WWC2015: Round of Sixteen and Quarterfinals Preview

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

{If you want to see how I did, previews of this round here, that post also has links to write-ups of each matchday of the group stage.

Commentary is grouped by quarterfinal matchup, not in the order the games were played.}

SWEDEN v GERMANY

Germany just looks very impressive: they have been the most consistent of the frontrunners, and they seem to still have a gear or three yet to come.

I had pegged Célia Šašić as the key up front, and she did score more goals, but wow, was Anja Mittag impressive. She had such an influence on the game in two primary ways: first, her runs off the ball constantly created space in the Swedish back line; second, her defensive pressure consistently either kept the ball in Germany’s attacking third or led to turnovers in midfield allowing Germany to recycle possession.

Between Mittag up front and the interplay between Simone Laudehr and Leonie Maier on the right flank, Sweden had two highly dangerous threats to respond to, and they just couldn’t cover it effectively. While not leading directly to the goal, Germany’s setup on the right flank is really impressive, and kudos should be given to Silvia Neid for her willingness to, essentially, play two wing-backs and rely on their constant interplay and overlap to cover the functional responsibilities of both the fullback and the attacking midfielder.

If you’re watching the game, keep tabs on how differently the left side and the right side of the German attack function: on the right, Maier and Laudehr are in constant motion up and down; on the left, Alexandra Popp tends to cut inside and Tabea Kemme functions more like a traditional fullback. That means Popp is often a threat inside the box, but it also means that side of their attack is a lot less dynamic and fluid.

We got to see Jennifer Cramer for a few minutes, which was nice, even if she was a bit out of position at DL.

Sweden battled well and Linda Sembrant‘s goal was a deserved reward for a very hard day in midfield for her.

FRANCE v KOREA REPUBLIC

This was the France we all expected to see, at least at the start of the first half: powerful, fast, and with a relentless offensive surge keyed by the speed of Elodie Thomis and the uncompromising skill of Eugenie Le Sommer. It looked for a while as if Les Bluettes would be able to choose the final score.

And then, and then, and then … for the end of the first half and most of the second half, the game collapsed into a plodding affair where, while Korea never particularly looked like scoring, the French seemed to fold back into the slower, unimaginative play that plagued them earlier in the tournament.

You can argue managing the game and it was well won all you want, but that just won’t do against a powerhouse like Germany.

The exception, of course, was the third goal, immediately after halftime, which was mostly a case of Le Sommer saying thank you, yes, I will do it all myself until the very end. She is one helluva player.

But let’s not lose sight of how France started, for it was spectacular. Much has been made of the assist from Le Sommer on Marie Laure Delie‘s opener, but it was the pass before the pass, the controlled stab by Camille Abily that really set the whole thing in motion. Abily and Amandine Henry are the unsung heroes for France, sitting behind the waves of attackers.

The second goal was more a factor of farcical defending, but Thomis terrorized the right flank of the Korean defense all night, and she certainly deserved to get her name on the scoresheet.

And, to top it all off, a Kadidiatou Diani sighting! Whoo-hoo!

#Quarterfinal 1: GERMANY v FRANCE

Yowzah. This is easily the most anticipated match of the tournament to date. I think it will be very, very close. Neither team has played an opponent of this caliber, and it will be interesting to see how they handle it.

There are, of course, blowout scenarios: Germany just cannot handle the pace of Thomis and Le Sommer, and France is able to jump on them early then pack it in and defend late; or Germany is just too strong and control midfield throughout on their way to another 2-0 victory without seeming to break a sweat.

But I think the more likely is a tight contest, where the teams match up quite well. The most interesting tactical battles will be in the center of the field, where Abily and Henry will match up against, well, whomever Neid decides to start–it will be two of the group of Dzsenifer Marozsan, Melanie Leupolz, and Lena Goessling, but I’m unsure which two (my guess is Goessling, and then if Leupolz’s departure was due to health, her if she is healthy, but if Neid was unhappy with her first half against Sweden and replaced her because of her performance, Marozsan).

Germany will be without Saskia Bartusiak due to yellow card accumulation, but they have (along with the USA) one of the two deepest squads in the tournament, and should be able to fill in without missing too much.

Key Matchups

Leonie Maier & Simone Laudehr v Laure Boulleau & Louisa Necib

This is essentially the battle of the flank (Germany’s right, France’s left) and it assumes that Necib does nothing between now and kickoff to fall out of Philippe Bergeroo‘s good graces. Boulleau had been a strong two-way player so far, but Necib is not very interested in playing defense: if Germany is able to overload that side of the field, it will do great things for them (note that this is true, whether or not the goal comes from that side–drawing Wendie Renard out of position is as useful for their attackers in the center of the field as it is for those on the flank).

In parallel, I don’t believe Germany has had to deal with as creative a player on the flank as Necib can be, and she could punish the German’s tendencies to push forward too aggressively. The key word in that sentence is can, as the subtle, creative, influential Necib has really yet to show up for France.

Célia Šašić & Anje Mittag v Wendie Renard & Laura Georges

The German forwards have yet to face a pair of centerbacks as strong as the French duo. The closest was their match against Norway, where Mittag and Šašić’s influence was dimmed considerably.

Eugenie Le Sommer v Everyone

Nobody has had an answer for Le Sommer yet. She is usually the focus of the opposition defense, and that makes it seem like she disappears for stretches of play, but her moments of brilliance almost always lead to clear chances, if not outright goals.

I will be rooting for France and betting on Germany.

CAMEROON v CHINA

Cameroon started much brighter and looked like the favorite to take an early lead, but they were loose with their final passes, and unable to generate the same space between their attackers and the Chinese defenders they had created in previous games.

While against the run of play at the time, China’s goal was very well taken: the corner kick flew deep, just over Gaelle Enganamouit‘s head, and a soft volley found Wang Shanshan all alone in the box and she half-volleyed the ball out of the air and into the net. That’s a great, technically astute, difficult play, and it was deserved.

But the story of the game wasn’t China’s organization (which was much harped on by the announcers), but Cameroon’s inability to find the final, special touch or move to turn a half-chance into a direct chance at goal. Both Enganamouit and Gabrielle Onguene were less assured than they had been in prior matches, and while Cameroon had more possession–and certainly more possession in the attacking third–they did little with it.

Their defense was ragged all day, and this easily could have been a 3-0 win for China.

