2015 FIFA World Cup.

[BigMac]

Aye! 1 goal 2 assists, bravo.

Hope Nigeria finds their way to the next phase.

 

[DDavies]

Re: Re:

I very much doubt if there's enough interest for a separate women's footy topic. Maybe change the title to emphasize 'women', Hitch?

I was hoping to create interest. Equality in sport means a lot to me.

I think the Copa America clashes quite a bit with this. I will try and watch a bit of it but it could be difficult in the circumstances. The Euro U-21s are on as well. Hard to squeeze in all the games. There's even a week of European qualifiers to add to it.

Well, each his own I suppose, though its sad for me that some people would rather watch a regional tournament for below average boys over the pinnacle of the women's game, which happens to be the only opportunity the girls get to show what they can do in 4 years. It would be like in cycling choosing to watch some men's amateur race on the Romanian domestic scene, over the Women's WC road race.

Come on. Womens football can't be compared to mens. The Euro U-21s is (for me) a way more entertaining tournament because the level is so much higher. Maybe i'm biased because i'm going to Prague for the tournament...

I think Germany will win the womens world cup. They just look tremendously good.

 

[del1962]

Weird watching football without the rolling on the floor, the cynical bringing down someone while breaking, the surrounding the referee and the diving.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Weird watching football without the rolling on the floor, the cynical bringing down someone while breaking, the surrounding the referee and the diving.

This all the way!

 

[ebandit]

weird...............fifa world cup............4G pitches ....small crowds....10-0 scorelines...............

has seen me quickly lose interest ..............shame!

Mark L

 

[gunara]

I know they will be trounced, but seeing a Southeast Asian country in football a World Cup, whether it's men's or women's, still gives me a strange feeling, of course I wasn't born in the 1930s, the last time it happenned. This Thailand side played my niece's national team in front of maybe 40 people on a Z-grade surface, and now they're up against the Germans.

 

[BigMac]

Calma, Wambach solves. What a brilliant goal.

US top their group.

 

[thrawn]

Australia get through the group. Pretty decent effort considering the opposition.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Re:

weird...............fifa world cup............4G pitches ....small crowds....10-0 scorelines...............

has seen me quickly lose interest ..............shame!

Mark L

Your mistake. First inform yourself before joining a hyped event.
Took me 2 mins: Women soccer Bundesliga (highest class in Germany) teams lost every test match against youth 2nd league teams 0-4 or higher...

MSV Duisburg women soccer team (Bundesliga) lost test match against men Bezirksliga team (7th class, which is just above the basement in organized soccer) by a score of 0-15...
http://www.reviersport.de/281888---msv-frauen-chancenlos-gegen-maenner-bezirksligisten.html

So what you get? It´s like watching amateur cyclists riding 15 km per hour trou your park around the corner while smoking a cigar and having a beer in hand...

The sad fact is: We are held hostage here for the sake of political correctness. The games are live on TV (and we are forced to pay for it), even though basically nobody is watching...

 

[BigMac]

I fail to see what broadcasting women's football has to o with political correctness. And I don't know about Germany, but in most other countries the transmission is assured by private networks, so I also don't understand the part of you paying for it. Plus, I don't feel like this event has been hyped, if anything I've seen many detractors opposing it. No one expected or even said the quality of the game would match the men's, but it's still football in it's own right, and I for one am enjoying it. I am yet to see the women simulating tackles as if they were shot, or ganging around the ref asking for cards. There are no cheaters here, as opposed to what have become many of the men's pro leagues, a disgrace. As far as the scorelines go, there have been two matches with a disproportionate result, and when you consider the losing side and that we're still in the group stage, it's nothing to lament. 2 games in 32, big deal. I'd be much more depressed if there were 7-1 scorelines in the semi-finals, the way Germany trashed Brazil in the men's WC. About the crowds, they have been bigger than in most U-20 games in New Zealand, from what I've seen. The sport is still growing for the women, it's obvious nobody is getting an event like the men, but surely the way to go is to keep investing in something which is showing results, rather than turning you back at it and immediately dismiss it, like some over expectant parents believing their son has failed them.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I fail to see what broadcasting women's football has to o with political correctness. And I don't know about Germany, but in most other countries the transmission is assured by private networks, so I also don't understand the part of you paying for it. Plus, I don't feel like this event has been hyped, if anything I've seen many detractors opposing it.

Believe it or not: In Germany we are forced to pay a monthly TV fee (even if you don´t own one; no kidding here, serious... so much about freedom & democracy )...
About political correctness: The event is pushed/hyped to show "we" mean it real with equal rights for women, that there is no difference between men and women (ofc there isn´t if people live in a parallell universe like Mrs Bruce Jenner or so), that everything goes correct by the standards set by the fake-lefties-fanatics that took over society in western countries...
They don´t see that their absurd gender mainstreaming, forced quotas, etc go against common sense. They don´t even accept reality when basically nobody cares to watch the hyped event(s). It´s all so grotesque... even gay parades are shown live on TV when only 0.5% of people care about it.

No one expected or even said the quality of the game would match the men's, but it's still football in it's own right, and I for one am enjoying it.

