INTERVIEW WITH WORLD CUP!
Group E! This group was a battle of Europe and Latin America: France, Mexico, Colombia, England!
Group E!
Only one could survive as third-place team, while would two others qualify directly to round of sixteen. France, England, Colombia and Mexico sharing a same style, same power, and same skills.
Only one would be out…
(Why it was held in Moncton?)
#####
9 June, 2015
Moncton, Canada
Moncton Stadium…
France 1-0 England
Before the match, in press conference, coach Philippe Bergeroo told to France: we would win. That could be confirmed, as France never lost to England since 1974.
Mark Sampson knew that. France, now was a candidate for the title, was looking for a victory…
Alice Kirkland, wow…
Start! France and England both played pressing right on the first half. Algerian goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi took a moment. Unlike Amel Mejri and Kheira Hamraoui, who are women Muslims in French team, she is a Christian.
"God, please bless me…"
Looking Bouhaddi, it made me feel special. For the third time, Arab women play soccer. But about Muslim women, this was the first time ever I saw Muslim girls to do that. Islam prohibited women a lot, so they seeked future in developed country. In Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, women gave more rights, but they did not have really a big chance.
Oh, England almst scored! 0-0! But later, France repeated. In 29', using lacking defense of England defenders, Eugénie Le Sommer scored! GGGOOOAAAALLLLLL! 1-0 for France after 29'. Le Sommer, hero of France!
France kissed everyone for this goal... AHHH, DO NOT KISS ME!
Alice felt down. But she did not give up hope. She told herself: rise up! And England kept fighting. France held the lines. Both two did not make much chance after first half. 1-0 for France.
In 15' relaxing, the match was seemed more tense. England and France watched each others, seriously.
Like a big battle between two babes...
Hey, I'm not joking. Look to the bright side, at least they are in EU!
Second half, England played pressing, but sometimes, Karen Bardsley had to work. She worked like Manuel Neuer! But France did not let her alone. England did not stop trying. They used freekick, corner kick! Everytimes, they almost reached the target, but Sarah Bouhaddi got it all!
And so be it, 1-0, final result. England lost, while France could smile...
#####
Moncton, Canada
Moncton Stadium...
Colombia 1-1 Mexico
Under new coach Fabián Taborda, Colombia was looking for a better advantage. Seemed like Colombia must beat Mexico. Both team spoke Spanish, so it could be a real chance on it.
A Latin America romantic match!
VIVA!
Theresa Neguel, Cameroonian referee, allowed to start. First, Colombia and Mexico played pressing. Both team understood a lot, so Colombia and Mexico had to be careful on each moves. I was focusing.
In a corner kick, Mexico's Verosnica Pérez sent ball and it... HOLD! Ball passed through the line! GGOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLL! 1-0 for Mexico! Mexico had a big chance to win.
I remembered Mexico confirmed to me when she was talking with press!
Unfortunately, Colombia did not leave it easily. Ending first half, 1-0 was a favor for Mexico but Colombia was about to show up!
Second half, we saw Mexico got a balance with Colombia. But then... GOAL! 1-1... wait, wait, no goal! Daniela Montoya was penalized! She let the ball touched on her hand! Yes it was! 1-0 still the result recently. However, Colombia and Mexico quickly grabbed another chance to play.
A freekick from Colombia, an attack from Mexico, both resulted nothing.
When everyone thought Mexico would win, Mexico hadn't... known this... Colombia had surprisingly attacked Mexico's net and quickly than that, the ball was sent to Montoya. Wait, in a same distance, with a same style like... James Rodríguez... SHE SHOT! GGGOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! 1-1! In 82', Colombia scored! Falling leave once again. First from Tim Cahill, later James Rodríguez, now Daniela Montoya! Colombia wrote history with their first goal!
And Mexico got... wait, she shot through Stefany Castaño... a GOAL... no, the ball touched to a Mexican hand. No goal! 1-1.
...
And final result, 1-1. A good draw for both side...
#####
13 June, 2015
Moncton, Canada
Moncton Stadium...
France 0-2 Colombia
The next match must be the most unexpected match: France vs. Colombia. After winning 1-0 over England, France told: she would conquer all!
But when the match started for just about 20', France got a hit! Water dropped! GGGOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL from Lady Andrade in 19'! 1-0 Colombia! When France almost prepared for a large attack, a shocking goal in 19' made France amazed. They were appalled about that goal, as Colombia was never taking the lead.
And so, fighting continued.
France now opressed Colombia everywhere! France was in trouble! She thought she would destroy Colombia, but Lady Andrade had awaken her. Now, France must do everything! In first half, France contacted to Colombia's net many times, and no goal after all...
1-0 for Colombia. Second half started!
Goalkeeper Sandra Sepúlveda, new goalkeeper, held the line far from France's mind. The French girls did not know how to do. They forced themselves to do everything they could. Many times, ball did not get passed Sandra. Colombia made France in deep trouble!
France must pay for it...
And when France failed to score, in 90+3', defenders and goalkeeper's faults caused a chance for Catalina Usme! OH IT WAS A GOAL! GGGOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL! GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! 2-0 Colombia, France's hope was over!
And so be it, Catalina Usme became legendary! Colombia wrote history! 2-0 win, first win in Women's World Cup. Colombia deserved it although so many controversies came after this match...
