Football! Footie! Fußball! Fútbol! And of course Soccer!

[Gilly Goodness]

Thank goodness there was no VAR in the 5th century BCE!

simpler times...

[Gilly Goodness]

IRELAND THROUGH TO WORLD CUP!!!





Sometimes sport throws up narratives that go beyond the mere game. Tied nil all in the second half Amber Barrett received a pass from Denise O'Sullivan and ran onto it. First touch was sublime. Kept it in her runnin' trajectory. Toe poke around the keeper. 1-0. She then ran to the corner and knelt in prayer, surrounded by her teammates. She's from Donegal. Where recently 10 people were accidently blown up in a service station gas explosion. I'm not cryin', you're cryin'.


In other less meaningful woso games. Third String Spain ( player strike currently against coach Vilda ) defeat lacklustre USA. England kept to 0-0 tie with Czeckoslavakia. Swiss beat Wales 2-1. Sweden smashed France 3-0. Still a long way before the WC downunder.

[Gilly Goodness]

ON TOP OF THE WORLD





Front page news on www.irishtimes.com ? You best believe!!!

[kkleinschmidt]

USWNT lost to Spain 2-0 yesterday after a relatively miserable performance that included only two shots on goal, and apparently we were playing Spain's B team (and they were surprising good).

Two more friendlies in November both against Germany and both are being played in the US, so here's hoping they get their act together and score some goals!

[kkleinschmidt]

Closer to home I was able to get some tickets to a watch party on Saturday at FCC's home stadium which should be good fun. Here's hoping FCC can score some goals and bring home their first playoff victory in MLS!

[Ash Armstrong]

Mo Salah gets a hat trick in 6' 12" v Rangers...
⚽⚽⚽

Liverpool leading 6 - 1.

[Gilly Goodness]

My little sweetie, Chloe Logarzo is back from an ACL injury on bench for Kansas in playoff V Houston Dash. H-town came out rockin' 21,000 heavin' crowd. 9 minutes injury time. 1-1. Then at 8.56 Kansas City score. Cue delirium for the visitors. Hope Chloe gets some game time next week V OL Reign.






Also caught Liverpool V Man City. What an atmosphere. Crazy game. VAR denied Foden. Salah brilliant goal. Kopp red carded. Coins thrown at Pep. Absolute scenes!!!

[Gilly Goodness]

So. Sam Kerr can sell more cereal than the greatest quarterback? Woah.

[Gilly Goodness]

Introducin' the mascot for the 2023 Womens World Cup.

TAZUNI




erm. It's a penguin endemic to both here and NZ. We don't share animals or bird species beside the odd marsupial rat. So it has to be this. Named after the Tasman Sea and the theme of unity. Cocaine budget was well spent by the PR team that day.

Expect lots of uproar on woso chat forums. Already some say it looks like Megan Rapinoe. hehheheheee

[Gilly Goodness]

Thanks to the good people at DAZN and youtube. Woke up to find Arsenal women V Lyon women. Foord. Catley. Bacha. Van de Donk. Renard. Le Sommer. Champions League. And then tomorrow Chelsea V PSG. Salivatin'!!!









Update: half time 3-1 Arsenal. Go you Gooners!!!
Foord, Mead and Blackstenius on fire ⚽️⚽️⚽️

[Gilly Goodness]

5-1 with 20 minutes to go against the title-holders. I'm staggered. 🤯


And Miedama is still on the bench!

[Ash Armstrong]

Leicester City 2
Leeds United 0

A very pleasing performance from front to back for the Foxes, lifting us two points clear of Nottingham Florists in the basement and hopefully generating some much-needed momentum and confidence. With the season break for the World Cup looming, now is when we need to start putting some major daylight between the relegation zone and ourselves.
Only four games to go before the break: Wolves, Man City, Everton, West Ham.

[Ash Armstrong]

Aston Villa sack Steven Gerrard after tonight's ill-disciplined defeat by Fulham.

[Gilly Goodness]

PARIS IS BLUE


The Chels gals win 1-0 over PSG. Neymar was in the crowd. Gotta say PSG Ultras are next level. Jumped up and down all game. Millie Bright goal. Not a great performance. Bit clunky by both teams. Nowhere near the level of Arsenal yesterday.

[Gilly Goodness]

THE BIG GUNS ARE IN AUCKLAND-LIVE


Queen Jacinta of NZ opens the address
for the 2023 World Cup Draw.

Tony Gustavson is here.
Vlatko's here.
Sarina Wiegman.
The German Coach.
Unpopular Spanish coach. Vilda.
Hot French coach.
Looks like every coach is there.
Pia Sundhege.


Lots of music, dancin', didge.


Jill Ellis brings in the cup. Onstage.


Draw conducted by Carli Lloyd.

Helped by swimmer Cate Campbell

Ian Wright among others

Alexi Laless



THIS IS TENSE


Damn. 😒
We drew Canada.


Woah. USA drew Holland.😝
Play Vietnam first up.


My God. We play the wee Coleens from Ireland.
First up.😲 And Nigeria.

England have China and Denmark. Group of Death?
And they don't know their first opponent.

FIFA has 4 years to sort out 32 teams. But still need playoffs in Feb 23????

France and USA don't know third opponents yet.


BRING ON JUL-AUG 2023.


Finally. TAZUNI dances onstage with some pony-tailed dancin'girls. Absolute scenes!!!!