So you are the guy pushing the TV ratings?
Ofc women could not match the men level soccer... But I have a problem with being held hostage in the name of pc. If they show live events of a 7th class sport, why not mens deep sea fishing world cups? At least then my money wouldn´t go to corrupt FIFA officials... Equal rights, you know...

I am yet to see the women simulating tackles as if they were shot, or ganging around the ref asking for cards. There are no cheaters here, as opposed to what have become many of the men's pro leagues, a disgrace.

Agree. Mens pro soccer is rotten to the core. I explained it at length various times. But that still doesn´t justify the waste of money from people who couldn´t care less (aprox. 97% of forced payers) about this 7th class sport event...

 

[djpbaltimore]

Overall, I have been impressed with the parity thus far in the tournament. World Champs Japan squeaked by with 3- one goal victories and the US was struggling to get on the scoreboard for much of the group stage. I do like that there is less diving, but I have seen quite a bit of tactical fouling in the games I have watched. However, the quality of finishing and passing has not been all that impressive IMO. I don't know if it is due to the playing surfaces, but it was almost embarrassing to see how many passes were hit out of play last night in the USA-Nigeria game. I liked how France played in 2011, but I haven't seen them yet in 2015. I think the knockout rounds are going to be defensive battles of attrition and Australia is a dark horse candidate for an upset of Brazil.

 

[gooner]

Very disappointed with Norway after they went ahead.

They were clearly the better team up to that point.

These 4G pitches are very irritating. The ball just doesn't hold up on it and it's very hard to put weight on a pass as a result.

Even though it's into the early hours, looking forward to the US and Colombia. Lots of cups of tea on the ready.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Very disappointed with Norway after they went ahead.

They were clearly the better team up to that point.

These 4G pitches are very irritating. The ball just doesn't hold up on it and it's very hard to put weight on a pass as a result.

Even though it's into the early hours, looking forward to the US and Colombia. Lots of cups of tea on the ready.

Same.


Btw, these fields must be of very bad quality, ball rolls better in my school's artificial turf.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Re:

Overall, I have been impressed with the parity thus far in the tournament. World Champs Japan squeaked by with 3- one goal victories and the US was struggling to get on the scoreboard for much of the group stage. I do like that there is less diving, but I have seen quite a bit of tactical fouling in the games I have watched. However, the quality of finishing and passing has not been all that impressive IMO. I don't know if it is due to the playing surfaces, but it was almost embarrassing to see how many passes were hit out of play last night in the USA-Nigeria game. I liked how France played in 2011, but I haven't seen them yet in 2015. I think the knockout rounds are going to be defensive battles of attrition and Australia is a dark horse candidate for an upset of Brazil.

Well, I was half right!

I think a problem with the fields is that there is variability from stadium to stadium so there is no consistency from game to game, preventing the players from getting accustomed to the surface. Except for France, who were immaculate in the first 10 mins of their match against S. Korea. USA is doing just enough to advance, but the Germany/ France winner has to be the big favorite to win the tournament.

 

[ebandit]

just seen quick highlights but germany appeared so lucky in beating france in 1st semi.............

no way would i have given that penalty.............when the ball is fired in defenders can't

just disappear.......no arm was raised...........even so france shoulda sealed the win

with greater chances

Mark L

 

[The Hitch]

Hopefully will get some attention here next few days after this good win.

 

[gooner]

I thought that was a super finish by Taylor for the first goal.

Sesselmann had a nightmare game. At fault for the first and should have been sent off at the end.

England will be tough to beat but I still see the US as favs to win the tournament. I watched their game against China and even without Rapinoe, Holiday(both suspended) and Wambach on the bench, they were still a big class above them.

Bardsley just said now that her eye started swollen up out of nowhere with no explanation for it.

 

[The Hitch]

This USA Germany has a real big game feel to it. Germany massively lucky to even be here since France were easily the better team in the quarters.

 

[Sciocco]

USA will win the final.

Against Japan.

Germany completes the podium.

Wambach will score in the final.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Can someone explain to me how on Earth FIFA determined the #1 and #2 seeds would play in the semi-final???

 

[ebandit]

well played

USA will win the final.

Against Japan.

Germany completes the podium.

Wambach will score in the final.

USA 2 germany 0..............magic! never saw that coming

england will win the final against usa

germany complete the podium

.............well? i am a little biased

Mark L

 

[ebandit]

look

Can someone explain to me how on Earth FIFA determined the #1 and #2 seeds would play in the semi-final???

well? they also said.........'look away..no corruption here'...

Mark L

 

[The Hitch]

Re:

Can someone explain to me ho(w on Earth FIFA determined the #1 and #2 seeds would play in the semi-final???

Football has never used seedings to split teams up for knockout stages (playoffs). They only exist to stop 4 top teams from being in the same group but after that it's totally random and always has been.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well that's...strange. To say the least. As if it's the best way, because it's always been the way?

I just find it puzzling that hardly anyone questions it. I feel like I'm the first person to ever notice, or find it strange, or that there might be a better way - like, the way almost every other sport seems to do it.