The USMNT is ready to begin Gold Cup group play after putting the finishing touches on 180 minutes of the most pathetic soccer you’ll ever see. After losing to Jamaica 1-0 in D.C. last Wednesday, the U.S. gave up three boneheaded first half goals to Venezuela in Cincinnati on Sunday en route to a 3-0 defeat.
After finishing in third place at the 2015 World Cup, advancing to the semifinals of Euro 2017 and, most recently, capturing the 2019 SheBelieves Cup on U.S. soil, England approached this summer’s World Cup with expectations at an all time high.
With an average age of 26 years and six months across the board, this is the oldest makeup of players in the history of the Women’s World Cup. Brazil is a key contributor to that stat with the second-oldest squad in France, and the veterans include Mônica (32), Marta (33), Cristiane (34) and Formiga (41).
The Seleção kicked off its campaign today against Jamaica in Grenoble, and although Marta missed out due to a thigh injury, Brazil still triumphed 3-0 thanks to huge performances from Formiga and Cristiane.
Australia, the dark horse candidate of many at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, suffered a shock defeat to Italy, making its first finals appearance since 1999, to begin Group C play in France. Australian captain Sam Kerr gave her side an early lead by following up her own saved penalty, but Italy’s Barbara Bonansea scored twice in the second half — including the winner five minutes into stoppage time — to give the Azzurre a dream start.
Italy traveled to Athens to face Greece in Euro 2020 qualifying on Saturday. Nicolò Barella had himself a game to remember, for a couple reasons.
Italy beat Greece 3-0 to stay atop Group J, with Barella netting the opener. Before that though, he accidentally smashed a ball boy with a misplaced kick.
Early in the match, Barella was upset about letting the ball go off him for a goal kick when he could’ve won a corner. In frustration, he tried to kick the ball off the advertising boards just off the pitch.
Instead, he kicked the ball off the face of a poor ball boy.
After pulling off one of the upsets of the tournament, the USMNT U-20 squad’s run in the 2019 U-20 World Cup came to an end with a 2-1 loss to Ecuador on Saturday in Poland.
The Concacaf champions beat France in the Round of 16 to knock one of the favorites out of the tournament, but the CONMEBOL champions proved too much for the Baby Yanks.
Lionel Messi has often been criticized for his failure to lead Argentina to international success. Well, now he’s got at least one “trophy” with La Albiceleste, and he scored two goals to get it.
Messi netted twice in two minutes in the first half of a 5-1 rout of Nicaragua in what was billed as La Copa San Juan in San Juan, Argentina. Afterword, the Argentine captain lifted not one but two trophies.
Lionel Messi’s honors at the senior international level now read: World Cup runner-up, Copa America runner-up (three times) and La Copa San Juan.
It’s absurd. It’s preposterous. It’s the USMNT Gold Cup roster. I mean, would you look at this? I can’t believe this. These are the guys Gregg Berhalter thinks can defend our CONCACAF crown while simultaneously building a longterm project that’ll secure us our first-ever World Cup triumph in 2022?
Please, get outta here with this. Not these fools. I don’t like these guys; I don’t trust these guys.
When Brazil opens play at the 2019 Copa América in eight days time, it’ll do so without the influential Neymar. During last night’s friendly against Qatar, the 27-year-old was on the receiving end of a robust but fair challenge from Assim Madibo, ultimately resulting in a ligament rupture in his right ankle.
After finishing in fourth place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and following that up with victories over Spain and Croatia in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, support for England is at a fever pitch.
There’s a profound sense of optimism surrounding Gareth Southgate’s side, and the nation is relishing an exciting crop of players that features Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcus Rashford.