what kind of fuckery did VAR and the ref just do to Nigeria?

I generally support VAR. But it's implementation at this Women's World Cup is um, not going well, to put it lightly.

Did it to Jamaica against Italy when that keeper was on fire, but it was an actual save so following the 'rules' made more sense. Renard just missed and that should be on her.

I'm not mad with VAR being strict about pk rules if it becomes consistent, but we know they didn't use it for this at the Men's World Cup and I don't think they talked about this as being one of the things to look out for and you can find so many instances in the past of just how little that rule is implemented. I say this as someone who's watched a lot of women's soccer, the past few U17 and U20 world cups, youth Euro's stuff, they ref women differently sometimes, particularly at the youth level, in ways that I actually agree with in principle if the inconsistency didn't reek of some kind of expectation of obedience or strictness. I'll definitely be looking out for how all VAR stuff checks PKs in the future.

Today's Group C decider matches are really interesting. I'd love to see Jamaica finish well, but I don't think Australia will let that happen as they need that win to be in as good a position as possible. They should be able to score a few, but hopefully their lax D at times will let Jamaica get one. The Italy Brazil result could really mess with the group standings, Italy has come to play this tournament and their Women's team has been on the up lately even if people haven't been paying attention, they wouldn't be the first Europe nation to do something big after their men's team have fallen off, that won't bode well for Brazil though after that loss to Australia who now have the easier match, Marta's not 100% and they're not the same team when her and Cristiane come off the pitch.

It's uncalled in leagues across the world for a damn reason.

Very rough break for Nigeria, who deserves better.

The Nigeria one is definitely dumb. I'm not sure what that does to their 3rd place chances for a RO16 match, they were on track for a draw with the hosts and could definitely be dangerous to another team in a more open match.

It was definitely a surprise when they pulled the review the first time. They spent so much time talking about delayed offsides, new hand ball rules, the distance to a wall, this just seemed out of the blue for something so important. The Jamaica keeper made a really good save but then couldn't repeat it which sucked, and we've all seen worse steps off the line that she did. I'd be okay with the really ridiculous step ups called for something like this if a save is made, but it needs to be clear what they're looking at and misses shouldn't get called back. And they need to be clearer about what the taker's rules are because a while back they tried clarifying rules about the run up, and stutter stepping, that would have an impact on these calls, but no one seems to remember that part.

I still don't think they'll deal with the pressure of playing at home, but the mainstream enthusiasm around the team has been lovely to see

Netherlands/Canada
Cameroon/NZ
US/Sweden

Really good goal to. Yesterday's games were pretty good, nothing too stupidly dramatic from the refs.

I'm rooting for Canada but really like that Netherlands team, hope Sinclair gets more goals.

Chile couldn't get enough goals to earn a 3rd place RO16 spot, so Nigeria still gets through despite the controversy at the end of their France game. Though they may have benefited from a worse similar mess at the end of the crazy Scotland/Argentina ending in a 3-3 draw.

US/Sweden was a little on cruise control but I look forward to seeing both those teams in the knockouts.

Canada's got Sweden RO16, I feel like we've been playing better but I still feel worried against them.

USA definitely look comfortable, France getting them in the Quarters is a pretty tough draw but I'd love to see them make a great game of it and do well at home, it should be a high pressure match for both of them.

they need to act right.

Maybe the non goal on Cameroon was right, but outside of this match, the reffing and VAR has been awful.

I thought I liked VAR but not like this.

That shouldn’t even go to var

How many chances has she created off of set plays today?

Feel like Ive seen this before

I still don't understand that call

...you don't think that impacts the team...?

France looked way better once Cascarino came on. Happy for Henry who had a heck of a game, Diani was dope too

https://twitter.com/foxsoccer/status/1142931040463290368?s=21

Bad mistake at the back by the US

Tight start, hopefully Spain can make a game of it.

Losada just took a hard knee to the head.

pretty untested for a starting GK going in to this tournament.

this is a good-ass game, two teams not laying back and going at each other

>this is a good-ass game, two teams not laying back and going
>at each other

Fuck up all game then do some amazing shit

she's buried both though :(

And penalty was the correct call.

