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Olympics
USA v Canada
For the US, it will be a story of grit and determination. For Canada, the story will be the ref.
Abby Wambach said after the US women’s 4–3 win over Canada in the Olympic semifinals, “For some reason we like to make things dramatic,” adding, “I’m speechless. This is ridiculous.”
Alex Morgan said of her stoppage time game-winning header in the second period of extra time, “I’m still in shock… I didn’t even see it go in.”
Still shaking two hours after the match, Morgan said, “I can’t remember ever feeling this way. I’ve never wanted to cry on a field after scoring a goal.”
Carli Lloyd said, “That was crazy.”
So, the decision by the ref to award the US an indirect free kick because the Canadian goalkeeper held the ball for more than six seconds? Says Canada coach John Herdmen, “The ref, she will have to sleep in bed tonight after watching the replays. She’s gonna have to live with that. We will move on from this. I wonder if she will be able to.”
Christine Sinclair said, “We feel like we didn’t lose. We feel like it was taken from us. It’s a shame in a game like that, which is so important that the ref decided the result before the game started.”
Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod said, “We feel like we got robbed in this game. We outplayed the Americans for the entire game.”
Melissa Tancredi said these were her words to the ref after the game, “I said to her: ‘I hope you can sleep tonight and put on your American jersey because that’s who you played for today.’”
Soccer America says the ref got both the decision to award the indirect free kick and the penalty kick correct according to the rules of the game. ProSoccerTalk says the ref’s decision to award the indirect free kick was wrong because they’ve never seen the infraction called before.
Megan Rapinoe scored two goals to keep the US in the match. She said of her first goal, an “Olimpico” in which one scores directly from a corner kick, “I wish I could say I meant to do that. Bit of a mistake on my part.” Of her second goal, a laser from just outside of the right corner of the box, “Probably the goal of my life.”
Recaps and reports from The Inquirer, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Globe and Mail, The Guardian, SI, ESPN, Sporting News, Yahoo! Sports, Goal.com, SBI, The AP, The Soccer Wire, NESN, the Examiner, and the Brotherly Game.
US player ratings from Soccer America.
ESPN says Alex Morgan just became a household name.
The Toronto Star reports the goings on at a Canadian sports bar in London during the game.
The Eh Game tries to take the higher ground on the influence of the ref on the game.
John Smallwood, observing that Canada’s goals resulted from lapses in the US defense, writes at Philly.com, “Hey Hope, looks like Brandi was right.”
Did you know Sinclair’s magnificent hat trick against the US is also more goals than any other individual player has scored in her career against Hope Solo? Also, that only once before has a team put three goals past Solo, and that was Canada in the 2001 Algarve Cup. Here’s another question, has anyone ever scored a hat trick on the US women in an international tournament?
In the other semifinal match, Japan defeated France, 2–1.
Looking ahead to Thursday’s gold medal match against Japan, Lloyd said, “If we don’t walk away with a gold medal, I won’t be a happy camper. This is a rematch, this is redemption for us. We know how hard it was after that World Cup game.
Julie Foudy writes, “I am coming to the Olympic women’s soccer final Thursday night with an oxygen tank strapped to my back. Truly, I think that is the safest, most responsible way I can manage to get through these soccer games.”
Men’s tournament
Today’s men’s semifinal schedule:
12:00pm – Men’s Olympic Semifinal: Mexico vs Japan – NBCSN, Live Extra
2:45pm – Men’s Olympic Semifinal South Korea vs Brazil – NBCSN, Live Extra
Philadelphia Union
The Chicago Fire website has some Fire v Union trivia ahead of Sunday’s visit to PPL Park.
In the latest power rankings, the Union drop two spots to No. 13 at Goal.com. At SI and SBI, it’s a one spot drop to No. 13. At MLSsoccer.com, the Union stay level at No. 14.
The Brotherly Game says it is time for Freddy Adu to step it up.
