Comeback of the Ages (6/19)

D2-Scotland were well on their way for a great chance to reach the Round of 16 with a 69' goal giving them a 3-0 lead over D1-Argentina.  Then a breakaway in the 74' gave ARG their first goal of the tourney.  The a long strike apparently hit the crossbar and hit the goalie's hand and barely bounced into the net for an own goal for ARG's second goal in the 79'.  Then we had the 7 minute, 27 second "play".  At 85:49 a SCO player tackled an ARG in the box but no penalty was called.  VAR was then called in and the ref determined it was a foul and ARG now has a chance to tie.  The PK was taken and saved and a rebound attempt was also saved.  SCO survives!  But now, another VAR review and for the 3rd time, the GK was off her line and the PK was retaken.  And like the other two, it was buried at 93:16 and ARG had tied it up at 3.  SCO's dream had come to an end and ARG's was kept alive, despite sitting at two points.  ARG was the first team to come back from 3-0 to tie.  If both bottom two teams in Group E and F tie, ARG is in (as would NGR). 


D1-England made 8 changes to the lineup and were still able to beat D4-Japan, 2-0, which followed their 3-0 victory over JPN in the SheBelieves Cup.  ENG wins Group D and faces the 3rd place team from either B, E, or F.  JPN finishes second and will face either E1-Canada or E4-Netherlands.  Since both had already qualified, it still leaves 2 spots and 6 teams vying for it.  If CMR-NZL tie and THA wins 1-0, THA would advance with a -16 goal differential (along with NGR)!  If there is a winner in  both CMR-NZL and THA-CHI matches, then GD and goals for would decide between NGR and the two winners.  NED and USA would win their group with a tie or win. 

On Wednesday, Group D: 5 went 2-0 (25 ENG, 8 TIE) while 16 went 0-2.  40 got both teams in R16 (44 ENG, 40 JPN) while 4 got 1 of 2.  On placement (37 had ENG 1st, 31 had JPN 2nd).

Overall 3 picked up max of 8 points while 2 got just 4 (Show-them-the-money (23rd-Tied, 53), Soccerhorn).  26 have all 10 R16 teams while BENSANCHO (36th-T, 50) has 8.  3 are tied for 1st with 58 pts (Eleanor Abernathy, Fotografo il Migliore, Pazzo Americano) and Soccerhorn is last with 47 pts.