USA-North Korea Aftermath
Before I dive into my complete game report that will appear in the print edition and on the Web site later, I wanted to share the night's other scores and a few postgame quotes.
Nigeria scored late to tie favored Sweden, 1-1, so all four teams in Group B are even with a point apiece, although the U.S. and North Korea have the advantage because of more goals scored (two). In Friday's doubleheader in Chengdu, the Americans will face Sweden while the Koreans will take on Nigeria.
After allowing two goals by Kelly Smith in a two-minute span, Japan struck on a free kick during added time to tie England, 2-2. In Group A, Germany has three points, England and Japan one apiece, and Argentina none.
USA quotes (I saved some for use in the main story):
Heather O'Reiilly, on her equalizer: "It was a thrill. It's every kid's dream to start in a World Cup and to score in a World Cup. I am walking away pleased with the goal. I have mixed feelings - obviously I would have wanted a win to go along with that - but we got the point and we are moving on toward Sweden now."
O'Reilly, on the Koreans: "It seemed like North Korea was getting more chances on the frame than we were. Hats off to North Korea; they got their players so fast up the field that it stretched us, and by the time that we could clear a ball, we didn't have our whole team together in attack. Our chances were limited and we were expecting people to do magical things instead of building the attack."
O'Reilly, on the goal: "It was totally instinctual. One of the things, as a front-runner, is to keep moving in the box and you are going to find yourself in positions to score. I was just moving around in the box and the ball just wound up on my feet. I just tried to get something on it to get it on frame. It didn't feel like it came off my foot very cleanly; it kind of surprised me it was as nice of a goal as it was, and that's something a forward just practices - striking the ball a ton of times and that's just total instincts; it comes to you, you strike it and good things happen."
Kristine Lilly, on being behind: "We knew we had time and we knew we just had to play. It wasn't like, 'oh, [expletive], we're down a goal.' It wa more like, 'We're okay, let's start keeping the ball, let's organize defensively and we still got time to get a goal.' That's what is so great about this group because we haven't been in this situation and we did come out with a point."
Lilly, on the Koreans: "They served more long balls than we were expecting, they were more direct. We knew they were going to be good, we knew it was going to be a great game and I think it was. For the fans, I think it was great to see attacking soccer, they saw goals, they saw teams combating to the very end and that's what this World Cup is going to give you."
Hope Solo, on overcoming the bad goal: "It was more difficult than I have had to do on the field besides playing the day after my dad's passing. So I think I've been tested and tested mentally to find a way to get through things and I knew at that point I needed to find a way because they were going to keep pushing for that third goal."
Solo, on the gaffe: "A day in the life of a goalkeeper. The conditions were very slick, very wet, those balls spin like crazy, but no excuse, it happens and I'm just glad I still had a good game."
Solo, on being busy: "I knew this was going to be a game where my team was going to need me, and I was happy for that. I haven't had a game like that in quite some time, where I have been tested."
Greg Ryan, on the game: "North Korea is a fantastic team. They played great attacking football and defended well tonight. There were chances for the U.S. to win, and also for North Korea to win. We knew what a difficult group this would be, and it's proving to be a very difficult group."
Ryan, on whether he watched the Germany game: "I did watch the game and I wish we had played Argentina tonight. Germany is a very good team; they haven't been tested yet."
North Korea Coach Kim Kwang Min: "I think the U.S. team is the best team in the world, but today they didn't perform the maximum that they can. ... I'm satisfied with the performance of my team considering the fact that we have still not reached the level of the U.S."
Kim, on his team's ambitions: "We are marching toward the target of the world title."
Kim, on future games with the U.S.: "I am slightly disappointed for the result, but if we play the U.S. team next time, I think I have found the right tactic to beat them."
Video highlights here.
By Steve Goff |
September 11, 2007; 10:04 AM ET
Women
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Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | September 11, 2007 10:52 AM
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...wtf kinda name is that for an Indy movie???
Goffer: Can you give us a sense of the crowd at the US game...seemed sparse on TV. Yet sounded like a lot of N. Korea support. was this from the block of NK fans or were the locals joining in?
Just wondering given the political relationships between NK, USA, and China. Or was that all checked at the door and everyone there for the soccer.
Posted by: Dude in Dupont | September 11, 2007 11:10 AM
Goff, can you please provide notice before you reveal scores of matches? With the 12-hour difference, some of us are TiVo'ing the game for later viewing.
I hate to have to avoid Soccer Insider for an entire day!
Posted by: Bart | September 11, 2007 11:20 AM
Kim, on his team's ambitions: "We are marching toward the target of the world title."
===a little scary, no?
Kim, on future games with the U.S.: "I am slightly disappointed for the result, but if we play the U.S. team next time, I think I have found the right tactic to beat them."
===We'll see about that, pal. I'd love to see a rematch in the final.
Posted by: WNT fan | September 11, 2007 11:22 AM
Man solo is hot - that save at the end of the highlights was awesome.
The ladies looked a little flat and the Koreans were ready for them!
