WAITING FOR TROPICAL STORM, CA - A new country will hold the WWC title and either one will also be able to brag that they have won a Men's and Women's World Cup (Germany the only country to do so). 2C-Spain didn't win their group but learned from their 4-0 dubbing by Japan and found late goals to make their first final (and first-ever knockout wins). 1D-England struggled to score but continued to win to reach their 3rd straight semifinal and first final.
Tom J has won our 3rd HWCI Women's World Cup pool but which entry will it be? Kds911-2 will win if ESP wins and will bring Brian B's 3rd entry The Naomi Girma Era, Rob C's CarinJennins-IsGOAT, and Tony N's Lavelle Lover into 2nd/3rd/4th place positions. Kds911-3 will win if ENG wins, pushing Kds911-2 to 2nd place (a Tom J double!), Paul T's 3rd entry Jolly Old England, and Mark H's Tiocfaidh Ár Lá!!! to 2nd/3rd/4th. Tiebreakers don't play a part for the top 4 money spots but it currently stands at 2 goals.
3:23 am: Got a couple hours sleep and now watching on my iPad to slowly wake up. 0-0.
24': Ah, "the fan runs on the field" play. Yellow security guards hopefully tackling hard. No Laruen James for ENG (3 goals, 1 foot on back of player) to start, coming back after 2-match suspension.
29 (28:33)': ESP scores! 1-0. A turnover leads to a switchback and a great one-time finish by Olga (Carmona)! Brian/Rob/Tony jumping for joy. BTW, five picked ESP and 5 ENG to win today.
45'+1: 1 minute added and and ESP hits the right post, which could have been a morale breaker for ENG.
Half: ESP has a 53/33% possession (63% if adding to 100%) and 6-3 lead on shots. Each has 2 of them on goal (posts and crossbars don't count).
55': First yellow for ESP which looked worse but was not much of a foul.
62': ESP's wind-up shot is just high. ENG did bring James in at halftime (1 of 2 subs).
64': Scramble and ESP shot deflects wide. Calls for handball and ref will check (65:20). And after a long look at the fingertips, ESP will get a PK (67:25)!
69:03: ESP PK by J. Hermoso... saved! No rebound, just gobbled up. Why almost 90 seconds to take a PK? Gamesmanship as Hermoso placed the ball forward of the spot and ref makes her move it back, but just inches further.
78': Blood! Yellow for ESP. Knee to head coming together. Interesting long delay, since there was a yellow, player does not have to come off the field (but will change off field anyway). Thanks, Fox TV for the interesting tidbit! Back playing in 82'.
87': It's the 87th minute but doesn't feel like it with all the injuries, VAR, and subs. No panic or urgency yet. Crowd also very quiet.
90': 13 min of stoppage (29% of the normal 45)!!! 1 more than the 12 given at end of Netherlands-Spain Round of 16.
90'+2: Great ESP possession for a couple minutes leads to a kick save. No urgency by ENG yet, but 11 more min of stoppage still to go.
90'+7: Still 7 min to go. Very odd atmosphere, very quiet crowd. But Brian/Rob/Tony don't care if it stays this way.
90'+10: In stoppage, time, ESP leads on shots 4-0 as ENG can't get possession.
104:18: ENG finally makes it into the box and gets a corner but the CK is smothered by the GK. Whistle blows! ESP wins first WWC and adds hardware to their U17 (2018 & 2022) and U20 titles (2022). And without some of their best players in protest. Young team will only get better. Congrats to Tom J, Brian B, Rob C, and Tony N for winning money! Paul T and Mark H will wonder where was ENG all second half? Did they know they were down 1-0?
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