Will not be surprised if Columbia makes the final four in the 2026 World Cup. A lot can happen/change in two years, but as it stands now, they are primed to make a deep run in '26.
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Will not be surprised if Columbia makes the final four in the 2026 World Cup. A lot can happen/change in two years, but as it stands now, they are primed to make a deep run in '26.
Yeah, CR played a bunker defense, trying for a 0-0 draw. Still, CR is ranked 44th for a reason. WTF! I know this, young versions of Morgan, Wambach, Lloyd, Rapinoe, Heath, Press would have hung 6 goals on CR even with them bunkering down. Not seeing it with these youngsters. Gets real now, a major international tournament looms.
More...US had 80% of the possession, 16 corners to zero, 26 shots to 2, none in the second half for CR. Yet, Hayes never came out of the dual sixes even when CR posed zero threat to score. Horan was playing the nine, attacking midfielder, a position that is not her best. Rose Lavelle is nursing a leg injury so she was sidelined last night. And so Hayes should have beefed up the offensive midfield. Not impressed with the chunky Emma Hayes, so far. Okay, she's only had four matches and a couple of weeks in camp with the team, and this is a young team. But Hayes' decisions have left a lot to be desired.
Also, these players are weak. Don't mean in their skills, talent, or athleticism, but in their mental toughness, and lack of physicality. Carli Lloyd was tough as nails, never shying away from mixing it up. Taking hit after hit and not losing her cool or backing off. Alex Morgan too, has always taken a beating, cheap shots, but just bounces up and keeps going. Last night Trinity Rodman got frustrated being fouled and wanted to retaliate. Julie Foudy immediately jumped on Rodman warning she had better get used to it. Soccer is a fluid, finesse game, but it's also a physical sport, especially at the international level. And, our strikers, Swanson, Smith, along with Rodman, Williams, and Shaw are all pansies. Afraid of mixing it up, backing away instead of battling to regain possession.
Not optimistic about this bunch getting a medal in France. Would be the second straight failure for USWNT in a major tournament. Also getting tired hearing "the world has caught up." Maybe, but USWNT has internal issues needing correcting, separately from what the rest of the world is doing.
USMNT 0 France 3 in opening match of olympics. Deserved a better fate, bogus offside call, and 2 shots off the woodwork.
USWNT open play tomorrow.
I thought something along the lines of 2-1 France, but I'm not surprised it snowballed a little on them in the second half. I agree about the offside and I don't think it was as bad of a result as the scoreline. One of those goes in it changes things so much. I will say that they need more of the possession though period.
USWNT = very average. Nothing under the hood. Will lose to Germany, hopefully no worse than 2-0, and have to beat or maybe draw Australia to advance. Even so no way they advance past the quarterfinals. Repeat of the World Cup.
USMNT 4 New Zealand 1
Much better result. I said they deserved a better fate vs. France, I could see how they are playing, and I like what I'm seeing from this squad. On the front foot, attack! attack! attack!
One caveat, our defense sags into the box and too often our midfielders aren't dropping back and covering the 18. France scored twice from the 18 and NZ scored from the same area today. It's a glaring weakness in our team defense and has to be addressed. But, overall, I like this squad and this coach. Now, just beat Guinea and move on to the quarterfinals.
USWNT vs. Germany
Need a result, a draw will do. Germany is tall and really good in the aerial game, set plays, scoring on headers. Defensing that is not a strong suit of this bunch. On paper it should end 2-0 in favor of Germany. Game is not played on paper. This version of the USWNT is weak physically, the Germans will muscle us and play a typical European-style match, possession, tough defense. Can we overcome all of that and get a result? How we play will tell us all we need to know about this group of players and Emma Hayes as coach.
Got a result! USWNT 4 Germany 1 Wow! Player of the match was Sophia Smith, not because of her 2 goals, but for her helping back on defense and her toughness on the ball. She was physically fighting the bigger Germans for possession and winning those hand-to-hand battles. She was huge today.
Horan had a lousy game, Lavelle was okay, but never a factor in the attacks, which makes this 4-1 win even more impressive. The youngsters stepped up.
USMNT 3 Guinea 0
On to the knockout round
Congrats to the US women’s rugby team on their bronze medal. Unbelievable finish…the stuff of legends.
Yep -Originally Posted by dawg80
It was as crazy a finish as any sporting event ever
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
USWNT 2 Australia 1 Win group with perfect 3-0-0 record.
USMNT vs. Morocco
USWNT vs. Japan
Quarterfinals, the "Elite 8", and now no more draws, it's win and advance, lose and go home.
Did not agree with Hayes playing Rodman and Coffey yesterday, and it has cost us with the loss of Coffey for the Japan game. Davison is questionable with her leg injury, so our middle defense is greatly depleted. Sonnet will join Girma as center backs, and I would play Horan and Albert as dual sixes, and use counter-attack for offense. Lavelle as attacking midfielder with our dynamic trio of Smith, Swanson, and Rodman, should be enough offense, mixed in with runs from Fox and Dunn.
For the men, our three veterans, Zimmerman, Robinson and Mihailovic, have been huge! Really like the play of Yow and Paredes, both have bright futures for US soccer. Good coaching and an overall solid roster has USMNT on the verge of something really good. Morocco, however, will be a tough test.
I have been pleased with the Men's performance overall.
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