The 2012 Generation adidas Cup, which features 14 U-17 teams and 12 U-15 teams from MLS clubs, got under way last Friday in Seattle. Other than a results table and schedule on the league website, tournament information is scarce. But, the Union’s U-15 team appears to be having a rough tournament, falling 2-0 in their first game last Friday to LA, then losing 3-1 to Chicago on Saturday. The U-17 team has fared better, defeating Colorado 1-0 on Friday and defeating Chivas USA 2-0 on Saturday. Games were scheduled for Monday—the U-15 team to play Colorado and the U-17 team to play Columbus—but any results, as of this writing, have not been posted on the MLS site. The tournament concludes on Thursday.
US Open Cup
Ahead of Wednesday’s US Open Cup final between Kansas City and Seattle (9pm, GolTV), MLSsoccer.com says injuries have created questions about Sporting’s starting lineup.
MLS
The coroner investigating the death of 22-year-old Columbus Crew midfielder Kirk Urso says the death appears to have been “natural.” Franklin County, Ohio coroner Jan Gorniak noted the presence of “heart changes” but indicated more testing is needed and that a toxicology report could take up to six weeks.
Eddie Johnson has been named MLSsoccer.com’s Player of the Week.
Montreal coach Jesse Marsch praises Felipe’s scissor kick goal in the Impact’s win over the Union on Saturday and says there is a strong confidence on the team right now..
New York GM Erik Soler says, “I will be extremely disappointed if we do not win the whole way this season.”
Forbes has a three-part series on the history of soccer in Seattle.
US
The New York Times is thinking about player selection for next Wednesday’s USMNT friendly against Mexico at the Azteca (Aug. 15, 8pm on ESPN2, ESPN3, Univision).
Like to see Refs call 6sec violations more often. Have seen them call it but only in German games. Was surprised how eery Old Trafford looked with so few spectators. Hope Wembley will be a bit fuller.
Do you mean in Bundesliga games? And do they give an indirect free kick rather than a yellow? I would love to learn more. The few national reporters that have gone beyond “I’ve never seen that called” talk about a Newcastle game in 2001 or 2002 (which is pretty lazy work from people who have better resources than you and me!).
Keep in mind that “so few spectators” at Old Trafford was actually something like 38,000. Can’t help but wonder what the turnout would have been like if the US was playing Great Britain rather than Canada. Anyway, the last I’ve seen for the final is that Wembley is looking to be on the road to a sell out. And that’ll be awesome.
I just saw a video of Canadian player, Melissa Tancredi stomp on the head of Carli Lloyd in the 55th minute of yesterday’s match. I wonder if Canadian women’s coach John Herdman considers this “highly illegal”. Here is a link to the video. http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/07/have-you-seen-canadas-melissa-tancredi-brutal-stomp-on-carli-lloyd-head-stomping/related/
1) Still no word on discipline against Rivas for the assault on Hoppenot? Unbelievable.
2) I like the Tancredi accusation against the referee that the ref should be wearing a USA jersey to sleep. I guess that she needs to watch the video and see what even an overattentive, too rules driven referee can miss, since that is what she clearly thinks the referee is. I have made the same call AFTER warning to the goalkeeper, but have seen nothing that indicates the warning was ever given in this match.
The Disciplinary Committee usually issues additional sanctions later in the week. I agree it’s a frustrating wait, particularly with something as egregious as the Rivas headbutt, but that’s what it is. (I may be wrong, but I think it wasn’t until the Friday after a weekend game that Gaddis was given a one-game suspension for a foul that didn’t even get a yellow.)
Regarding the Canada goalkeeper, she has admitted that one of the assistant refs gave her a warning before the start of the second half. Because we didn’t see that, or any other gestured “hurry up” warnings from the ref doesn’t mean warnings were not given. Watching the game, I was surprised the GK didn’t just get a yellow, which seems to be the way time wasting is usually dealt with (and doesn’t result in the other team getting an indirect free kick).
That said, I’m with you on her and others’ comments focusing on a call that was made rather than multiple calls that were not, particularly given Tancredi’s ugly foot stomp on Carli Lloyd’s head.
They’ll be a lot more on this, including Wambach’s involvement in the time wasting call, and FIFA announcing they are investigating all of the comments suggesting the ref was favoring the US, in Wednesday’s roundup.