USWNT

As long as the US women don't celebrate with "3 pumps" I'm ok with it (well, actually 3 pumps by them may be ok in my book too):

 
I get that perhaps they need a cushion for GD, but 13-0 seems a little rough to me.

There were probably 4 or 5 more there they could've had also.

Even my kid's coaches tell them to take it easy once they are at 5 or 6 to 0. No need to embarrass the other team.
 
It is the World Cup, the should play each moment with the highest level of intensity . . . like it is the World Cup.

Want to set the women's game back a few decades? Encourage teams with big leads to play keep away during the World Cup. Unless you have some link to Thailand, it was still an entertaining game to watch. The US was playing very good soccer, with the possible exception of Heath and, to a lesser extent, Rapinoe (though her effort was world class).
 
They ran the score up. Should have kept a 6/7 goal cushion and cruise. 13-0 is like 99-0 in football or beating a team by 60 points in basketball. Sweden will pose more of a threat. Let’s hope the US didn’t run out of goals.
 
Good result. Glad they could have fun with this one. As they will with Chile. Thailand is the worst team in the tournament and Chile may be 2nd worst. If Thailand doesn't score vs. Chile, they should be relegated from the next WC in 4 years :) Neither game will help US prepare for Sweden. But at least they should get 6 points and go into that third game healthy.

Twitter lighting up about USA excessively celebrating. I don't have a problem with it---a lot of pressure on these women, enjoy it. But when people start citing goal totals as proof of a player's talent, this game is Exhibit A for evidence that goals don't always = skill. Also why the Golden Boot award is skewed too. They shouldn't count goals until the knockout rounds.

Haven't watched Netherlands v. New Zealand yet, but MAP has me anxious to see the women in orange. Thought I'd never say this but I think Mertens may be a better wing than Heath and Rapinoe.

It’s worth the watch. Tom Sermani is coaching New Zealand so they had a game plan that almost worked. Even with the Dutch having the vast majority of possession it was as close as the score. The front 3 of the Dutch team might be the best in the world and that includes the attacking trios sported by the US and France.
 
Agree with MAP that our front three is a concern (hard to admit that with 13 goals on the board), as I thought two of the three had a rough time. But Morgan's finishing was outstanding. If she can maintain that level throughout the tournament, and Rapinoe's touch issues are a one game fluke, they will score goals.

Lavelle was terrific as well, and she played like a younger, less selfish. more energetic version of Heath. HAve we finally put together a good midfield? If I was Ellis, I sit Heath next game and start Press (though she will favor Pugh). Lastly, O'Hara needs to remember she is a defender first. She will not be able to recover from the mistakes she made today when she is facing the top 3-4 teams in this tournament.
 
Agree with MAP that our front three is a concern (hard to admit that with 13 goals on the board), as I thought two of the three had a rough time. But Morgan's finishing was outstanding. If she can maintain that level throughout the tournament, and Rapinoe's touch issues are a one game fluke, they will score goals.

Lavelle was terrific as well, and she played like a younger, less selfish. more energetic version of Heath. HAve we finally put together a good midfield? If I was Ellis, I sit Heath next game and start Press (though she will favor Pugh). Lastly, O'Hara needs to remember she is a defender first. She will not be able to recover from the mistakes she made today when she is facing the top 3-4 teams in this tournament.

Jill will break up the band in the midfield in favor of Yoko Ono (Ertz) once she “has” to play Sauerbrun. They were playing together too well today so she won’t like that. I just hope that our cupcake bracket doesn’t get our team overconfident.
 
It is the World Cup, the should play each moment with the highest level of intensity . . . like it is the World Cup.

Want to set the women's game back a few decades? Encourage teams with big leads to play keep away during the World Cup. Unless you have some link to Thailand, it was still an entertaining game to watch. The US was playing very good soccer, with the possible exception of Heath and, to a lesser extent, Rapinoe (though her effort was world class).
Can someone please tell rapinoe to put some make up on?
 
Nothing wrong with 13-0. This is the World Cup and not some U10 youth game, so why not run up the score.

Nothing wrong with running up the score... but even if they are excited to be in the World Cup, some of their celebrations were a bit too over the top and classless.

Their argument that if it were men, nobody would say anything is completely false. If a men’s team were to go up 13-0 and players still celebrated like that anytime past 6, they’d get punched in the mouth.

For first timers, I get it. Pugh’s first World Cup goal (hopefully of many) Morgan’s record fifth in a game... I think both of them handled it well. but Rapino doing the shaky leg when you’re already up 8-0 on a team that clearly sucks, was purely classless. It’s not like they won the World Cup or her goal was the equalizer in a tight game. It’s not even her first World Cup. In fact, her goal in this game wasn’t really much of an accomplishment at all.
 
Will there be targets on players in the next few games because of this?
If you’re Chile and down 4-0 against the US and Sweden has already beaten Thailand on Sunday. Do you put in a little street justice?
 
Will there be targets on players in the next few games because of this?
If you’re Chile and down 4-0 against the US and Sweden has already beaten Thailand on Sunday. Do you put in a little street justice?

The celebration after the first goal against the US will show how it is being received.
 
Will there be targets on players in the next few games because of this?
If you’re Chile and down 4-0 against the US and Sweden has already beaten Thailand on Sunday. Do you put in a little street justice?

Hard to say. The more I think about this, given the significantly larger investment in trying to promote the women’s game, it’s very possible sponsors, or who knows who, put them up to this. Some of it seemed out of character and out of place - almost like they were trying to hard.... to the point they were obnoxious. In a bunch of the Hulu ads they talk about selling out. If they gave the other team a heads up this was going to happen, maybe the other team does nothing and let’s it go.

The Thai players handled it well, but Asians tend to stay in control of their emotions more and show respect regardless of situation. If Chile doesn’t get a heads up that the celebrations are staged, I can see some street justice happening possibly. What’s most likely to happen is if/when the US women start facing tougher teams, goals against are also going to be rubbed in their face and the tougher teams are going to be ruthless. It really is gonna be the world against the US.
 
Imagine if a man celebrated the way Rapinoe celebrated even if the score was 5-0.

I would likely bet a red card would come out shortly after as well as a stretcher.
 
What do we tell our kids, what do you hear others tell their kids. Play the full 90 minutes. Play like every game is the Finals. It was only 3-0 at the half. Yet somehow the VAR officials missed 2 obvious calls ( not sure VAR is any better, but only time will tell). Thailand could have stopped attacking altogether and focused on D. So why not celebrate at the biggest stage, I agree a more subdued celebration than Rapinoe ( I don't much care for her anyways). Once I heard the record was 11 and they tied. Why not try and break it. Put it in the record books, for posterity reasons. Really if you can't play your best at the highest stage, then when can you?
 
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