I am at a folk festival feeding the crew so I had my laptop in a white tent on a really sunny day. I could barely see the screen. I was making lunch for 100 so only half watching anyway. However, Kerr should have got a second. Not sure how she missed from 6' tbh but it could have been very different if that one had gone in.
Should be a great match Sunday. I think Spain has been the most technically proficient team in the Cup so far and they've used that to dominate their opponents, while England has been one of the most physical teams and they've used that to dominate their opponents. It'll be interesting to see which prevails in the Final. Odds-makers are giving Spain a slight edge but the margin is so thin many are taking England to hoist the Cup. I just pray that the game doesn't end in PKs but there's a strong chance that it will. I don't see either one of these teams getting blown out.
England have only let two goals in so far (apart from penalties) and unlike Spain we got through the group stage without dropping a point. One bad game against Nigeria in which we probably had more chances and won on penalties without even needing to take the 5th. If it's an open game England win easily but if Spain press hard and tie the ball up in the midfield England may have problems. I'm going to say 2-0 England.
Good point about defense, and as the old saying goes, defense wins championships. I give the Lionesses the edge there. I think you can see both teams' keys to victory in the highlights from last year's Euros (see Spain's goal and England's second goal). For Spain, controlling possession (as they did recently against the Netherlands and Sweden) and the crisp passing in tight spaces down in the box that has served them so well. For England, denying Spain control of the ball, opening up the defense and putting fullbacks out of position. The latter was how Japan was able to embarrass Spain's defense in their 4-0 blowout win over La Roja that was over by halftime (3-0). I think the team that imposes its style of play on its opponent and plays a mistake-free game is going to hoist the Cup on Sunday. Another major factor is going to be converting on opportunities - both teams are going to get their chances to score but will they put the ball in the back of the net? I remember when the USWNT played Japan in the 2011 WC and we dominated the game for the most part, but we squandered numerous scoring opportunities and wound up losing on PKs.
We do have a world class goalie. She hasn't made a mistake and has pulled off some wonderful saves. Including 6 penalties she's only let in 5 all tournament and only two of those were in open play. Spain won't get any soft goals.
Spain are the more technical team. They got skills; plenty of them. England on the other hand are very physical and efficient; they don't play beautifully but they punish you and do what is needed to win. So, they are very different schools of soccer and it is very intriguing to watch a final between these two, to see which style will prevail. I can't wait! Paralluelo is a problem that England will have to solve. She is a true impact sub and can change the outcome in a flash, with her speed; adding to an already excellent offensive unit. England's defense however is very good, anchored by the great Alex Greenwood. Another advantage for England, I think they have the better coach. Sarina Wiegman knows how to motivate her troops and create the right attitude. I wonder how the USWNT would have fared if Sarina were out coach. Jorge Vilda on the other hand has had relationship problems with his players. This could make a difference. I find that the outcome is too difficult to predict. Both teams have what is needed to win this final. It will depend on who blinks first; who makes a mistake first. If England allow Spain to retain possession and to score early, they are toast (well, maybe; they are resilient and are able to stage a comeback). If Spain can't pierce England's defense and they lose the physical battle and get intimidated, they're toast (well, maybe; Paralluelo could come in and stage a comeback). Wow. This will be epic! Like I said, it's hard to predict, but if I have to predict, I'll say England 2-1 Spain. If it happens, I'll be happy for @Montegriffo - I always tease him with the England-Italy rivalry, but hey, they do deserve to bring it home; it's about time! Regardless of the final result, I'll say that this was the best WWC I've ever seen. Not good for my teams, not best for me personally given that all three teams I root for crashed out rather painfully, but overall, the quality of play was way higher than in previous editions, showing how women's soccer has evolved and can now rival the men's game in terms of beautiful plays and exhibition of advanced skills. There is also more parity now, with many traditional powers getting eliminated - it is not for nothing that the winner tomorrow will be a team that has never won the Cup before. There is a feeling that the era of domination by a handful of teams is over, and things are a lot more open and exciting.
I hope you haven't just jinxed it to a 0-0 draw with your prediction that it will be an epic. If England lose another final in a penalty shootout I'm going on a rioting spree...
