FIFA Women's World Cup

Massive win for the girls, very happy for them. They really deserved that and looked the better team for large passages of the game.

The Norwegians seemed to have the wrong defensive set-up as there was always someone for the ferns to pass to especially from the back to the midfield which eased the pressure. Norway didn't seem to adjust at all, or press harder and higher up seemed to smack of "were better than them and it's only a matter of time before we score a goal" mindset which hurt them badly.

To be fair to Norway it's the best by a very long margin I've seen the football ferns play, composed on the ball, passed accurately to space, marked up and composed on defense and put away a fantastic planned move from their own goal-line for the match winning goal.

A fantastic start and I really hope they build on it as there's a very, very strong chance they can make it to the knockout rounds now.

Great result for Nigeria holding Olympic Champions Canada to a goalless draw
Down to 10 at the end and saved a penalty

Comfortable for Switzerland in the end with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines

Spain could easily be putting double figures against Costa Rica at this rate

3-0
32 mins

Spain look very classy. Costa Rica are gritty but out-matched.

@Bovidae said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

Spain look very classy. Costa Rica are gritty but out-matched.

Yeah
They've done well to hold them to 3

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

Comfortable for Switzerland in the end with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines

Spain could easily be putting double figures against Costa Rica at this rate

3-0
32 mins

We have to follow suit now, get the win don't settle for a draw

The Costa Rica GK was excellent. A better 2nd half.

Spain look so comfortable on the ball, none more so than Aitana Bonmatí.

@Bovidae said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

The Costa Rica GK was excellent. A better 2nd half.

Spain look so comfortable on the ball, none more so than Aitana Bonmatí.

Yes, she kept it respectable

@MiketheSnow said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

Great result for Nigeria holding Olympic Champions Canada to a goalless draw
Down to 10 at the end and saved a penalty

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six world cups?

Wellington is turning on the weather again.

All dressed up in orange! Ready for watching the Oranje Leeuwinnen!

Yussssssssssssss. The women in orange score the first goal!

Great deep cross, great header

Correct decision

I think this event is going to be bigger in NZ than Aus, because TV coverage.

It is not, as far as I can see, on FTA here in Aus. (Apart from Matildas, and the Soccer Ferns were on a backwater channel 7 subsidiary, because actual opening match.)

Nor is it on Foxtel, equivalent of Sky, which a lot of sports fans have.

Apparently you have to buy the non-Matilda's games on Optus.

So you already need to be a big fan of the sport to have ANOTHER streaming channel, and, if it's anything like Stan, make about 6 or more clicks on various devices to bring the game up.

There's no "I'll just flick on to the Chick's soccer channel to see whats happening".

Massive own goal by Soccer Straya I reckon.

Take me as example: not a fan of soccer, and I tend to think wimmin's sport is not of the same quality as bloke's.

But am interested in this, the event, the crowds, the hype, the contest.

But fuck me if I can't watch it.

Very disappointing.

Anyway, back to Thurday evening... know nothing about soccer, but hugely impressed with the Soccer Fern's skill levels.

Without wanting to sound disparaging about Men's soccer, I didn't notice the equivalent step down in skill that I find so obvious in rugby or cricket.

Edit: admitting to only watching the last 30 mins or so, because Mrs Boo was not at interested in women's soccer. Only kept her interested because of potential upset.

Oh yeah. Forgot to mention sports news on Channel 7 the other night.

7 are the host broadcasters of the tournament.

So Saturday, the Chick's Soccer Thing gets a passing mention after the NRL, AFL, NRLW, Ashes, Golf.

This HUGE event happening right here right now.

Is just not getting cut through in Aus.

Today:
Football Ferns v Philippines (Wellington Regional Stadium)
Live on Prime and Sky Sport 1.
Kickoff 5.30pm.

@Stargazer said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

Today:
Football Ferns v Philippines (Wellington Regional Stadium)
Live on Prime and Sky Sport 1.
Kickoff 5.30pm.

BIG GAME!

@booboo said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

I think this event is going to be bigger in NZ than Aus, because TV coverage.

It is not, as far as I can see, on FTA here in Aus. (Apart from Matildas, and the Soccer Ferns were on a backwater channel 7 subsidiary, because actual opening match.)

Nor is it on Foxtel, equivalent of Sky, which a lot of sports fans have.

Apparently you have to buy the non-Matilda's games on Optus.

So you already need to be a big fan of the sport to have ANOTHER streaming channel, and, if it's anything like Stan, make about 6 or more clicks on various devices to bring the game up.

There's no "I'll just flick on to the Chick's soccer channel to see whats happening".

Massive own goal by Soccer Straya I reckon.

Take me as example: not a fan of soccer, and I tend to think wimmin's sport is not of the same quality as bloke's.

But am interested in this, the event, the crowds, the hype, the contest.

But fuck me if I can't watch it.

Very disappointing.

Anyway, back to Thurday evening... know nothing about soccer, but hugely impressed with the Soccer Fern's skill levels.

Without wanting to sound disparaging about Men's soccer, I didn't notice the equivalent step down in skill that I find so obvious in rugby or cricket.