>And penalty was the correct call.

Yeah, I hope either team scores another goal. Advancing off that would be disappointing. I saw more evidence that she got a touch on the ball than she got on the player on the replay, it changes directions twice.

Lavalle's had some good games though. Morgan trying to be a ref was getting annoying.

Spain deserved to lose on ref calls.

>Lavalle's had some good games though. Morgan trying to be a
>ref was getting annoying.

The US should've wanted to score from open play against Spain, that's not a good sign for them going forward.

The amount of times Morgan was calling for cards from the ref in the first half is actually a cardable offense, she really did nothing in that game but go down easy, that won't cut it next game.

I said that from the first minute, Spain was fouling the shit out of Morgan and the ref refused to do anything about it (until late in the game).

So the fact that Spain ended up losing on foul calls is amusing and pretty much deserved.

Anyone paying even half attention could see that Morgan's frustration was justified, even if her moaning was tiresome and probably hurt her own performance.

The US needs to play better and they know it.

The ref'ing in this tournament has been godawful.

Weak ass ref (a common theme in this tournament) didn’t take control of the situation there early

could have gone either way, but a PK is a valid call

we have some tools that should give us a shot on Friday (Diani in particular), but it's still a big uphill climb for us

than I did before. It can definitely depend on which teams really come out in that moment on the field.

I think GER is big and strong enough to not just get overpowered by US

...but...

France also has the athletes

I haven't seen anyone keep pace with Diani <-- best player in the world IMO
Gauvin is just a beast
Majri one of the best backs in the world

France has the physical size and strength to keep up with US

...and they also have the athletes...

This should be the final...but it will be a great contest

Can't wait (c)

This the first match all tournament she’ll play vs girls that can keep up with her
They should start her and cascarino imo. Put it all out there

>They should start her and cascarino imo. Put it all out there
>

at least w/ deschamps the other people he put in were of similar quality

cascarino speed is such an advantage in the womens game how do you not play her? w/ diani's speed/endurance too? i want to see that on the field.

incredible

Holland is using their speed well on the press but Japan countering efficiently

two teams who play different kinds of great soccer to watch. Netherlands are my backup to root for now that Canada's done, but it would be kinda sad to see Japan out and a USA v Europe quarterfinals bracket only.

The work rate of the Dutch midfield (Groenen, Van de Donk) against Japan's team and ball movement is the perfect battle.

just couldn't convert all those brilliant plays in the 2nd half

didn't their men's team have a similar heroic exit from the WC last summer? I have a vague memory of that

the game against Belgium, that ridiculous winning counter they took advantage of right after Honda almost scored the most ridiculous long range free kick.

This Japan team being out at the RO16 is a bit different, being finalists at the last two, winning in 2011. The fact that this is a majority young team with eyes on the Summer 2020 Olympics at home is pretty telling, they might not have shown it in the groups but they were playing a hell of a game yesterday.

Kinda had to love that stat before yesterday's game that the women coaches had won all the ro16 matches that were against a male coach.

>
>Kinda had to love that stat before yesterday's game that the
>women coaches had won all the ro16 matches that were against a
>male coach.

Dope. Glad that women are getting a chance at these high profile jobs.

there's no way you can look at that play and say the Japanese defender had her arms in an unnatural position or was intending to block it. She was clearly moving her arm out of the way, but from 3ft away she had no chance. And it's not even like the ball hit her arm straightaway, it bounced off her rib area.
VAR is fucking lame and the people who say it makes the game better can fuck right off. I know I'm in the minority in this and I accept more replays are in our future, but it makes things excruciating IMO.

So VAR was used in the CL knockouts last season.

My question is: how come in Champions League it went fine, but in the Womens WC it's a fucking disaster?

If a play can't be overruled within 30 seconds, then it's too close to call and shouldn't be overturned.

