Standing ovation as the teams enter the stadium for the anthems. Anyone who suggested that Mexican fans would outnumber Canadian fans….hope you didn’t put money on that. This is overwhelmingly a Canadian crowd.

So Canada opt for

Leblanc

Wilkinson, Woeller, Chapman, Sesselmann

Scott, Schmidt, Parker, Sinclair

Tancredi, Julien

An aggressive, attacking formation that could at times look more like a 4-3-3 when Sinclair pushes up and presumedly Parker would sit in front of Scott and Schmidt. We’ll see.

Mexico go with:

Santiago, Sandoval, Rowold, Mendez, Noyola (NCAA player of the year), Diaz, Dominguez, Garza, Ocampo, Ruiz, Perez

Brazen prediction: 2-0 Canada

Game on!

• Canada winning the early midfield battles with Schmidt looking sharp but the Mexicans grouped up in the corner are far louder than the Voyageurs thus far.
• Tancredi has got to stay more central. Coming wide for balls is not her game and not what Canada need from her this game.
• The Canada midfield is Scott in the holding role with Schmidt to the left and Parker to the right. Anyone’s guess if Sinclair is a mid or a striker but she’s already been dangerous once.
• Parker finally involved with a nicely weighted ball in the box for Tancredi but Julien should be looking to get onto those balls. She’s been invisible so far.
• Increasingly Mexico are just launching long balls up to a solo Dominguez. Chapman and Woeller dealing with these easily.
• 1-0 Canada in the 15th minute! Tancredi finally stays central and acts as a target perfectly laying a ball on for Sinclair coming from a deep position. Takes a touch and slots high on Santiago. Nicely executed goal and that’s what Tancredi needs to do. Act as a target against the smaller Mexican defenders. That ball was laid off perfectly.
• Noyola’s playing in the hole behind Dominguez but Scott is picking her up and dominating the battles and that space in general.
• Sinclair releases Tancredi clear through with a great one touch half volley pass on the turn. Herdmann is definitely onto something playing Sinclair where he has her now.
• Fantastic second goal by Canada with Sinclair one of the architects again. Neat ball played in to her by Wilkinson and she angles it through to Parker one touch but gets studded harshly in the process. Parker’s one touch to Tancredi, posting up in the middle is met with a first time finish past a helpless Santiago in goal. Scored in the 23rd minute.
• Now that everyone’s taken their seats I’d put the crowd closer to 18000.
• You can sense Christina Julien is getting frustrated. Can’t seem to get going and not getting much of the ball. Canadian midfielders doing very, very well; particularly Sinclair and Scott.
• Dominguez’ frustration shows as she chops Sinclair and gets a yellow. Jawing ensues. Sinclair laughs at her and trots off. Nice.
• Desiree Scott mops up more than a supermarket janitor after an earthquake.
• End of the first half and Canada is cruising. Took their foot off a bit after the second goal but maybe that’s just because Sinclair picked up a knock and isn’t 100%. Canada goes as she goes unfortunately.

A very assured performance by Canada in front of a boisterous home crowd. Waaayyy more atmosphere here than at a Canucks game and they are feeding off it. Canadian midfielders dominated that half and if they play as well and composed as this against the States, assuming they hold on for the win, it will be a very interesting game on Sunday.

• Wow. Noyola off at the half. That’s how much Scott had her in her pocket.
• Frustrations continue for Julien. Gaping net from 12 yards and a Mexican defender just gets enough of a toe on it to deflect her shot wide for a corner.
• Mexico come close. Guajardo, who came on at the half, blows by Sesselmann and puts a great low cross in. Brilliantly defended by Chapman. Mexico come close again off the ensuing corner. Game is not over…
• Kyle warming up. Comes in for Julien. She did struggle.
• Sinclair pushes up to a proper striker position and Schmidt takes her place at centre mid. Kyle in on the left.
• Good sub. Gives us a more defensive look in midfield but puts Sinclair higher up the field where she will worry Mexico’s central defenders.
• Canada is 30 minutes from a summer in London.
• Can see Sesselmann being the next off. Doesn’t look 100% and Mexico seem to attack her whenever they can now.
• Yep. Melanie Booth comes on for Sesselmann who was injured in the first game vs Cuba. Canada down to one sub left.
• Mexico pushing now. Leblanc tested on a solid rip.
• 2-1. Ensuing corner is punched clear but a howitzer from Perez running in as it rolled out to the 18 means it is GAME ON.
• Sinclair gives up possession cheaply and three seconds later Canada are dealing with a dangerous ball into their box….again.
• Canada starting to make a meal of this. Mexico bossing possession. Tancredi frustrated after being obviously fouled, getting no call and then being told to go off (even though no medical attention provided)
• Wow. Schmidt off for Timko in the 75 minute. Not sure about that one.
• Sinclair in the 76th minute! 3-1! Tancredi with the retro long ball over the top to an on rushing Sinclair who takes it the bounce and knocks it over Santiago’s head. Crowd noticeably relieved.
• 22954 announced crowd. CONCACAF Olympic women’s qualifying record.
• Calling it now with four minutes to go: Desiree Scott – Player of the Game
• Even though Sinclair has two and set up the other, I think the work rate and consistent destroyer work she’s done as a holding mid has been exemplary and incredibly important for stretches when Canada was under pressure.
• It’s over. Canada to the Olympics. Tears on both sides on the field. Canadian players ecstatic. They were made to earn it in the end. Players taking a well earned victory lap. And then they go mob Kara Lang working field level at the Sportsnet set. Great moment.
• So it’s Air Sinclair to London this summer.
• Half an hour after the final whistle and the  players are all still signing autographs. Women’s soccer is a different world.

USA start:

Solo, Rampone, O’Hara (good call), Lepeilbet, Boxx, O’Reilly, Lloyd, Cheney, Heath (didn’t see that coming), Beuehler, Wambach.

Costa Rica:

Miranda, Barrantes, Saenz, Sanchez, Campos, Cruz, Rodriguez, Alvarado, Sanchez, Acosta

Prediction: at least 6-0 for the State. They are just too strong and the Costa Rican back four will struggle against the onslaught of their crosses…as will their keeper I suspect.

