Saved by the Post (8/1)

HOME, CA - Geez, didn't think I would need to pull out a USA jersey this early, choosing the 2019 authentic home jersey post-WWC win with FIFA winners badge and 4th gold star as E1-USA still had not clinched a spot in the
Round of 16.  Got a pic with the USA flag waving outside the Boys & Girls Club in Cypress where my son was having a Boy Scouts meeting.  Seems like this jersey just provided the 2-3 inches to make the ball bounce off the post instead of in the goal ;-)

Again, an inspired first few minutes quickly gave way to stagnant play for the rest of the game and it brought back bad memories of Sunday's LA Galaxy Leagues Cup match as passes were intercepted, quick plays forward gave way to wayward passes too long, tiring out our players.  I love Alex Morgan, but every time they show her she just looks tired and exhausted and, gulp, old?  With no chance to catch E3-Netherlands, who led 3-0 within 20 minutes en route to a 7-0 thrashing of E2-Vietnam, USA just needed to see the draw, yet, there was no running into the corner to draw a foul, no quick passing in the back trying to draw E4-Portugal out (who needed to win), just lots of running and bad passing that POR quickly recovered on.

And the final scoresheet will show POR with zero shots on goal but the one breakaway POR had, the shot was rifled past USA's GK and hit off the right post in the 90'+1, saving USA's bacon.  This was the first time USA did not win at least two games in the group stage in surviving the 0-0 draw.  FOX hyped up this would be the greatest upset ever but POR was ranked #21 and only allowed one goal to NED, who is ranked #9.  The biggest upset would be not qualifying at all but luckily, USA did, but as 2nd in Group E.  The criticism came hard and fast (see this post :-) with Carli Lloyd's being the most liked and bantered around.

How lucky is 2C-Spain, who didn't win their group as expected but now avoids #12 1A-Norway in R16 and if they win, avoids USA in Quarterfinals.  Maybe 1C-Japan shouldn't have won.

In Group D, D1-England finally found their mojo in beating D4-China PR, 6-1 to win the group and D3-Denmark took care of business beating D2-Hati, 2-0, to take second.

Group E concluded with only Rutin4Putin getting the USAvPOR draw.  43 picked NED's win as 43 went 1-1 and 4 went 0-2.  All 46 who had USA in the Round of 16 had them as 1E, not 2E, but it doesn't matter as it is 3 points regardless and the downside is your bracket is now upside down.  42 had NED in R16 as 41 got both R16 teams and 6 got 1 of 2.  39 got 7 of 8 possible points while Of-Course-it's-US only got 3 of 8.

Group D concluded with 35 getting both ENG (picked by 36) and DEN (44) wins while TroJenn and TroJenn2 missed both.  46 had ENG in the R16 and 31 DEN with 31 getting both and 16 getting 1 of 2.  25 got all 8 points in Group D while TroJenn and TroJenn2 only got 3 of 8.

Combined, 23 got 15 of 16 possible points while Rutin4Putin and Kung Fu Master Kai each got 8 of 16.  Hawkeye and Vlatko Better Win are still tied for first with 54 points with Kds911, Kona Coast Sliders, and More$ tied for 3rd with 53.  Kung Fu Master Kai takes over last with 35 points.