Football News And Views

U.S.A. Woman 3 - 0 England

The England women team were out to cause the biggest upset in womens football by beating the worlds number one nation, U.S.A. I don’t know how the mens football (soccer) team in the U.S.A. is terrible but their ladies are number one in the world whereas both England national teams seem to be very good but not great. England put up a great fight to hold the U.S.A. team off in the first half and there were not really too many chances to talk about apart from a shot that was well saved by Rachel Brown in the England goal from Kristine Lilly.

It didn’t take the U.S.A. long to find their first in the second half when Wombach, who was celebrating her 100th international game, headed them in front.  Boxx then made it 2-0 with a precise, low 20 yard shot and just 3 minutes later Brown let the ball bounce over her head only for Lilly to make no mistake from close range. So England are out and the U.S.A. will be full of confidence going into the semis.

Germany 11- 0 Argentina

Holders and favourites, Germany kicked off their Woman’s World Cup campaign in some style by smashing Argentina 11-0. Argentina keeper Vanina Correa fumbled in before a Kerstin Garefrekes volley and Melanie Behringer sidefooted home. Birgit Prinz scored with a header and a shot before half-time, Renate Lingor smashed in, Sandra Smisek tapped in and Prinz’s header completed her hat-trick. Smisek netted with a drive, then a tap-in, before Correa fumbled in again. It was a torrid match for Correa who had no help from her defenders most of the match but her two fumbles will certainly haunt her for a long time. Argentina were hoping for a better result than the 6-1 defeat from the last world cup when they also played Germany. The two countries are certainly a gulf apart in womans football which can be said about a lot of countries compared to the likes of Germany. I hope we will see more competitive matches than this one in this years world cup or it could be very disappointing unless you are German.

This result does not make good reading for English fans who alongside Japan are also in the same group as Germany and Argentina. It may not have been a very good display by Argentina especially Correa but the Germans will be fired up in their next matches and they look very tough to beat, as they have proved to be in recent years.