5′: US have settled into their traditional rhythm and are working the flanks relentlessly. Coast Rican pressure on the ball is good but they are definitely on their heels and the States, more and more are penetrating and already getting in behind full backs.

10′: You can already see the hesitation in the Costa Ricans when they do have possession. Too few actually look like they really want the ball. The difference in movement off the ball between the Americans (all of them want the ball, all of them move off the ball to receive it, all of them shout for it) compared to CR is huge. As good as the CR 1v1 defending is right now you cede this much of the ball to the States and expect to have a chance to win.

15′: The Costan Rican strategy of pulling two defenders out to deal with any US wide player trying to get a cross in was working very well…until they blocked a cross and gave up a corner. 1-0. Tobin Heath with the headed goal of the second ball after Boxx(?) headed initiallyand was denied.

19′: Buehler with a poor attempt at a headed clearance gifts Costa Rica with a very good chance only to see if hit well within Solo’s wheelhouse. Meanwhile it’s back to the Costa Rican end of the field for more last ditch defending off crosses.

26′: Costa Rica really asking questions of the US back four and the answers are hardly reassuring for Sundhage. In behind for a chance and a rocket off the post/bar. This is the most the US have been tested to this point in the tournament. Great spell for CR. Now they are playing with confidence.

33′: Getting a bit testy. Handbags at close quarters. Costan Rican lucky to stay on after taking a swipe at someone off the ball. Costan Rica needed that. Need to show themselves  they aren’t intimidated by the States in any regard.

39′: The argy-bargy continues as Wambach launches into CR keeper Miranda as she comes for a cross from a free kick that was itself the result of an obvious foul by CR.

43′: CR back four incredibly disciplined still. Shape is excellent and their line seems to always be just right.

Not sure what’s more impressive…American ball movement or Costa Rican 1v1 defending. The US 1-0 lead at the half is deserved but does not flatter Costa Rica. They’ve had chances and spells where they look composed and confident. If they can continue to do an excellent marking job on wide players and deny crosses into the box they are in with a chance to equalize and throw a fright into the States. It’s hard work though and it’s a matter of whether they considerably more athletic Americans simply wear them down until the defensive lapses start.

Second half has started

47′: Don’t really like saying this but the CR keeper will do herself a big favour if she comes out for the next cross with a high knee and drifts it into the nearest American. She needs to let them know they can’t take liberties and needs to buy herself a bit more space to gather these crosses. Her defenders are giving no quarter, she needs to do the same.

51′: Costa Rica still too reliant on the fact that Wambach is having a stinker. Odds are she will eventually click into gear. They can’t keep conceding corners. They just can’t compete with the US aerial arsenal.

55′: Should have noted that this is not the same CR keeper that played against Canada.

58′: US now repeatedly putting four players right around CR keeper Miranda on corners, boxing her in. Defenders trying to help clear a path to the ball for her but she’s going to have to sort some people out herself. This is not sustainable as another corner is whipped in right above her starting position.

63′: Heath off for USA, Alex Morgan on. Striker for striker.

65′: Barrentes off for CR, Lixy Rodrigues on. Striker for striker

68′: Rare second half attack for CR; crowd roars its approval. Voyageurs in full voice for the underdogs.

69′: Brutal dive by Morgan fools the ref. USA with free kick in very dangerous spot. Llloyd rockets it just wide. Second time she’s come close on free kicks this half.

70′: O’Reilly off, Amy Rodriguez on. Thinking Rodriguez will play a bit narrower and like to shoot compared to the wider playing O’Reilly.

71′: Lloyd makes it 2-0 after Wambach gets through, tries to chip Miranda but the combination of her fingertips slowing it down and a desperate goal line clearance by a diving defender in behind her see it cleared to the top of the box where it’s settled and Lloyd rockets it low beyond the recovering Miranda.

78′: Wambach flubs another header. She’s been really poor this game.

80′: Boxx off for US, Rapinoe in.

89′: Morgan scores after incisive run to the goal sees her cut off but fortuitous bounce brings ball back to her and she finishes nicely from in close.

Costa Rica faded by the end but still leave the game with some degree of pride as they hold the States to just three goals. They initially did a great job denying the Americans crosses from wide positions but gradually as the US possession started taking its toll, the Costa Ricans just couldn’t keep pace and it was one way traffic with two goals being the American reward.

The Costa Rican women’s program is clearly in the ascendancy though and they will grow as a force here. Canada and Mexico would do well to keep an eye on them in the next few years as they’ll likely be nipping at their heels.

Next up. Canada v Mexico in an hour.

Here’s what has surprised me tactically in a lot of the games. Set pieces can be the great equalizer when a weaker team is taking on a stronger team. If you are struggling to get possession in the attacking third and put dangerous balls into scoring areas, you should be looking at any free kick within 35 yards or corner kick as an opportunity to score. You should come into games where you are the distinct underdog with a bevy of well-rehearsed set pieces and the grimmest of determination to be first to balls played into the box.

I watched several of the weaker teams set up for corners and free kicks and leave 3 or 4 players back to cover a lone striker. When Guatemala was losing to the States but by a still respectable margin, they left three back to cover one striker, put two players on the ball for a wide free kick and then had another drifting between the 18 and the centre circle, neither covering an opponent nor anywhere near where the ball might land from a poor clearance. They ended up putting a half decent ball in the box but it was four against nine defenders (plus Solo in goal). They might as well have just kicked it our for a goal kick.

Now look at how the Americans approach set pieces. They don’t need to put a massive emphasis on them because they dominate possession and chances already and can be somewhat assured that their build up play will lead to goals from open play. But they do put a huge emphasis on them both attacking wise and defensively. Three of their four goals last night against Mexico came from set pieces. All four came from crosses which was what the bulk of my strategy for beating the States is based on: denying balls wide that lead to crosses. They didn’t even need Abby Wambach to be on the end of those crosses last night as their depth ensured that others would jump up (literally) and do the scoring.

