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On July 20, 2023, at 7 p.m. local time in Auckland, New Zealand, the whistle will blow for kickoff between co-hosts New Zealand and Norway, and the 2023 Women's World Cup will be underway. I am not sure if admins will be re-opening the World Cup forum (they should!) so I wanted to at least get a general hype thread down. Over the past three World Cups there have only been a handful of teams with real chances to take home the trophy. The US has been a dominant force over that time, winning the last two in 2019 and 2015, and advancing to the finals in 2011 before losing on penalties to Japan. Other top nations like Sweden, the aforementioned Japan, France, Brazil, Canada, and Germany have been among the contenders over this time period, but generally speaking there's been only a handful of nations considered to have a chance at the crown. That is not the case this year. There are at least 10 nations out of the field of 32 with realistic chances of hoisting the Copa Mundial on August 20. Not only has the women's game developed a great deal over the last decade, with viable pro leagues popping up on both sides of the Atlantic, but injury troubles and absences due to sexist national football federations have mainly fallen on the top squads. The combination of nations like Spain and England and their pro clubs finally taking women's soccer at least somewhat seriously has upped both the quality of play and given their citizens hope that they could win it all. After all, the only English team to win a Euro in all of history are the women, who brought it home just last summer. There's 32 group stage teams this year, eight more than in 2019. This is a mixed blessing. It will no doubt drive attention to the women's game in nations like Vietnam, Argentina, and South Africa. It will also mean we have more results like the 13-0 paddling the United States handed Thailand in the prior tournament. That being said, it won't be a waltz to the knockouts for all of the favorites.  New Zealand, as co-host, received a group of life. That's good, because the Football Ferns have never won a World Cup match in 18 attempts. Their record all time is 0-3-15. They should be able to win against the Philippines and probably against Switzerland, though. Norway, on the other hand, has two of the best players in the world in Ada Hegerberger and Caroline Graham Hansen, and are dark horse contenders who should really be aiming for at least the semifinals.  Australia and Canada should be expected to go through here. Australia has Sam Kerr, possibly the world's best striker, in her prime and at home. Canada has Christine Sinclair, perhaps the greatest striker in women's footballing history, in her swansong. Both are in the group of teams that could win the whole thing, and Canada just two years ago took Olympic gold. Which, for context, is the second most important tournament in women's football where nations send their very best possible squads instead of the weird sideshow it is for the men.  Spain has, despite the perfidy and fecklessness of it's national federation, finally turned into one of the powerhouses of the sport. They were looking at being outright favorites until a number of their players stated that they would not play for the current coach, and those women have sacrificed their World Cup so that a failson can keep his sinecure despite his players hating him. Despite that, if Alexia Putellas has fully recovered from a devastating ACL injury last year and has the fitness to play full matches, they've still got enough talent on the roster to win the whole thing. Since the start of the 2021-2022 season Barcelona, which has many of the Spanish team's players, has gone 85-2-4 with a +250 goal differential.  The Lionesses finally brought it home last year. Much like Spain, for decades English women's football suffered at the hands of a FA that didn't give a single poo poo about the game and turned what should have been a top tier powerhouse into nobodies. That began to change in the last decade thanks in large part to semifinal runs in 2015 and 2019, and has advanced rapidly as the WSL in England has become one of the top women's leagues alongside the Americans, French, and Germans. Denmark and China are both good sides who will have a dogfight to advance, with Denmark having one of the 10 or so best forwards in the game in Pernille Harder.  Group E has both the defending champion and the runner up from the prior World Cup, where a very scrappy Dutch side burst into the final before a respectable 2-0 loss. It also has Portugal, which is simply not there yet in terms of depth or top level quality. The United States is missing in their prime stars Mallory Swanson, Sam Mewis, and Catarina Macario from their roster due to injury. Injury has also knocked veteran leaders Christen Press and former team captain Becky Sauerbrunn from the competition. Rose Lavelle is only just back from a knee injury, and neither she nor 2019 star Megan Rapinoe played in the send-off match against Wales a week ago. They've got a giant target on their back. And they're still the favorites to win, because the United States is so ludicrously deep that the B team would be expected to make the quarterfinals. They're a lot closer to everyone else than they were in 2019, when only France were on their level, but they're still at least first among equals. And they could very well to add that fifth star to their jersey. OTOH, this ad for the World Cup does make me think that hubris might finally catch up to them.  