While I'm at it, now that I've finally caught last week's Brazil vs Australia quarterfinal, can I just briefly note how un-fucking-believable the pace and tenacity of the Matildas is? They're like a grown-up version of the New Zealand girls who were so chin-up against Brazil, and both were a treat to watch. Brazil has the class to blow smaller teams out of the water, but their disorganization and lapses of concentration left a lot of opportunities for the Aussies to just tear them up with the lightning speed of Lisa De Vanna and Sarah Walsh. I thought Brazil was on their way to a rout with their early goals before De Vanna jumped on a lazy backpass streaking in out of nowhere to beat the keeper to it and tear Australia's way back into the game. In the second half the Aussies tied it up at 2-2 on a funky setpiece, taking free kick short and then sailing it in for the black blur that was blonde wisp Lauren Colthorpe flying in to snap a wicked header into goal a split second before Brazilian keeper Andreia would have snared it. It was epic, and had Sarah Walsh been able to get onto the end of just one of the long passes zipped ahead of the defense for her, this could have been the upset of the tournament. This is why I'm such a cheerleader for getting another proper women's league started in the United States: players like this should have a stage to play on, and we're the only market that can support them. until the summer of 2009 is going to be a long wait.
Brazil 3 - 2 Australia
'4 Formiga
'23 Marta (pen)
'36 De Vanna
'68 Colthorpe
'75 Cristiane
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