So what did the Mexicans try to do to put the US off their game. They took a different approach to what I was suggesting and seemed to often pressure high with three forwards. That’s actually an interesting take as so many possessions start with Solo rolling or passing the ball out to defenders. I don’t rate the central defenders on the ball nearly as much as most of their others players so if the Mexicans thought, right, it’s worth taking a chance getting stretched here if we can pinch the odd ball of a centre back before she can distribute. Didn’t really work though as despite the Mexicans high work rate all over the field in the first half (second half they were pretty much gassed and faded noticeably when the third goal went in), the ball still found its way to wide channels and to the feet of players like O’Reilly and Rodriguez whose crosses found targets that either scored or had shots that led to follow up chances for players like Lloyd.

The other aspect of the Mexican defending that stood out was their willingness to be chippy. Almost from the start there was lots of late challenges, stepping on feet, kicking heels, leading with knees into tackles, forearms flying. It struck me that there’s probably a bit of socio-politics that goes into these games as there used to be when the Czechs played the Russians in hockey games in the 70′s and 80′s. Was it a tactic or was it just resentment towards the big, rich neighbour to the north that had been laying beatings on fellow campesinos in earlier games? Regardless, it was hard to ignore and even though the Mexican work rate faded in the second half and it became less of a contest technically (I recall that the possession stats at half time were almost 50-50), the physical aspect of the Mexican game did not diminish and there several ‘hard’ fouls right up until the final whistle. The Americans made a wise decision to pull Wambach off given her history of injuries and the fact she’d already been kicked twice and seemed to be feeling them.

But to their credit, the Mexicans showed in the first half that a combination of harrying pressure all over the field and the occasional attempt at intimidation put some of the Americans off their game and their passing was not nearly as impressive. Shooters were met with Mexicans more than willing to throw themselves in harm’s way and the US women had much less success beating defenders 1v1 than they’ve had previously in the tournament. In the first half, it was looking like a contest and even when the first goal went in, doom did not descend. It did make a cameo soon after though when the second followed onto the first a minute later. They just couldn’t sustain it and some point early in the second half they dug in and seemed to more or less accept that this was now more about containment and respect would be in the form of keeping the scoring from getting out of hand rather than getting a result.

Still, as Craig Forrest noted during the broadcast, why they never forced Solo to kick a long goal kick or pressured her more with the ball at her feet when she was obviously nursing some sort of muscle strain is hard to understand. Someone, their coach really, should have noted her discomfort early on and played to that but they didn’t, so she got a free pass and never had to test her dodgy peg with a long clearance.

If you are playing a team like the States you are scrapping for whatever you can get and looking for any edge that could get you a chance, a goal, a result. Mexico didn’t do enough to stop crosses coming in so they conceded four goals off of them. They didn’t take better advantage of their set pieces in the attacking third and they didn’t pick up on things like the American keeper being hobble and limited to short side foot passes.

If Costa Rica don’t pick up on these sorts of things in their game the score will likely be double what Mexico conceded. If Canada don’t maximize their odds tactically, assuming they face the US in the final, it won’t be a blowout but it will still be a victory for the States.

There are some who say the women’s game will never be as good as the men’s game because the men’s game is faster and more physical. Perhaps. But the point for now is that it can be much better still than it is and we should be seeing the same level of technical proficiency and tactical nous here in Canada as we see in other western countries with similar populations. I don’t think we’re there yet but the progress under Morace and now Herdman is clear. We just have to hope that there’s a large contingent of 16-20 year olds coming through the system who can buttress the squad and provide competition for spots so that the next ten years sees continued improvement. After all, Christine Sinclair turns 29 this year.

The US Women’s national team however is considerably further down that road. As a country with ten times the population of Canada and a stronger cultural commitment to elite athletics than Canada you would expect this to be the case. It will be difficult catching up to the impressive abilities they have shown in recent years and of course in their first two games here in Vancouver. And while the Americans have dominated women’s soccer in the Olympics (three gold medals in the four Olympic Games that have included women’s soccer), they have not won a World Cup now in twelve plus years with their last win coming in 1999.

So they can be beaten. Sweden played them three times last year beating them twice and drawing once. England also beat them in a friendly and Canada even got a draw last fall in a friendly.

I’ve had the luxury of watching several of the Olympic qualifiers from the press box where I’ve been blogging my take on them as the game goes on. Today I watched the US team play but took a different tact. I tried to see what they do well, who they play through and how you would go about limiting their effectiveness. It’s ridiculous to think that you can, even if you watched them a dozen times, come up with a foolproof plan to nullify their potency and guarantee yourself a result. They are really in another realm within CONCACAF for the most part and while they have some aging legs, they have a lot of depth and that depth, in the form of players like O’Hara, Leroux and Morgan, shows this is not going to be a team that has a ‘golden generation’ of players and then goes to the back burner for a decade or so. The States will be a force in women’s soccer perpetually with their commitment to excellence in their youth systems, comprehensive national team development programs and highly competitive collegiate leagues.

So what can a team like Canada do to give themselves a chance to beat the States? Here’s my take.

We can’t play 4-4-2 against them and we can’t afford to play Christine Sinclair up front.

She’s too good to be marginalized in a game where we are going to struggle to have possession of the ball more than 40% of the game and we need the numbers in midfield as well as midfielders who can keep the ball and use it smartly every time. I would play her as an attacking central midfielder or false nine in a 4-2-3-1 with the mobility that Christina Julien offers giving her a better chance of being a threat against the American centre backs than Melissa Tancredi in my opinion. Sinclair played this role in the Cuba game in the first half and the diversity she’s added to her game under Morace, and the fitness that Morace demanded of her, leave her capable of the type of work this position demands.

The attacking shape of the American 4-4-2 system is predicated of quickly establishing width through both full backs and both wide mids. It’s almost robotic how the wide players get their heels on the line and show for the ball.

Width does two things. It either allows you to release those wide players to attack defenders 1v1 in wide channels if defenders don’t go out quick and far enough to shut down passes to them or it spreads teams defensively if they do go wide to cut out these passes. The American team is good enough to take deadly advantage of both the wide abilities of players like O’Hara (note how many goals the last two games were scored from crosses) and also via slide rule balls from players like Rapinoe to players like Wambach making angled runs beyond defenders towards goal.