France's players, led by centerback and team captain Wendie Renard, rose up and defenestrated their coach Corinne Diacre earlier this year. The only shame of it is that it didn't happen sooner. Their new coach is Herve Renard, no relation to Wendie, who was last seen leading Saudi Arabia to victory over Argentina last November. It's too bad he hasn't had more time to work with the team, and it's also too bad that Amandine Henry is missing from the squad due to injury. Brazil, meanwhile, is in full "win for Marta" mode. Marta, a six time winner of the FIFA Player of the Year award and one of the greatest players the nation has ever produced, is appearing in her 5th World Cup, and has never won. They, thanks to injuries to the top squads, are in the mix of clubs that could do the whole thing.  Absent any knowledge about women's soccer, you would think that the best team in a World Cup group that includes Italy and Argentina would be one of those two. You would be wrong. Sweden has long been one of the elite clubs in women's football, while Italy only just managed to remove their heads from their asses after the Azzurre surprised everyone by winning their group over Australia and Brazil, and then marching to the quarterfinals over the bodies of China. Argentina, on the other hand, have never come close to their rival Brazil's success, and this team lost 7-0 to Spain last fall.  Lastly, the only nation other than the United States to win multiple Women's World Cups is in Group H. Germany has had a disappointing decade, winning only the 2016 Olympics and 2013 Euros after the aughts saw them win both World Cups and all three Euros. They're still one of the teams to beat, and it would be shocking if they didn't win this group. habeasdorkus fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Jul 18, 2023 |
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Jul 16, 2023 18:19
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 20:38 |
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For the record, my prediction is USWNT over Australia in the final.
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Jul 16, 2023 18:21
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QUEER FRASIER posted:I watched Zambia beat Germany 3-2 in a friendly and with no other knowledge or context decided they will become the first african nation to win a WWC knockout match. sleep on them at your own peril Zambia has some real good players. I think they're still 4 years off from making some noise, but I don't know poo poo. Grimson posted:We're a bit less optimistic over here and the current expectation is getting out of the group and then getting booted in the round of 16. We may have four of the best attacking players in Ada, Caroline, Guro and Frida, but have no defense what so ever to speak of. Yeah, that's fair. I think Norway will finish first in their group though, so I think going to the quarterfinals at least is pretty realistic. habeasdorkus fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Jul 16, 2023 |
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Jul 16, 2023 20:09
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Teams I think should be considered roughly co-favorites: USA Germany France Spain England Teams I think could win it all (teams I'd figure have at least a 5% chance to win): Sweden Canada Australia Netherlands Brazil Norway Team that could make me look real dumb for thinking they're not competitors this year: Japan (They just seem like they're in an off period after being fantastic a decade ago) Team that could make me and everyone look dumb for totally discounting them: Denmark (Pernille Harder is fantastic) That's 13 teams that should be between pretty drat good and excellent! That's about as good as you could ever hope for in a major international tournament. We're 3 days out and I am straining at the bit levels of hype.
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Jul 17, 2023 17:30
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German away jersey is real nice, IMO. I think the writer was referring to the Dutch alternate jerseys being white, red, and blue. But man, the home and away kits are hideous. Portugal's away kit is also terrible. How are they ranked above boring but perfectly fine jerseys? And Christ, I cannot believe I'm going to buy either the home or away Sophia Smith jersey. The USWNT: first in football, first in pay equality, last in 2023 World Cup kit design.
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Jul 18, 2023 15:58
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I've set my alarm for 2:45 am tomorrow. Won't be doing that for all the matches, but I don't want to miss the opening ones. Glad the US was able to wrangle a 9pm eastern/6pm pacific kickoff for their first two games vs Vietnam and the Dutch. I'll have to see if I can rouse myself on Tuesday to watch the final group stage game against Portugal.
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Jul 19, 2023 13:32
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https://twitter.com/AndrewDasNYT/status/1681822614560407554
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Jul 20, 2023 01:33
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I gotta say, Norway doesn't appear to have that dog in em.
