R16 (Saturday) - GER-NIG & NOR-AUS

[Kevin S]

Heger-who?

Brilliant spot kicks from Norway.

[Janik]

Retake over/under is three

Under, then.

Well played Norway. I wonder if my relies were watching?

[anton pulisov]

South Korea 2002 vs Spain

What would have happened with VAR in those pennos

Although, surely the ref could have seen that the keeper was three metres off the line when the ball was kicked

Do refs also turn to jelly during pennos?

[Kevin S]

Loved the way Engen just stuck the winning kick in while the keeper was still dancing around too.

[ursus arctos]

The VAR would have relieved Moreno of his duties in normal time

[Janik]

It is somehow inevitable that Kerr will get a goal for Australia now, she hasn't had any luck so far in this game.

World class reverse psychology, Bel mate. You will be claiming your share of the glory, I presume?

[Belhaven]

Yeah, it worked out beautifully. Or, alternatively, I am as clueless as ever.

[Janik]

I have definitely developed a dislike of Sam Kerr in this tournament and by extension her team, for reasons I can't really put my finger on. So that ending was sweet.

Maybe familiarity will breed less contempt - Chelsea are supposedly offering her a two year deal paying £500,000. Which would be a massive contract in Women's Football terms. And completely unsustainable without either a sugar-daddy running a club or cross-funding from a men's club so cash-rich that it can easily afford such spending. If these reports are accurate, then Kerr is being offered a deal the equivalent to 2/3 of the whole squad salary cap that NWSL sides are permitted to pay. One would expect NWSL and Aussie W-League executives to be beating on FIFA's door demanding an FFP type regulation if that comes to pass. But that would be politically very difficult - if Women's sides outgoings were tied to their income in that way, the total amount joint clubs would be allowed to spend on their Women's side would likely be lower than many male players were getting on their tod.

[Jah Womble]

I have definitely developed a dislike of Sam Kerr in this tournament and by extension her team, for reasons I can't really put my finger on. So that ending was sweet.

??

[Janik]

The ending being her taking a dreadful penalty that set the tone for her sides efforts in the shoot out. Her attempt disappearing a mile high and wide will be the iconic moment of this match, the one people remember in four/eight years time.

[Janik]

I'm at a loss.

How is it a penalty if you kick the ball first (Goal #2 for Germany.)

No-one answered jv on this, did they? It's because whether you kick the ball first is a completely irrelevance if your actions endanger the safety of an opponent. The Nigerian defender ended with her studs planted into the knee of the German forward. As others said up thread, she was a tad fortunate not to get a straight red card along with the penalty against her.

[Janik]

Just rewatched the Norway-Australia penalties. Both 'keepers went to their right every single time. The takers went to the 'keepers left 5/7. Of the two that went the way the 'keeper was going, Mjelde scored because she kept her kick on the deck, Gielnik's was saved as it was half a metre off the ground. A question for jv/any other 'keeping experts - is there a reason for this disparity? Is it easier for a right footed person to dive to their right?

[Sporting]

Just rewatched the Norway-Australia penalties. Both 'keepers went to their right every single time. The takers went to the 'keepers left 5/7. Of the two that went the way the 'keeper was going, Mjelde scored because she kept her kick on the deck, Gielnik's was saved as it was half a metre off the ground. A question for jv/any other 'keeping experts - is there a reason for this disparity? Is it easier for a right footed person to dive to their right?

Have a look at this video:

For me, it's interesting in what Le Tissier has to say about how to take pens. He only had two methods: sidefooting the ball to the bottom right-hand corner, or to the bottom left-hand corner. He reckons that putting the ball to the keeper's left was his preferred way, as the angle meant that the shot could curl in a little (also, as most players in general are right-handed, going left might give you a bit more of an advantage). Even more interesting is that Le Tissier said he would change his mind about which corner he was going to put it, if he saw that the keeper had already committed himself, against the usual advice of coaches. Whatever your view on this, it worked for the man from Guernsey: 47 out of 48 successful penalties.

[Hot Orange]

I have definitely developed a dislike of Sam Kerr in this tournament and by extension her team, for reasons I can't really put my finger on. So that ending was sweet.

I haven't seen enough of her to form much of an opinion, but I did notice she seemed to be the first to go and congratulate the opposition, which is always popular with me. Can't have been easy after that penalty.

[imp]

I'm at a loss.

How is it a penalty if you kick the ball first (Goal #2 for Germany.)

I had the same conversation with a Nigerian journalist after the game, who didn‘t seem to quite believe me that the Law on this changed so long ago that I think it was before I started refereeing, so it was at least ten years. I still have the conversation out on the field every few weeks with some doughty hacker yelling at me, „But I got the ball!“

[jason voorhees]

10 years? Well (a) that’s when I stopped coaching and (b) at my age, 10 years feels like 1 month.