So what do you do when each mode of attack has proven effective and the U.S. can employ a variety of players to carry out each?

First thing you do is shrink the field. This idea that Canada used to pursue, of high pressure, is completely outdated in the face of the technical ability teams like the States have to play through shotgun blast pressure. Drop off to the half and condense the field.

From there have Julien sit between one of the central defenders and the outside back she’s nearest to and force play one way or the other. By forcing the ball one way and cutting off balls that are aimed at coming back through the centre backs to switch play, Julien will allow a more concise defensive shape to emerge.

First of all, the starting eleven I’ve picked for the USA in the diagram below is a (perhaps mis-) educated guess as to what they will field against Canada. They could start Leroux just to wind us up but she’s more likely to come off the bench at some point.

For Canada though, that’s what I would go with. Chapman and Moscato anchoring the back with Wilkinson and Booth outside. I’d then put Sophie Schmidt and Desiree Scott as two holding mids that track across and look to block passing lanes to strikers feet. This will be important and hard work because I would ask the outside backs to over play their opposing wide mids and make the central mids hesitant to play balls to their feet. They don’t have to get tight on them but close enough to put off the passer from going there. Yes, this opens up space in behind the outside backs and that’s dangerous but the reality is that you are not going to come up with a defensive system against a team this good that does not give something away.

As most of the service to the wide mids (and overlapping outside backs) comes from central midfield it then becomes incumbent on Canada having the ability to boss the two central defenders and that’s were Parker, Kyle and Sinclair come in. If they can play 3v2 against their two central mids they will hopefully be able to pressure them enough that they will create turnovers or at the very least rushed passes that don’t find their wide targets (due to Wilkinson and Booth being pushed up) and can’t get through to Wambach and Cheney. If they can create turnovers in the middle of the park they will be well placed to counter attack through Sinclair, Parker and Julien against two centre backs that I think may be the States achilles heel.

But this only works if the three mids in front of Scott and Schmidt can minimize the supply of balls played wide and the two holding mids can make it difficult to thread balls to the feet of American strikers. There is no point in flooding midfield if the American midfielders can still get enough time to play the balls they want to play.

The other key to the game is that Candace Chapman has to be able to nullify Abby Wambach and that is next to impossible. Wambach is a force unlike almost any other in women’s soccer. She’s big and strong but can score with her feet from outside the box and also with deft flicks in the box. Her movement is outstanding as she times runs impeccably to stay onside but get beyond defenders. She has great instincts when she can see a cross coming in and pulls into blind spots for defenders that make it very difficult to track both the ball coming over on the cross (generally with pace) and Wambach’s run. She is all but unbeatable in the air if she gets a free jump at it. Chapman will have to impede her runs, use her arms to jostle as she jumps and time her jumps less to win headers but rather to ensure Wambach doesn’t win them. All fairly negative tactics but well employed by centre backs in the men’s game.

You can do all the outlined midfield work perfectly and shut down almost all the favoured options of the US midfield but it just takes one half decent flighted ball to Wambach and it all that effort comes undone.

Those are the specifics in terms of roles and responsibilities for individual players. There’s lots of general points though that any team facing a superior opponent has to be cognizant of. Here’s a list of things that would’ve helped Dominican Republic and Guatemala in their games against the States (besides “play with pop up mini goals” and/or “make the Americans play with blindfolds”)

1. Track runners. Don’t allow easy targets for the Americans to pick out by letting them run off you and pretend you’re marking them when you’re five yards away and not goal-side. Track runs so that the person making the pass either looks for another option or really has to thread a ball in perfectly.
2. Effective clearances; they will create more than enough chances on their own, they don’t need to be gifted second chances from poor clearances that allow another attempt at goal. If you don’t have time to bring down a ball and pick out a teammate to retain possession, make sure clearances clear out of immediate shooting range and ideally are played to an open part of the field where you can compete for the loose ball.
3. Value possession. All over the field. Every minute you have the ball, they don’t and unless you park one in your own goal, they won’t score while you have it.
4. Immediately pressure shooting opportunities. They will shoot from anywhere in 30 yards if they are given the opportunity and think it’s on. Pressure the ball and be prepared to block shots fearlessly.
5. Attack selectively but with commitment and numbers when you do; you cannot afford to get caught often on the break.
6. Contain Rapinoe in general; she’s very good 1v1, good passer, strikes the ball well at goal and links well with strikers on the ground.

The last thing I’ll add is that while it’s highly unlikely John Herdman is even thinking about how to beat the Americans. His job is to get this team to the Olympics and that means beating Costa Rica on Monday so they maximize their chances of avoiding the Americans in the semi finals and then beating Mexico who they would likely face if they do beat Costa Rica. Those tactics I’ll leave to him…

• G: McLeod
• D: Woeller, Booth, Gayle, Moscato
• M: Mottershead, Kyle, Timko, Sinclair
• F:, Tancredi, Buckland

Much bigger crowd tonight. Probably closing in on 10 000.

First half

• This will be a good test of Canada’s depth.
• Herdman obviously watched Cuba play and saw that Cuba’s Martinez (8) and Ellis (11) are the ones to worry about. Despite the ball being in Cuba’s end almost continuously from the start, he’s still on his centre backs to sit in positions that will deny Martinez the ability to get a ball to her feet and turn.
• Interesting seeing Sinclair play as an attacking centre mid. Emphasis on attacking. It almost looks like a 4-3-3- at times.
• 15 minutes in and aside from a Sinclair header off a corner Canada really haven’t done much.
• After a very quiet start, marked by some poor decisions on the ball, Kyle drives smartly into the box and draws a legit penalty which Sinclair slots confidently. 1-0 Canada in the 17th minute
• Gayle at right back is struggling to get involved and she’s playing against a suspect Cuban defender if she could get forward and get the ball.
• Tancredi very quiet as well.
• Gayle finally gets forward, megs her mark and puts the best cross of the game so far into the box. No one on the other end though.
• Lovely second goal. Quick, incisive pass from Mottershead, angled perfectly for a streaking Sinclair to get beyond her mark and cross first time to Tancredi at the far post who just had to keep it on target. Two great balls and a confident header from Tancredi.
• The ball is rarely out of Cuba’s half and Canada have found their stride.
• Cuba’s back line is just too ragged. They don’t push as a unit and against good strikers who can make a yard of space look like a km…it will cost them.
• This is turning into 8v9 in the Cuban defensive third. They leave one up, Martinez, and Canada leave two centre backs behind to cover the threat. Mottershead doing a good job quarterbacking. Spraying balls wide and slicing balls into strikers feet very well
• Herdman is the most vocal person in BC Place.
• Chelsea Buckland’s missed two sitters now. Now that I’ve posted that she’ll no doubt score a cracker
• Half time and the Cubans seem more content with the result than Canada