That is interesting and pleasing to hear. I'm a more casual viewer than you, but I can comment on how it has felt to have the tournament here. It has been MASSIVE. Australians love sport and we are good at hosting sporting events. I have seen us host Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Rugby (both kinds) & Cricket World Cups and Football's (mens) Asian Cup. All of those sports/events had notionally bigger followings than women's football. Only the 2000 Olympics can match the spirit here over the past few weeks. Obviously a big part of that has been the Matildas doing well and being so well loved, but it goes beyond that. People have gone to neutral games and watched them on TV and people have REALLY enjoyed it. This has crossed demographics like nothing since those Olympics. My mother, who has only ever followed sport to have conversation with her children, has been watching some of these games. It would have been nice to see our team in the final, but they still did us proud. I'm not suggesting we will suddenly become a nation of football fanatics, but this WC has boosted the profile of the game more in a few weeks than the men's team has done in decades. Most of all, it has been great fun. As for the final, I'm programmed to go for whoever is playing England, so I have to go for Spain. Whoever wins, though, will have achieved a remarkable outcome given where women's football was in both nations a generation or two ago. Well done all!
First 18 minutes have been epic! Both teams very aggressive and both had excellent chances to score (England hit the crossbar, Spain almost scored from open play). It seems like England's offense has been more organized and Spain's a bit sloppy.
One fourth of the game has been played (22 and a half minutes); hard fought battle, still 0-0 29 minutes, Spain 1-0
Spain 1-0 at the half. La Roja dictating its style of play on offense and swarming to the ball on defense...
The better team won. Even more remarkable given how many good players walked out on the team before the tournament. Deserved winners.
Congrats to Spain. Not only were they the best team in the tournament, their style of play could wind up changing - and improving - the women's game. Tip of the hat to 23 year-old super back Olga Carmona, who scored the game-winners in the semis and the final....
The wait goes on. I had to watch on my phone so I couldn't always see the ball but I managed to see most of the game. Lunchtime service started just as it went into injury time. It all came down to one defensive mistake by Lucy Bronze getting dispossessed on the halfway line leaving a large gap in the defence which Spain exploited perfectly. I have to say Spain were very lucky with the refereeing. She got a yellow card out for one player then put it away again when she realised it would a 2nd yellow. I was also disappointed to see Spain resorting to so much shirt pulling and falling over. Especially in the second half. I've always really liked the fact that there was much less of it in the women's game and the fact that the ref turned a blind eye does not bode well for the future. If that is the innovation Spain is bringing to the women's game I'll be very sorry. I have refused to watch previous men's finals because of it.
Yeah, sure, but Spain did play better, especially at game's end when for the last half hour (counting the 13' of stoppage time) Spain seemed much closer to a second goal than England to an equalizer. Told ya. You shouldn't have said "it's coming home." It was your fault, Monte. I hope your compatriots don't realize it, lest you'll be in trouble. LOL Blackmail: Kindly send me 1,000 sterling pounds otherwise I'll send an article to the main newspapers in England, saying "Montegriffo the sole responsible for England's defeat for having said It's Coming Home."
Moving on, rugby world cup next. England looking very average since their loss to the Springbox in the last world cup final. I can't see England making it to the QF's this time around, However my second choice Ireland are one of the favourites to win it. Then it's back to the hockey and the eternal disappointment of being a Leaf's fan.
We did win one world title today. Katarina Johnson-Thompson taking the gold in the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championship.
I think Spain were the better side on the day but it was a very tight margin. In the first half England had more attempts on goal and spent more time in Spain's final 3rd of the pitch than Spain did in England's. That was with Spain having 66% of the possession. As for the blackmail attempt. I think you are going to have a hard time proving it was my fault and not one of the other 50 million English men and women who have said ''it's coming home'' in the last 2 weeks. I demand a bottle of '85 vintage Cockburn's ( not sure that's getting past the censorship app on the site. LOL) or I'm ratting you out to Interpol for your mafia connections back in the old country. Edit, looks like Cockburn's are acceptable to the mod team.
That's going to be fun. The Rugby World Cup is one of the few times we get to see much international rugby in the States. I've seen the teams that participated in the Six Nations Championships back in March, but I haven't seen the All Blacks and Springboks play since the last RWC. After landing in Pool D I think England has a good shot at making the QFs, but losing both Farrell and Vunipola to suspension could doom your chances beyond that. I'll probably be rooting for your second choice Ireland and they've got some tough sledding in Pool B I see a lot of people like host France to win it all, but I wonder about all their injuries....
LOL - I blame whoever wrote "Football's Coming Home" for England's misfortunes. Evidently, the football gods are not pleased with England's current anthem, so I propose coming up with a new one, perhaps a riff on ELP's version of the timeless English classic "Jerusalem": Till we bring home the Cup To England's green and pleasant Land Whaddya think? And how about this shocker - which might explain the futility in "Football's Coming Home" - the dreaded Jocks invented football as we know it! I dunno....but "Football's Coming Home" has got to go!
