Friday, August 15, 2008

Live blogging--sort of--of US soccer

So I slept in this morning, came downstairs, flipped on the television and what to my wondering eyes did appear? US women's soccer--LIVE! They are playing Canada. Loser goes home.
Apparently there was a weather delay: lightning. Good for me. I saw almost the entire second half and am now watching the extra time. There will be 30 minutes of extra time and if there is no winner...penalty kicks!
So, what's happening:
  • Natasha Kai was put in as a sub for extra time. She's had a few touches but nothing---
  • Oh Oh Oh--score--by Natasha Kai. Disregard the start of that last bullet. She headed it in. Beautiful. Nice dance too. By the way, I hear she is single, ladies.
  • They play on because this is not sudden death over time.
  • The pressure the US started putting on Canada in the last quarter of the game has clearly carried over. The US just got another nice scoring opportunity.
  • When Kai came on the field at the start of extra time commentator 9i forget his name) noted the presence of her tattoos and how she was a different kind of player. Brandi Chastain, who is the other half of the commentating team, said something you might tell a 5-year old about how every player on the field is unique and brings something special to the team.
  • Brief break now. Extra time is divided into two 15-minute segments.
  • By the way, what happened to Julie Foudy as a commentator? I am not a Brandi Chastain fan.
  • US's last sub: Lauren Cheney for Jennifer Rodriguez. Hmm...I actually agree with Chastain that this is an odd substitution. Cheney is Abby Wambach's replacement and Rodriguez has been playing well. Though I would imagine she is quite tired. And, when you're up already, why put in another offensive player. Well Cheney just got yellow carded. Ooo--she just missed the goal off a pass from Kai.
  • So Chastain noted the tired factor for both teams at the start of extra time and the inability to grab some energy--i.e. food. They have water. But I found this curious. First, I would assume they drink Gatorade or something similar. But why don't they consume fast energy like Goo or Shot Blox?
  • Less than three minutes in extra time.
  • Poor Heather Mitts. Chastain chastises her for taking a shot so close to the end of the game rather than keeping the ball and running out the clock. She's a defender. She never gets a chance to shoot on goal. Cut her some slack.
  • In stoppage time.
  • It's over. US wins 2-1 in extra time.
  • US plays winner of Japan and China.