Posted by: Solo | September 11, 2007 11:26 AM
The crowd was pro-Korean for a few reasons: There appeared to be several hundred North Koreans in the stadium; neutral fans always support the underdog; and, politics aside, perhaps some Chinese fans felt a bond with a neighboring nation.
The stadium was not full, but considering the weather, the earlt start time, and the teams involved, it was a pretty good (and very loud) crowd.
Posted by: Goff | September 11, 2007 11:30 AM
Two things:
US was fortunate to get a point after being outplayed in the 2nd half.
Goff was fortunate to miss the execrable US TV commentators. Why do they insist on filing up every second of the broadcast with blather of one sort or another? Next time, the volume will be OFF.
Posted by: Orange14 | September 11, 2007 11:35 AM
"Just wondering given the political relationships between NK, USA, and China."
We'd have been better off if Russia, Japan, and S. Korea had shown up. Why? Because DPRK is motionless at six-party talks.
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | September 11, 2007 11:50 AM
re: commentary
Yeah, Foudy was a bit too much of a cheerleader for my taste. I did like in the post game, when JP asked her what would she be saying to the team right now if she were captain and she said "What were you doing??? What were you thinking??? Come ONNNNN!!!" Then she laughed, ha ha, just kidding, of course I would be saying to move on blah blah blah. Move on is fine but I hope first someone is asking them what the heck they were doing/thinking...
Posted by: cat | September 11, 2007 11:56 AM
USWNT was outplayed box to box. I don't recall seeing so many errant passes and aimless clearances in any other USWNT game, ever. Hope that is "bad" game for the tourney. N.K was tough, fast and more tactically skilled then USWNT. They certainly jumped on USWNT when Abby was off the field. Overall, however, I think it was a fair result because USWNT did create quality chances.
Posted by: Randy | September 11, 2007 11:58 AM
No possession in the midfield and the passing game never really happened except for the lead up to the second goal. I hope that was as obvious to Greg Ryan as it was to me.
Posted by: JJH | September 11, 2007 12:02 PM
The North Koreans "tactic": run faster, work harder. It usually works if you can convince the right 11 players.
Posted by: JkR | September 11, 2007 12:06 PM
The NK coach admitted the US team is the best in the world?
He'd better watch his back. His masters back home can't be happy with that admission.
If the US WNT is anything, they are resilient. I'm expecting -- and yes, hoping for -- a better performance against Sweden.
Posted by: Joe Doc | September 11, 2007 12:14 PM
Hey Goff~
WHat do the fans do in a Chinese soccer stadium? Do they beat drums, sing songs, chant, clap hands? Just wonderin'. thanks!
Posted by: T. Henry | September 11, 2007 1:22 PM
The current version of the Nigeria WNT looks a lot more polished than the '99 and '03 versions. The match a week from now will be very interesting.
Peru hosting (with the concomitant automatic seat at the table) in '11? Presumably they're even worse than Argentina. I don't think so.
Posted by: Section 410 | September 11, 2007 1:24 PM
I just wanted to thank you for everything Mr. Goff. I'm really enjoying the coverage.
Posted by: sitruc | September 11, 2007 1:31 PM
re fans
On the feed I was watching it looked like they had a wave making its way around the stadium.
Posted by: emanon | September 11, 2007 2:40 PM
They really looked flustered for large stretches of the game. Not the best start; but maybe it'll be a wake up call.
Posted by: Hacksaw | September 11, 2007 2:57 PM
I want to second the thanks to Goff for covering and blogging on the Women's WC. And to the Post for sending him to China. It's all good stuff. Now if we could just draw Argentina..... The game this morning was a bit too tense for my taste and Group B looks like it is going to live up to its billing.
Posted by: mlh | September 11, 2007 8:31 PM
Re-Broadcast (or Re-Rebroadcast)-
Just caught the 4 goals on ESPN2. It's amazing that they only had the (relatively)small score bug and banner (and the previously recorded in the corner) for the WWC, but for any MLS or last year's World Cup game they would junk up the screen with thousands of graphics. What ESPN had on today would be the Maximum we need to see graphics-wise.
I can't fault JP and Julie. Sure they might blather on and on and on, but a more professional American voice calling soccer games cannot be heard on ESPN at this time. Derek Rae rules the roost in Bristol. It's a shame they suits up there can't see fit to have him as the lead on all soccer broadcasts.
Thx,
Jay!
Posted by: JayRockers! | September 11, 2007 9:39 PM
Someone fix Troy Perkins up with Hope Solo.
Posted by: Lloyd Heilbrunn | September 12, 2007 12:24 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Nice work Steve. Glad you could get your story in before the print deadline :-)
Did Ryan comment on his crap 3-4-3 (or whatever it was) and his decision not to substitute until 2' into added time, even though some players were slow to get back when the DPRK was counterattacking?
Maybe the nail polish fumes got to their heads, but the comments from the US team (except O'Reilly) were Pollyanna like. We didn't string passes together, the long balls often went to the other side, we didn't pressure in the midfield, and we were outplayed.