That last point is important: when given the chance on multiple breakaways, China’s striker lacked the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

This Chinese team is a good side, and they certainly point to a national program that is returning to prominence. But this was merely a competent win for them, and it’s hard to see them going much beyond this in the tournament.

USA v COLOMBIA

I love the story of the plucky underdog resisting the dominant traditional power as much as anyone. But for all the slow motion replays of Lady Andrade dancing on the ball, this one was really never in doubt, the key question that loomed was when and not if the USA would score.

Now … the way it happened was certainly a bit unexpected, the scoreless first half, especially. But as soon as Alex Morgan popped up with the ball behind the Colombian back line, they were in trouble, and let’s say Catalina Perez doesn’t get red-carded there. Does that really change the outcome of the game?

No, not in all likelihood.

That glosses over some very strong performances by Colombia, most notably Ingrid Vidal and Diana Ospina up front and Angela Clavijo on their back line (yes, the PK call was correct, but still: Clavijo was tough as nails in a very difficult position).

But, this was going to be a USA win all along, from Megan Rapinoe looking strong on the wing in the first half, to Abby Wambach‘s best game of the tournament (even with the missed penalty), to the continued rock-solid play of Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn on the back line.

There are, of course, red flags: you’ll hear a lot about the need for more goals, but I am more concerned with the number of unforced errors, especially on relatively easy passes and with a tendency to not be strong enough in the tackle. The latter could certainly be a product of Colombia’s particular skills, but the former falls squarely and solely on the USA’s shoulders.

#Quarterfinal 2: USA v CHINA

Obviously from the above, I remain unimpressed by China, and listening to the media I think that is the prevailing view, although nobody seems willing to come out and say it: all they can talk about are things like organization and vague comments that really seem to be memories of the Chinese teams of decades past.

I think Colombia was a tougher opponent for America, and I look for the USA to win this one relatively easily. Yes, missing both Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday will hurt, but Morgan Brian had a very solid twenty minutes against Colombia, getting back well defensively and playing two very nice balls into the box for teammates, and her stepping in for Holiday is, in many ways, fortunate: it prevents Jill Ellis from throwing her out wide, where my best guess is that Christine Press will try to replace Rapinoe (although I would prefer me some Sydney Leroux).

Still, a midfield anchored by Brian, Carli Lloyd, and Tobin Heath sitting behind a trio of Wambach, Morgan, and Press should give China more than they can handle.

Key Matchups

Li Dongna & Zhao Rong v Abby Wambach

This assumes that Wambach starts, which I think is a pretty safe bet. Wambach’s game revolves around her ability to maneuver around the opposing center backs, so this matchup is pretty important.

Tang Jiali (or replacement) v Morgan Brian & Carli Lloyd

I don’t know if Jiali was pulled of for injury or performance. I still think she was China’s best player in the early games, and this is the point on the field where the USA’s Achilles heel exists, if they have one. The basic scenario is this: because all of the American midfielders (aside from Shannon Boxx) have strong attacking instincts, a gap can appear between their midfield and their very strong defensive line. A quick, creative player (like Jiali) can exploit that gap, either on their own, or by using it as a way to setup passing lanes to connect with their forwards.

To counteract this, Brian and Lloyd have to make sure to watch their back door, one of them always being willing to drop deeper and protect against the furthest forward opponent midfielder. This tends to balance out, as the relentless American attack tends to draw their opponents all upfield, bringing their deepest midfielder into the attack as well.

Colombia was, I think, more successful in exploiting this than China will be due to their greater quickness and comfort on the ball. We’ll see.

The USA wins comfortably, despite the constant pessimism of the announcers.

AUSTRALIA v BRAZIL

A very open game played in miserable conditions. This one easily could have seen more goals, and probably should have. Australia was relatively fortunate to escape two good chances by Brazil: a sizzling shot from Marta that was well saved by Lydia Williams and then Formiga‘s header that caught the right side of the post, but not by enough to trickle in.

The only goal of the match highlighted Brazil’s biggest weakness, the play of Luciana in goal. The through ball to Lisa De Vanna was fabulous, and her first time shot was hard and low, to Luciana’s right. But the goalkeeper’s from was all wrong, as she tried to scoop up a ball that was moving away from her, and only managed to shove it into the path of an onrushing Kyah Simon, who finished cleanly for the 1-0 lead.

Overall, the result was a little cruel: Australia’s only two shots on goal in the entire match came in that single sequence and Brazil probably deserved at least one goal to send the match into extra time.

Still, making it into the quarterfinals of the World Cup should require competent goalkeeping, and a good game from Williams proved the difference over a poor one from her Brazilian counterpart.

JAPAN v NETHERLANDS

Japan’s early goal exposed some Dutch inexperience: Loes Geurts froze on the initial header and was slightly off her angle when she recovered, and then the initial clearance was quite weak. It was started, predictably, by a lovely cross from Aya Miyama, who continued to stake a claim as one of the absolute best midfield players in the world. More suited to a cenral role, Miyama was as influential on the left wing as a player can be who isn’t a heels-on-the-chalk winger, assured and calm on the ball and well-positioned to help her team defensively when they lost it.

Japan was lucky the game wasn’t tied immediately after the restart, but it’s not like Japan was toothless, as exemplified by the lovely run by Aya Sameshima down the left channel and her give-and-go returned with a class one-touch volley from Shinobu Ohno.

The half was lethargic at times: Ohno had a header go just wide immediately before the whistle, but aside from that there was little to notice, other than a clear tactical choice by the Dutch to sit very deep in their own half. There was plenty of space for all 21 players to be in the Dutch half of the field, and while I understand their desire to counter-attack, the game cried out for a bit more pressure to be applied.

It got it in the second half, and the Dutch were the better team for most of the period, at least until the series of feints, touches, and runs that set Mizuho Sakaguchi free for her goal to give Japan a 2-0 lead.

That put the match to bed until an inexplicable lapse by Ayumi Kaihori in the Japanese goal gave the Dutch a lifeline in stoppage time, but there wasn’t enough left in the match for the Dutch to recover, and Japan goes through.

In the end, the Dutch looked what they are: a young team, full of promise, but not yet ready to compete at this level. Vivianne Miedema was unable to take advantage of the World Cup to showcase her talents, and their overall play was often lacking: too many passes that found an opponent instead of a teammate, and too many wasted first touches on the balls that were on target. That last is key: for a team that plays as much of a possession-based style as they do, controlling the initial pass is key, something Japan did quite well throughout.

