Bolts of lightning

By virtue of two lob-sided matches, the US womens team has their Olympic quarterfinal against Canada. This is a good thing, because the team desperately needed to dominate someone. Canada's a physical team, but they've always been second bannana.

Their victories have typically come by virtue of individual brilliance and great timing. We run the game, and it ours to lose.

Case in point is their main offensive weapon Christine Sinclair. She's like a 30 foot crocodile sitting on the opposite bank of the river.

You know its there - and you're watching. Minutes, hours - its lookin' at you - you're lookin' at it.
 You're ready for it, and it knows you're ready.

After most of the day, it turns around and goes to sleep.
You congratulate yourself and reach for your drink-

--AND IT EATS YOU!!!

That's Sinclair. Does nothing for half the game and suddenly - BAM! - you're wondering what hit you.

At tip off, the US is looking great, the weather is looking like a monsoon. Despite the downpour, Rampone and company have total control of the pace. Just like the US of old. We're attacking, Canada's defending.

If the ball is going into empty space, there's a US player off camera just waiting to scoop it up. There's some sparkling combination play. Lay offs, overlaps-

Good times.

Twelve minutes in, there's a cross from Amy Rodriguez that's headed back across the Canadian goal. The ball goes to Angela Hucles, who taps it in.

The US players exult - and Canada's keeper is down with a knee injury.
Canada has to sub in a keeper, because McLeod's really hurt - so that's one less strategy sub for them.

It's looking bad for Canucks.

And then the weather really gets bad. Bad to the point where lightning strikes so close the new keeper jumps.

And then they delay the game - it's  just too horrible to keep playing. I'd agree - and I've seen soccer games played above the arctic circle in near whiteout. It was a bad, bad storm.

-an hour and a half later - the game starts back up and it's clear that Canada has regrouped. The US still has control, but the Canadians no longer look panicked. They're on the defensive, but they're being cautious and looking for their moment.

Our defense slobs on a throw in the 30th minute. Canada makes a flailing shot that is deflected easily, but it rolls across the goal mouth some 25 yards out.

-And guess who's there (Looking positively crocodilian?

Sinclair.
 Dead run.
    Goal.

And now Canada's gets all uppity. We're starting to doubt - there's some really poor defending on our part. All the good mojo is undone.

Hucles is gifted four perfect opportunities (including an open net) and misses them all. Rodriguez scraps for every ball - and kicks them to no one. Its like they forgot who they were.

I'm practically yelling at the screen:

You are the US Women's national team, dammit! Kick some ass
Canada's not even a real country!

Something good starts to happen. The team settles down - gets their control back - and starts to shell the Canadian net. This being soccer, nothing goes in. Brilliant combinations go nowhere. Amy winds her way through defenders only to give and not go. Lloyd can't seem to build up the nerve to be useful.

This is how  good teams lose. They get frustrated and start altering the plan.

Sinclair gets some nerve wracking posession in the 67th minute but can't pull the trigger. Twelve minutes later, she gets another chance and bounces one off Hope Solo.

Solo gets the rebound and we're still in it.

Swarming, attacking it's just not happening for the US. Extra time brings more opportunities, but no success until-

Eleven minutes in. When - of all people - Natasha Kai gets a dead on cross from (who else?) Shannon Boxx and dives onto it for the go ahead goal.

Canada just can't recover - and it's all sweetness and light from then on.

Scoreline - August 15, 2008
USA: 2
Hucles 12'; Kai 101'
Canada: 1
Sinclair 30'

A confident US national team - it's a beautiful thing.

Glorious - but if I may be so ungracious: Ms. Kai - it's about goddamned time. You've been nowhere for ages, I'm glad to see you remembered your role.

Abby's out - you have to be the psycho, now. Screaming at people when they look down. Going at the goal like it killed your family. We need a striker who is not afraid.

*ahem*

Okay I'm good, now.

Brasil wins - Norge go home!
and of course Germany beat Sweden. Bummer.

But there's one other thing I have to say:

What the F#$*! got into Japan?

Nippon! Nippon! Nippon!

Scoreline - August 15, 2008
China: 0

Japan: 2
Sawa 15'; Nagasato 80'

I mean... Japan has scored seven goals in their last two games. China (of Sun Wen and Zhaou Li Hong fame)  is out - in front of the home crowd!

Let's hear it for the minnows!