Garrick
Awesome, lid.
Dude, women's footie is totally legit now. It's even going to be in FIFA, brah.
Another Everton season wraps up, another international footie-filled summer begins. This summer, we Yanks have a legitimate chance of picking up two trophies this summer. One is the Gold Cup, which nobody besides us and the Mexicans care about anyway, and the Women's World Cup, which... Not many people care about either.
BUT IT'S GOT WORLD CUP IN THE TITLE. AND WE'VE WON IT TWICE. WE'VE EVEN GOT THE STARS ON THE CREST AND EVERYTHING. USA USA USA
YEAH.
In all seriousness, the sport has been growing in profile. Ever so slowly. A new nation won the 'Cup for the first time ever last time around. The NWSL, the latest iteration of the US's professional women's soccer league, has entered it's 3rd season. USWNT virtual domination of the sport in the 90's has faded as more and more national teams are competitive.
Yet, at the same time, this entire competition will be played on artificial turf, so FIFA definitely aren't taking it too seriously yet, and Germany just blasted Ivory Coast 10-0 in their opening group stage map, so maybe the competitiveness has got a wee bit to go yet.
No matter. We're still gonna win this thing and love every minute of it.
We've got the talent to do it. Whether they're clicking or not is another question. The last friendly in the run-up to the 'Cup was a less-than-inspiring 0-0 draw vs South Korea. The defense held strong (my guess is that Hope Solo rules by fear), but the offense was unable to put it together. Canadian defector Sydney Leroux was unable to click with strike partner Abby Wambach.
Cause for concern? Well, maybe, this USWNT is still very, very good, but it's also in one of the most difficult groups in, well, ever. The 2nd, 5th, and 10th best ranked teams in the world with the best team in Africa thrown in for good measure.
Yikes.
The campaign begins against Australia tonight. They even have their own version of Tim Cahill, 4 foot 9 inch striker Katrina Gorry, who, much like the Evertonian corner flag puncher, scores a lot of goals in a package that you really wouldn't expect to.
Maybe it's something about being from the land where it literally rains spiders? Who knows.
For the Yanks, Alex Morgan is expected to make her return from knee injury to revive a floundering 'Murrican offense. Not a moment too soon, Alex. Not a moment too soon.
And this is the point in the preview where I'm fully aware that I know next to nothing about women's football, so now I will switch to insulting Australians.
VEGEMITE TASTES HORRIBLE.
TONY ABBOTT IS AN ABSOLUTE BELLEND OF GEORGE W BUSH PROPORTIONS.
HE JUST DOESN'T GET THE CREDIT 'CUZ HE RUNS SOME OVERSIZED ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH WILDLIFE THAT'S TRYING TO KILL EVERYBODY ON IT.
THE YANKS ARE COMING.
