Watched a few of the matches last night, very impressed with the USA, Swedes and Brazil. USA especially for a combative display from 2 goals down ...... against a not unworthy France. Nice to see a (slower pace) game with, err, typically more soft goals conceded. Team GB? Well, they had to work their socks off and finally needed a Beckham-esque freekick goal to keep NZ out. After which, they sort of panicked at the back but got lucky ..... other top teams would have put the lights out. The football arenas are probably the least affected by the pinky-loving colours of this Olympics - but attendance is still kinda low.
Despite our, err, lack of progress in the football competition, a Malaysian was in action on the first day of the Olympics Programme, and that is Widiya Shamsuri, officiating as an Assistant Referee in the USA vs FRA match. So who says Malaysia didn't qualify for the Olympic football finals ..... wakakakaka?
There was that N. Korea incident. And I watched Japan against Canada. The match started out very slow with Japan missing most of its through passes. They took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute. And in the 44th minute, in a scramble for the ball by 5 players (including a goalkeeper), it flew and bounced off a Japanese head towards the goal for a 2-0 lead. Then in the 2nd half, Japan had a chance for a 3-nil lead with an empty net as she got past the goalkeeper, but she didn't pound it in and a Canadian got there just in the nick of time to block it. Just minutes after that, Canada scores a goal with a nice cross and made the game 2-1. But Canada could not pull off a comeback and fell to the Japanese 2-1.
Japan vs Canada, the Japanese didn't look like the World Champs they are. Comical game at times, and played at pedestrian pace as you said. But maybe today, in the Men's competition, Spain would bare fangs ...... against Japan, as it stands. The North Korean incident - I suspect could be politically motivated. Difficult for me to buy this "honest mistake" thing for an event planned for almost a decade ........ yeah, the conspiracy theory again. Surely the organizers cannot make such a fundamental error.
The 2nd round of matches have made it clearer on who will go thru. Sure enough, Team GB and exciting Brazil have claimed their q-final places, so too powerhouse USA. While Japan, Sweden, France, DPR, Canada are favoured for the 5 remaining places, their fates are still in the balance. France is probably the best performing team of the 2nd round, whacking DPR Korea 5-0 to redress their 2-4 reverse against USA when leading 2-0 in the first 15 minutes.
Team GB beat Brazil last night .... I am impressed. But USA is still the team to beat, too strong in all areas, and doesn't waste time to do showboating like Brazil.
Very impressed with Japan, clinical in their showdown against Brazil. Matra and gang were just playing to showcase skills, not much substance in the final third.Team GB too was caught out by Canadians - it could have been more than 2 goals.
football? why on earth they called it football just because you're only allowed to use your feet to kick the ball about. Soccer it is. football is the one to play with hands, right?
I am waiting for the semifinals, would be nice to see how the Japanese fare against the powerful French. The French were unlucky to lose to USA, they could have put USA to pasture in the first half. USA should take the other semifinal against Canada hands down ......
Too bad Canada lost, they played so well and had all the chance in the world to beat US for the 1st time
Well, the Japanese fortress held out against a mighty French assault ..... blame the captain for missing that penalty. Oh wait, the French were at fault for schoolgirl errors during dead ball situations ....... The Canadians were hard done by the referee. What was she thinking, giving the freekick for no apparent reason? Wasn't even a blatant delaying tactic. And the penalty - it was clearly ball to hand and not hand to ball, the Canadian girl was trying to evade from it by moving her back. The match was Canada's to win until the referee's bad decisions .......
Today's final : USA v World Champion JPN, a rematch of last year FIFA Women's WC Final when Nadeshiko Japan defeated USA through penalty shoot-out. Will USA team take revenge this time? Interesting to watch...