Second half

• Sinclair wisely rested for the second half. Sophie Schmidt on in her place.
• Buckland with a nice move to the end line and a perfect rolled ball back to Schmidt who finishes the move with a clunker right in the keepers arms. That should have been the third.
• Booth out, Chelsea Stewart in.
• This game is stuck in dullsville
• Martinez gets in behind Woeller and Moscato on good long ball. McLeod though, reads it early and very well and comes 30 yards to clear it before Martinez can get a touch
• Kelly Parker in, Buckland off. Timko pushed up to striker as Parker settles into her office on the right side of midfield
• Herdman demanding quicker ball movement; asking players to play two touch
• Blatant hand ball of a Kyle shot not called. Officiating lacking quality much like Canada in the second half. They simply have to do better than this in terms of the last ball into the box.
• Officially left Dullsville and headed for Grimsville
• 12417 announced crowd
• Gayle is one of the few with naturally strong 1v1 attacking ability but just hasn’t applied it as much as I’d like to see. Creative moves, pace and knocks a good ball in.

While it was all good and noble for Herdmann to get all the players some playing time it really just served to expose the lack of attacking depth they have and the scary degree to which they’re reliant on Sinclair. Costa Rica will realize this was not Canada’s top eleven but it will still give them hope that they are within a few lucky breaks of beating Canada and avoiding the States in the semis.

Here’s the final stats for the game:

Statistics/Estadísticas                                       CANADA                         CUBA

1. Goal Attempts/Tiros Totales                               26                                     0
2. Shots on Target    /Tiros al Arco                          14                                     0
3. Saves/Atajadas                                                        0                                        11
4. Fouls/Faltas                                                             7                                        9
5. Corner Kicks/Tiros de Esquina                           14                                      0
6. Offsides/Fuera de Lugar                                       2                                         0

Stats are not always the best indicator of how a game played out but when they’re this one-sided it’s realistic to expect that more than two goals should go in.

Haiti need to combine better in the middle and attacking third to keep possession but that will be difficult against a very skilled Costa Rican team that dominated the middle of the field against Cuba in its first game. For Costa Rica it’s really a matter of finding their shooting boots. They are confident on the ball from front to back and know a victory tonight combined with a Canada win will put them in the semi finals.

The warm ups for both teams were indicative of where they’re at. Costa Rica’s was very organized and functional. Emphasis on possession games and finishing. Haiti was more basic technique work.

First half – on the fly

• A couple of very solid tackles from Haiti early on. One results in a totally undeserved yellow card. All ball.
• When Costa Rica are in possession everything is on the ground unless they’re crossing from a wide position into the box. Impressive.
• Halfway through it’s been a bit sloppy. Costa Rica not penetrating and Haiti’s work rate and determination are making this interesting. Lots of strong challenges.
• Haiti’s keeper stacks the pads and make the old double knee save on the best chance of the game in the 29th minute!
• Fiorda Charles, #6 for Haiti, really throws herself at corners when she comes up from the back. Could see her scoring against this relatively smaller CR team
• More poor finishing from CR keeps it 0-0. They can’t afford this here and they definitely can’t afford it against the top flight teams if they make the semis.
• I don’t think you’ll see many teams with the resolve and physical determination of this Haiti team. They want every loose ball and they are fully committed in the tackle and holding each other totally accountable. Can hear them snapping on each other from here when they aren’t happy about something!
• 4 mins of first half injury time gives you some indication of the tackles flying around.

0-0 at the half is a confidence booster for Haitia and a concern for Costa Rica. CR are far more respectful of Haiti’s attack and seldom leave themselves with just one extra defender at the back. It’s limiting their ability to get people forward and that’s starting to force CR to knock longer diagonal balls to forwards rather than continue to persist with the ground game through the midfield.

It’s still Costa Rica’s game to win but Haiti will not go quietly and if a scrappy goal wins this game it’s more likely to be Haiti that get it.

Second half - on the fly

• 49th minute. Great left foot strike on the turn on the second touch from Wendy Acosta leaves Haitian keeper Saintilus no chance as it goes just inside far post. 1-0 CR.
• Haiti still tentative. Leaving three back to mark one CR striker when they go forward.
• Haiti’s best spell leads to their best chance. Well saved by CR GK Arias. Following corner leads to scramble in front but no goal for Haiti.
• Poorly cleared free kick by Haiti leads to second chance inside their six and Acosta gets her second of the game; third of the tournament. Totally unnecessary goal to give up and just when Haiti were asserting themselves in attack.
• Replay of Acosta’s second goal shows her out jumping three Haitian defenders and the gk. Just wanted it more which is surprising given Haiti’s ferocity on loose balls to this point. So much for my prediction that a goal of the scrappy sort would be one scored by Haiti.
• Haiti back on the ascendancy here with a couple of very close calls. Need to keep committing players forward. One goal and this becomes a very interesting last 20 minutes.
• The game is losing its life in the last ten minutes. CR captain Daniela Cruz’s late, studs up tackle on Haiti’s captain Kencia Marseille may have ended the Haitian’s game.
• Nope, she’s back on. That was a bad foul she was subjected to.
• Ends 2-0 for Costa Rica.

