With all the negativity surrounding this year's WWC (salary disputes, insensitive celebrations, lack of interest by FIFA and national federations, VAR, low attendance, unsportswomanlike conduct, political takes), it's great to see that after a match, great traditions of exchanging jerseys (like a few of the ESP and USA women did -- thank goodness for sports bras) and consoling an opponent after a tough loss are still in great supply.
Surprising group winner 1C-Italy scored early in both halves and withheld a barrage of 20 3B-Chinese shots to win 2-0 and advance to their first QF since '91 (when QF was 1st knockout round). CHN which were held to just four shots in the first match and one in their third, came out with offense in mind but couldn't finish. They had more shots on goal in this match (5) than their previous three combined (4). ITA which finished last in their group in the Women's EURO 2017, is now the surprise hit of the tournament.
1E-Netherlands, the current UEFA Women's EURO champion, scored early and after 2D-Japan tied it, struggled in the second half but a kick in the box hit a JPN defender's arm and a penalty kick was awarded. NED converted in the 90' and held on to win 2-1 and advance to their first QF. JPN, the second youngest team in the tourney with an eye to the Olympics they will host in 2020, hit a crossbar and post, ran into a hot GK, and couldn't finish other chances.
So Asia+Australia (AFC) fizzles out going 4-11-3 and for the first time, has no teams in the QF. UEFA is 25-7-3. JPN>SCO was the only AFCvUEFA matchup AFC won (1-8-2 overall). Like ESP, CHN had 3 days more rest than their opponent and both lost. With AUS and BRA finishing this WWC 9th and 10th, Group C will have 3 of its teams in the top 10. Teams scoring first have now won 26 straight matches (since AUS>BRA). For the first time in a while, I don't have to tag this post with "VAR" since there were no VAR reviews in these two matches... oh, wait, since I now mentioned it, do I have to tag this now???
On Tuesday, 3 went 2-0 (6 ITA, 20 NED) while 21 went 0-2. On placement (Mauihammy II (2nd-Tied, 95) had ITA as 1C in QF, 12 had NED as 1E in QF). Mauihammy II got 7 of 8 QF teams while 7 got 4 of 8.
Kds911 in first with 96 pts while Soccerhorn is last (73). 14 lost JPN as semifinalist.
24 are still alive and 13 can win the pool. Skoal1 (10th-T, 92) has best chance to win pool (17.2%) while Deutsche Mädchen (12th-T, 91) has best chance at money (35.9%). BitchBttrHaveMy$$$ is 8th-T (93) but is eliminated while Orange Country is 37th-T (82) and can still win 2nd. Spermicidal FC is 2nd-T but can't win the pool while Hereforethecommentary, Sacre le Bleu, and THE GAMBLER 1 are 22nd-T (89) and can still win the pool.
BENSANCHO (18th-T, 90) and BitchBttrHaveMy$$$ were eliminated with CHN's loss (German Engineering (30th-T, 86) and Fotografo il Migliore (26th-T, 88) can't win the pool) and then 3 more were eliminated with JPN's loss (3 more can't win the pool).
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