2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: USA vs Japan, Round Three

The Third Place match and Final Match of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup are set. However, I just have to touch upon England first after that match. The beautiful game turned devastating for them.

England, the Lionesses, had an ending that left most people gutted/devastated. A solid 1-1 match between England and Japan was headed to Extra Time. Then Japan sent the ball into the box and the reliable Laura Bassett went to clear it. Only the ball just hit the crossbar and went down into her own goal, giving Japan the 2-1 lead and win. It was a freak play and an extremely rare way to lose a game, so Bassett should not feel bad at all. However, England shouldn't feel bad. They've grown so much over the past few years, and can rightly be seen as a top contender now alongside Japan, USA, Germany, France, Sweden and Brazil. 

It would have been fun to see England back in a World Cup final for the first time since 1966, and the first time in the Women's World Cup. That country really has no luck in this sport. Don't worry though, the England Women won't need luck at the 2019 Women's World Cup, which will be held in France. They should be a contender to hoist the trophy. I'll be cheering for them to win the third place match against Germany. How about a Bronze Medal for Lucy Bronze and co? 

England frustrated Japan, who struggled when it came to finishing even as they dominated in the passing category which they always do. England were firing off some good shots, and Ayumi Kaihori made an excellent save to prevent a goal from Ellen White. Kaihori doesn't get enough praise from the media. 

So USA and Japan are set to meet again, for the third straight major final, on Sunday July 5th. Japan won the 2011 Women's World Cup final, while the US won the London 2012 Olympic final. This is the first ever rematch in the Women's World Cup. Japan will be looking to join the US & Germany as two-time winners. USA will try to become the first Women's team to win three World Cups, and their first since 1999. Something to watch will be to see how Japan uses Mana Iwabuchi. The super sub is incredibly fast and may have as much talent as Marta. Will she play longer, and can she get behind the outstanding US defense? USA is riding high on confidence right now, and the midfield and attack are starting to click. 

Japan should get a goal, but the US should be too determined in this one. Alex Morgan has just one goal, but that was to be expected as she returns from injury. She is creating space and chances, which can be just as beneficial. Both teams have a variety of players who can score, and both have a solid defense with the edge going to USA. This will also be the final World Cup game for Abby Wambach, as well as 1999 veteran Christie Rampone who probably won't play due to an injury. It will also be the last for Japan's Homare Sawa, in her record 6th World Cup. 

England will take on Germany for Third Place on Saturday. I'm picking them to win this game and go out on a high note. Maybe that's just me feeling bad for them due to losing on a freak own goal. I mean, its an angry Germany coming their way. They do have the ability though, which they showed against Norway and Japan, two previous Women's World Cup winners. I say England get an emotional win to go out on a high note. 

For the first time, Sepp Blatter will not appear at a final. Of course he won't. He's afraid he'll have a "Handshake for Peace" with an FBI Agent who will turn it into a Handcuff for Peace. 

2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Semifinals

Down to the Final Four

The Semifinals are upon us at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. I got three of my four predictions correct (USA, Japan, England) from before the start of the tournament. However, I had France beating Germany. And they certainly should have beaten Germany in that game, but failed to put the ball into the back of the net despite dominating the pace of the game and getting behind the German defense. Now, a look at the two semifinals.

USA vs Germany - June 30, 2015 in Montreal. Germany are ranked #1 in the FIFA rankings, with USA at #2. They haven't met at the World Cup since 2003 when Germany beat USA in the Semifinals. USA defeated Germany in the 1999 Quarterfinals and 1991 Semifinals. The crowd could reach 50,000 in Montreal's Olympic Stadium, with many expected to be US supporters who just have to travel over the border. However, Germany just dealt with a loud French-Canadian Montreal crowd supporting France. 

France were able to get in behind the German defense in the Quarterfinal, and controlled the pace of the game. Germany were struggling to score until getting a Penalty Kick late in the game. Meanwhile, France had a bunch of of great looks at goal they couldn't capitalize on. The US should use their fastest players to get in behind Germany's defense much like France. And bury those chances they'll get because of it. Alex Morgan should get her chances in this game, while Megan Rapinoe should be rested after missing the match against China with a yellow. Its a 50/50 toss up, but I'm sticking with the USWNT getting it done. 

Japan vs. England - July 1, 2015 in Edmonton. Defending champs Japan got a scare from Australia, but prevailed in the end with a late goal. They are completing 83% of their passes, the best in the competition. England defeated the hosts, capitalizing on mistakes by Canada and holding onto their win with a grit and toughness we haven't seen from any England team in a while. Its the first time England have been in a World Cup semifinal since the men in 1990, and the first time the women have made it this far. It's good to see the Lionesses have such a solid run to captivate the attention of those home in England. 

England should put up a fight, but they can't rely on mistakes to score here. Japan are so technical and pass the ball better than anyone, rarely giving the ball away in a bad position. However, England are the last team to beat Japan at the Women's World Cup which they did in the group stage in 2011. Still, I think Japan will be too experienced and too technical for England to win. England will have to try and make the most of any set pieces they get.

