The game I am referring to was the Women's World Cup Championship game featuring our ladies of the USA vs. the ladies of Japan. Believe it or not, women’s soccer captivated a nation yesterday. Whether you were watching because you are a fan of anything US of A., fan of anything soccer, or if you are a genuine women’s soccer fan, you were in front of your TV yesterday at 11:30 a.m. to watch the Women’s World Cup Championship game. Our ladies of the United States virtually dominated the entire game, but would eventually give up their lead at the end of regulation; and after recapturing the lead back in overtime, they give it up again. Once in PK’s (penalty kicks, showing off my soccer lingo), the US women’s team faltered missing their first three kicks, the second souring high over the cross bar. Japan on the other hand, after fighting hard to keep themselves in the game and never giving up, kept finding the back of the soccer goal. They keep in rolling in PK's and would eventually defeat our ladies of the USA. Hard fought, tough defend, agony!!
Overall, the game was exciting, nobody can tell me otherwise. Our initial reaction is to commend our women and congratulate them on a well-played, hard fought, championship game. And while we do so, we also have to acknowledge that this was a game that our ladies of the USA should have won, and ultimately gave away to Japan. The US women's team were the more physically dominating team on the field yesterday. They were faster, stronger, and having their way with the Japanese team. While soccer isn’t our game here in the United States and seen more as the world's game to dominate over the US, we were the favorites going into the World Cup and we should have been the favorites at the end of the game. The fact is our ladies let that championship game get away from them. The equalizing goal that Japan scored in the 78th minute was a gift-wrapped ball by the USA's backline failed to clear out. The first rule of soccer is that you never try to clear out the ball toward the middle of the field at your own end. The US women did, and Japan was right there to steal the ball away and put it in the back of the net. That was the play that really started to get the ball rolling down the hill of disaster. In overtime, Abby Wambach again heads a ball in to give the USA the lead; but all is for not as the US again couldn’t control and clear out a corner kick by Japan, and after a deflection, the ball found its way into the back of the net, tying the game again. Then in PK’s, more disaster happens as our ladies of the USA missed fired on the first three kicks, and failed to score. Japan on the other hand was able to put the ball in the back of the net, and eventually won the World Cup championship in PK’s.
I’m not here to bash the performance of our ladies of the USA, they played their hearts out. I will not say that their performance in yesterday’s game was half-hearted and that they didn’t want it bad enough. Nor do I want to take away from the accomplishment of the ladies from Japan and I congratulate them on their win. But I will say that the USA should have won that game yesterday very handily, and that the end result should be seen as a major disappointment, rather than brushed aside due to their effort. We want to look at the positive and remain upbeat for them in this time of disappointment, but it’s ok to be angry and critical of them also. It's ok to be frustrated at their miscues of not clearing out and defending balls properly, or even simply putting goals in the back of the net, especially in PK's. The ladies on our national soccer team are professional athletes and professionals at their craft, and like any baseball, football, or basketball players who have disappointing performances in big games and are criticized for them, our women’s soccer team shouldn’t be exempted. They do not receive a free pass. So with that said, I don’t want to be mean, but that was a choke job.
Mr. Armchair Speaking
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