The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

Vamos, not vomit. C'mon, dude ...

 

Something vamoosed.

 

I'm worried they're not finishing better. But, from a certain POV, this was a no-win match ... score too many goals and it's the big, bad Americans hitting down ... score too few and it's "what's wrong with the offense?" and worrying about goal differential if they muster up a draw against the Dutch on Wednesday.

I do like that Julie Ertz, from what I can see, is playing center back. She has been a defensive mid for a few years, but back in the 2015 World Cup, Ertz - then Julie Johnston - and Becky Sauerbrunn were so dominant controlling the back that anyone on this board could have been the goalkeeper – none of us would have been diving on that artificial turf – and the U.S. would have rolled. Point is that Sauerbrunn is out of this World Cup due to injury, and that could show itself against the Dutch and, assuming the US advances out of the group, later in the knockout rounds when they'll actually have to defend a little more. Having a pillar like Ertz bolstering the back line, especially with Sauerbrunn out, should not be overlooked.

 

Who cashed a ticket on Messi scoring and USWNT under? Yeah, baby.

 

So I always kind of wondered how this works. If you go past 11 rounds of a shootout, you restart the order again instead of dipping into the reserves.

(Leon edges Vancouver 16-15 in PKs after it was 2-2 in regulation. Just an absolutely shambolic ending.)

 

Oh hey look

 

I enjoy following lower-tier UK soccer, and this made me laugh …

Team puts out seemingly innocuous Tweet about game getting called at the half. Weather? Injury? No, a Subaru and a hearse drove onto the field.

 

Against Messi’s debut in MLS.

 

Clipped from SF Chronicle.

 

It's an unusual tribute to Tony Bennett that Barca would leave their lunch in San Francisco on the weekend of his passing.

 

Been seeing this, and for the life of me I can't understand why this is a controversy. Forget a controversy, why is it even a story?
Did they kneel? Did they stay in the locker room or conjure up some other form of protest?
No. They did not sing? WTF?
I've been to hundreds of games over the years and don't sing. Don't always put my hand over my heart, either. As long as you're standing at attention and being respectful, who gives a flying fuck if you sing or not?