#####
Moncton, Canada
Moncton Stadium...
England 2-1 Mexico
Through the match, everybody believed England would be knocked out from the group stage.
But England seemed not wanna see another Brasil 2014.
The first half began, from referee Keighley. First half saw a boring half when England and Mexico did not really care on attack. They just cared to keep their clean sheet.
Rangel, Cuéllar, Pérez, Garciamendez...; Williams, Kirby, Duggan, Aluko... both missed it all. The first half saw no goal. 0-0. A boring match.
I saw this. And so, if England could not win, they must face a death mission: fighting with Colombia. And the game, with Alice, looked important.
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Second half began! England played pressing. But their defenders made so many faults. Luckily, Mexico failed to use this, as Mexican defenders looked really bad. Everything just came to chaos in 71'.
A solo made by Fran Kirby! She crossed toward 4 Mexicans. She gave a tackle... wait... GOAL! GGGOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL! 1-0 England! Goal by Fran Kirby in 71'! Now this was England people watching for!
But England did not let it away. After this goal over 10 minutes, Toni Duggan sent ball to Alex Greenwood. Greenwood passed the ball! Oh no, Karen Carney was here. GGGOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL! 2-0 England from a header. Now Mexico needed to gain to honorable goal.
England led 2-0. No one believed it...
But it wasn't over! Charlyn Corral, using England's defend mistake, had shot. Karen did not totally control the ball, so the ball fell from her hand! Fabiola Ibarra! GGGGOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! 2-1! However, it was too late. 90+1' was not enough to change everything.
England 2-1 Mexico. A World Cup win for England that expelled all the stress of Brasil 2014's disaster...
#####
Ottawa, Canada
Lansdowne Stadium...
Mexico 0-5 France
The lost over England saw lowing spirit of Mexican team. France, after losing 0-2 shockingly to Colombia, close to death too!
Mexico saw this was a chance. A chance to gain honor. However, after losing 0-2, France knew what to do.
In 1'... an early attack, which Mexico in chaos, Marie-Laure Delie scored from a header! GOAL! 1-0 in an early moment! Just for another minutes after this goal, from a corner kick... 2-0! 9' and Jennifer Ruiz scored an... own goal! 2-0 for France. Totally saying, France destroyed Mexico for just 10'.
...
3-0! An offensive gave Eugénie Le Sommer a goal! GOAL! 3-0 and Mexico collapsed in 13'. But their nightmare still continued. Wow, a freekick and... 4-0! France power! France totally ruined Mexico.
And Le Sommer, in 36', scored again.
But Mexican tragedies still happened in the second half.
In so many French offensive, Mexico had to work so many times. Even Mexican defender must use hand to avoid a goal. But everything had its punishment: Amandine Henry scored 5-0 in 83', from a... super cannon kick! 5-0! And so be it...
Match ended! 5-0 for France. Mexico 0-5 France, Leonardo Cuéllar, who in charge since 1998, ex legend of Mexican team, now should resign.
#####
Montreal, Canada
Olympic Stadium...
England 2-1 Colombia
Due to 2-0 win over France, Colombia had offically participated in the next round. So far, Colombia should make decision: keep going, or let England play through.
Just hold for a minute, coach Mark Sampson and Alice had believed on a victory for Three Lionesses. But Colombia would not give up easily. The battle started!
Carol Chenard, Canadian referee, allowed it!
I watched this fight in Montreal, suddenly I smelt something... different...
England at first, they suffered a lot of pressing game from Colombia. But Colombians did not know to use it. This was Colombia's weakness. And in the middle of field... OH! Ball touched with hand! A freekick. England got a chance and they kicked.
The ball went inside and... GOAL! Karen Carney in 15'! 1-0 for England!
And England still continued their advantage. Seeing Colombians failed to get focus on the ball, the English ladies got a chance. In 38', wow, Colombian player let the ball touched on her hand! A penalty!
And so be it, Colombia must do everything to defend. England, under pressure with a penalty, had...
GOAL! 2-0 from Fara Williams. 2-0 after 38'.
That was a butthurt for Colombia although they had been in second round. First half ended 2-0 for England!
...
...
...
...
Second half with a ton of chance from Colombia and England. They played pressing and quickly created formation.
"Move, girls!"
England kept making pressure, but failed to score any goal. Meanwhile, Colombia, despite in a weaker side, still managed chance. In 90+4', when the time was counted and everyone thought for a 2-0 win for England...
Lady Andrade "the angry girl" appeared! A... GOAL! GOAL! 2-1! Colombia scored a goal, in a late moment. Although it changed nothing, Colombia at least proved they would become the new Latin American power!
2-1! Final score. England ladies did better than gentlemen. With this, Rooney must cry a lot...
#####
After this, it would be the end of group stage. I had done, therefore, both four teams would have a private meeting...
England: I'm proud of our team. At least they did not suck like men's. I must tell FA to rethink about it.
France: We have qualified, but not in a good style. Losing 0-2 to Colombia showed a lot of our weaknesses. We must recover it if we wanna win the title.
Colombia: It's the shame if you don't watch it! You know what? Colombia makes history! Now we have become new power. Brazil, you are not the ruler anymore.
Mexico: This is... sick... I must admit this was one of our worst tournament. Mexico must reform if we don't want to be out, again.
Farewell, group stage. Now, let's wait the knockout round, see what would happen.