It's All About the Frauleins
You overlook a key match this weekend at your own peril. Literally.
Beyond the key ties in the Premiership, Bundesliga, and La Liga, the US Women will be playing for their spot in the 2011 World Cup. With an upset similar to the 1-0 loss against Mexico in CONCACAF qualifying, the world’s #1 ranked women’s team would be sitting at home while the World Cup Finals play out in Germany next year.
The away leg to Italy on November 20th ended favorably with a 1-0 result. Alex Morgan scored the winner in stoppage time to give the US an away goals advantage. Two rather odd things happened in the end, though, that gifted the US with the edge.
First, the Italian manager made a substitution in stoppage time, allowing the referee to add even more time to the 2 minutes originally shown by the 4th official. The substitution was made in the 93rd minute. Huh?
Second, Morgan scored in the 94th minute—thank you Italy!—on that mystical plane of existence where minutes are counted in “Fergie Time.” Either that, or the match referees had their watches taken by Italian authorities for owing back taxes.
So Saturday, it’s back to Chicago for the women to secure their rightful place in the World Cup. If the US progress, it will be because they found a way to overcome their own offensive missteps in the away leg and were able to put some goals past fake Italian Italy GK Anna Picarelli. Picarelli was solid between the posts for Italy and will make either nation proud.
Hopefully, she will make her native homeland proud by putting up a stinker of a match and help the US qualify after the Italian Job. Then again, that wouldn’t really be how the US want to qualify—by a poor keeper performance, right?
Screw it–there’s no crying in soccer. Elizabeth Lambert wants the US to put Italy in a choke-hold until they beg to leave the pitch in Chicago. Let’s go, ladies!
No key ties in Serie A I guess, huh OM? Since Italy is already well represented in this post I guess I can let it slide.
And that Alex Morgan is pretty easy on the eyes.
I like the nose ring. Nose ring girls always do it for me.
I agree, it’s hot without approaching slutty
@ Orr: Entirely an oversight on my part. Apologies for my hastiness. I will be checking on the Juve Ultras v the Wal Mart Viola Shoppers this weekend–before the strike happens.
I believe I will be bringing peril upon myself tomorrow by heartily ignoring this match. Can’t see Italy scoring once, much less twice.
@Ryan: Maybe you would be more likely to watch if Idea #10 were implemented?
No worries OM, just busting balls.
@Anon – I must have missed something, what’s Idea #10?
@Orr: Behold.
@Anon – Ah, thanks. I do recall that post now. Oh Sepp, I’m not sure anyone would be able to find the right mixture of revealing and practical that you desire. What would that even look like?
@Orr: I’m not even going to touch that one. I’ll leave it to you to contemplate what turns Sepp on.
@Anon – Obviously volleyball players, which may be the first thing Sepp and I have ever agreed on.
Carlos Tevez in not liking football shock.
The Argentinian is so disenchanted with the state of the game he has vowed to quit within “three or four years” and said he would rather punch some of his colleagues than listen to their advice.
I’m on board with that, actually.
Does everyone like girls with nose rings? Or are we all special?
God damn that quiz. I really wanted to know what Pokemon I am.
@Tno: conditionally, I am for nose rings.