And yes, many have noticed how there's a whole WWII Allies vs Axis theme with USA & England taking on Germany & Japan. Its nice that we can peacefully joke about it now with them all being allies. 

USA Makes The Knockout Round Again

The USA Men's National Team have qualified for their second straight knockout round for the first time in history. So many "experts" picked against them, some even saying they wouldn't score a goal, though they made short work of the Group of Death by being better than both Ghana and Portugal. They fought hard but lost to Germany 1-0, though thanks to Portugal beating Ghana the US is in and will (most likely) be facing Belgium on Tuesday. Ronaldo scored Portugal's winning goal which sealed the deal. CONCACAF has three teams in the Round of 16. Asia has 0, Africa has 1 (Though Algeria can make it 2). Yet both have more spots in the World Cup...time for a change.

Belgium will be tough, as shown in the last meeting between the two sides where Belgium dominated. We've seen this US team work so hard in this World Cup though, and the game should be a close one. USA will need to do better on the attack than they did against Germany. They did have moments though, particularly in the first half and late in the game with Clint Dempsey almost knocking a header into the net. There is a chance that Jozy Altidore could be back which would help in that department.

A wild fact: USA have finished above England & Italy at two straight World Cups. USA also finished above Italy in 2002 when they made the Quarterfinals. This is some great progress, and nobody can say both the Men's and Women's team doesn't give us a ton of excitement. And in this world cup: Spain, England, Italy, Portugal are all out at the group stage while USA is moving on.

As a side note, the torrential rains in Recife have opened our eyes to the poor drainage and infrastructure in Brazil. Kind of sad they spend so much money on stadiums with so many problems. They should have used fewer stadiums, I'm not quite sure why they needed to use more stadiums than previous hosts have.

World Cup 2014: John Brooks and USA Stun Ghana

John Brooks Makes US Soccer History

Michelle Akers (1991 Women's World Cup). Shannon MacMillan (Atlanta 1996 Olympics). Landon Donovan (2010 World Cup). Benny Feilhaber (2007 Gold Cup). Carli Lloyd (Beijing 2008 Olympics). Abby Wambach (2011 Women's World Cup). Alex Morgan (London 2012 Olympics). Who would've thought that John Brooks, in just his 5th appearance for the United States National Team, would join that list of US Soccer players to score a late game winning/tying goal in a major tournament? Not many...but it happened, breathing life into what was about to be a poor draw for the USA with games against Portugal and Germany ahead.

It was a game mostly dominated by Ghana. Clint Dempsey scored the sixth fastest goal in World Cup history after 34 seconds. After that, Jozy Altidore went down with a hamstring injury. Ghana took total control, and by the second half it was rare for the US to have any offense. Tim Howard came up with a few big saves, and Ghana sent some shots flying high and wide to keep the 1-0 USA lead. Starting defender Matt Besler left the game with a hamstring bothering him...which led to John Brooks coming in. Ghana finally scored in the 82nd minute, and it looked dire for the US. Then on a corner kick in the 86th minute and a rare chance to score, Brooks headed the ball into the back of the net much like Abby Wambach at the 2011 Women's World Cup. It sent the US up 2-1 and they held on for the win and 3 points, as well as redemption after being eliminated by Ghana in 2006 and 2010.

Many thought Brooks might not even make the squad. But the German-American made it and made a difference. The United States' German coach Jurgen Klinsmann won't be second guessed about that move. Germany has done well to help the USA during this World Cup.

Phew. Losing Altidore hurts, and the United States will miss him. However, Portugal will also be missing some key players. USA will need more possession than they had against Ghana, as you can't imagine Ronaldo missing as many shots as Ghana did.

Watch Abby Wambach lead the "I Believe That We Will Win" chant as the Women's National Team watch party:
  

World Cup 2014: Can USA Capitalize?

Group G started off with a German Blitzkrieg, as Germany dominated Portugal 4-0. That puts Portugal in an early hole, having a minus 4 Goal Differential which would hurt them if it comes down to a tie for second place. 

Pepe was also sent off the field with a red card, and will be suspended for Portugal's match against the United States on Sunday, which is a bit of a blow to them. There were also some injuries to a few starters, while Ronaldo was pretty much shut down by the Germans. 

That provides a huge opportunity tonight to both the USA and Ghana. Should USA win, they would go into the match against Portugal needing only a draw to set themselves up nicely to get to the Round of 16. One major downside about Portugal getting dominated by Germany would be Portugal will be throwing everything at the US. Even with the team reeling following a big defeat to Germany and some key starters missing, Ronaldo against the inexperienced US defense might provide an opportunity for Portugal. 

First thing's first though, the USA must do something they failed to do in 2006 and 2010...BEAT GHANA. The match airs tonight on ESPN at 6PM ET. 

