2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch-You Got The Rest Of America's Sporting Attention

In this summer of my sporting discontent, my Astros are on a pace to lose 100 games, the NBA and NFL are dealing with lockouts, and its another summer without a Houston WNBA team.

But the bright spot of my 2011 sporting summer so far has been this FIFA world number one ranked scrappy team of women's footballers who proudly wear the USA label.   They have a penchant for doing things the hard way mind you, but they never say die and get it done.

Nowhere was that more evident in Sunday's titanic quarterfinal match with Brazil.  Against all odds, playing with 10 women against the FIFA world number three ranked team that breezed through their group and jacked up officiating, they scrapped and clawed their way to a goal that tied the match and sent it to penalty kicks which they eventually won.

Now they are through to the semifinals against France, two tantalizing games from being crowned queens of the FIFA women's football world, and they have the casual American sporting fans attention now.

They have been saying for a while they wanted to make their own history and escape the shadow of the 1999 team, but that's been hard to do up to this point.   Even their big comeback for the ages against Brazil occurred on the 12th anniversary of the day the 1999 team won the title.
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But they are just two games away from holding up the trophy and accomplishing what they set out to do when they arrived in Germany for the start of this tournament.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch- Wow...Just Wow

Told y'all this team has a penchant for handling their World Cup business the hard way.   Abby Wambach even said as much in the aftermath of the group play loss to Sweden.

But wow.  This was a game for the ages.  It's too bad today's match between the USA and Brazil was a quarterfinal one and not a semifinal or the final.

This one had so much drama, intrigue, twists and turns packed in it that I don't think even a Hollywood scriptwriter could have come up with a better plot..

Team USA has never finished lower than third place in FIFA Women's World Cup play but was coming off their first loss ever in group play to Sweden while Brazil went unbeaten in theirs.   They've also never lost a game while wearing their black uniforms and wanted to get off to a fast start in this quarterfinal match in Dresden.  

An own goal from Brazil's Daiane a mere two minutes into the match got the fast start party started and allowed Team USA to take a 1-0 lead into the half.  

But Brazil has a player no one else on the planet has in Marta, the five time reigning FIFA Women's Player of the Year.  She showed why she's earned that award for five straight years in the second half.

In the 68th minute Marta splits a double team by flicking the ball to herself over both defenders heads and broke toward the US goal.   She was challenged by Rachel Buehler but as both player fell in the penalty area was ruled to have been pulled down from behind.

That unfortunately earned Buehler a red card, a seat in the locker room for the rest of the match and Brazil a penalty shot to attempt to tie the game.

Christiane takes the initial penalty kick that Hope Solo correctly guesses the direction of and stops cold..   Referee Jacqui Melksham rules Solo left her line too soon and orders another one.  The Dresden stadium crown and the USA squad is incensed, Hope Solo draws a yellow card for her vociferous protest otherwise and this time the Brazilians entrust Marta with the penalty shot she successfully makes to tie the score.

In addition to the score now being 1-1, Team USA must now play with 10 women the rest of the way.   It's hard enough playing Brazil with 11 players, but playing them shorthanded for many squads is FIFA Football Mission Impossible.

But Team USA isn't just any squad.  They're the FIFA world number one ranked team and back to back 2004 and 2008 Olympic champs and showed why they occupy the top spot of the women's FIFA rankings if anyone had any doubts about that.

They buckled down defensively and somehow managed to keep the powerful FIFA number three ranked Brazilians off the board for the next 22 minutes and force 30 minutes of overtime while nearly getting a golden goal in regulation time themselves.       

But early in the first overtime period thanks to another blown call (the refs miss a Brazilian player being offside) and get another highlight reel goal from Marta in the 92nd minute that she deftly flicks off the right post and into the back of the net to put them ahead 2-1.   Despite determined attacks at the Brazilian goal Team USA looks all but dead and headed back home until the header from Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute during the second 15 minute overtime period ties the score and forces a penalty kick shootout.

We got a little karmic payback when the first PK attempt by Shannon Boxx was blocked by Andreia but she was ruled to have left her line early.   Boxx buried the rekick to get us started to a 5-3 penalty kick shootout win that was clinched when Solo blocked Daiane's PK attempt and Wambach and Krieger buried theirs to send the USA to the semifinals and avenge the 2007 semifinal loss to Brazil as well..   

Oh yeah, did I mention that all of this happens on the 12th anniversary of the 1999 Women's World Cup final in the Rose Bowl that the USA women won on penalty kicks against China?

Breathe people.  Time to get ready for Wednesday's semifinal against France in Monchengladbach.  Winner gets a trip to Frankfurt to play in the title match versus the Japan-Sweden winner on Sunday.  Losers plays in the third place game in Sinsheim on Saturday.

