The 2016 Rio Olympics thread: August 3rd to 19th

[Yohan]

Good: That Matheson one touch backheel pass to set up Beckie chance in 1st half

Bad: Going through the motions by most of the players

Ugly: D'Angelo's adventure in goalkeeping leading to Zimbabwe goal

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

17 minutes ago, rkomar said:

I'm seeing lots of Canadians having a bad game.  Schmidt and Belanger can't seem to make a pass.

3 minutes ago, Yohan said:

Bad: Going through the motions by most of the players

Ugly: D'Angelo's adventure in goalkeeping leading to Zimbabwe goal

Some of this is a real lack of urgency because we actually wanted to win this game with a worse goal difference than Germany did so we can play for a tie in game 3 (assuming Germany beats Australia).

Playing for a loss could get us expelled. Playing for a tie shouldn't. See Japan v South Africa 2012.

[DJT]

30 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

After watching the first game on Radio-Canada, this time I'm watching on CBC. Either Nigel Reed and Clare Rustad are very good actors or completely ignorant of the fact that we want 6 points with a worse goal difference than Germany so we can work our way into second in the group and have no intention of trying to beat Germany in the 3rd game.

EDIT: Also , is it DAN-GELO or DEE-AN-GELO ?

I think they are unaware. It was discussed during the pre-match, but these two haven't mentioned anything about quarterfinal possibilities. All they talk about is Germany.

Because of this, they didn't even consider the possibility that Buchanan took that yellow card on purpose. Earlier I had wondered whether Buchanan might (be instructed to) do that, but I didn't really expect it.

Re: your edit, it should be the former.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

4 minutes ago, DJT said:

Re: your edit, it should be the former.

Than Nigel Reed should learn how to say her name!

4 minutes ago, DJT said:

I think they are unaware...they didn't even consider the possibility that Buchanan took that yellow card on purpose.

I find it ironic then, that they questioned her maturity when in fact she showed far more than they think!

[baulderdash77]

Good win.  3-1.  It's a bit disappointing that we didn't win 4-0 and that was pretty brutal defense to go e up the goal.   But it's 6 points and we're through to the knockout round.

I find it fascinating that it'll be easier to make the medal round if we lose or draw the next game but it's true.  I think we'd rather play Sweden instead of the US or France in the knockout round.

Looking forward to the next game and maybe we should field a younger roster and rest the vets against Germany.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

3 minutes ago, baulderdash77 said:

Looking forward to the next game and maybe we should field a younger roster and rest the vets against Germany.

Don't look forward to the next game. It's going to be a shitshow of a lineup with shitshow bunker tactics. Not even taking the day off work. Won't watch it live like these past two.

Would bet $$$ Sinclair won't play more than 30 minutes (if even that!).

[tc-in-bc]

If Australia ties Germany today then Canada  must lose  ( not tie ) their game against  Germany next week --  should Canada wish to attain that attractive second spot in the group.

[Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action]

Guys, I am sorry to be late in asking this question.  I know most people want to talk about the Zimbabwe game now, but can I go back to the Australia game and ask a question?  You know how Sinclair had an empty net after she kicked the ball past the goalkeeper?  After that, Lisa Da Vanna (from Australia) tried to tackle Sinclair/the ball but could not.  What did Da Vanna do wrong?  Was the timing of the tackle wrong or was Sinclair just unstoppable?  I'm trying to learn about soccer.

[DJT]

Halftime:

Germany 1-2 Australia

(Daebritz 45'+2'; Kerr 6', Foord 45')

 

Full time:

United States 1-0 France

(Lloyd 63')

[DJT]

Full time:

Germany 2-2 Australia

(Daebritz 45'+2', Bartusiak 88'; Kerr 6', Foord 45')

Germany were down by two but scored a late goal in each half to salvage the draw!

So now we top the group and need to lose to Germany to complete "our plan".   Hmm, maybe Germany are more deftly executing a plan of their own. 

Canada ... 2-0-0 ... 5-1 ... 6
Germany ... 1-1-0 ... 8-3 ... 4
Australia ... 0-1-1 ... 2-4 ... 1
Zimbabwe ... 0-0-2 ... 2-9... 0

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

5 minutes ago, DJT said:

Full time:

Germany 2-2 Australia

So now we top the group and need to lose to Germany to complete "our plan".   Hmm, maybe Germany are more deftly executing a plan of their own. 

2 hours ago, tc-in-bc said:

If Australia ties Germany today then Canada  must lose  ( not tie ) their game against  Germany next week --  should Canada wish to attain that attractive second spot in the group.

So Germany need a draw (to be on 5 points and guaranteed 2nd place). We need to lose to them. Tuesday's game is going to be FUBAR!

Question: Can we get kicked out if we score on ourselves?

[tc-in-bc]

CANWNT vs Germany , August 9, 2016.

[ 1 ]  No one is going to want to score a goal in this match ! Both sides can just bunker and lob the ball back and forth  to the other side  using  long balls ( like some version of tennis ). Congratulations, Canada wins the group !  Then likely meets France in quarter finals.