Use VAR but only in the most egregious instances, and never spend more than 30s on it, and for the love of god, don't have a fucking ref sprint 60 yards to go watch tv. Have a 4th or 5th official just make a call.

But this will never happen.

but their decision to reinterpret a bunch of rules as of June 1st right in time for this World Cup. The delayed offsides, subs walk off anywhere, goal kicks don't have to leave the 18 yard box, drop ball rules, free kick walls, all to go along with stricter hand ball interpretation and that pk goal line stuff. The only way to enforce some of this stuff the way they seem to want to now is with the use of VAR, so it's almost as if underneath all those changes was a new expectation as to how VAR will be used within the game. Either 'clear and obvious' isn't part of FIFA's mandate anymore, or they're using VAR strictly right now to make sure their new rules get implemented and 'old calls' don't slip through.

The Japan goal wasn't really a VAR issue, unless you really disagree with it and think the ref should've went and looked at the screen and changed her mind. She made the call and VAR didn't intervene with the check because they had no grounds to with the current ruleset. I don't think that deserved to be a PK, but it's going to be going forward unless they explicitly say otherwise I think.

It's crazy they went from not planning on having VAR a year ago to changing their mind and then doing all this. If they don't implement similarly after this World Cup, or roll back these decisions, or don't put some major Men's competitions through this crap as well, it's going to reek of treating the women's game unfairly and differently for no reason at all.

>It's crazy they went from not planning on having VAR a year
>ago to changing their mind and then doing all this. If they
>don't implement similarly after this World Cup, or roll back
>these decisions, or don't put some major Men's competitions
>through this crap as well, it's going to reek of treating the
>women's game unfairly and differently for no reason at all.

And just general FIFA incompetence.

I thought I wanted VAR. I should have known better.

I've never been mad at VAR itself. i'd rather get the call right than wrong. but yeah, having the ref run clear across the field to go look at the TV is just foolish. I feel like I saw a couple times in Bundesliga where they used VAR super quickly. ref stopped in the middle of the field and blew the whistle put his finger to his ear made the signal and called the penalty all in what seemed like 15 seconds. whether you agree with the call that was made or not, it should absolutely happen way faster.

https://twitter.com/TelemundoSports/status/1143623354517270528/video/1

That's a no call, play on...?

The Gauvin call made absolutely no sense to me

...but I don't think the Japan handball call is the hill to die on IRT VAR and bad calls...

Can't say running with you arms out like an airplane is natural

Not that one call.

At least I am.

I really didn't and I wanted Netherlands to win. That run of play pretty much emulates the old 'ball to hand' interpretation of the rule from something that they can't do anything about in the box, her arms really aren't 'up' and the scramble of players the ball had gone through leading up to that gave no time to react. I could see a ref waving that away before this tournament. I feel like slow motion replays sometimes give way to harsh a reaction to how things look compared to how they played out in real time. The fact she was carded for it seems even more ridiculous after review, like the VAR people saw thought it represented cautionable behaviour.

are we gonna see penalties called every time a ball touches a hand? Though it annoys me I can understand players (or fans) calling for a penalty in the heat of the action, but the way these new rules are implemented is asinine. Get ready to see endless random shots from right outside the box, which I guess Canada kinda tried to do in their game already

Thanks Collina

and just learned about VAR for this tournament. So, I'm ignorant of how VAR is applied in different leagues.

North American sports which utilize replay have an entrenched culture and knowledge and protocols related to replay which have accumulated and evolved over time. In general, replay seems to work 'okay' for the most part with some mostly valid gripes about missed calls or vague rules which pop up here and there.

Does anyone think that global soccer's less mature understanding of the mechanics of replay and lower numbers of officials who are experienced in replay plays a part in the long wait times and poor application of the rules?

The only North American sport that (I think) gets replay right is NCAA football but even they had to take a few years to refine their process. Does global soccer just need more games to nail their take on replay?

Norway should probably have 2 back so far

US needs to play twice as good as it did last time or France wins in a walk.

Feels good. But France as a host has kinda dropped the ball.