This was, I think, Japan’s best game of the tournament: they were calm defensively, used the entire field when they had the ball, and were continually clever and imaginative in attack.

#Quarterfinal 3: AUSTRALIA v JAPAN

This game could play very similarly to the match between Japan and the Netherlands: Australia will look to counter-attack, ceding possession to Japan, especially outside of the final third of the field.

But it should be a tougher, more physical game and (thankfully) a faster one as well: this Australia team has some real burners in Samantha Kerr, Caitlin Foord, De Vanna, and Simon and their speed and physicality should be more disruptive to Japan the Dutch were.

It’s a question of how Japan do against the Australian defense: if they are able to move the ball as deftly as they did in the final game of the round of sixteen, they should score and will end Australia’s run.

Key Matchups

Elise Kellond-Knight v Aya Miyama

It may not be these exact players, but the key question is how Australia’s defensive midfielders–Kellond-Knight and either Tameka Butt or Katrina Gorry–fare against the waves of Japanese players who slide in behind their forwards (Miyama, Sakaguchi, and Nahomi Kawasumi most notably, but the forwards exchange positions quite often, so you will see both Ohno and especially Yuki Ogimi in this matchup as well). Australia cannot afford to get caught out too far upfield, losing the numerical battle in the center of the pitch, especially along the edge of the box.

Aya Sameshima v Caitlin Foord & Lisa De Vanna

Much of Australia’s success comes from the pace and explosiveness of Foord and De Vanna down their right flank. I would expect Norio Sasaki to change his lineup a bit, as Sameshima is really an attacking wing-back: they’ll need some help on that side, or they risk being overrun on the counter.

Azusa Iwashimizu & Saki Kumagai v Alanna Kennedy, Laura Alleway & Emily Van Egmond

Set pieces are the refuge of the lazy analyst (or the ex-central defender–I’m looking at you, Alexi Lalas), but they do have merit. Australia is significantly bigger than Japan, and their height advantage on free kicks should be noticeable. Given their pace on the counter, I would expect them get a half-dozen chances at corner kicks or free kicks into the box: at that rate, the height differentials may indeed come into play.

I just don’t know. I think this game will be 2-1, with a late, dramatic goal, but it’s a coin flip for me as to who gets it.

CANADA v SWITZERLAND

This was a far better game than feared, with both teams showing flashes in attack throughout, but neither being able to make that extra touch, that extra pass, that extra bit of control to raise the quality of play.

That sounds harsh, and I don’t mean it to: these are both solid, hard-working teams, full of good instincts. But with an aging Christine Sinclair and nobody to really complement Ramona Bachmann, neither side has a true difference maker, someone who, every time they get the ball, is a threat to do something spectacular.

Bachmann, for me the best player on the field for this game, is the closest to that, although an argument could be made that Kadeisha Buchanan is, in fact, that exact player from the defensive side.

Canada’s goal was well taken: a nice cross from surprise starter Rhiann Wilkinson, a strong touch from Sinclair, and Josée Bélanger buried her shot with confidence.

Still, the game was in doubt to the end, and it took a fantastic save from Erin McLeod to deny Vanessa Bernauer from close range after a commanding run and cutback pass from Bachmann.

NORWAY v ENGLAND

As dominant as Norway was in the first half, England was quite fortunate to go into halftime scoreless and, when Solveig Gulbrandsen nodded the ball in off a corner kick to give the Norwegians a 1-0 lead, the game felt like it could turn into a dominant win.

But England rallied, a mixture of some tactical adjustments by coach Mark Sampson at halftime, some smart substitutions (including the entrance of Jill Scott on the right wing), and the heat seeming to take its toll on the Norwegians, who were a noticeable step slower as the half wore on.

And, Lucy Bronze‘s strike from the edge of the box was a stunner: Scott and Jodie Taylor combined nicely to set it up, and Bronze stepped into it, sending a rocket past Ingrid Hjelmseth‘s near post.

Still it was a little bit of a lucky win: England took the lead having had exactly two shots on goal, both going in. Norway’s front two were dominant in the first half, with both Isabell Herlovsen and Ada Hegerberg creating multiple chances, but Herlovsen faded over the second half and while Hegerberg had several promising breakaways, Karen Bardsley was always up to the task in England’s goal.

So, England moves on, for a date with Canada.

#Quarterfinal 4: ENGLAND v CANADA 

We have yet to see Canada play a truly impressive game, and England has only shone in patches. So, this one could go any way at all, but is most likely to be a contest that is entertaining for moments and boring for all too long stretches. There are a handful of players who could change that: Sinclair, Karen Carney, Fran Kirby.

The team that generates more chances will win–which sounds awfully trite, but what I mean is that we have two teams with different approaches so far in the tournament. England has been most successful when they have put together slick exchanges from the middle of the field–think Kirby’s goal or the passes that freed Bronze for her laser shot; while Canada has lived on service from the wings, whether from Wilkinson against Switzerland or from the continually energetic and impressive Allysha Chapman on the left side.

That puts the onus on those players to raise their game and on their counters–England’s centerback pairing of  Laura Bassett and Steph Houghton and Canada’s Desiree Scott (or her ongoing substitute, Kaylyn Kyle). This may swing the balance of the game to England: Houghton and Bassett have been quite solid throughout, and containing England’s midfield will require both Ashley Lawrence and Sophie Schmidt to do more defensive work than they’ve shown a stomach for so far.

Key Matchups

Lucy Bronze v Allysha Chapman

This flank should be fun to watch: Bronze is more athletic, a bundle of pace and power, while Chapman has been a continual ball of energy for Canada, equally adept charging forward and tracking back.

Erin McLeod v Karen Bardsley

I know this is a bit of a cheat, as the goalkeepers never actually face each other (I mean, you know, unless we get deep into penalty kicks). But both teams have at times relied on their keepers pulling a save from nowhere, and the difference in style is striking: Bardsley is all length and quickness while McLeod is a pit bull around the penalty area. Either one of them could have one of those games where they are unbeatable, or where they pull an absolute howler.

John Herdman v Mark Sampson

This may seem like another cheat, but I list both coaches because of the willingness they have shown to change their starting eleven (and, hence, some of their tactical play as well). For example, Herdman could drop Desiree Scott or Schmidt in favor of the more defensively aware Kyle and Sampson could return to Jill Scott (or, dare I say, Eniola Aluko) in search of more individual flair for his side. This game has a bit of a chess match feel, so the focus on the head coaches feels appropriate.

