Game comment

A mystery match

What should have been a wonderful example of soccer skills by two top level teams was spoilt by a referee who abdicated her position on the pitch. Possibly she was overawed by the company or the dehydration that caused her to disappear from the game after regular time began at the first whistle. The overtime play was held up for nearly a quarter of an hour, with the players on the field waiting for officials to appear with no explanation, certainly a first for FIFA. While she awarded a number of free kicks she showed no control over the game, allowing several Brazilian players to deliberately and skillfully foul on every tackle at the beginning of the match. Her error in calling Scurry for receiving a back pass, which actually came off the boot of the Brazilian player, was just part of the lack of game control that led to a physical and scrappy match in the second half of regular time and with deteriorating quality and frustration exhibited by both teams.

The USA has always been able to play through this sort of problem, and they did it again this time as their mixture of young and old played as a team.

Brazil went downhill in extra time, and their fatigue was obvious in the last 15 minutes.

They had again showed that they belong in the top four teams in the world, and one must hope that the people of Brazil and their Federation recognize their outstanding soccer skills and position as great representatives of their country at the highest level of the women's game. They need financial support and recognition in Brazil when they return.