There's no reason the final isn't scheduled for the Stade de France, much less this game...

should they have foreseen this matchup? probably.

The Lyon finish is specific to the Women's game in France and how important that OL team is and how much it has to do with what that club/owner has invested in it. They really wanted it, and that city is unquestionably behind the women's game, so it's hard not to feel like they kinda deserve it.

the linesman is raising her flag quicker than normal.

US seems firmly in control though play is way too stereotypical on both sides

maybe start shooting at some American arms anytime we get near the box too

also Rapinoe is a G. I don't ever root for the US in sports but she's dope

Have very different appraisals of Jill Ellis’s performance. We got annhilated in the midfield. If we’re the best team in the world, we need to play our game, not Bournemouth’s.

>Have very different appraisals of Jill Ellis’s performance.
>We got annhilated in the midfield. If we’re the best team in
>the world, we need to play our game, not Bournemouth’s.

IMO the US looked in control most of the game, and the last 10mins especially made it seem like y'all could push more if needed while we were completely gassed (Majri, great WC but man she was smoked out, and those throw-ins...brutal). As usual Diacre waited too long to make her changes, and made some odd decisions to start with, like having Le Sommer on the wing or not recognizing that Torrent struggles at this level. I don't want to be too harsh on her cos having that draw as organizing country is insanely tough, but it's clear that we're stagnating, as fun as it was to have the whole country rally behind women's sports for a few weeks

openly hates Trump, knelt with Kaepernick, scored game-winner against France in France, and also responsible for the greatest cross in USWNT history

“You can’t win a championship without gays on your team - it’s never been done before, ever. That’s science, right there!“

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/28/cant-win-without-gays-usa-megan-rapinoe

An incredible athlete and representative of the country.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/30/fa-furious-us-officials-caught-england-women-world-cup-hotel

Weird...so close to the 4th too

Damn shame

Only one available online is Morgan

I figured all of the outlets would have them

Are women not supporting?

but who knows

https://sports.yahoo.com/us-womens-soccer-team-jerseys-become-nikes-highest-selling-team-shirt-in-a-single-season-history-181047649.html

Word, that's what's up

I was worried for a minute

Great to see the support

Feels weird ordering a USWNT jersey online

I want to try it on

I might just break down and order a jersey tee

F'n bizarre in light of your link, that they aren't at outlets...if they're such a popular item, IMO.

really drove home to me the fact France aren't at that level yet. The way the US front-line kept pushing was great, and England rallied well

And VAR is VAR, IMO the pro- and anti-VAR don't even share the same idea of what the sport should be judged on, so the debate is essentially pointless

At the very least, they deserved an extra 30 minutes. The US deployment of players remains a damn mystery.

Not sure 2-1 isn't the fair result

they really winning this in spite of her.

but, like you said, USA just so good they are getting it done anyway.

Make a no-goal ruling in under 30s, move on.

The penalty ruling took too long but that was also an extremely difficult (but correct) call.

From 3/4ths of the angles it doesn't look like a penalty.

I'm not really on the boards on the weekend. I guess not many people were invested in that other semi, but I've been excited about the Netherlands team so it's nice to have some emotional investment in the final with Canada out. That Groenen winner was fantastic knowing it is her only attempt on net all tournament.

I find it amusing that the two teams in the finals are also the only two teams who happened to have some 'spying' stories come out about them during the tournament, USA and England's hotel, Netherlands at Canada's training pitch.

It's crazy to think if the top 4 were all European teams, the third place match would actually matter for Olympic qualifying.

Dutch goalie did alll she could

US went through most of the best teams in the tournament and then never gave the Dutch a chance today.

Rose fucking Lavelle. What a goal. What a tournament.

Crystal fucking Dunn. Absolute wall back there. Stopped everything that came anywhere near her side of the field and had a brilliant interception that directly led to Lavelle's goal.

The US were brash and cocky and 100% backed it up.

Ref missed a crucial call, went to VAR, made a decision in about a minute. Well done.

finally something America can be proud of

https://twitter.com/jimmy_coppa/status/1147953464984702981