[ 2 ] Personally, I think both sides are professionals and both sides will go for the win. In addition, the Germans  probably don't fear the cross-over with France ( slim chance New Zealand ) or with anyone.

[TRM]

At 21 I think Beckie is the heir apparent to Sinclair. She is doing great despite the PK.

[dyslexic nam]

4 hours ago, DJT said:

... they didn't even consider the possibility that Buchanan took that yellow card on purpose. Earlier I had wondered whether Buchanan might (be instructed to) do that, but I didn't really expect it.

The more I think about it, that's gotta be an intentional 2nd yellow.  Two 10 yard warnings on a free kick resulting in a yellow is a pretty ridiculous card to 'accidentally' take when you are already on a yellow.  And despite Reed's questioning, she didn't seem the least bit fazed about it. 

I am hoping Herdman is behind it too - wold be good to know that's part of his thinking process In the Olympics.

[red card]

Nigel Reed sometimes gets hung on a point and beats it to death. Buchanan was likely told by Herdman to get that second yellow. Preferable to miss Germany match that it is better to lose than miss a must win quarter final by getting yellow against Germany.

Plus why would a central back be encroaching a free kick that far out. Buchanan didn't cause the foul, so it was not immaturity as Nigel speculated. Once foul was doled out, Buchanan didn't seem fazed at all.

[rkomar]

Better that Reed thought it was immaturity than to declare over the air that Buchanon was cynically getting a card on purpose.  Many don't appreciate that sort of slyness.

[Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action]

Great point, rkomar.  how do we know that Reed isn't being sly as well?

And to anyone, please answer my question from earlier?  

My question: You know how Sinclair had an empty net after she kicked the ball past the goalkeeper?  After that, Lisa Da Vanna (from Australia) tried to tackle Sinclair/the ball but could not.  What did Da Vanna do wrong?  Was the timing of the tackle wrong or was Sinclair just unstoppable?  I'm trying to learn about soccer.

 

[tc-in-bc]

re. Lisa de Vanna.

I don't believe that Lisa de Vanna did anything wrong The Matildas  were  pressing in the attacking third searching for an equalizer when they turned  the ball over. Jessie Fleming's  direct play/ long ball    put Christine Sinclair on a breakaway.  Sinclair then touched the ball around the Matilda's keeper ( who's far out of her net )  and retrieved it, Lisa de Vanna , a 31-year old forward,    showed great pace and effort in  tracking down Sinclair from behind.  Had Sinclair kept the ball on the grass then de Vanna's desperation slide tackle might have prevented Sinclair's shot. But Sinclair has that great tactical awareness/vision and elevated her shot over the slide tackle ( just in the nick of time )  into the net.

[Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action]

Thanks tc!  Learning from you!

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Short of major upsets on the final day, or us getting kicked out of the tournament for match fixing, we would play France or hopefully Sweden/China.

[BearcatSA]

7 hours ago, Yohan said:

Ugly: D'Angelo's adventure in goalkeeping leading to Zimbabwe goal

I didn't see the whole match but this play sure stood out.

[Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action]

See, I'm new to soccer so I tend to over-rely on the commentators.  I am pretty sure the lady commentator said it was a difficult decision for D'Angelo, like she wasn't blaming D'Angelo but the defenders.  But of course, I understand that Canadian commentators can be biased (whether for or against Canada).

[rob.notenboom]

14 minutes ago, Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action said:

See, I'm new to soccer so I tend to over-rely on the commentators.  I am pretty sure the lady commentator said it was a difficult decision for D'Angelo, like she wasn't blaming D'Angelo but the defenders.  But of course, I understand that Canadian commentators can be biased (whether for or against Canada).

Considering there were two defenders back and in the play there really wasn't any need for D'Angelo to come out for that ball. She was decisive I suppose, but if she stays home it's most likely that the defenders deal with that. 

[Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action]

That's what I was thinking.  It's like the Australian goalie coming out when there were already two defenders against Sinclair.  But again - when the commentators say something different, I then doubt myself, so I come here and see what you guys have to say.

[rob.notenboom]

11 hours ago, Sinc_Tanc_Olympic_Action said:

That's what I was thinking.  It's like the Australian goalie coming out when there were already two defenders against Sinclair.  But again - when the commentators say something different, I then doubt myself, so I come here and see what you guys have to say.

Just wait until we all start disagreeing with each other and calling each other idiots. If clarity is what you're seeking, this might not be the spot

On the Aus goalkeeper, I suspect it might have been better if she'd stayed home as well. However, watching the replay a bunch of times, it looked very much like Sinc was accelerating away from the defenders (surprisingly). When she noticed the Aus keeper coming she slowed up a bit to touch the ball around her and then also was going more slowly when she was settling the ball to take her shot. This allowed the defenders to catch up. Question is, once Sinc caught up to the ball, would she have been able to run with it away from the defenders still? I have no idea. I was surprised enough that she was faster than the two chasing her in the first place. 

Of course the Aus keeper has a split second to decide too. So it was a blunder and also a blunder by the defence, but it's a very common thing for teams that are pushing for a goal to get hit on a counter attack. 

Loved Fleming's peak up and perfectly weighted pass into Sinclair's path. What a play to spring her!