All that taken into account, I think the quality of the England side runs a little deeper, so let’s go with that: a narrow victory for England, possibly in extra time.

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Dashing: 20 June v Western New York Flash

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

This was the final game the Dash should play without their six participants in the World Cup, and they turned in a very nice performance, winning 2-0 against the Flash.

{I’ll write more about this at some point, but it’s pretty bizarre that the Dash–a second year team that was among the league’s worst last year–is perhaps the most impacted team in terms of the World Cup.}

This was a very good win by the Dash, but one that also raised some questions for the team moving forward.

#THE GOOD

Kealia Ohai continues to impress, and she is the only player whose starting job is, I think, rock solid safe on the return of the World Cup participants. Her speed remains the key to her game, exemplified by a lung-busting, box-to-box run late in the second half where she outran three players, but had a shot well-saved.

Her goal was interesting: the build up play was impressive, working down the Dash’s left flank, but the play seemed to break down, with Ohai and Jessica McDonald getting a bit tangled up along the top of the box. But Ohai found some space, was able to turn her hips, and sent a fantastic shot into the top corner of the goal. It was impressive, and speaks to the development in Ohai’s game: if she can enhance her speed with technical precision, and with shooting accuracy like that, she should have some national team call ups in her future.

Speaking of McDonald (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite Dash players), her opening goal was fantastic. Ellie Brush (who had a game full of quiet confidence) sent a low, hard cross into the box and McDonald, to steal from Ray Hudson, rose like a salmon in a stream to loop the ball over the keeper and into the top corner. It was a great, great header.

Niki Cross continues to look a bit ungainly as a holding midfielder, but she continues to be very effective. I love that Randy Waldrum did this: Cross is a central defender through and through, but her size and her focus and her constant effort serve her well in her new role, even if her first touch at times puts her in dangerous positions. As importantly, the Dash are noticeably better on set pieces, with Cross, Pressley, Brush, McDonald, and Tiffany McCarty available.

#THE UNGOOD

I have loved watching Toni Pressley since the Dash acquired her from the Flash earlier this year. She has been (again, channeling Ray Hudson) imperious at the back: unbeatable in the air, very good at reading the game, showing a powerful leg on clearances. And all of that was here for this game. But her passing was near-atrocious. There were at least four turnovers caused by inexplicably poor passing from her from the back. This needs to be a one-time thing.

Camila Pereira is a conundrum at left back. She is a bundle of attacking energy, with stereotypically Brazilian foot skills–grace, creativity, a magnetic relationship with the ball. But … she seems less than enthused about her defensive responsibilities, and spends most of the match far ahead of her compatriot on the right side, Ella Masar. This led to the Flash consistently finding gaps on her side of the field, allowing Jasmine Spencer and Jamia Fields to continually move into dangerous positions. I would not be surprised if the Dash end the year with Camila and Masar both moving into midfield: they are both certainly more suited and more comfortable further up the field.

Writeup from the always dependable Dynamo Theory here. Match report from The Dash here.

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FIFA U20 World Cup: Quarterfinals

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

{Thoughts on the Group Stage here and Round of Sixteen here. I’ve only watched through the quarters but, unfortunately, do know the matchup (but not the result) for the final.}

Brazil v Portugal

I thought Brazil would win, but I thought a 4-1 was far more likely than a penalty shootout. Portugal was impressive–this was perhaps their best game of the tournament. And they were horribly unlucky that this shot by Rony Lopes did not go in. Most of the time when someone shouts unlucky, they mean the idea was good, try that again. This was truly unlucky, a matter of centimeters to get the ball to catch the inside of the post and ricochet in.

But Brazil is through, despite their form dropping as they hit tougher opponents. Luckily for them, they’ll be facing the winner of …

Uzbekistan v Senegal

Really? This was the best we could do? Senegal continues to get favorable draws and do just enough to survive them. In this case, another bit of late-game heroics, this time by Mamadou Thiam, and they edge past the Uzbeks.

#SEMIFINAL #1 THOUGHTS

I know Brazil wins the game, I don’t know how. I predict a blowout, not because of the form of either team, but just because of the gulf in talent.

USA v Serbia

The biggest surprise for me was that the match remained scoreless. I think I have been selling the American defense short throughout the tournament: their struggles from midfield forward (and I include Marco Delgado in that, who has not impressed me) have dominated much of the discussion, but Matt Miazga, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Desevio Payne have all been very, very solid especially after the opening game jitters against Myanmar.

Zack Steffan had a great tournament, probably the best player for the USA, which gave them a good chance when the match went penalties, but it was not to be.

If it seems like I’m ignoring the Serbians, it’s largely because they just seem to be an incredibly solid team. A couple people have stood out, of course: Predrag Rajković in goal has been largely unbeatable, strong and quick to come off his line. Both Andrija Živković (their most consistent threat offensively) and the young (even for this tournament) Ivan Šaponjić look very promising as attacking players.

But what is most convincing about the team is their composure, the way they work together, the way all three bands of players recover to help defensively, stuff like that. It’s not the most compelling viewing for the casual fan, but this is a very, very good team.

Mali v Germany

Wow. Just … wow. Someone give their coach, Fanyeri Diarri, some massive credit.

Let’s be clear: Germany should have won this game. They had more and better shots (even if Julian Brandt‘s opening goal was a little fortuitous), and when, after Mali tied the game on a set piece, Jeremy Dudziak won his penalty, the match should have been over. But Djigui Diarra came up huge in goal for Mali, saving the PK, and it remained tied at 1 after the extra thirty minutes.

The shootout was surprising: Mali’s best player, Adama Traoré missed his, as did Brandt. But Diadie Samassékou made his and Niklas Stark, rock steady for Germany throughout the tournament, sent his wide of the post and the West African side were through, having brought down the clear favorite for the title.

Unbelievable.

#SEMIFINAL #2 THOUGHTS

Again, I know that Serbia wins, but I don’t know how. My hopes are that Mali puts forth another supreme effort, and Serbia just edges them. But I wonder how Mali will react to a team that is as composed and structured as they are: that is, I could see this being 3-1 Serbia, with Mali being exposed for the first time all tournament. But I hope not.

Since I know the matchup for the finals, I’ll combine the semis and the finals into a single post, but it may be a few days: the Women’s World Cup starts again in a matter of hours! Go Cameroon!

