Defensive Lapses (6/9)

Should I stay or should I go?  C1-Australia's GK on a long free kick started to come out to the ball but then stopped allowing a header which weakly got past her and into the net for the game-winner in the 90'+5.  AUS's defense also allowed the tying goal as a bad touch out of the back was stolen by C2-Italy who scored to tie the game at 1.  This match I woke for around 5:40 in the morning and watching the last 10 minutes I really liked how AUS was playing (not knowing ITA had 2 goals taken away by offsides, one by a hair) but it was a soft foul in their end that allowed the free kick that led to the game-winner.  For a team that got trounced 3-0 by NED in their last game, I guess this was not unexpected.  First upset of the tourney.

C3-Brazil was riding a 9-game losing streak but
Cristiane scored a hat trick against the worst team in the tourney, #53 C4-Jamaica, in a 3-0 win.  Two of the goals barely crossed the line, BRA missed a PK, and Marta stayed on the bench so still a lot of work to do.   But they do lead Group C with a +3 goal differential.

D1-England had a wayward pass taken advantage of by D2-Scotland in the 79' but still held on to a 2-1 victory in the Battle of Britain.  This was after SCO couldn't clear the ball that led to ENG's second goal in the first half.  Hopefully goal differential won't make a difference in the end.

So 9 goals today and 4 due to defensive breakdowns.  Boy, seeing all these soft handballs for PKs (even 2 of the 3 today were soft) makes you think how far we've come since the 2002 World Cup quarterfinal against Germany... sigh...

ITA's win was picked by just Mauihammy and Mauihammy II (obviously, both by Michael H) and hence, are tied for first with 7 points.  Soccerhorn is still in last with 3 points.  All 44 picked BRA and 42 picked ENG.  There have been zero ties.  UEFA got their first loss but that was because it was against another UEFA team (ENG>SCO).  AFC fell to 0-3-0 with the Aussie loss.