not surprised that you have so many negative points.
He couldn't even figure out the correct way to spell "Hokeamania."
Soccer has linebackers and running backs?
/s
....but seriously what is a LB/RB
Left Back and Right Back.
If the team is playing 4 defenders they are the ones on either side.
Alex Morgan's work rate and finishing ability is rivaled only by Lionel Messi, but Morgan is larger and more physically imposing.
This post was tremendous. Fred_Jackson combines the wit of Nabokov, the insight into the human condition of Plato, and the lyricism of Paul Simon into a singular posting talent not seen in decades.
An improbable first post. I'd like access to this guy's Diotima.
Once upon a time there was an ocean.
I get the Fred Jackson routine... but even Freddie Jack knows to mess with Messi...
This team seems to be improving now that they have two viable tactics: "chuck it into the box and hope that Wambach can do something with it" and the new "sneak Morgan in behind the defense".
Hope is better than most the worlds female goalkeepers but she still never plays up to her ability. She gave up the rebound on this goal and didnt close it down on the initial shot. I am a fan of this team but she needs to have a big game vs. a good team.
I fail to see how not being Superwoman is not playing up to her ability. She had to cover the post, so Kinga wouldn't score shortside. After the centering pass she got a piece of the shot from point-blank range - a shot which really looks like a US defender's sliding attempt to clear the ball (which may have ended up an own goal), making it even more unpredictable. The shot was hard and low, from just a couple yards away, and going against her momentum. It takes pretty good reflexes to even get a piece of that. Unless a goalie has multiple tentacles, I don't see how there isn't going to be a rebound.
And maybe someone could have covered Kinga and not left her free to clean up: Cheney failed to stick with her on her run, but could have after the pass. O'Hara could have ran back instead of slowing to raise her hand for an offsides call that wasn't coming.