The18 World Cup Takeover

Thailand Lost 5-1, But That One Goal Meant Everything

The draw for the 2019 Women’s World Cup really couldn’t have been unkinder for Thailand. Not only did the world’s 34th-ranked side land the defending world champion, they also got the last team to defeat the USWNT at a major international tournament, Sweden.

Things, of course, got off to a historically bad start when surrendering 13 unanswered goals to the U.S. to begin group play, and things weren’t looking pretty again today when trailing Sweden 4-0 in the 81st minute. 

USWNT Rolls To 3-0 Win, But Chile’s GK Steals The Show With String Of Impossible Saves

The USWNT defeated Chile 3-0 on Sunday with all three goals coming in the first half. Coincidentally, that was the exact same score at halftime of the Thailand game before the U.S. added 10 more over the course of the second 45. The score could’ve certainly approached that today, but for Chile goalkeeper Christiane Endler. 

The 27-year-old, who plays for PSG, certainly appeared comfortable at the Parc des Princes while pulling off a string of stunning saves to keep the USWNT at bay in front of 45,594 appreciative spectators.

Carli Lloyd Scores A Banger, Celebrates With Polite Golf Clap

After trouncing Thailand 13-0 to begin FIFA Women’s World Cup play, the question facing the USWNT heading into Sunday’s match against Chile was both how many goals they’d score and — uh oh — how they’d celebrate those goals.

Grisly Video Shows Shot Appearing To Break Arm Of New Zealand Defender

CJ Bott was in clear pain. Replay showed why.

The New Zealand right back’s arm was gruesomely bent back by a cross from Canada’s Janine Beckie in the 14th of their Group E match on Saturday. After a lengthy delay to stabilize the arm, Bott was taken off the pitch and replaced by Annalie Longo.

Bott was able to walk off under her own power, but she was visibly upset, shouting “F*ck!” as she exited the field, cast over her lower arm. 

Slow-motion replays show just how far back her arm bent backward when it was struck by Beckie’s cross. 

Watch Cameroon’s Aboudi Onguene Ask Netherlands Players For Water Only To Throw It Into Stands

Cameroon winger Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene scored her country’s first goal of the Women’s World Cup in a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands on Saturday.

Moments before her goal, she pissed off the entire Dutch bench with what’s either a hilarious piece of gamesmanship or an awful display of sportsmanship.

Video shows Aboudi Onguene repeatedly asking the Netherlands bench for a drink of water in the 43rd minute, right after the Dutch had taken a lead through Vivianne Miedema.

Chelsea Women’s Coach Suggested Smaller Goals, Pitches For Women — Hope Solo Is Having None Of It

It is an almost impossibly touchy subject. Should the size of women's soccer fields and goals be made smaller, scaled to the average size of women instead of the average size of men, to improve women’s soccer?

Just to bring it up would open yourself up to calls of sexism, but Emma Hayes, coach of the Chelsea Women in the Women’s Super League in England, is doing just that in a recent column in The Times. 

Golazo Makes Vivianne Miedema Netherlands’ All-Time Top Scorer At 22 Years Old

Vivianne Miedema is 22. She’s now the Netherlands’ all-time leading goal scorer.

Miedema netted a brace in a 3-1 victory over Cameroon in Group E action at the Women’s World Cup on Saturday. She now has 60 goals for the Leeuwinnen, passing Manon Melis for most all-time for the Dutch. 

More importantly, for the short term at least, the Netherlands clinched qualification to the Round of 16 by moving to six points ahead of its Group E finale against Canada.

Beautiful Pinpoint Passing Helps England Finally Get Past Incredible Argentina GK Correa

For what seemed like an eternity, England could not find a way past Vanina Correa.

The Argentina No. 1 stopped everything the Three Lionesses threw at her, even becoming the first player to save a penalty kick taken by an England player at a Women’s World Cup.

It took, in the end, a perfect piece of play from England to finally get past Correa, resulting in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Argentina in Group D action on Friday. 

Vanina Correa made huge save after huge save against England, finishing with six stops and a career’s worth of highlights. 

Italy Captain Force Fed A Shoe, Inspires Team To 5-0 Rout Of Jamaica

Italy is through to the knockout rounds for the first time since 1991 thanks to a 5-0 rout of Jamaica on Friday. Cristiana Girelli scored a hat trick and Aurora Galli added two for the Azzurre, but the Italians’ second straight victory was exemplified by the team captain, center back Sara Gama.

Gama, a 30-year-old Juventus center back, marshalled a back line that quieted the dangerous Khadija Shaw, the leading scorer in Women’s World Cup qualifying with 19 goals. 

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