This 2011 team has said repeatedly they wanted to forge their own legacy separate from the 1999 World championship squad.   They may have taken a giant step toward doing that today.

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When's The US Going To Come Up With A Cool Nickname For Our Soccer Teams?

In this FIFA Women's World Cup tournament, for those of us watching ESPN's tournament coverage we've had the pleasure of not only hearing announcer Ian Darke call the games, but discovering the nicknames of the various women's national squads.

The English squad is called the Three Lionesses.  The Brazilians are called the Samba Queens.  Nigeria as you know from the posts of me slamming them on the regular for their off the pitch phobic hijinks are called the Super Falcons.   Australia is referred to as the Matildas and their New Zealand neighbors are the Football Ferns.

The Japanese are the Nadeshiko Japan, and their official nickname was chosen after a contest conducted by the Japan Football Association in 2004 and while the South Africans aren't in this tournament, their women's national team is known as Banyana Banyana.  

So when is Team USA going to come up with a cool official nickname for our women's national squad and what should we call them?   The Spirits of '76?    The Eagles?   The Red, White And Blue as ESPN's Bob Ley calls them?    The Football First Ladies?

Maybe the US Football Federation should do what Japan's Federation did and have a contest to come up with an offical nickname.
 
Whatever we call them, the nickname needs to reflect our national heritage and the winning legacy of this team and be done as soon as possible.

Germans Whacked In Wolfsburg

We also don't get the Germans until the final assuming they don't get upset between now and July 17.

Can I call it or what?  I watched the England vs France and Japan vs Germany FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal matchups today    I feel for the Brits losing in a shootout, but definitely feel the German supporters pain right now.   

The Germans are the host nation, the back to back FIFA world champs and were prohibitively favored to take a third straight title.   The last time the Germans lost a match in Women's World Cup play was a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to the USA 12 years ago and Japan had never beaten them. 

Until today.   This loss also hurt for the Germans because this tournament was serving for the European teams as a qualifier for the 2012 Olympic women's football tournament.   Hope Powell's Three Lionesses are already in because England is the host nation.


Japan going into this match was 0-8-1 against European squads but is also the FIFA number 4 ranked women's team in the world.   They aren't any football slouches and the law of averages was going to break their way sooner or later just like it did a few days ago with Sweden against the USA.    

The USA and the Germans have had a wonderful run in World Cup and other international women's football competition but sooner or later the teams you beat on a regular basis because they got a late start will catch up to you talent wise.  If you're not on your 'A' game and they have enough talent, a solid game plan and execute it flawlessly you're going down.   .


Japan's not the FIFA number 4 ranked team for nothing and they proved it today.   And as much as I'd like to see the USA continue its dominance of women's international football, at the same time more competitive balance and making us work for those titles is good for the game   

Shoot with that being said, hope Team USA handles their business with Brazil tomorrow.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch-It's The Knockout Round

It's the quarterfinals of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup tournament, and to borrow the words of the NBA playoff commercials, from now on it's win or go home.

And Team USA couldn't have a tougher assignment for their quarterfinal match than playing a Marta-led Brazil team that is tired of being title bridesmaids to the US.  And oh yeah, there that little matter that everyone keeps reminding you of concerning the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup semis in China in which Brazil pasted an embarrassing 4-0 thumping on Team USA

Well, just as Team USA probably didn't want to be in Dresden facing Brazil this early, you have to look at the flip side of this as Brazil didn't want to play us this early either.   We also don't get the Germans until the final assuming they don't get upset between now and July 17.  

And hopefully ladies, you got that bad game out of your system.

At any rate, it's time to handle your football business.  You're close to your goal of winning our third FIFA world title and first since that magical 1999 year on home soil.  Winner gets to play the France-England winner in the semifinals in Moenchengladbach and get one step closer to the July 17 championship match in Frankfurt.

And definitely want it to be y'all.  Been losing too much high profile stuff to Brazil lately.

FIFA Criticizes Nigeria Coach Uche's Homophobic Comments

Nigeria is headed home after being eliminated in the group round of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, but not before FIFA had their say about Super Phobes (oops Super Falcons) head coach Eucharia Uche's problematic anti-gay statements.

After the June 26 post match press conference admission that she'd forced lesbians off the team and the New York Times interview done before the start of the tournament that quoted her as stating that homosexuality was 'dirty' and 'spiritually' and 'morally very wrong', FIFA's head of women's competitions Tatjana Haenni said to the German television channel ARD in an interview that, "FIFA is against all forms of discrimination."   

She also met with Uche on June 29 and reminded her of FIFA anti-discrimination policies. "We are here at a FIFA event and will point out that it would be best to express oneself neutrally," said Haenni.   