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FIFA U20 World Cup: Round of Sixteen

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

{Thoughts on the Group Stage here. The break in play at the Women’s World Cup has allowed me to catch up on the U20’s. I was able to avoid knowing results for quite some time, but right now I do know which two teams make the finals. Hard to avoid results for this long!}

Doing this a little differently …

#MOST IMPRESSIVE

Mali just continues to be incredibly composed, organized, and opportunistic. Ghana was the brightest of the African sides in the group stage, and Mali completely robbed their attack of any momentum, continually breaking up attacks before they reached the final third. I don’t see any future world stars on this team, but the coaching is certainly massively impressive.

Serbia was lucky to pull out their victory, as both sides were very hard to break down. Hungary‘s Bence Mervó continued to impress, and he should have increased his stock significantly over the course of the tournament. The tying goal for Serbia–scored in extra time–was by another name to watch, Ivan Šaponjić.

#MEH IMPRESSIVE

Colombia was probably the better team, but the USA won the game: a long clearance, a nice touch, and Rubio Rubin‘s scoring instinct gave the Americans the win, but they needed a penalty save from Zack Steffan to preserve their lead. Gedion Zelalem continued to impress with his touch, but he doesn’t look particularly comfortable in his role: unsure of where to go, often occupying the same space as a teammate, unsure what runs to anticipate. That will come: remember, he was only called into the American just before the tournament. Steffan, Matt Miazga, and surprisingly scrappy Paul Arriola continue to impress for the USA.

Germany–after breezing through their group matches–looked merely solid against Nigeria. They were never really in danger until the last dozen minutes or so, but they also never really dominated, and their goal, a knuckling, head-level shot by Levin Öztunalı, perhaps should have been saved. Taiwo Awoniyi had another good game, but the announcer’s love for Success Isaac seems based on his name alone. I mean, yeah, it’s a great name …

The Brazil – Uruguay game was just a nasty, testy, grueling affair with Uruguay playing very defensively until the final minutes of regular time, where they had two chances that really should have won the game. Judivan was taken off with what looked like a serious injury, which was a shame as he was having a breakout tournament to that point. Brazil got through, and it may end up being their toughest game.

#MISSABLE

Neither Ukraine nor Senegal look like contenders to me, although Sidy Sarr has had a nice few games. Likewise, Austria and Uzbekistan.

Not only was Portugal‘s defeat of New Zealand missable, I actually missed it.

#QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW

USA v Serbia. Serbia should win this. The USA is just a bit too toothless, and Serbia looks too tough.

Mali v Germany. Boy would I love a Mali win here, but Germany is clearly the better team. This is a true test of Mali’s tactical success: if they can neutralize Germany, their coach’s phone should start ringing immediately.

Uzbekistan v Senegal. Um … coin flip? Neither team has impressed me, and in that sense, they are lucky to draw each other. Let’s go for Uzbekistan, but, whatever …

Portugal v Brazil. This is where, I think, the Uruguay game helps Brazil: this contest should be less physical, more to their liking, and in a game that allows offensive freedom, Brazil should win.

Tournaments are hard. The best teams are probably Serbia, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, and Mali, but four of those teams play each other.

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WWC2015: Round of 16 Previews

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

{Discussions of the first match days, the second match days, and a final overview of the group stage preceded this.}

While I’ve succumbed to the prediction bug below, I’m more interested in thinking about what the key components of each contest are. Especially in the Key Players sections, the goal is to help identify what to pay attention to in each game, sort of a viewer’s guide. We’ll see … football can be a fickle game.

GERMANY v SWEDEN

This is a nice outcome from the imbalanced groups: anticipating an easy road, Germany ends up facing a potentially very strong opponent in Sweden. Germany are most likely the best team in the world right now, so they win just by playing like they can.

Here’s how Sweden wins: either they bunker up and get through 120 minutes at 0-0 or 1-1 and survive on PK’s or they snatch a goal on a counter-attack or a wonderstrike (like Sofia Jakobsson did here against Australia) and the Germans have a bad day.

Neither of those are particularly likely, and as Sweden is a notch below Norway, I would see this being a 2-0 or 3-0 win for Germany.

Key Players for Sweden

Lotta Schelin (F) and Hedvig Lindahl (GK). Schelin has a long pedigree of success, and if she can drag another 90 minutes of greatness–or, actually, the right 90 seconds–that could provide the difference for Sweden. Lindahl is likely to be tested all day: the Germans shoot and shoot often, and Lindahl has been quite good throughout the group stage.

Key Players for Germany

Melanie Leupolz (M), Leonie Meier (D), and Celia Sasic (F). Leupolz makes the German engine run, and if she can control the pace and pattern of the game–when to maintain possession, when to take risks going forward–Sweden is in for a long game. Meier offers the most going forward of the German defenders, and since I anticipate most of the game to be played in the Swedish half, she could be a difference-maker, both from her service from the right flank and her shots from distance. While Anja Mittag has more goals, it is Sasic that I think may have the creativity to unravel the Swedish defense: she may not score, but watch the impact of her runs, of the Swedish backline needing to always be aware of where she is.

CHINA v CAMEROON

Easily my most anticipated matchup of the round. I’m an unabashed fan of this Cameroon side and will be wearing my Indomitable Lion(ess) jersey (yeah, I do have one, although it is desperately in need of replacement). Even taking off that hat, though, this could be a great game. We’ll learn a ton here about China: if they can shut down the Cameroonian attack, they will be the first team to do so.

But I think Gaelle Enganamouit rebounds from her weakest game of the tournament, and Cameroon pushes China to the limit.

My crystal ball says the final score is 3-2, but it refuses to say which way. I know which I’ll be rooting for.

Key Players for Cameroon

Raissa Feudjio (M) and Annete Ngo Ndom (GK). The obvious choices are Enganamouit and Gabrielle Onguene, but I think watching Feudjio and Ngo Ndom will reveal more about how the game is going: if Feudjio is breaking up the Chinese attack and winning the battle of midfield, and if Ngo Ndom is composed in goal (something that has occasionally eluded her), Cameroon will have a good day.

Key Players for China

Li Donga (D) and Zhao Rong (D). The partnership of Li and Zhao will go a long way to determining China’s success. A slower paced, more grinding game favors the Chinese, and the steady play of the two defenders will determine to what degree that is possible against the Cameroonian attack. Clearly, someone has to score for China as well, but it’s not clear where that is going to come from.

