Kerr-fuffle (8/16)

EL SEGUNDO, CA - In front of a sellout crowd of 75,784, 1B-Australia's injured superstar Sam Kerr walloped a 22-yard strike in the 63' to level the match with 1D-England at 1.  But a bad shielding play allowed ENG to poke one in 8 minutes later en route to a 3-1 final score.  Kerr had several more opportunities but tired legs (it was her first start) skied one high from close range.  The will-she or won't-she start put Kerr in a bad spot of playing the whole match, where the first 45 was uneventful.  

ENG makes its first WWC final and hope to raise a second trophy after winning the Women's Euros last July.  Hopefully host AUS will soon realize that going after that 3rd place finish will reward the tremendous fans with one final victory lap.  ENG v ESP should be high-quality passing and entertaining soccer with two giants battling it out.

21 entries had ENG making the Final with Kds911-2 (1st, 131) and The Naomi Girma Era (2nd-Tied, 119) getting both ENG and ESP.  21 had neither.  ENG and ESP were each picked by 5 entries to win it all, behind USA's 26 and GER's 6.  Thus, we don't know which entry will win the pool.  But we do know it will be Tom J, as he wins with either Kds911-2 (ESP win) or Kds911-3 (4th, 118) (ENG win).  An ENG win will give him 1st and 2nd!  And his main entry, Kds911 is tied for 2nd but is eliminated while Tiocfaidh Ár Lá!!! is 11th but can still win 4th.  The Naomi Girma Era is tied for 2nd but can't win the pool while Kds911-3 is 4th but can still win the pool.  7 entries are alive but only Kds911-2 is guaranteed money, leaving 7 vying for the final 3 money spots.