Back to Back Brace (6/28)

The gameplan for the U.S.:  Score earlier.  For the 5th time, the 1F-USA scored in the first 12 minutes.  They will play D1-England, who has scored in the first 15 minutes 4 times.  Megan Rapinoe scored two goals for the second straight match in helping USA beat host 1A-France, 2-1, in front of 45,595 fans with a nice contingent of Americans.  Rapinoe's first goal in the 5' was a free kick hit hard towards goal that went through everyone, including between FRA defender Amandine Henry's legs into the net.  The second was a great sequence in the 65' started by the banged up Alex Morgan to Tobin Heath who crossed the ball behind most players except for the charging in Rapinoe who had a clinical finish.  FRA did manage to pull one back off a free kick to the tall Wendie Renard in the 81' but the U.S. did a great job controlling the ball after that, especially in the 5 minutes of stoppage time.  FRA continues to fall short, losing in the quarterfinals for the 5th straight major tournament ('13 EURO, '15 WWC, '16 Olympics, '17 EURO).  While the men's '98 team won the WC and the '16 team reached the final as hosts, the FRA women hoped to duplicate that result at home.


After a while, the USA actually adjusted putting five in the back and allowing FRA to have possession (60% overall) which seemed to stymie their offense even though they had 20 shots and 7 corner kicks.  They also had six offsides.  In essence, FRA did not have many "offensive rebounds" to put consistent pressure but had bursts of single one-and-done opportunities which they did not finish.  Rare credit to coach Jill Ellis, who won her 100th match for USA, to not be afraid to say the USA "lives in the pressure", had USA attacking from the start, and adjusted as the match dictated.  FRA being held scoreless in their last four matches (winning the previous 3) was like how the USA started the 2015 WWC.  Winning but not pretty.  So the USA disposed of the #4 team and now will face #3 ENG in the semifinal.

Remember when I said VAR was consistent so I was okay with VAR?  Well, no VAR reviews today despite a USA goal that seemed to be onside and a handball on the USA in the box in the 86' in similar fashion that penalized several teams including Japan late in their Round of 16 match.  Both were not reviewed whereas in earlier matches, they were.  Just be consistent!!!

So hearing White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" being played as the players came out of the tunnel and onto the field, it quickly reminded me of Wednesday's "The Amazing Race" (TAR) finale where the final task was to put a drum set together amidst dozens of guitar players and singers playing that song.  It was an awesome finale for the best reality show on TV (still!).  This TAR finale has replaced the LA Galaxy opening where they also play this song as my most memorable version of this catchy song.

Group A's FRA and NOR lost both quarterfinals.  USA makes its 8th straight WWC semifinal and have won 10 straight WWC matches and haven't lost in 15 matches.  The best part of the USA winning is that I wore a different USA jersey which means no superstition like in 2015.

On Friday, 35 had USA in SF.  On placement (all 35 had USA as 1F in SF).  26 have both SF thus far, 3 have none.

Kds911 still in first with 108 pts while Soccerhorn is last (73).  7 lost FRA as their champ.

16 are still alive and 8 can win the pool.  Pazzo Americano (11th-T, 103) and Tom J (4th-T, 106) have best chance to win pool (21.9%) while UncleChimps (4th-T) has best chance at money (56.3%).  BitchBttrHaveMy$$$ is 8th-T (105) but is eliminated while Kona Coast Sliders 2 is 29th-T (94) and can still win 3rd.  Spermicidal FC is 2nd-T (107) but can't win the pool while THE GAMBLER 1 is 18th-T (101) and can still win the pool.