2015 Women's World Cup

Sinclair has so far looked a lot like a player who's only just come back from a lengthy injury lay-off (perhaps because she is just that). Will be a concern for Canada if they can't get her fit and firing quickly. US are facing a similar issue with Alex Morgan though they still have several very effective other options, including Wambach and Leroux (I wonder if Canada are still pissed about Leroux...).

RedOranje wrote:RWO, are you familiar with Ariane Hingst?

Yup. She's a famous German international (played 15 years in the German NT, earned 173 caps and won almost everything you can win in women's football). Great player, Ariane Hingst. It was sad when she retired. She has interestingly not pursued a coaching career, but works as physio, IIRC.

Probably Canada's best chance there, wasted with a very weak shot that didn't trouble the keeper at all.

Late, late penalty to Canada. Definite high arm by the defender there.

Placed low and in the bottom corner, just out of the keeper's reach. All precision there.

Canada 1-0 in the 92nd.

Penalty! Pity for China, but that looked almost like a wrestling move there. And Christine Sinclair scores!

all that work for nothing

FT - Canada 1:0 China PR

Very lucky win, that.

Next match will be New Zealand vs Netherlands in an hour. I'm not sure what to expect from this match as I haven't really seen these teams too often yet.

Quite an even match so far. Chances at both end

Netherlands scored! 1:0 for them. Nice shot, by the way!

What a goal! holy shit

Yeah. Let's see if they can add to that!

And now she seems to be injured. Definitely a dutch thing

Well, this artifical turf seems to be a problem. One of the German players (Dzsenifer Marozsán) got injured during training without any other player interfering, and it is suspected that the turf might be a reason or at least involved.

It was always a problem. Massive shame really.

NZ are quite poor. Netherlands really should have scored more goals.

Yeah, so far the number of goals is somewhat below average. But then, it often happens in the beginning of a tournament.

FT - New Zealand 0:1 Netherlands

I'm curious how many goals Germany will manage to score against the Ivory coast tomorrow. From what I saw in the previews, the CIV Ladies'  technique has a lot of optimization potential, and if the German ladies get their act together, they should be able to score some (our goal difference from the WC qualifitation was 62:4 goals in 10 matches).

rwo power wrote:Well, this artifical turf seems to be a problem. One of the German players (Dzsenifer Marozsán) got injured during training without any other player interfering, and it is suspected that the turf might be a reason or at least involved.

Gee, if only someone had pointed out that potential danger prior to the tournament starting... oh wait.

Yeah. And one can only hope that the players that returned from lengthy injuries don't get injured again due to it. *sighs* I won't say what I think of that FIFA decision or I would have to ban myself for inappropriate language.

rwo power wrote:Well, this artifical turf seems to be a problem. One of the German players (Dzsenifer Marozsán) got injured during training without any other player interfering, and it is suspected that the turf might be a reason or at least involved.

She's one of their star players, no? How big of a blow is that given that Kessler's already out?

At least this year the players weren't offered cutlery and tea services instead of prize money...

McLewis wrote:She's one of their star players, no? How big of a blow is that given that Kessler's already out?

Well, as things look, Dszenifer Maroszán will be out for the Côte d'Ivoire match, and there we should be able to prevail without her (Célia Šašić is a weapon, too - so far she scored 57 goals in 104 caps while being only 26 years of age). Maroszán is expected to return for the 2nd group match.

So the only local station (a Fox affiliate, I think) showing both the CL final yesterday and the Women's World Cup matches this week went off-the-air for maintenance early yesterday without any time frame for when it might come back online.

Bloody hell.

No offense to Canada but this World Cup has been an embarrassment so far. Despite all the madness to come out of FIFA recently I think how unfair this whole situation is has gotten lost amongst it

Germany 2011 was amazing. This feels absolutely nothing like it. It honestly so far has the feel and production value of an NWSL game. These stadium locations should not have been approved. Right now the Norway game, the stadium has two massive open ends, people are sat a million miles away, it sucks. The pitch looks as hard as a rock.

Germany 2011 showed how proper stadiums, fan interaction and high production value coverage can make the Women's World Cup feel like a real World Cup, a real world event. This does not at all.

The pitch is artificial turf, so it doesn't just LOOK extremely hard compared to usual football pitches.

Goooooaaaallll Celia mah girl!

Might be a cricket score.

EDIT:Ivory Coast's defending in this game.

Celia with 2nd!