FIFA Women's World Cup: Miracle on Grass

If anyone missed the United States take on Brazil in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarterfinals, you missed out on one of the most exciting, thrilling and hard fought sports matches of all time. It's almost hard to explain in words to get that same thrill of seeing it unfold live.

Down 2-1 in Extra Time, the United States ended up tying it on an Abby Wambach header in the final minute of the match. This came after a player on Brazil pretended to be hurt to waste time, which the ref added on since she clearly faked after jumping up and running back on the field. If not for the fake injury, the USA might not have tied it. Karma? Maybe. The game then went to penalty kicks, 12 years to the exact day after the USA beat China on Penalty Kicks to win the 1999 Women's World Cup at the Rose Bowl in front of over 90,000 people and 40 million watching on TV in the US alone. That 1999 team captivated the country, and the buzz surrounding the 2011 team has catapulted up to the top of every news outlet, just like in 1999. The USA beat Brazil this time on Penalty Kicks, in the same way Brandi Chastain did 12 years earlier. USA goalie Hope Solo came through big as well, blocking Brazil's 3rd penalty kick in the shootout which helped.

Germany has embraced the tournament as well, with over 20 million people watching Germany matches on TV. On Saturday though, Japan shocked Germany by eliminating them, playing more physical than anyone thought possible. Japan passes the ball with more accuracy than any team I've ever seen, and play tough. They've become a sentimental favorite following the March Tsunami and Earthquake, and will take on Sweden. Do yourselves a favor and watch the rest of the matches! The semifinals are on Wednesday. In the USA, they'll be on ESPN starting with France vs. United States at 11:30AM Eastern Time (Game starts at 12), followed by Japan vs. Sweden at 2:45 PM Eastern. My pick: USA and Japan moving to the final. France vs Sweden for 3rd place.

As for soccer in the US, the World Cup and Olympics are very popular, as well as other big international matches. The attendance record for the Men's World Cup is the 1994 World Cup held in the USA, and the record for the Women's World Cup is 1999 in USA. The MLS (and WPS) can't have that same excitement, so it's seen as second rate to the World Cup and Women's World Cup. Finally, watch the big Wambach goal below:

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Preview

I love these international tournaments, and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup begins on June 26, 2011. The first time I watched soccer was during the memorable 1999 Women's World Cup held in the USA, so I still enjoy it to this day. Most people remember how big that was, with the team selling out football stadiums across the country, culminating with the United States beating China in penalty kick overtime for the championship in front of over a record 90,000 people at the Rose Bowl. Mia Hamm became a household name and Brandi Chastain scored the game winning penalty kick then pulled her jersey off to reveal the infamous sports bra. The game is still the most watched soccer match in US history.

Those players have retired, but the tournament lives on. The big difference between the men's game and women's game is the women don't slop around and fake injury as much, which is refreshing. It can get annoying watching Cristiano Ronaldo pretending to be hurt every 5 minutes, which I why I slightly prefer the Women's WC, but both are great fun to watch.

The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup comes from Germany, and will be another great spectacle, and every single game will be broadcast live on ESPN. The time zone difference is a bit better for US fans than it was in China in 2007, when they played early in the morning US time. All of the United States matches will be at 12 pm ET. Be sure to watch the first match between Germany and Canada on Sunday June 26th, which will be at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in front of 75,000 people. Sure to be an exciting match.

I'll give some predictions for who will move on.
Group A: 1. Germany, 2. Canada, 3. Nigeria, 4. France - Germany should win at home and the second spot should be up for grabs by all three. I'll give Canada the edge.
Group B: 1. Japan, 2. England, 3. Mexico, 4. New Zealand - Japan vs. England should decide who wins the group. Mexico could be the spoiler, but Japan and England should come through.
Group C: 1. United States, 2. Sweden, 3. North Korea, 4. Colombia - The US is ranked #1 in the world, so not winning their group would be a disappointment. The second spot is up for grabs between North Korea and Sweden, I'll pick Sweden to beat them.
Group D: 1. Brazil, 2. Australia, 3. Norway, 4. Equatorial Guinea - Brazil is the favorite here along with Norway, but I will pick Australia to surprise and take out Norway.

Quarterfinals: Germany over England, United States over Australia, Japan over Canada, Brazil over Sweden. I'm tempted to pick Sweden over Brazil as an upset, but it's always tough to pick against Brazil. The USA has won the cup twice and never finished below 3rd place. Germany has won the cup twice in a row.

Semi-finals: United States over Germany - Germany knocked the USA out in this round in the States in 2003, so why not the other way around? Japan over Brazil. Am I nuts? Maybe, but Japan is ranked 4th in the world. It may be a sentimental pick, but they have the talent.

3rd Place: Germany over Brazil. Championship: Japan over United States. I'm going with the underdogs, even though most think Brazil, Germany, USA or Norway will win it all. Who do you think the top 3 teams will be?

After this, the 2015 Women's World Cup will be held in Canada and the number of teams will be increased from 16 to 24. Enjoy!