When it Rains... (6/11)

After the first two games today, the past four matches saw three 0-0 halftime scores and one that was 0-0 until the 45'.  Well, the third match produced a few goals... more later...  It rained in Rennes that actually stopped the match and it rained goals in Reims that divided the fandom.

First, E3-New Zealand looked like it was going to hold E4-Netherlands to a 0-0 draw but a stoppage time goal in the 90'+2 gave the Dutch a 2-0 win and the full three points and into a first place tie with E1-Canada.

After a sunny start, in the 72', it had been raining hard for about twenty minutes but
then there was lightning which stopped the match for about 40 minutes.  F3-Chile had held F4-Sweden to a scoreless draw but after the break SWE scored in the 83' and then added an insurance goal in the 90'+4.  Thank goodness there have been poor crowds as the 15,875 fans (capacity about double at 29,160) could then go to empty upper rafters for shelter.

In the last of the opening matches, F2-Thailand held F1-USA scoreless... until the 12'.  That was a start of a banner day for Alex Morgan who tied a record with 5 goals and contributed 3 assists in a 13-0 laughter.  Among the records were most goals (men's or women's), goals in a half (10), margin of victory, total goals in a match, most players scoring in a match for one team (7), most shots (39), and most shots on goal (21).  USA at one point scored four times in just over six minutes to break open a 3-0 halftime lead.  They later added four goals in 8 minutes.  Their outburst brought the goal per match average up nearly a goal from 2.27 to 3.17.  You either loved the rout or were disgusted by it.  I loved it except for one exception, which will be in the next post.

All 3 matches saw a substitute score in stoppage time and all 3 saw one team have 64% or more possession.  The four debutantes (RSA, JAM, SCO, and now CHI) went 0-4-0 making first time teams 3-18-3 in their first ever WWC match (not including 1991). 

34 went 3-0 today which left Fotografo il Migliore, Mauihammy, and Pazzo Americano tied for first with 11 points.  Three went 1-2 including Hereforthecommentary who is now in last place with 7 points.  36 picked NED, 39 picked CHI, and all 44 picked USA.