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Jul 20, 2023 09:37
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Good save by the New Zealand keeper, didn't realize she'd deflected it up into the bar on the first shot.
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Jul 20, 2023 09:42
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Thassa pen.
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Jul 20, 2023 09:47
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Oh noooo.
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Jul 20, 2023 09:49
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Robo Captain posted:9 minutes why Same as last years Men's World Cup - they count all the stoppage time in a half.
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Jul 20, 2023 09:53
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webmeister posted:Sam Kerr is out for the first two matches, loving hell Whoa, what?!
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Jul 20, 2023 10:10
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Omnikin posted:Go Roos They're the Matildas. Only the men are stuck with being the Socceroos. That's a biiiiig stadium, it's gonna get real loud if Australia scores.
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Jul 20, 2023 11:20
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https://twitter.com/puckinghell_/status/1681934589256761345?t=vWWGz52lRbXnNU-dR6SRmw&s=19 Ireland have impressed so far but Sweden looks like they're gonna score fairly soon.
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Jul 20, 2023 11:38
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I am 100% signing McCabe when the Football Manager with women's leagues finally releases. Love me physical poo poo-housing defenders. e: Oh poo poo, and she can play up at left winger? Yeah, 100% certified buy. habeasdorkus fucked around with this message at 11:56 on Jul 20, 2023 |
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Jul 20, 2023 11:44
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Sadly, thassa pen.
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Jul 20, 2023 12:15
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The refs have been letting the players play in both games so far. Enjoying it, myself.
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Jul 20, 2023 12:23
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Ireland looking a lot better over the last 5-6 minutes.
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Jul 20, 2023 12:38
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That is a free kick in a very dangerous area.
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Jul 20, 2023 12:54
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drat, that was a good match.
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Jul 20, 2023 13:01
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Thassa pen.
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Jul 21, 2023 04:36
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Oh noooo. Looool.
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Jul 21, 2023 04:39
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Not a terrible pen, Nigerian keeper fuckin' stonewalled that + the 2nd touch to spin it out wide.
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Jul 21, 2023 04:40
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Nigeria has looked up for it all morning.
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Jul 21, 2023 05:16
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Lol 8 minutes of stoppage time.
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Jul 21, 2023 05:23
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Thassa Red.
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Jul 21, 2023 05:26
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I am so hype for tonight's USWNT match.
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Jul 21, 2023 15:35
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I have faith in the US attack, even without Mal Swanson. Sophia Smith is the truth.
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Jul 21, 2023 16:13
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Thassa pen.
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Jul 22, 2023 02:41
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That was a terrible pen.
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Jul 22, 2023 02:45
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I was pretty sure she was off. But I'll take it. Also, what a long VAR review.
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Jul 22, 2023 02:56
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The US's finishing has been... fraught.
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Jul 22, 2023 03:40
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Sophia Smith has been rampant.
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Jul 22, 2023 03:45
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Man oh man Rose, you missed that by an inch.
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Jul 22, 2023 03:53
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We need to get her her headband!
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Jul 22, 2023 04:04
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Grimson posted:I'm cursed with Fox as the only stream I have available that reliably works and the commentary is so awful. Like across the board between all their commentary teams it's just bad. They got a main commentator doing monologues while running through a checklist of things to mention like the history of a certain player, the statistics of the teams playing, a little talk about the next matchup etc. And its all delivered in a very monotone but "This Is Actually The Most Important Information I Will Ever Say" style of newscaster voice. While the expert commentator has more inflection and is allowed to actually talk about what is currently happening, but the interplay between the two is nonexistent. It's like they're not allowed to have a dialogue or chemistry. I literally paid 6 bucks to get the Telemundo stream because I could not stand the Fox announcers.
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Jul 22, 2023 10:39
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Oh thassa pen. e: the stepping on the shin, don't think the first contact was.
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Jul 22, 2023 10:48
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Ah, ok, does give the yellow card. I hadn't thought the ball was in touch, but it was close.
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Jul 22, 2023 10:50
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Oh no.  Non-contact knee injury for the Haitian player. That loving sucks.e: And what are you doing with your hands up like that?! Thassa pen!
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Jul 22, 2023 10:56
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