By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 28, 2019 | It somewhat surprised me recently to find myself really enjoying the Women’s World Cup soccer matches so much. Normally I do not follow soccer locally, though many now tell me that they are constant followers of the Atlanta United team, and I should be, too.
Maybe it was the USA’s women’s first victory, that over Thailand 13-0, that got me and a lot of others to watching. In that game, especially in the second half, the USA team was constantly getting into position to score, and often did. They broke a World Cup record for number of points in their victory.
Then a second game, against Australia, winning 5-0, and finally being tested by Sweden in a 2-0 victory, all shutouts. This heavily-favored American team was showing the world how competently they could play.
Meanwhile, instead of merely watching the USA team play, I was enjoying other matches as well. I found myself sometime not particularly pulling for this or that team, but somehow by the activity on the pitch, suddenly I was a big fan for one of the teams, pulling for them. Of course, all the teams that I found myself fans of did not always win.
Then the USA team faced their first round in “knockout” (love that phrase) activity, going up against what many said was an improving team from Spain. And boy! were the Americans tested. Spain played exceptionally well, giving the American team a real run for their money down to the last minutes of play. And while the American women won 2-1, Spain held them from scoring a direct goal from the field . The only American points came on a penalty kick, hitting both of them, and gaining the margin.
Now this weekend the American women should be tested again, against the host French team, in their nation’s capitol of Paris. Some feel that the French are the second best (to the Americans) team in the 2019 World Cup. While some of the French play has been so-so, they showed grit in beating Brazil, and now await the Americans. While earlier, it would appear that the Americans were the clear favorites, the way the USA women played against Spain makes a person realize that the American team must step up their game if they are to get by France. The winner will take on either Norway or England in the semi-finals.
We’ll bet that a whole lot of people, besides me, have come around to enjoying the World Cup this year. There have been thrilling games, many very close, with the outcomes often not decided until the final minutes. It kept your eyes glued to the television set. While we can often read during baseball and football games, with their constant delays, not so for soccer. You’ve got to keep you eyes peeled for the every-move of the ball, or you’ll miss some important plays.
One element bugs me about the television coverage. Several times, the game has been changed by a referee’s call, for instance, a score has been reversed because of offside. Or a penalty kick has been rewarded because of an infraction. What has been missing for us is more explanation, in re-play, of these moments. Sometimes they have shown the re-play only once or twice. With plenty of inaction time in football and baseball, we can see multiple re-plays. Not so in soccer. A more detailed report with explanations for our untrained eyes would be helpful, if no where else at halftime or at the game’s end.
Now to sit back and enjoy the continued action in the women’s World Cup.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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