The biggest women’s soccer game ever of all time in any galaxy including the one from Star Wars is under way. I’ll keep you updated here while you refresh the page on the dock at your cottage.
- Canada has started out tentatively, and are having trouble clearing their half.
- Complaints about the officiating on both sides of the ball as a few questionable fouls are handed out. This is a game that CAN’T be decided by officiating. Far too important for this tournament and the women’s soccer game at-large.
- Canada has found a way to hold possession and work the counter attack. Americans are still pressing but Canada is hitting back.
22′ minute: Christine Sinclair scores for Canada!
- Significance of this Sinclair goal:
- A couple of close chances for the Americans as they look to reply after the Sinclair marker. McLeod caught out of position at a couple of points but the Americans can’t find the goal.
- Canada goes into the half with the lead, despite several good chances put towards goal by the United States. Canada did well to hold up at the back end with shot blocking and clearance attempts, but the Americans dictated the flow of play. The half came at the perfect time for a team in need of a reprieve.
- More curious calls from the official as identical plays will only be called fouls once. Really unimpressive work by the official.
- Some theatrics enter the game now as teams try to capitalize on the officiating. Canada need to fight their way off the rops here just five minutes into the second half. America is pressing.
- The States finally gets their breakthrough as a corner is whipped in, takes a bounce and ends up in the Canadian goal. Nobody covering the near post is a curious error. Inswinging corners to the near post are deadly if you leave that spot open. Ball appears to go off McLeod and in among a mess of bodies.
- Canada comes back with good possession after the American goal. Maybe they just need their time to get settled into a half here. We shall see… We’re 60 minutes in.
- Americans get away with a handball in the box after a Sinclair cross. On the counterattack Desiree Scott is carded for a challenge on Abby Wambach at midfield. Bad sequence for Canada.
- Consensus that this officiating crew is terrible is upheld through 2/3 of the game.
- Kaylyn Kyle checks into the game for Jonelle Filigno.
67′ – CHRISTINE SINCLAIR!!!!! 2-1 Canada. She’s now tied with Abby Wambach for second all time in women’s scoring.
- More Sinclair history!
69′ – Megan Rapinoe equalizes with a laser beam! Off the far post and in the goal. A beautiful shot. She and Sinclair are going toe-to-toe with two goals apiece.
- Your best players have to be your best players in the biggest games. This match is living proof.
72′ – CHRISTINE SINCLAIR HAT TRICK. ARE YOU !@#$ING KIDDING ME? 3-2 CANADA.
- Who’s ready for a heart attack finish? We are!
- Some sort of free kick in the box for the USA here… odd…
- Miss on the free kick leads to a penalty shot for the USA… Wambach to take
- I can’t stress how odd this is.
- Wombach scores. What a bizarre sequence of events. There are no words. Original free kick is allegedly for McLeod holding the ball too long. So odd.
- The officiating was, is and appears to want to stay terrible.
- Abby Wambach misses a wide open Canadian goal on a counter attack. Terrible, uncharacteristic miss.
- This is really intense. Seriously.
- Canada erupts after a brutal blown corner kick call. The officiating has really stolen the show in a terrible way against all odds.
- End of regulation. So many emotions. Like a Best of Keanu Reeves YouTube video. Extra time coming up.
- Canada have handled Wombach phenomenally throughout the game.
- Who has more left in the tank? Extra time…
- Both teams handling themselves well thus far. No atrocious calls to speak of yet.
- Both teams look gassed, we’ll see if it leads to a mistake.
- Canada can’t convert an indirect free kick in minute 103. Just couldn’t find a clear head.
- Canada earns a corner off a challenge on Sinclair in the box. Good chance coming up…
- Tancredi near miss on the header, called on an over the back foul. As you were.
- Closing in on 1,000 words here on this game log, had no idea this is what would transpire. It started as a fun idea.
- Half time in extra time. Oh boy.
- Canada puts it into touch with an American injury. Would have been there best chance. We Canucks are sporting.
- McLeod punches out a dangerous American corner. Americans hold possession after it is put out.
- Wambach hits the crossbar with a header. A game of inches.
- Alex Morgan scores in stoppage time. Heartbreaking.
- Canada will play for bronze against a strong France side, while the Americans will take on Japan in the final.
- America was kept in check well despite the goals as Abby Wombach couldn’t seem to finish and Alex Morgan challenged the Canadians but was contained until the play that decided it. Rapinoe was the American star today and her goals were full value, despite the colossal misstep Canada made to surrender the first. America played well, though you can argue, quite convincingly at that, that they were the second best side today.
- Hard to understate what a great performance this was from the Canadian women. Despite plenty of bounces and whistles going against them, they kept coming and coming against the top team in the world and took them to the utter brink. If you can think of a better performance in Canadian soccer history — women’s or men’s — I’m all ears. This game was sheer brilliance from the Canadian women and their fans can fly their flags high knowing that they were represented in a way that was pure class. They deserved a better result, plain and simple. It’ll be tough to regroup for the match against France, but with this resilient group I wouldn’t put anything past them.
- Christine Sinclair for closing ceremonies flagbearer.
- I’m out.
The C.O.C got it right.