FRANCE v KOREA

I think this is a fortuitous matchup for France, even if the “good” Korea of their second half showing against Spain shows up. Simply, Laura Georges and Windie Renard in back are just better than the Spanish backline the Korean Republic exposed, and I don’t see the Korean defense containing Eugenie Le Sommer for 90 minutes. 2-0 France.

Key Players for France

Jessica Houara (D) and Laure Boulleau (D). Korea seems to depend on flank play to generate their offense, largely through crosses into the box–indeed, they won against Spain thanks to a cross that was mishit enough that it turned into a goal. As such, Houara and Boulleau’s ability to defend on the outside will be a key, as will the speed with which they can transition from defending to launching an attack of their own.

Key Players for the Korean Republic

Jeon Gaeul (M) and Kim Jungmi (GK). Jeon has been impressive in midfield for her country, industrious and creative, and she will need to put in a big game on both sides of the ball if they are to impress here. Jungmi is long and strong, and while she spills the ball a little often, it never seems to go very far. France will test her.

BRAZIL v AUSTRALIA

I think this is a potentially yummy matchup, but the key word is potentially. The argument for Australia is that Brazil has really yet to be tested and, when faced the waves of attack that Australia can provide, the Brazilian defense can be exposed. Maybe.

The problem is that we have some evidence the opposite is true as well: when faced with a strong attacking team, Australia lost 3-1 to the USA. But if you look more closely, the source of the threat is different. For Brazil, Marta, Formiga, and Andressa form a fantastic spine, but the outside players have yet to really impress. And, even if one did, they aren’t going to suddenly turn into Megan Rapinoe.

So … I may be putting too much faith in the continued brilliance of Lisa De Vanna, but I put this down to 2-2 and the coin-flip of penalties.

Key players for Brazil

Luciana (GK), Marta (M), and Tamires (D). Luciana can be shaky in goal, and needs to be solid, not only in this game, but for the rest of Brazil’s contests in the tournament. Marta still has the ability to dominate a game: the key here is that, if she doesn’t, who steps up for Brazil? Finally, Tamires is the only field player to have played every minute of their games so far, and her ability to organize and anchor their defense will be crucial against Australia.

Key players for Australia

Elise Kellond-Knight (D) and Caitlin Foord (F). Foord started her career as a fullback, and her ability to contribute on both sides of the ball will be important, but Australia’s defense starts with Kellond-Knight. If they can be solid at the back, the mixture of De Vanna, Kyah Simon, and Samantha Kerr will pose danger going the other way.

CANADA v SWITZERLAND

Honestly, I don’t have a lot to say about this one. It is two teams in red and white, so there’s that. Neither have performed particularly well, either could potentially make the semifinals. I think Switzerland has been a shade less impressive, so I’ll go with a Canada team inspired by the home crowd, 2-1.

Key players for Canada

Erin McLeod (GK) and Allysha Chapman (D). I’ve already written about Kadeisha Buchanan‘s impressive play and the notion that Christine Sinclair may be losing the race with time. Either could prove me wrong decisively: the one thing Buchanan lacks is the calm and tactical understanding that comes with experience, and Sinclair could summon up a match from her youth. But I’m going with McLeod in goal and Chapman on the flanks here: McLeod is usually fantastic and occasionally loses her mind: in a tight game, Canada can’t afford her to do that. Chapman has been as impressive as any fullback in the tournament, and if that carries forward, may provide a real edge for Canada on her side of the field.

Key players for Switzerland

Ana Maria Crnogorcevic (M) and Lia Waelti (M). I think the connection between these two players is the engine for Switzerland: if they work well together, the pressure is reduced on the back for, and chances are created for the more attacking players. I would add Eseosa Aigbogun (F) as a wildcard: she looks raw, but very talented, and capable of coming up with a goal.

USA v COLOMBIA

This works out very well for the USA, who should get by without a lot of struggle. Much hinges on how Jill Ellis sees the game: she could very well use it to give some of the second string field time: if you see Tobin Heath, Amy Rodriguez, and Sydney Leroux in the starting eleven, you’ll know that’s where she’s headed.

Note that I would rather see Heath and Leroux start in most cases: my preferred front six would be Heath, Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Leroux, I think (I know that ignores a traditional holding midfielder. Against anyone except perhaps Germany, I’m OK with that). The choice between Leroux and Abby Wambach is a coin-flip; in either case, I would want them prepared to go all out for sixty minutes, and then have the other come in to close the game: whether you go from physical presence/traditional striker play (Wambach) to the speed and creativity of Leroux or vice-versa can be argued either way.

4-0 USA. Be prepared for the media storm after this game about the team being “back.” Discount it: the gulf in class in this game is larger than any other round of sixteen matchup.

Key players for USA

Without knowing the lineups, it’s hard, but I think the USA scores, no matter what. So I’ll go with Julie Johnston (D) here, just because someone has to make sure the defense doesn’t give up a cheap goal.

Key players for Colombia

It’s going to be all about the back line, so we’ll include them all: Sandra Sepulveda (GK), Natalia Gaitan (D), Carolina Arias (D), Nataly Arias (D), and Angela Clavijo (D). They will be under constant pressure all day, and will need to provide the performances of their lives to give Colombia a chance. I’ve been impressed with Sepulveda so far, although she also seems to teeter permanently on the edge of being injured. You’ll hear a lot of talk about Lady Andrade (F), but while she is vital to Colombia scoring, if the back line is merely good and Andrade has a great day, Colombia still lose 4-2.

NORWAY v ENGLAND

This should be a very tightly contested game. It also could be incredibly boring for the casual viewer, as both teams are likely to focus on defensively responsible tactics, counter attacks, and the vague hopes of a moment of brilliance from some very capable players.

Norway is tough and strong. And, very funny. And their best attacker, Ada Hegerberg, is in fine form and, more importantly, able to be a difference-maker on her own. This last point, I think, gives them the edge: Fran Kirby and Karen Carney need combination play to be most effective, and that may be hard to generate against Norway’s defense.

2-1 Norway.

Key players for Norway

Hegerberg first and last. But, Lene Mykjåland (M) is the fulcrum around which the team turns, and paying attention to her effectiveness in midfield should give a good indication of the Norwegian fortunes on the day.

Key players for England

Jill Scott (M) and Eniola Aluko (F). Look, I don’t even know if either of these players will see the field (both were given England’s last game off, and since that was pretty much a “must win,” that may not bode well for their time here). But Scott and Aluko (although she hasn’t shown it yet) are the two players able to pull a moment of brilliance out of nothing on this England team and, in the end, I think that is what will be needed to beat the stout Norway defense.