Neither Uche or the Nigerian Football Federation has commented on the Haenni meeting, but FIFA relased the following statement:.

FIFA would like to reiterate its position regarding any discriminating statements or action, and remind that FIFA, through its various committees, is actively committed to fighting against all kinds of discrimination within football and within society as a whole.

In addition to hosting events such as the FIFA Conference on Racism in Football and holding an Anti-Discrimination Day every year, FIFA has stressed on a number of occasions its commitment to fight any kind of discrimination in football.

In 2010, the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Day was held on 2 and 3 July, coinciding with the four 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final matches, so as to make a clear statement to the billions around the world about FIFA's united stand against racism and all forms of discrimination. For more information please click on the link to the right.

The FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 Anti-Discrimination Day will take place on 13 July 2011, when the semi-final matches are played.

In the long term, FIFA will continue the fight against all forms of discrimination through every possible means at its disposal.

Let us not forget that a strong, active and vocal grassroots support of these principles is essential to this process and we need every fan of the beautiful game to do their part - and in this respect, the world's media plays a key role too.

Uche has been the Super Falcons head coach since 2009 and according to Barrister Chris Green, the chair of the Nigeria Football Federation, her job is safe for now despite the controversial exit from this year's tournament 

"We can't be talking of a new coach now when we still have a London 2012 Women Soccer qualifer against Equatorial Guinea ahead,'' Green revealed in a recent interview in Frankfurt.

''Rather, we expect the coach to improve on her experience here and make it reflect in her duties as she works with the team towards the London 2012 Olympics.'' 

Umm hmm.   Just wanted to point out to you Super Phobes supporters that two time FIFA world champion Germany has open bisexual and world class goalkeeper Nadine Angerer on their squad and a backup goalkeeper in Ursula Holl who is married to her partner.  

And oh yeah, didn't Germany and Nadine Angerer beat y'all 1-0 in group play?

This situation with Uche admitting that she forced lesbians off the squad cries out for sanctions, but the likelihood of that happening is about the same as a certain appletini chugging gay rights orgs in the States hiring a transperson to run it.  



FIFA's mission statement says it wants to use the sport in 'overcoming social and cultural obstacles for women with the ultimate aim of improving women's standing in society'.

Women in the context of this mission statement also includes lesbian, bi and transwomen as well, a point which FIFA needs to forcefully make clear to coach Uche, the Nigerian Football Federation and 'errbody ' else in the FIFA universe as well who may have a problem with that expansive definition of woman.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Team USA Watch- Bad Day At The Office

Team USA went into their final Group C match in Wolfsburg with a ton of momentum and their 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup destiny in their hands.

They were on a 15-0-2 match winning streak in World Cup play, had never lost a group match in Women's World Cup history, and already knew before the match started they were going to the quarterfinals.   The only question was whether it would be as the Group C champion or the runner up.

Hope Solo already had two clean sheets in the tournament and hadn't given up a goal since the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.  Team USA was playing an opponent in Sweden whose captain was sitting out the match due to picking up a second yellow card in their July 2 match against North Korea and who they had a 3-0 record against during World Cup play, so things were looking good on that front.  . 

All the US needed was a win or draw against Sweden and they would be atop the group and play Australia in their opening quarterfinal match in Augsburg.   They lose and they get a return trip to Dresden for an early quarterfinal date with five time FIFA player of the year Marta and a Brazilian squad that's tired of playing title bridesmaid to the USA and German championship brides.

The number 3 FIFA ranked Brazilians were runners-up to the US at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and again to Germany at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup 

But as ESPN NFL analyst Herman Edwards says, that's why you play the games.

In front a crowd of 23,468 that included the two time defending FIFA women's world champs Germany and German chancellor Angela Merkel, the FIFA world number one ranked squad was upset by the FIFA number 5 ranked Swedes 2-1.

Then again, this team seems to live for doing things the hard way.  After dropping games in CONCAFAF qualifying play to eventual CONCAFAF champion Canada and Mexico and beating Costa Rica to finish third, they had to endure a two leg playoff with Italy just to become the last team to qualify for the tournament.


"That’s kind of been our journey so far, so why change things now?” Abby Wambach said in an interview after the loss. 

Well, if you're going to lose a Women's World Cup match, better it be in group stage after you've handled your business and clinched your quarterfinal spot.  

Ironically, while the loss has them facing an early quarterfinal knockout match on July 10 with Brazil, if they get through the Samba Queens they would face the winner of England-France match in the semis on July 13 in Monchengladbach.

They wouldn't see the Germans, assuming they handle their business on the other side of the bracket until the championship game in Frankfurt on July 17. 

But Team USA and coach Pia Sundhage have a lot of work to do before that happens.