Despite putting in the third and fourth goals by accident, the United States fully deserved its 4-2 victory over Japan in the semifinals. The game obviously didn't start off that well with Japan scoring first, but two goals in three minutes at the end of the first half put the US in good shape to take the game over in the second half.
Of course the final two goals were accidents - bad crosses that turned into great shots. Unless Heather O'Reilly meant to volley the ball inside the far post from out on the wing, and unless Ang Hucles meant to chip the keeper with side spin from the endline, then the US was definitely the beneficiary of a couple of lucky plays. Those two goals became meaningful when Japan willed the ball into the goal in the closing seconds, but you would have to think that the US would have been playing differently if they were sitting on a one-goal lead.
O'Reilly was solid as always and Hucles has gone from non-existent in the opening games to a solid contributor which makes sense when you consider that she's more accustomed to playing as central midfielder and not a front-runner. Chalupny's shot was perfect - the textbook example of a flank player cutting inside and ripping a shot. She has to be the best left back in all of women's soccer.
While making the final is a great accomplishment for a US team that was written off after the opening-game loss to Norway, the Americans will have to gear up a few more notches in the final against Brazil or risk getting stomped on like last year in the World Cup. Except for the opening 15 minutes or so, the Brazilians were on fire against Germany. They made one of the best teams in the world look foolish and at times it looked as if there was nothing Germany could do to stop Brazil.
The former Sky Blue player Formiga's goal was total class - Cristiane megging the defender in the corner, Marta keeping the ball moving across the box, and Formiga with the finish. The other goals were just as nice - Marta setting up Christiane perfectly off the quick counter attack, Marta single-handedly making the German defense look foolish capped by a perfect toe poke, and Cristiane blowing through and over the entire German defense with one quick run. Germany hadn't allowed a goal in a major tournament since the 2004 Olympics and, like I said, it looked like there was nothing Germany could do to stop Brazil.
The USA women’s defeat of Canada under rainy skies, and in a game that included a rare prolonged weather break, showed a team that is steadily improving. Their possession (and confidence) seem stronger, especially the further they progress from their opening upset loss to Norway. An opening goal by Angela Hucles (most goals for the team with 2), was matched by the overtime game winner, a stunning header by Natasha Kai.
The semi-final match-up with Japan on Monday should prove as competitive as most games in the tournament thus far. The Japanese defeated a young Chinese team (featuring 8 players under age 22), 2-0. The talented veteran Hamare Sawa of Japan’s textbook header for goal number one proves she intends to give it her all before her post-Olympic retirement.
It was no cake-walk for Brazil, who fortunately created a padding for themselves with a 2-0 lead over Norway by late in the game (another one coming from Marta). Young keeper Barbara created a PK by taking down a Norwegian player in the box, and at 2-1, the Scandinavians kept attacking until the final whistle. What impresses about the Brazilians is how much they smile. Commentator Lori Walker mentioned the Brazilian expression, "Play Joyfully." I love that. It should be a motto for everyone. And the Brazilians clearly live by it.
In another overtime nail-biter, it took the German team until the 103rd minute to break a 0-0 deadlock against great play by Sweden. When the corner was set up, as my fellow viewer is my witness, I predicted: This is it; on a header by Kerstin Garefrekas. (I had to throw in I called this one, which I based on her phenomenal success on heading in crosses in big tournaments). After a second goal by Simone Laudehr on a very tough angle, the nail-biting let up.
Germany, which has not conceded a goal in not only this tournament, but in all of World Cup 2007, faces Brazil on Monday in a rematch of the 2007 Women’s World Cup final.
Nothing seems predictable. No player in the tournament has scored more than three goals. All games have had some fantastic play, with abundant talent in evidence. The contrast in styles (a broadcast that switches straight from the physical Canadians to the technical Japanese) has made these soccer games incredibly entertaining. The US has done well to incorporate a bit of everything into their game, and couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to reach the final.
SBS Blogger
Stop the panic attacks already! (that's for the media, not the players). The US got the result they needed with the 1-0 win over Japan. The team played better of course because it would have been pretty hard to get worse than the first game against Norway - the effort was better but there still needs to be improvement if the US wants to win a medal.
A great strike by New Jersey's Carli Lloyd was all the US needed but it could easily been more if not for some weak finishing by Amy Rodriguez. The USC striker got herself into some great positions but three times all she had to do was beat the keeper and couldn't. Her first was a poor chip, the second was rushed too quickly, and the last was from an angle but still missed the goal. Credit her for gettiing the chances but one good finish would've changed the second half of the game completely.
Pia Sundhage should consider giving her team a second scoring option up front because Hucles was mostly ineffective and for the most part invisible in the attack. Why not start Rodriguez and Kai? To me that would be a much bigger handful for the other team.
It was interesting to watch Japan's methodical approach to going forward and it would be nice for the US to learn a little from watching. They weren't that far off from finishing a couple goals and a little more accuracy in the final pass would've been trouble for the US.
On the plus side, I may be biased for the local girl but I think Heather O'Reilly put in a second-straight solid game. She's one of the few that always looks composed with the ball at her feet and her decisions always looked calculated in contrast to some of the other US players that look like they don't figure out what to do with the ball until it's too late.
And thanks to another NJ girl in Tobin Heath for snaking the Japanese defender on the left side after coming in off the bench (even if Brandi Chastain chastised you for trying to meg someone in your own half of the field a little later).
If Norway beats New Zealand as expected then the US is in good shape to advance to the knockout stage although they better have things sorted out by then or it could be an early exit at that point.
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