1B-Germany scored early and recorded their 4th straight shutout, beating 3A-Nigeria,
3-0. GER has now reached the Quarters in all 8 WWCs. VAR reviewed the first two goals where the first it was ruled GER wasn't offsides in that the offside player was not interfering with the GK (though it was a busy box) and the second was another defender whiffing and kicking a player hard on the follow-through and VAR ruling a foul had occurred and PK was awarded.
2C-Australia's Sam Kerr had four goals in her last match (five overall) but it wasn't her day as she missed wide left on an open chance in the first minute, was ready to take a PK but VAR reversed that decision, had a goal disallowed due to her being offsides, and badly missed her KFPM wide right and high in AUS's loss to 2A-Norway. NOR took a 1-0 lead on a great run of play in the first half but AUS pulled even off a corner kick goal in the 83'. Both team had stretches of pressure and each team took 20+ shots (AUS 20, NOR 27) in the 120 minutes. NOR hit the right post that bounced across the goal mouth at the end of regulation and hit the crossbar at the end of the first extra time. With the
revised rule that GKs who do not have a foot on or above the goal line will not only result in a retake of the PK and no yellow card for the GKs during the Penalty Shootout only, we got our first PSO (we had just one in 2015). Apparently these PKs are called KFPM (Kicks from the Penalty Mark). NOR hit theirs and Kerr missed and AUS's second was saved and NOR had a 3-0 lead with two rounds left. AUS finally hit one but NOR went 4-for-4 and advanced to the Quarterfinals. Both AUS misses were valid and VAR was not needed to review the GK feet. AUS had a penalty called back in the 42' and the Aussie fans were clamoring for at least a couple more non-calls that didn't go there way in the box. AUS also had the first direct red card of the tourney in the 104' as Alanna Kennedy as the last defender (but not by much) pulled down a NOR player.
So the first top group seed falls and Europe has 2 teams in the Quarters already. And what horrible shadows in the GERvNGA match but that was not to blame on the NGA giveaway for GER's third goal. AUS, who changed their coach four months ago and were coming off a blowout loss to Netherlands in their last friendly, were an exciting team to watch as they were the first team to blow a lead losing to 1C-Italy 2-1 in late stoppage time and then rallying from two goals down to beat 3C-Brazil 3-2 in their second match.
On Saturday, 16 went 2-0 (16
NOR, 44 GER) while 28 went 1-1. On placement (13 had NOR as 2A in Qtr, all 44
had GER as 1B in Qtr). Remember, placement only matters to help you gain points. For example, a lot of people had NOR and AUS going to the Quarterfinals but since AUS fell to 2nd in Group C and they placed each other, entries could only get 1 instead of 2 teams in.
Kds911 in first with 80 pts while
Soccerhorn is last (61), 5 lost AUS as their finalist,
36 are still alive and 30 can win
pool,
Skoal1 has best chance to win pool (18.4%) while
UncleChimps has best chance at money (32.5%), BigRedMessi is 19th-Tied
(74) but is eliminated while
GoBigBlue is 41st-T (66) but can
still finish 4th,
BitchBttrHaveMy$$$ is 6th-T
(77) but can't win pool but
All North America is 37th-T (68)
and can still win pool.
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