2011 Women's World Cup

[The Left Side]

France deserved to go through but it was a shame we didn't hold on, we were the walking wounded at the end.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

If Hope Powell is soon to step down after 13 years as coach of the England women's side, she has delivered quite a parting shot. After the defeat to France on penalties in the World Cup quarter-finals she accused some of her squad of "cowardice" for failing to volunteer to take a spot-kick.

Three of the back four stepped up in the shoot-out, with the 22-year-old left-back Claire Rafferty, who had been brought off the bench to make her World Cup debut 10 minutes from the end of the initial 90, and the central defender Faye White, the captain, in what may well have been her last game in an England shirt, missing the fourth and fifth attempts from the spot to send France through to the semi-finals.

"Three times I had to ask [for volunteers] before anyone stepped forward," said Powell. "'Where are you?' I was thinking, and then a young kid is the first to put her hand up. And Kelly Smith was dying on her feet but she stepped up and took one. You've got to want to take a penalty, but other players should have come forward and they didn't. That's weak, it's cowardice."

[pmarachi]

Hope Solo fever is going wild over here.

They even covered the sport on ESPN for a few minutes today!

[*shellac*]

Hope Solo fever is going wild over here.

They even covered the sport on ESPN for a few minutes today!

She's probably being brought up by Chewie.

[cdbearsfan]

Superb Final.

USA led with ten minutes to go when Japan equalised.

The Great Satanettes then led again with two minutes of extra-time to play when when the Japaneses snatched another leveller.

2-2, Japan win 3-1 on penalties. Much better than the men's final last year.

[*shellac*]

A deserved win for the Japan ladies.

[Somniloquism]

A deserved win for the Japan ladies.

Especially as the Yanks had a man playing at number 20.