This was nearly a real shocking upset. Nobody really knew how good North Korea was coming into this game, because they close all their practices and only really appear outside of their country to play in Asian qualifiers, but I have to say they looked pretty sharp to me, dominating possession with a quick, controlled passing game in the pouring rain, with that up-tempo high endurance style I've seen from the South Korean men. They really challenged US keeper Hope Solo, and came pretty close to winning the game outright. In a Group of Death, with the USA, Sweden, and Nigeria, North Korea just dropped a bomb. As the Captain might say, by doing so well against they US ladies they proved they're real Weapons of Miss Destruction. (Okay, I'm done now.)
One of the most striking differences between men's and women's internationals beyond the significant increase in ponytails is the difference in goalkeeping... it makes a big difference when you can't throw into goal a 6'6" Edwin van der Sar who has the range to reach both posts and touch the crossbar without leaving his feet. (To borrow a line from Bill Cosby the freakishly tall and thin Van der Sar looks like you could grab him by the ankles and use him to retrieve your ball out the storm drain.) Hope Solo, the US keeper who is a fine athlete in every sense of the word, had a couple balls go off her hands today to dangerous effect, one deflecting into the goal behind her for Korea's first goal, and it's not clear if it was the muddy ball or just her small, manicured hands, but she was being tested from long range all day. The second Korean goal came off a deflection recovered by Kim and fired into the corner, not giving Solo much of a chance.
The US hasn't lost a game in like three years, so it's actually a blast to see them go down a goal to the PRK and have to battle back, and really be challenged, unlike in the past when teams would bunker down and play 10 women behind the ball. The Group of Death is certainly living up to its name out of the gate, and I hope starting out against somebody who isn't afraid of them gets this generation of US women fired up to win the whole thing in style.
USA 2 – 2 PRK
'50 Wambach
'58 Kil
'62 Kim
'69 O'Reilly
One of the most striking differences between men's and women's internationals beyond the significant increase in ponytails is the difference in goalkeeping... it makes a big difference when you can't throw into goal a 6'6" Edwin van der Sar who has the range to reach both posts and touch the crossbar without leaving his feet. (To borrow a line from Bill Cosby the freakishly tall and thin Van der Sar looks like you could grab him by the ankles and use him to retrieve your ball out the storm drain.) Hope Solo, the US keeper who is a fine athlete in every sense of the word, had a couple balls go off her hands today to dangerous effect, one deflecting into the goal behind her for Korea's first goal, and it's not clear if it was the muddy ball or just her small, manicured hands, but she was being tested from long range all day. The second Korean goal came off a deflection recovered by Kim and fired into the corner, not giving Solo much of a chance.
The US hasn't lost a game in like three years, so it's actually a blast to see them go down a goal to the PRK and have to battle back, and really be challenged, unlike in the past when teams would bunker down and play 10 women behind the ball. The Group of Death is certainly living up to its name out of the gate, and I hope starting out against somebody who isn't afraid of them gets this generation of US women fired up to win the whole thing in style.
USA 2 – 2 PRK
'50 Wambach
'58 Kil
'62 Kim
'69 O'Reilly
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