JAPAN v NETHERLANDS

The final game could also be one of the better contests of the round. The only way I see this game being a blowout is if the long-rumored explosion of the Dutch side finally occurs. Otherwise–and the most likely scenario–is a tight affair that could swing either way. Japan looks very smooth, and seems to usually do just enough to get by. But if you look at their games, they haven’t been terribly impressive: beating Ecuador by one goal isn’t a great result and they were lucky not to drop points against Cameroon.

So that gives the Dutch more than a puncher’s chance in this match. The defensive partnership between Stefanie van der Gragt and Mandy van den Berg looks solid, and it seems improbable that Vivianne Miedema and Lieke Martens are kept under wraps for yet another game (ignoring for the moment Martens’ fantastic game one strike). I think they come through, 2-1 to the Netherlands.

Key players for Japan

As always, Aya Miyama (M) makes the team go, but I would also pay close attention to Aya Sameshima (D), whose influence at the back could be tested by the Dutch attack.

Key players for Holland

Sherida Spitse (M) and Danielle van de Donk (M) don’t get the glory of the forwards, but without them, the Dutch engine grinds to a halt. The matchup between Miyama and Spitse should be especially telling, and van de Donk seems to always be just on the edge of providing the right touch to connect with the three attackers: if she can finally put it all together, the Dutch should do well.

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@The Movies with PopPop: Salt of the Earth

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Salt of the Earth is a remarkable documentary of the life and work of Sebastião Salgado, the Brazilian phtotodocumentarian. The film was written and directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Sebastião’s son, and was an Academy Award nominee this year.

Salgado spent most of his life photographing the range of miseries experienced by those in disastrous situations, usually resulting from poverty or war — hence the title. His projects included studies of workers around the world, starvation in Ethiopia, migrations and exiles from war or drought areas and the Sahel, among others. His work is both devastating and beautiful, and the accumulation of tragedy and its tension with the beauty is extraordinarily powerful. Makes it understandable why in the last couple of decades he turned both to nature photography — the earth unscarred by its most dangerous animals, humans — and a project co-led with his wife Leila of rainforest restoration, Instituto Terra, around his childhood home in Brazil.

His story, his partnership with Leila, his journey from World Bank economist to photographer to conservationist is fascinating, but the heart of the movie is his photographs, the places he accessed, the connections he made, and the beauty with which he captured such terrifying situations.

Do see it!

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WWC2015: Group Match 3 Thoughts

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

{Written after the completion of Group Play. Thoughts on the opening games here; second games here. Will have a preview of the Round of 16 sometime after this.}

Warning: This is a long post, as it turned into more of a summary of the overall group play than just the final game. I had more thoughts than I thought I did and, you know, there are six groups.

Tournaments that include group play tend to follow an always-unique-but-somewhat-predictable script: interesting storylines emerge, some teams surprise early, and at the end of the day, regression to the mean is very hard to overcome, and quality tends to separate towards both the top and bottom.

I’m not saying this WWC has been predictable in its specifics–far form it–but overall the “right” teams are progressing.

GROUP A

Maybe the Dutch are better at math than the rest of us: they sure celebrated their tie with Canada as if they knew progress was assured. In the end, the one team that surpassed expectations–New Zealand–is the one team going home. Canada, China, and Holland all come out of the group still searching for their best form.

If any of those three teams are going to progress past the next round, someone needs to really catch fire. Wang Lisi has been getting the attention for China, but Tang Jiali has been more impressive for me; we’re still waiting for Christine Sinclair to really make an appearance (but the inevitable ravages of time may preclude that entirely); and while Lieke Martens has been fantastic at points, the much-ballyhooed 3M strike force of her, Vivianne Miedema, and Manon Melis has yet to really sparkle.

That may be a reflection of good defense as well, of course: Canada will continue to be hard to break down, as Kadeisha Buchanan is emerging as a potential superstar (yes, she makes some mistakes: she’s nineteen) and I’ve been very, very pleasantly surprised by Allysha Chapman‘s work on the wings. China’s been a bit more suspect defensively, and the Dutch are suffering from some potentially significant injuries along their back line.

In the end, though, I think most people thought three teams (and, probably, these three) would go from Group A, with Canada topping the list.

GROUP B

Again, very few surprises, other than I’m pretty sure nobody thought the best goal (This should take you to 1:40 of the highlights) from this group would come from 4’7″ (on a good day) Ange N’Guessan from Côte D’Ivoire.

We know very little about Norway and Germany: they are several levels of class better than the other two teams in the group, and predictably dominated them, distorting all sorts of statistics (goals is the obvious, but also things that relate to minutes played and defensive evaluation as well).

They most important result–by far–is the 1-1 draw between the top teams: Germany will be disappointed with that game; Norway will see it as proof they can contend for the title. And, if Ada Hegerberg keeps on, perhaps they can.

GROUP C

Cameroon (along with Colombia below) are quickly becoming the darlings of the World Cup (although, if I hear more announcers gushing about the athleticism and physicality of the Cameroonian players without recognizing their technical skills and work rate, I will be … um … predictably disappointed by the use of lazy and ultimately racist stereotypes in the sports media).

Cameroon suffers from some indications of the classic broken team, where a strong defensive line and a strong attacking line lack cohesion between them. In their case, I don’t think it’s a case of ability, but rather tactical discipline: Raissa Feudjio sits in front of the back four quite well (and their tackling–especially captain Christine Manie–has been superlative), but the other midfielders get drawn too far upfield in attack, leaving the team vulnerable to the counter.

But, oh that attack … If you told me that Gaelle Enganamouit would have an off-day, I would give them no chance against Switzerland. But Gabrielle Onguene was utterly magnificent in that game, tireless and aggressive and routinely beating and holding off defenders that were significantly larger than her. It was, for me, the single best performance of the tournament.

Japan wins the group with 9 points and Aya Miyama being a predictable pleasure to watch, but were less than dominant throughout (beating Ecuador by a single goal is not a good result for a team with championship pretensions). Likewise, Switzerland’s thrashing of Ecuador is what allowed them to the next round through the beauty of goal differential, but the Swiss team was unable to really find their offensive legs against either Japan or Cameroon.

