[Tsundoku]

Going to be an interesting round of 16 for sure.

[Gorefest]

Germany are knocked out as well. Gonna be quite a ride this way. USA-Sweden may be the clincher for the tournament win.

[Tsundoku]

Just watched USA v Sweden rd of 16 match from about the 80 minute mark.
One of SWEET FUCK ALL (15) matches available on our free to air networks, thanks for fucking nothing FIFA.

But anyhoo ...

Oh.
My.
Fucking.
Gawd!



Regulation time 0-0
Injury time 0-0
Extra time 0-0

End of regular penalty shootout 3-3

Eventual victor in sudden death - Sweden!

That was one of the most heart-attack endings I have ever seen. Holy shit. In the end it was a bees' dick width that separated them.

Gutting to go out that way, but I can't summon up much more sympathy than that for Team USA who endeared themselves to noone with some of the shit they've said during this tournament and in the lead up. But ah well.

She didn't touch the ball in the shootout, but Swedish goalie Musovic for player of the match. What an effort.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 06 August 2023 - 12:04 PM

[Gorefest]

Netherlands move on toface Spain in the querter finals. But with Vd Donk suspended. So that is probably where it will end. It is Sweden's tournament to lose now.

[Cyphon]

I was cheering on Sweden too, but partly as there's a chance the England Women might win and tell the men to buck their ideas up.

[Cyphon]

That was close, I blame that on the hubris of my previous post.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Quote

U.S. goalkeeper [...] read [the] shot well and got both hands to it, but the ball spun up off her fingers and fluttered forward into the goal. The goalkeeper scrambled on the ground to claw it out, but not [...] before it crossed the line by the smallest of fractions. An inconsistent, unconvincing U.S. side played its best game of the tournament and went tumbling out anyway, knocked off its perch by a couple of blades of grass.

[...] Staying rooted to the past and mistrustful of the future is disqualifying for this team at this moment. Doing so just to play ugly, small-margin [football] is worse.

World Cup: USWNT penalty kicks miss against Sweden's Musovic, eliminating them. (slate.com)

Quote

'Like a bad dream': US faces unfamiliar emotions following dramatic Women's World Cup exit

USWNT faces unfamiliar emotions following dramatic Women's World Cup exit | CNN

lol...

How's the US national anthem go again? 'No time for losers / For we are the champions / Of the world'

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 07 August 2023 - 11:53 AM

[Tsundoku]

Cyphon, on 07 August 2023 - 11:13 AM, said:

That was close, I blame that on the hubris of my previous post.

The Commentator's Curse is real. Never, EVER count your chickens before they have hatched, it ain't over til the fat lady sings etc etc etc.

And how dumb is Lauren James? Yup, she got grabbed, but that stomp was just 100% pure stupidity.

And Australia 2-0 Denmark!

Sorry* Apt.

(*not sorry)

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Tsundoku, on 07 August 2023 - 12:26 PM, said:

Cyphon, on 07 August 2023 - 11:13 AM, said:

That was close, I blame that on the hubris of my previous post.

The Commentator's Curse is real. Never, EVER count your chickens before they have hatched, it ain't over til the fat lady sings etc etc etc.

And how dumb is Lauren James? Yup, she got grabbed, but that stomp was just 100% pure stupidity.

And Australia 2-0 Denmark!

Sorry* Apt.

(*not sorry)

Never count your chickens before they have hatched in the fat lady, and sing?...

[Gorefest]

England through by the skin of their teeth and probably Nigeria was the more deserving team. But through is through. Very nasty foul by James, that will stick to her for quite some time, one would think.

Some nice quarter-final matches taking shape:

Spain vs Netherlands - a female version of the 2010 World Cup final. Hopefully it won't be as nasty a spectacle as that one and, as a Dutchman, I obviously also hope that the outcome will be different. But realistically speaking this will be a victory for Spain, especially with Van de Donk suspended for this match.

Japan vs Sweden - interesting match up. I thought the Swedes were disappointing against the USA, mainly defending. But then again the US was quite a formidable opponent, so perhaps it just shows that the Swedes can do what the occasion needs from them. Japan have ben impressive so far, but I suspect that their lack of experience compared to Sweden will be their undoing. So I think Sweden will make it through.

England vs Colombia/Jamaica (I assume Colombia) - Should normally be a dead cert for England, but they looked incredibly shaky against Nigeria so who knows. They really need to up their game in order to progress, but they should have enough quality to make it through to the semis.

Australia vs France/Morocco - I'd favour France to make it to the quarter finals, but either way the Aussies have impressed and they play for a home crowd. That is a huge boost, especially in women's football, it seems. both the Netherlands and England managed to win the European championship on home soil, so clearly this is a major determinant in the women's game. On that basis alone I can see Australia progressing to the semi finals and - seeing the current competition - even go all the way to win the trophy.

Semi final predictions:

Spain - Sweden
Australia - England

Final prediction:
Sweden - Australia

Predicted winner: Sweden.

There, the die is cast

[Tsundoku]

Gutsy!

[Tsundoku]

Final score: Colombia 1-0 Jamaica.

Don't look now but at the 23rd minute mark it's France 3-0 Morocco.

Unless something major happens - like the Moroccan team turning Super Saiyan - it looks like a gruesome ending to this match with France going on to meet Australia and I feel quite nervous about it.
Admittedly Morocco haven't done anything like this before so might be considered comparative easybeats, but they did get to the round of 16. Unlike a lot of other higher ranked teams.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 08 August 2023 - 11:25 AM

[Tsundoku]

Tsundoku, on 08 August 2023 - 11:24 AM, said:

Final score: Colombia 1-0 Jamaica.

Don't look now but at the 23rd minute mark it's France 3-0 Morocco.

Unless something major happens - like the Moroccan team turning Super Saiyan - it looks like a gruesome ending to this match with France going on to meet Australia and I feel quite nervous about it.
Admittedly Morocco haven't done anything like this before so might be considered comparative easybeats, but they did get to the round of 16. Unlike a lot of other higher ranked teams.

Final score: France 4-0 Morocco. Whoa, the Matildas sure have their work cut out for them. Fingers crossed.

[Cyphon]

It seems quite a competitive world cup which is good!

[Gorefest]

So far so swimmingly in prediction land. Three of the four semi finalists correct. I should have put some money in this🙄

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 12 August 2023 - 10:04 AM

[Tsundoku]

Gorefest, on 12 August 2023 - 10:04 AM, said:

So far so swimmingly in prediction land. Three of the four semi finalists correct. I should have put some money in this🙄

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think my heart stopped about 45 mins ago ...

[Tsundoku]

Bleh, after being down 1-0, the Poms win it 2-1.

4 from 4 Gorefest.

Hopefully our recent flogging of England in the netball WC final will be an omen. Fingers and toes crossed.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 12 August 2023 - 12:50 PM

[Cyphon]

Going to be tight. Can only hope that the extra 30 mins in the aussie legs tells.

[Tiste Simeon]

England are struggling but getting results. I think we might end up being the underdogs in the final.

[Gorefest]

Tiste Simeon, on 12 August 2023 - 05:55 PM, said:

England are struggling but getting results. I think we might end up being the underdogs in the final.

If they reach the final, they almost by default cannot be the underdogs as they are the reigning European champions. And with Walsh back in the squad they have very little basis to claim being the underdogs. But I favour Australia for the England semi final clash due to the home advantage.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 14 August 2023 - 10:05 AM