Everything about how Costa Rica presents themselves suggests a country that is going in the right direction with it’s women’s teams. They play a very progressive style with every player obviously encouraged to work to keep the ball. Their shape is disciplined and they showed they can handle the physical side of the game. Beyond this, the team is well staffed and from the pre game warm up to the professional approach shown through the game, they are cultivating an atmosphere that indicates they want to keep improving until they are a force in women’s soccer.

Sadly, one of their players fell awkwardly in an aerial challenge right at the end of the game (can’t see her number) and is being taken away strapped down as if a spinal injury is possible. Looks like she’s going straight to the ambulance.

For Haiti, it looks like they’re tournament is over. If Canada beat Cuba (coming up in 15 minutes) they’re out.

I suggest she watch this video to see how other countries respect their opponents. It’s about the Haitian U17 Women’s team, how they were affected by the earthquake in their country two years ago (their head coach was killed, team members were left homeless and orphaned) and how it continues to affect them.

One of their first games after the earthquake was against the US U17 team. The US also won handily that day but their reaction, despite being kids, was much more empathetic. Listen also for the reference to how neighbouring countries, including the Dominican Republic, stepped in to help the Haitian U17 team in the aftermath with offers of food, shelter and training facilities.

CONCACAF struggles with incredible diversities in both wealth and levels of play within the women’s game. We don’t need the fortunate and the advanced to think celebrating goal number fourteen is showing respect for their opponents. We need more of the US U17 team and more of the spirit shown by the Dominican Republic and Panama. Otherwise, soccer is really just a game.

Vancouver United FC is having team pictures done today. Volunteers will be collecting donations to help the Haitian team as they have arrived in Vancouver for the Olympic qualifiers with very little and will return home, for the most part, to even less. Email me if you want to help.

Watch the video here.

First half notes – posted on the fly

• Only takes a minute of play to see this will be a faster, more physical game and Haiti did not come here to roll over. Pressuring Canada all over the field and a very high line that they really are going to have to watch.
• Poor organization from Haiti on a wide free kick that Canada exploited well.
• Canada have played three balls behind the high line already. One too heavy and two offside. This is the half of living dangerously for Haiti.
• And they are caught. Through ball to Sinclair who times run well and squares to Christina Julien for the tap in. 1-0.
• Haiti starting to compose themselves again.
• Voyageurs with a “Who are you! Who are you!” that’s likely meant to be a funny response to the lack of any Haitian crest on their jerseys. That could well be perceived as pretty tasteless given that Haiti was already the poorest nation in the western hemisphere before the earthquake flattened Port Au Prince and killed 200 000. Let’s just be glad they’re here.
• Haiti not sitting back and not afraid to attack Canadian defenders 1v1 but not offering much in terms of support and passing in attack.
• Haitian keeper didn’t really look the part early on but has pulled off two stunning saves so far. Agile and brave.
• Sinclair notches the tension abating second goal. Haiti really have to abandon this suicidal high line now that Canada, especially Sinclair, has sussed it out and delayed runs in behind. She will eat this up all night. Keeper reverted to early form stabbing a foot at the ball rather than diving down to get a hand on it.
• Haitian keeper has shown she has good hands on high shots. Canada should be ripping  everything hard and low. She does not like these.
• Would like to see Haiti get #19, wide on the right, into the game more. Very good 1v1 but hasn’t had the ball much. Could see her doing well and Haiti strikers look half decent if she can get service to them. (And just as I post that she gets the ball in space with a clear run at a defender and wastes the ball with a 35 yard shot that was almost 35 yards wide)
• Clincial third from Sinclair against a fading Haiti. Tancredi smartly stepped over a ball cut back from the line. Julien returned Sinclair’s earlier favour and squared for her to side foot past the keeper from 14 yards. Increasingly little resistance from Haiti now but they have adopted a more sensible line to defend from.
• Tancredi misses a sitter; free header into an empty net from six yards out and the half ends 3-0 Canada. Sesselman looked to pick up a serious injury but is now walking to the changing room. That girl has some serious hamstring muscles.
• I’d have to go with Kelly Parker and Christine Sinclair as the two best players on the field in the first half.

Second half notes – on the fly

• Sesselmann out and Chelsea Stewart in at the start of the second half.
• I know it’s against Haiti but this is some of the best build up play I’ve seen the women’s team play.
• Haitian defenders don’t mind a solid challenge; and if they get the ball it’s just a bonus!
• Schmidt out; Kyle in. Crowd favourite (Kyle) but I’ve never really seen performances that merit her inclusion in the starting lineup.
• And I think we just saw the goal of the night. Great invention from Tancredi to bloop one over her her head into Sinclair’s path. Coolly brought down and slotted for the captain’s hat trick.
• Haitian back four lost at sea  now. This could end up a rout if they don’t get some discipline back into their defending.
• Chelsea Buckland enters the game for Tancredi just in time to see a Haitian defender lay a devastating body slam…on her own goalie. [Actually the replay suggests the defender took the worst of it but it's the keeper that's down]
• Keeper sub for Haiti. This could be interesting.
• Desiree Scott very influential in the second. Breaking up Haiti in midfield and quickly starting attacks. This strong holding mid type play will be very important against Costa Rica’s gifted midfielders.
• Haiti flagging noticeably under constant Canadian pressure. Can do little but lump in as far up the field as possible when they do get it and then Canadian attack again with good ball movement. Herdman on the sidelines is really on them to to keep the ball. Has them very focused.
• Announced crowd: 7627. Seems….high.
• Dubious penalty for Canada. Great penetration in the box but it looked like Parker slipped and was not touched by the defender. Sinclair slots for her fourth of the night. Officiating has been very average in this game. Better in the first game.
• Kelly Parker gets a well deserved goal on her second whack at the ball after Chelsea Buckland did well to hold up a difficult ball at the top of the box to set up the critical pass to Parker.

Game over. I’ll maybe do some final thoughts later. Late for a pint with friends…

The subtext is whether there is still a perception that, regardless of performance levels or the overall quality of the game, women’s soccer should be ‘promoted’ by the official and/or unofficial media. That people should come out and watch it whether it’s good or not. Promotion in this context strays perilously close, for me, to pandering. We should not feel obliged to support something. You support because there’s an internal, intrinsic desire to be involved in it to some degree.

