New Women's football thread (inc World Cup) 2023-26

[bigfluffylemon]

I think that was a penalty given the way the rules are these days, but it was clearly unintentional, and at that range there was very little she could have done. Handball rules seem pretty harsh now.

[Gingerfinch]

I think that was a penalty given the way the rules are these days, but it was clearly unintentional, and at that range there was very little she could have done. Handball rules seem pretty harsh now.

She moved her hand towards the ball. Even the BBC biased co-comm has said it was a pen.

[bigfluffylemon]

How was that not a free kick on the edge of the area?

[alfie]

How was that not a free kick on the edge of the area?

Search me

[Gingerfinch]

Well the best team will win. England got n good areas but not enough in the box, hence the Spanish keeper not having a save to make in the 2nd half.

[alfie]

Aah..not to be...

Can't begrudge Spain : they bossed that first half and hung on well. Though I reckon there were some Oscar winning "injury incidents" by their players in the last twenty minutes

So near and yet so far.

[Gingerfinch]

Any reason why the pen that Earps saved wasn't re-taken? She looked off her line. Gabby and friends are saying she wasn't but it looked like it to me.

[Durhamfootman]

ah well

c'est la vie

no complaints.... not even disappointed really. Spain were deserved winners and they controlled that game from start to finish. It didn't go to penalties, so that's a plus, there were no shocking howlers from the officials and there were no outrageous moments from the Spain players that we could have used to complain that 'we wuz robbed'. I can't even complain about lionesses being led by sheep. England were just outplayed today. Spain dominated the midfield throughout and try as the manager and players might, England couldn't break that down. The only period where I felt as though perhaps the momentum was shifting was for 10 mins after the penalty save, where England were suddenly galvanised and Spain heads dropped a little, but it didn't take too long before Spain regrouped and wrestled the momentum back again.

Thoroughly well deserved win for Spain and an excellent tournament for the Lionesses. (I keep having to remind myself that that was only the second time that England have lost a match in the best part of 2 years)

[Durhamfootman]

Any reason why the pen that Earps saved wasn't re-taken? She looked off her line. Gabby and friends are saying she wasn't but it looked like it to me.

I can't say I noticed anything wrong with the save. Her movement looked all sideways to me. VAR have been checking at penalties and I've seen them being retaken (Stanway for one), so I think VAR would have said something if she had moved off her line before the pen was taken

[Gingerfinch]

Any reason why the pen that Earps saved wasn't re-taken? She looked off her line. Gabby and friends are saying she wasn't but it looked like it to me.

I can't say I noticed anything wrong with the save. Her movement looked all sideways to me. VAR have been checking at penalties and I've seen them being retaken (Stanway for one), so I think VAR would have said something if she had moved off her line before the pen was taken

The movement looked forward to me but hey ho, it does not matter. Poor penalty anyway.

[Durhamfootman]

the penalty taker had her work cut out for her, tbh. She will have known that she was the designated penalty taker, the VAR check took an age (given that it's supposed to be clear and ovious) the discussion at the monitor took ages (given that it's supposed to be clear and obvious) and then Bronze quite correctly used her experience to insist to the ref that the ball was actually touching the spot (which it initially wasn't), so the whole process gave her as much time as she could possibly need for her head to persuade her to bollox up the kick.

I have no complaints about the pen... I called it in real time... it just looked like handball

[Durhamfootman]

Spain is playing some good stuff early on.

they seem to have found a forward gear to their play. They were quick on the attack today... didn't just tap it around endlessly. Gawd help everybody if the Spain men ever learn this lesson of how to play with a bit of intent. The women have shown them the way

I still think James should have started. Toone will be forever grateful that she was marginally offside after that air kick in front of goal

[Durhamfootman]

and while on the subject of lessons that the men could learn..... I thought the formation change that Sarina made for the second half was both necessary and helpful for England....... you wouldn't catch Southgate doing anything like that.

[Durhamfootman]

Any reason why the pen that Earps saved wasn't re-taken? She looked off her line. Gabby and friends are saying she wasn't but it looked like it to me.

now that I've looked again..... you've got me wondering. She did move forward off the line, but it was a very late movement. I've rewound it a few times and she did move forward just before the player struck the ball. I confess that I don't know what constitutes an offence

[alfie]

Yeah can't really fault Sarina - her players just weren't at the level needed to beat a very good Spanish team. Too many balls lost in midfield - probably down to the pressure put on them. And not enough attacks actually getting right into the danger area.

Would have been interesting to see what might have happened had they managed an equalizer from the couple of good chances they had after the penalty save ; but it really did look as if they were a clear second most of the night. Have to credit the opposition for being just too good this time.

Bit of a disappointing finish to a generally good campaign. But a silver medal is better than nothing...