GROUP D

The Group of Death turned out to essentially follow expectations: Sweden and Australia were difficult match ups in very different ways, and the USA won the group, despite significant questions remaining about their offensive performance. And Nigeria … was Nigeria: pacey, athletic, disorganized, a bit of a shambles, and full of very odd assertions from its leadership. I do still think Asisat Oshoala is the next big thing, but she’ll have to chalk this WC up to a learning experience.

Sweden was very hard to figure out: they looked miserably vulnerable against Nigeria, and then combative and solid in their last two games. They are always a threat to push an elimination game to PK’s, but their offense needs a lot more–especially from the much-heralded Lotta Schelin who, like Canada’s Sinclair, may be exposing the twilight of her career to public critique.

No such issues exist for Lisa De Vanna, who continues to carry much of Australia’s hopes on her shoulders (and, more, on the undimmed fleetness of her feet). Australia will shine in a wide open game, but they certainly can be tamed–especially by a smart, organized back line.

And that brings us to the USA, whose situation is largely unchanged: we’re still waiting for one of the forwards to take control (although Alex Morgan‘s start was promising and the complaints about Abby Wambach are, for me, really unwarranted: nobody, not Tim Cahill, not Peter Crouch, nobody, succeeds most of the time propelling their noggins towards spherical objects hurtling at odd angles and spins) and we’re still waiting for Jill Ellis to solve her midfield conundrums.

On the other side, the back four have been largely magnificent, with Meghan Klingenberg making an argument as their best player not named Rapinoe and the partnership between Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn becoming very, very effective.

GROUP E

The media would have loved to jump on either Spain or Costa Rica‘s bandwagon, but in the end a lack of either luck or finishing proficiency doomed the former and the pure talent gap proved too wide for the latter.

So, we’re left with Brazil who emerges largely untested and Korea, who run very hot and very cold: if they play like they did for most of the second half against Spain (and, oh! that header), they can cause some problems, but they were lackluster against Brazil and downright tepid against Costa Rica.

Luciana continues to look shaky in goal for Brazil, but Marta is still Marta and Andressa is turning into a significant contribute for this team, bridging their midfield quite impressively (she is usually the first midfielder back to help defensively, and her passing touch–see her assist on Raquel Fernandes‘ goal against Costa Rica–has been well evident.

GROUP F

The final day of Group F was anti-climactic, but still entertaining, as long as your heart didn’t belong to Mexico. There are two competing narratives on France: either they have regained their form and are back on track or we have no clue, because Mexico is that bad. While I am a big fan of this French team (or, perhaps more accurately, I am a big fan of the future of this French team), I fear that the latter holds more weight than the former.

Still, any team with Eugenie Le Sommer up top is dangerous, and their defense can be impressive, despite the play against Colombia. And, btw, for all the deep-lying midfielders who never get their moments in the sun, this from Amandine Henry may help.

England has done well to recognize how important Karen Carney is to their success, and I think the interplay between Carney and Fran Kirby is the real hope for them in future rounds; that and the continued strength of Steph Houghton in back.

It’s not kind to write off Colombia, but I will. I’ve enjoyed Lady Andrade as much as anyone, but this is a team that is progressing on a single result and, at the end of the day, a team that would probably lose to New Zealand.

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@The Movies with PopPop: Blue Jasmine

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

While Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen‘s latest film, has some funny, and even more ironic lines, it is not a comedy!

It is a first rate film, that in a very Woody Allen way seriously engages issues of class and privilege, and perhaps yields his best character study to date of a woman at the center. This is a film full of lies and pretensions, the unraveling of which provide the spine of the film. Cate Blanchett provides an extraordinary performance as the woman at the center, and the supporting roles are all quite strong. Settings alternate between New York and San Francisco, and indeed, the chickens come home to roost!

The stance and sense of the world remain Allen’s — for better and worse — and it’s well worth seeing, even if you don’t emerge laughing

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Monday Evening Quarterbacking: Thoughts on the USA’s Third Game

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Wanted to get these out there before the game, as it’s so easy to claim these things in hindsight.

  • The USA will not reach the finals of the WC insisting on playing Carli Lloyd or Morgan Brian out wide. It’s really kind of baffling: you need a creative, attacking force opposite Megan Rapinoe, and presumably you included Tobin Heath on your roster for something. What, exactly, if not this? And if not her, why has Heather O’Reilly fallen so totally out of favor? I would rather see Sydney Leroux out wide than Lloyd or Morgan.That’s not a knock on Morgan and Lloyd: it’s just that their talents are vision, creativity, possession, pressuring the defense into poor decisions. They need to play between the channels to do that at their best. And if they play at their best, suddenly the USA has a skill dominance in a key part of the field.This is especially important, as Ali Krieger is performing solidly enough defensively, but isn’t offering a lot going forward. Meghan Klingenberg is pushing up higher than Krieger on the left-which the USA needs, because Rapinoe is likely to wander off in search of moments of brillance (and well she should). That means Krieger is probably right to hold back, but it also means the midfielder out there needs to be much, much more effective.I really want to see Heath there. I would even prefer Rapinoe on the right and Heath on the left. But evidently that’s just me.
  • The USA will reach the finals if they can consistently get Brian or Lloyd the ball with some space in the middle of the field. Either one–or someone else, even: the point is that they need someone to own that spot behind their forwards, someone to either set Alex Morgan or Leroux free with through balls, or to get the ball out wide for service into Abby Wambach.
  • OK, this has nothing to do with tomorrow’s game, but … do you think Nike just gave the same pitch to the USA and Brazil for their away shirts? Thinking, you know, what are the odds both of them go for it? That’s the USA on the left, Brazil on the right:

USA Brazil

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@The Movies with PopPop: Ida

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Daniel (@MKNN)

Ida is a wonderful 2013 film, in Polish and in black and white, by the Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski. It’s a story set in the ’60s of a young novice about to take her vows. Before she does, the Mother Superior insists she leave the convent to visit her aunt. Though the convent knew of this aunt’s existence, for Ida, the novice, this is the first she hears of her.

She meets the aunt, and fairly quickly is told that her parents had been Jewish and been killed in post-war Poland. We learn that the Aunt had been an ardent Stalinist in her youth, had been a prosecutor during the Communist rule and sent at least several people to their deaths, and is now a judge in some minor court system.

They wind up spending several days together and they and we learn further detail about the historical events, what they each believe, and what they’re each about. We watch their relationship evolve and watch them face current decision points in each of their lives.

The acting is magnificent, understated and internal sometimes, and the photography is used wonderfully to enhance the mood and focus.

Well worth seeing.

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