Something I’ve engrained in my players is accountability. You will be told when you do something wrong. You will be told specifics and you will be expected to take it in and work on it. You won’t be berated and it won’t be personal but you will be held accountable if poor play persists. By creating that standard they know that when they are praised, and they are praised far more than they are criticized, they will know it’s genuine and not a celebration of mediocrity.

That needs to be the case for women’s international soccer. Say it’s good when it is and use a critical eye when it’s poor. My coverage of these games will be well short of boosterism and cheerleading and long on trying to pick out the elements of the game that work well and that need work.

Costa Rica v Cuba - First half notes (posted at half time)

• Costa Rica (CR) seem to playing 3-4-3 in attack with one of the four as a false nine. Defensively looks like they drop to a 4-3-3 with two holding mids.
• Cuba (C) technique is poor. Short passes rocketed to shins and higher. Even early resorting to lumped ball to lone striker ably dealt with by CR centre backs.
• 1-0 CR. First time CR got in behind Cuba #3 (slow) resulted in good cut back and nice slot from false nine following up into the box.  CR far more athletic and technical.
• It’s been all CR, then all of a sudden CR centre backs sit off the C striker (11) and she plays a nice ball to overlapping  wide mid (8) who crosses back to 11 and a goal is saved only by diving CR player blocking a shot labeled for goal.
• CR can’t let 11 receive, turn and run at them. It’s the only time they’ve looked remotely dangerous.
• Every midfield knockdown is being won by CR. This is crucial in girls/women’s soccer because there’s so many of them. Dominating the second ball is crucial to success.
• CR LB has to wake up; only danger is coming from runs behind her by #8.
• CR literally win every knockdown off C goal kicks
• When you are defending 80% of the game, can you afford to have your best technical players, the two most capable of maintain possession, in peripheral positions? 8 is very good but gets very little of the ball as an advanced striker. Same with 11 wide on the right. Cuba needs them in the thick of things bringing balls under control in the middle of the field.
• This is the dilemma most youth coaches face (boys and girls). Disparate abilities within the same team and how best to set them out against stronger opponents.
• Cuba would not beat a U18 girls BCPL team. Fact.
• C generally well organized defensively but a three man wall on a free kick one yard off the goal line? Left them one short marking in the box. Lucky the ball was played too close to the Cuban keeper.
• The number of CR goals in the second half will be a function of Cuba’s fitness. If the Cubans start to wilt physically it could be ugly. Can easily see this ending 4 or 5-0. That said, Cuba attacked three times, all through 8 and 11 and looked dangerous each time.

Second Half: Second half notes (posted at full time)

• 53^rd minute: Second goal 7 to 20; pinpoint pass behind C rb; first time finish. Excellent technique on both the pass and finish.
• Cuba already starting to look ragged defensively. They have to keep their shape. They’re only getting beaten by very well played balls and CR really aren’t hitting that many of them.
• 8 for Cuba comes close again. Persistence and technique met with bad luck as two chances blocked by gk and defender in succession. Cuba have ability up front, they just lack the means to advance the ball into the attacking third with regularity.
• Clear breakaway for CR (good save by gk) a minute after Cuba almost score is indicative of Cuba’s increasing defensive breakdowns.
• Classic fatigue indicator: gaps between mids and defenders becoming too large. Game starts to turn into two five a sides and that doesn’t work for Cuba.
• Costa Rica off the bar from 25 yards in the 68^th minute. No pressure on the shooter.
• CR really starting to hone in on C weak spots. 5 is repeatedly having balls played behind her as she repeatedly shows she can’t deal with them. CR just rattled a wayward cross off the post.
• Sitters going begging here for CR as we enter the last 15 minutes
• Cuba fully reduced to the odd attack and it’s limited to the same two that have been dangerous all game, 8 and 11. CR attacking play far more sophisticated. Mids overlapping, blind runs off defenders shoulders, quickly switching point of attack. They just lack a natural, deadly striker, a fox in the box.
• Cuba really hanging on here. Clearances reek of desperation and fatigue.
• Cuban 5 finally taken off. Got lit up like a Cohiba incessantly.
• Cuba hold CR to a 2-0 win. CR have all the tools except a natural goal scorer by the looks of it. If they hope to beat Canada they’ll likely have to do a lot better with much fewer chances than they were afforded tonight.

Things I liked:

Seeing a higher standard of goalkeeping from developing nations. Demonstrating competence in goal forces teams to realize they need to break you down and not rely on ripping 35 yarders in the hopes of chipping weak keepers. CR saw early on they’d need to get behind Cuba and both their goals came from nice build up rather than speculative long rangers.

Impressive technical ability from CR. All over the field. Defenders comfortable playing out of trouble and using their keeper without a second thought. Obvious emphasis on maintaining possession. This is what advances teams through the ranks in the women’s games. Once you hit a critical mass of technical ability it allows you to overcome more physical, direct teams.

Good defensive organization from Cuba. They held their own and forced CR to play very nice passes to break them down. For a relative neophyte in women’s soccer Cuba were no doormats despite carrying some relatively weak players. Fitness was starting to become an issue but it would for most teams who have to spend three quarters of the game defending.

Seeing how midfield dominance was asserted through controlling knockdowns and the ability to play out of them. I’ve always placed a big emphasis on this and it seemed clear to me that CR put a big emphasis on being first to any sort of 50-50 in the middle third and establishing possession quickly and confidently.

Things I didn’t like

I feel the need to try to be a bit critical given my opening stance but aside from CR’s poor finishing and Cuba’s lack of attacking link play the game was good to watch. I just don’t think Cuba can afford to put their two best players up front. They were detached from play for too long and that allowed CR to really dominate midfield and put far too much pressure on the Cuban back four. As CR gradually started attacking the weak point in that back four it became a bit more desperate for Cuba.

Just got back from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Buddied up with TSS’s Rob Dattilo to save some money on hotels and cabs but the highlight of travelling with Rob was watching his determination to eat everything that was put before him no matter how big the serving. No easy feat in Kansas.