Edit: admitting to only watching the last 30 mins or so, because Mrs Boo was not at interested in women's soccer. Only kept her interested because of potential upset.

Totally agree about FTA coverage. My parents were genuinely interested in checking the scores and having a look at the games being played here, but one mention of Optus and I might as well have been referring to Nuclear fission. Massive own goal. Obviously the tickets are cheap and Suncorp is a great stadium, but getting 40k plus people for England vs Haiti is pretty impressive.

I'm heading to Norway v Switzerland tonight - importance of that game is relative to the result of the NZ game prior. IF NZ win and IF Norway don't win, then Ferns qualify for last 16.

My thoughts so far.

NZ import as captain - Ali Riley is at her 5th World Cup for NZ, imagine the dedication to do that when she has always played her club football away from NZ. Top player and has played for top European clubs. Legendary Fern status along with Ria Percival who plays for Spurs, has just come back from an ACL and was everywhere in that first game. Also at her 5th World Cup.

Spain have some fantastic technical players. As well as Bonmati, Putellas was so smooth when she came on and Paralluelo looks a huge talent at 19.

For sheer teamwork and coaching, Japan are always great despite being short on physical presence - completely dismantled Zambia.

Australia looked a bit lost without Kerr as the focus. USA were OK, a bit clunky. England were very clunky and their defence was shaky - Dumornay a rising star for Haiti. Sweden, Netherlands not that fluent but having tall players helps. Italy v Argentina was fun, the most fully committed teams so far with tackles flying in from everywhere (Dragoni of Italy just 16 and set to be a star). Germany "efficient" and Brazil "flamboyant" as the stereotypes demand.

England aren't the same team without Mead. Someone needs to score in her absence. They look vulnerable on the counter-attack.

@booboo soccer fans in this country are already fucked

you need Optus for the Premier League
Stan for the Champions League
Kayo for other leagues
And i think the A-League is on Amazon or something?

@mariner4life And they still call it soccer there too? Sounds fucked alright

@JK said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

@mariner4life And they still call it soccer there too? Sounds fucked alright

History lesson the term ‘soccer’ from aSOCCiation football was used at the same time as rugger, to distinguish two forms of football. It is of British origin. The idea that ‘football’ just applied to Association Football and not other forms of Football came later, soccer is the earlier name. Ergo, keep calling it soccer, or Association Football - don’t let them hijack the term football just to apply to one sort. Soccer wasn’t the ‘first’ sort of football, just one branch of a family that has been around since they used to be the crap out of each other, village vs village over the fields in between - with some sort of leather thing somewhere there too.

@Machpants said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

@JK said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

@mariner4life And they still call it soccer there too? Sounds fucked alright

History lesson the term ‘soccer’ from aSOCCiation football was used at the same time as rugger, to distinguish two forms of football. It is of British origin. The idea that ‘football’ just applied to Association Football and not other forms of Football came later, soccer is the earlier name. Ergo, keep calling it soccer, or Association Football - don’t let them hijack the term football just to apply to one sort. Soccer wasn’t the ‘first’ sort of football, just one branch of a family that has been around since they used to be the crap out of each other, village vs village over the fields in between - with some sort of leather thing somewhere there too.

The collective intelligence of the Fern never ceases to amaze

It's just great to piss off soccer types

@KiwiPie said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

NZ import as captain - Ali Riley is at her 5th World Cup for NZ, imagine the dedication to do that when she has always played her club football away from NZ. Top player and has played for top European clubs. Legendary Fern status

Ferns playing Philippines now.

Riley in acres of space on the left - could have taken it to the line and crossed it unchallenged, but instead she stopped and passed it back to someone on the edge of the box, who lost it. I didn't understand that at all!

And while I'm typing that we've conceded.

1-0 Philippines.

Roles reversed. We are trying to break the Philippines down, they are defending tightly. I'm not convinced we have the quality to unlock them

Ferns look sloppy .. lazy passing and giving away a lot of possession. They look a little clueless in the box too.... maybe they've played their "big game" already Loooooong way back

@canefan said in FIFA Women's World Cup:

Roles reversed. We are trying to break the Philippines down, they are defending tightly. I'm not convinced we have the quality to unlock them

Need to use height in the box

Play Wimbledon style for a bit

If we can't make chances I hope the coach has more attacking options available. We made one cross that Wilkinson couldn't catch up with. I think we need to drive down the wings and make the early cross. It's very hard to try and score against a static D

A nervy 1st half by NZ, none more so than the hometown girl CJ Bott.

Putting the ball in the back of the net is a significant weakness from what I've seen of the Ferns. I was thinking 1-0 was a likely scoreline for this game, so it's not good that we're down.

I hope Milly Clegg is on the bench. Scored several goals for the Nix. Really young, but it's the time to be brave and bold right now

No need to panic. Keep possession, wait for the mistakes and the chances.

Two changes at HT. I'd bring Jale on for Wilkinson at some stage too.

Come on girls. Have to keep upping the tempo. Boss midfield

Wilkinson had a free header but couldn’t keep it down. NZ the better side, keep going!