Geoff, you’re right about Bronze — she definitely looks like she’s got license to play wherever she likes, within reason. Coming more centrally already this half.
That was dangerous.
Some great gamesmanship from White. After Naeher flopped as White bumped into her, White walks off clapping in her face.
England comes within striking distance, once more.
Asking Christina Unkel why that was a card is funny. “Ah, because it’s not MMA?”
Yes. At least nobody can miss the final.
Good point, Jake. One of my least favorite rules. Erase yellows after every game, imo.
Thought earlier about how it seemed Lindsay Horan was left out of the starting lineup in the past two games, perhaps because of her yellow card, but won’t have that issue today after the cards reset.
Lindsey Horan threw a hard elbow to the face there. Yellow was deserved.
Probably deserved though.
(Very late) yellow card for Lindsey Horan.
In other news, we’re underway again!
Just @ me next time, Neil.
Overheard in the FiveThirtyEight live blog lobby….
“Young people, explain this Coldplay reference to us!”
“Um….. Young people aren’t going to know about Coldplay “
Clocks — the things that don’t stop during a soccer game.
“Clocks”? Since there is presumably a halftime timer running down.
“Fix You”? A song about every sudden U.S. soccer expert’s attempts to second-guess Jill Ellis’s coaching of this team?
They’re playing a Coldplay song at halftime. Can you guess which one?
According to Opta, England didn’t successfully complete a single pass inside the U.S. penalty area. (The ball from Mead came from outside the box.)
😂 x 1 billion
“Let’s go on a tour of that hotel to see if we like it — and then maybe break into Phil Neville’s room and started sifting through files on his laptop.”
The hilarious thing, Geoff, is, like: Does the British press think the US COACHES think that they’ll wander into the lobby and find a bunch of loose tactic sheets lying around near the stale croissants?
So was all the subterfuge just to keep England off balance?
Now we are getting halftime reports on the Fox broadcast that Megan Rapinoe is injured — hamstring injury.
Ari, I think Heath (or Bronze) is the best player in the world, FWIW.
Am I crazy for thinking that Tobin Heath might be the best player on the team? She doesn’t get on the stat sheet as much, but it feels like she can just dribble wherever she wants and creates an opportunity every time she gets a touch.
TY Neil, another Wiki rabbit hole to keep me from writing.
And don’t even get me STARTED on on this “Spygate” story from Formula 1, Terrence…
In truth, the U.S. is in the second-choice hotel in Lyon as the technical road team and England gets the top choice. The final is also in Lyon, where the U.S. would be the home team. So the team was “scouting” England’s hotel to see if they wanted to move there after this game should they win.
The British media LOVES a spy gate story. idk if any of you pay attention to the EFL Championship, but there was a great one involving Leeds United coach Marcelo Bielsa spying on Derby County. Once he was “caught,” he held a presser explaining that “YES OF COURSE I DO THIS AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME.” There was a PowerPoint and everything.
The British tabloids treated this “scandal” like the USWNT was caught breaking into the DNC headquarters at the Watergate.
Bronze has been held mostly in check. But she started getting looks up the right side late in the half. Could become an issue if that trend continues.
England actually won possession in the first half, 56 percent to 44 percent.
The U.S. is at 89 percent to win as we hit halftime.
Halftime. This is another awesome game.
She might be … the best player in the world? Definitely top 5. Hate to agree with ole Phil, but I do on this occasion.
Lucy Bronze is a problem. Dunn has a tough task. Bronze wins England a corner. 45th minute
That’s one of my favorite soccerisms, Terrence. I hate it when my fouls get all cynical.
Unless it’s against your team, then it’s “cynical.”
Just about seven weeks until the season!
They call that a tactical foul in England.
Millie Bright gets carded for clotheslining Morgan in the face. I think England may be following the Spanish blueprint of just pummeling Alex at every opportunity.
Neil’s in a very college football mood today, apparently. Marching bands, Heismans…
Bright doing her best Heisman Trophy stiff-arm there. Wrong football, unfortunately.
🤣
Well, that wasn’t very bright.
Yellow card for Millie Bright.
Feels like Lavelle woke up today and decided, “Today is gonna be the day I tell people I’m the best player in the world.”
Great play by Bronze to diffuse that scoring chance with a header in the box. She was in a dangerous own-goal territory with her momentum moving toward the net.