There were about 3000 coaches from the States, Canada and seemingly even a few from Britain made the journey to one of the stranger cities I’ve been to. With a city population of about 500 000 and a metro population just over 2 000 000, I can only surmise they must all be experts at hide and seek because it felt very much like a ghost town save for the adidas clad hordes around the (excellent) Kansas City Convention Center. Here’s a rundown of how it went.

Wednesday

We asked the cab driver on the way in from the airport what he liked best about Kansas. He said the women. “Kansas City women are beautiful.” He was from Kurdistan. We liked the World War 1 Museum. Moving on.

We arrived late afternoon on the Wednesday and hit the ground running going straight to the convention with our bags to check in. Once we had our passes and check in materials we shot upstairs to catch NSCAA Assistant Director of Coaching, Douglas J. Williamson, Ph. D., doing one of the day’s few on field sessions. Interesting take on the topic, Phase of Play: Attacking with Five in the Midfield delivered with well-rehearsed positivity. “Stop. I love what you did there but can we make it look more like this.” American coaches who are well drilled in NSCAA mantras are very aware of the language and tone they use working with kids. It’s great pedagogy-wise but a lot about the NSCAA seems to have a stiff formal air to it and that extends to the general on-field demeanour. You could see the difference when it was a European clinician working with players. Especially when the players, as we would witness later, weren’t able to do what was required…

The Kansas Convention Center is very big and located in the supposed heart of the city. Even with thousands in the building there was never a sense of overcrowding or bottlenecks with people trying to get from A to B and having to fight through crowds. Lots of signage to help you get where you wanted to go. More than enough tiered bleachers to give you good vantage points for the on field sessions and large seminar rooms for the classroom sessions. Could’ve used a few more food options on site.

One of two bleachers in one of two field set ups on the top floor (of two) in the convention centre.

Well staffed with lots of people there to get you accredited and help you with what you need and where you need to go.

Got to our hotel five minutes south of downtown and then out to one of two BBQ restaurants the cabbie had recommended: Jack Stacks BBQ. Excellent. Portions, even by American standards were ridiculous.

Rob at the start of his Jack Stacks BBQ meal

...and done

Thursday

Vendors and regulars were quick to say how much smaller this year’s version was but there were still somewhere around 3-4000 in attendance. Apparently when it’s on the east coast there are double what we had in Kansas. Field sessions were still well attended though and while the organizers and trade show exhibitors were probably not enthused by the numbers it didn’t affect the experience for coaches as the choices each day were many and varied. Next year they go to Indianapolis before two back to back years in Philadelphia. A rare west coast appearance comes to Los Angeles in either 2016 or 2017.

After a fairly basic session from University of Cincinnati coach, Hylton Dayes, on Fun Finishing Games (well organized, similar demeanour to Williamson – Dayes is listed as NSCAA Academy Senior Staff) it was time for the first session I saw from a European coach.

Paul Powers, a U15 Academy Team Coach from Manchester City FC Academy did a very good session on Movement of Strikers. He’s right out the Jack the Lad school of coaching. Engaging and effective, you know he is going to find a few laughs along the way. After seeing one too many horrow show crosses, he stopped the session and said to the latest offender, “A former coach of mine at Citeh (translation: City) told me once, ‘Powers, you couldn’t cross the street.’ By now he’s staring and pointing at the shocker-crosser. He waits a second then goes with “But I think that’s inappropriate to say to kids so let’s move on.”

He seemed to have been given a group of players that had a fairly wide range of ability (both ability on the ball and ability to understand his Manc accent and humour) so he didn’t always get the desired effect from the set up but he kept the energy up and eventually coaxed suitable performances from the players so those in attendance could get a handle on what he was trying to get over. His coaching style set him apart from some of the other coach-by-numbers instructors who check their personalities (I hope) when they strap on a clipboard and a whistle. Powers just focused on getting his points across, made some changes on the fly when it didn’t work well and brought the audience in for the ride. Guys like this could, if there was a steady circuit of these conventions, easily make a living going from one to the other.

Next up was a classroom session from Freya Coombe who works with girls and women’s teams at Reading FC as well as being a Senior Lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University. Her one hour allotment was more time than she needed as she whipped, a bit nervously, through a thought provoking but not entirely compelling talk entitled Understanding the Game: Examining Player-Centred Coaching Approaches. The gist was that there are five coaching styles ranging from autocratic, “my way or the highway” approaches to fully democratic whereby players have a large say not just in deciding what they need to work on but how they should go about it in training. Coombe favours empowering players by veering sharply to the latter. I’d need more convincing and a better explication of how this would work at different age group and levels.

Fourth session of the day was in an overpacked seminar room (probably 500 people there) for an even more thought provoking talk from UEFA Instructor Kevin McGreskin (any more Scots at this thing and you’d have sworn you were dropped into Trainspotting) on Developing Vision and Awareness. Sounds a bit airy fairy but it revolved around the idea that we need to get players to “take a look” around them far more often and it’s not enough to simply tell them to do so. We have to have tactile ways of teaching them how to do so. Heavy on Xavi quotes (so naturally I quickly warmed to the subject) and the use of a 15 second clip of Frank Lampard looking over his shoulders more often than a teenage shoplifter. As Rob said afterwards it was heavy on the importance of vision but light on how you actually do that. We would discover that  McGreskin’s on field session on Saturday would more than provide that side of the equation.

One session, the last of the day, by current Australian national team coach, Tom Sermanni, served as a reminder that you can be a very high level coach but that it doesn’t necessarily translate to being an effective coach instructor. A rather strange session that began with 14 year old girls playing 9v5 in a 16×14 box never really clicked into gear and the focus of the session topic never seemed to materialize in either the game play or the points being made to players and the crowd. The sessions was billed as Transition Play but labelled “Advanced”, which very few very were. The coaching points though never really went beyond stopping play to tell a player she’d “switched off” when the ball had changed possessions from one team to the other. Probably just a bad day for the instructor but a reminder that coaching a team is an entirely different venture than coach development.

I’ll write up the second half of the trip in the next day or two…