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     QUESTIONABLE PK CALLS PROPEL USA AND JAPAN INTO FINALS
Thecomebacker claims 1st HWCI WWC title and D.R. joins money circle; 4 vying for final 2 spots

KAPA'A, KAUA'I, HAWAI'I (smt) -- Four penalty kick calls dominated the semifinals with at least 3 of them questionable.  Although I've seen many worse plays than 1D-USA's Julie Johnston's strong-arming foul in the box, I do agree that if you're going to call a PK, it has to be a red card.  Incredible it wasn't but 1B-Germany didn't take advantage as Celia Sasic shot wide left, the first miss ever for GER (was 18-0 including all 5 in PSO).  Alex Morgan was then blocked going into the box but the ref called it a PK anyway and Carli Lloyd took advantage, her third straight match with a goal, and momentum swung USA's way.  Lloyd sealed the #1 team's fate with a perfect cross for sub Kelley O'Hara to tap it in.  The 2-0 victory meant the USA picked up it's fifth straight shutout and the USA's backline and GK Hope Solo have not allowed a goal in 513 minutes.  I guess the USA finally peaked thanks to a new 4-3-3 formation and bad refereeing.  Finally.

In the second semifinal, 1C-Japan got a gift PK for a foul outside the box and converted but then turnabout is fair as 2F-England received a PK for their own player falling on her own.  England converted to level the match at 1 into halftime.  In a fun last 30 minutes, England hit 2 crossbars while Japan played some nifty moves providing some scoring chances.  But another Japan break had England on their heels and a near perfect cross into the box was broken up by the outstretched foot of Laura Bassett, but unfortunately lifted the ball hitting the underside of the crossbar for an own goal with just over a minute left in stoppage time.  That left England no time for an equalizer as Japan pulled out their sixth straight one-goal victory, 2-1.  So we get the rematch of the 2011 WWC where USA blew two leads and lost in PKs to Japan.  But the USA sort of got their revenge beating Japan in the 2012 Olympic Final.  So is this double-revenge or is this Japan's turn for revenge?

So while I thought I was going to miss the USA-Germany match (and yes, the Delta plane's DirecTV did not have Fox Sports 1), a two-hour delay allowed me to at least watch partially while chasing two kids around in the LAX Delta Sky Club Lounge (which is majorly revamped).  Of course, the 2-hour delay turned into a nearly 9-hour delay, but hey, the USA won... with my red polo on!

17 picked USA into the final while 6 picked Japan.  Thecomebacker (123 pts) and D.R. (2nd-T, 117 pts) rose pushing Spermidicidal WFC (2nd-T) out of first for the first time since June 20th (12 matches ago) with the former two securing money spots.  But more importantly, Thecomebacker secured 1st and after finishing 2nd in our first-ever Euro pool in 2012, he rises to the top in the first WWC pool.  What is left to decide is if Japan wins the WWC, YellowCard (9th, 108), the only person to pick them, rises to 2nd and pushes my Futbol Fabone 7 (4th, 116) out of the 4th position and Spermicidal WFC and D.R. share 3rd/4th.  A USA win eliminates Spermicidal WFC and moves Sepp Loves the Ladies (5th, 114) into 4th with D.R. and Futbol Fabone 7 rising one spot.  Four got both finalists correct while 3 got none (Ponytail Houligans (14th-T, 100), Toney Tribe (14th-T), Soccerhorn (16th-T, 96)).

    Bits 'N Bobs:  Goals: 138 (2.76/match, 50 matches) (5 own goals (8-NGA, 18-ECU (2), 35-MEX, 50-ENG), 18 goals by subs (3-GER (2), 8-SWE, 16-CIV, 16-THA, 16-CRC, 23-COL, 24-ENG, 24-MEX, 25-NED, 27-GER(2), 30-CMR, 31-NGA, 39-GER, 41-AUS, 42-NED, 47-JPN, 49-USA))... Shutouts: 29 (1-CHN, 2-NZL, 3-CIV, 4-THA, 5-SUI, 6-ECU, 9-KOR, 11-ENG, 13-CAN, 13-NZL, 14-NED, 17-NGA, 19-USA, 19-SWE, 21-ESP, 23-FRA, 27-THA, 29-ECU, 31-NGA, 33-CRC, 35-MEX, 37-CMR, 38-COL, 40-KOR, 41-BRA, 44-SUI, 45-CHN, 47-AUS, 49-GER)... PSO: 1 (46-GERvFRA (5-4, 5.0 Rounds)... Hat Tricks: 5 (Anja Mittag (3-GER), Celia Sasic (3-GER), Gaelle Enganamouit (6-CMR), Fabienna Humm (18-SUI), Ramona Bachmann (18-SUI))... PK: 17/21 (1-CAN, 4-NOR(x-SV), 5-JPN, 6-CMR, 6-CMR, 6-CMR, 9-BRA, 13-NZL(x-CB), 18-SUI, 18-ECU, 22-KOR, 26-CHN, 36-ENG, 38-USA (x-WL), 38-USA, 39-GER, 46-GER, 49-GER(x-WL), 49-USA, 50-JPN, 50-ENG)... 90'+ goals: 7 (1-CAN 92', 6-CMR 94', 14-CHN 91', 24-MEX 91', 36-COL 94', 42-NED 92', 50-ENG og 92')... Leading at Half: 24-2-6 (18 ties, L: 30-SUI, 34-ESP)... Scoring 1st Goal: 35-4-9 (2 0-0 ties, L: 16-CIV, 30-SUI, 34-ESP, 43-NOR)... Red Cards (goals for/against): 3 (6-ECU 66' (0/3), 31-NGA 69' (0/0), 8-COL 47' (0/2))...  GER now has a +15 GD (20-5) and has taken an incredible 151 shots, 47 on goal, getting at least 25 shots (at least 8 on goal) in each of the first four matches (29-15, 27-8, 36-16, 25-11) but just 32 in their last 2 matches (just 5 on goal)... after scoring 19 goals in their first 4 matches, GER scored just 1 in the last 212 minutes and that was a PK... ENG has now allowed goals in the 90+ minute three times...  15 entries have reached 100 pts... Melis and Vivisdaddy are still in last (86) but a USA win would put Soccerhorn, who will have missed the last 6 matches and was in 1st after the Group Stage, into last... just 2 thought GER would make the final (Ponytail Houligans, Toney Tribe) while no one had ENG...

Stay on Target. – Gold Five, IV:ANH....
Scott