It was not all smiles for our ladies in China this morning, as outsiders North Korea earned a 2-2 draw against the US. North Korea actually held a 2-1 lead in the second half before Heather O'Reilly tied it up. Abby Wambach scored the first goal, but then took a head or elbow to the back of her head and had to go off for stitches. While she was out, the Koreans scored two goals to take the lead. The rain they played in affected the first one, it slipped through Hope Solo's hands. The second was a deflection that fell for the Koreans, and they buried it. The US got their revenge with a deflection that fell for O'Reilly a few minutes later.
Luckily, the other game in the group also ended in a draw, so we're all even going into matchday 2.
If you get a chance, check out the goal Japan scored in the 94th minute to tie England, Mr. Beckham would be proud of that free kick.
2 comments:
I didn't see the game, but from reading the report on FIFA, I have to ask:
Since he knew Wambach was going to be out for a few minutes (it says she even went back to the locker room!), why didn't Greg Ryan sub her off?????? Is she really that important to the team?
And why did Ryan wait until the 92nd to make his first sub?
Sounds like he's getting substitution lessons from Preki...
While I think Ryan was crazy not to make a sub until stoppage time, I can't get too upset about the issue on Wambach's injury.
She is that important to the team. She's the most dangerous player in women's soccer today, she's big and strong and almost impossible to mark. I used to dismiss her as a thug (back in her Florida days when she could just run through people), she's improved greatly over the years and is a very skilled finisher. Her time in the WUSA with Mia Hamm was huge in her development.
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