The opening ceremonies aren’t for two more days, but women’s soccer starts today! Have you looked at naked pictures of Abby Wambach recently? When was the last time you celebrated the fact that Megan Rapinoe is an out lesbian? Women’s soccer! I’m excited.
all in our places with bright shiny faces
The U.S. team begins their Olympic journey against France today 25 at 12 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on NBC Sports, thank the baby Jesus. The U.S. women are in Group G along with France, Colombia and Korea DPR, which, to be honest, shouldn’t be too terribly challenging after today. After group play finishes on July 31, the team that wins the group will advance to the quarterfinals. The schedule is outlined here, BUT LET’S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES. Today, the teams are playing in Glasgow, 400 miles away from London and at the heart of all of my secret “Lip Service” fantasies.
The U.S. needs to do well in this tournament for a lot of reasons, primarily to redeem themselves for their bummer of a second-place finish at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup and to help establish a fanbase for a new, solid women’s professional league. This is a really important tournament, and we will all collectively cry and go back to watching “The Real L Word” if they lose. The team looks sharp, but it won’t be an easy road, especially not today. The LA Times reports:
One of those teams is France, which has won 17 consecutive matches since losing the third-place game at last summer’s World Cup. The French have outscored their opponents, 61-4, over that span and shut out their last seven foes, including a 2-0 win over World Cup champion Japan six days ago.
Yikes. Not to fear, dear readers; the U.S. is ranked number one in the world, and the team looks strong and prepared. Today’s starting lineup is Hope Solo, Amy LePeilbet, Christie Rampone, Rachel Buehler, Kelley O’Hara, Megan Rapinoe, Shannon Boxx, Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, and power-duo Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach up top. They’re ready.
In order to fully prepare yourself for the game, I strongly recommend watching / marathoning this video, which has so many gif-worthy moments that I can’t even narrow it down to my top ten favorites. I will say this: Learning that Amy LePeilbet can’t dance was a what-if-God-were-one-of-us moment for me.
All right, let’s get this party started and talk about the game! The Canadian women are also playing Japan at the same time, so maybe we can talk about that, too!
Baby horse with the equalizer!
We had a rough start to this thing.
I know, I really thought France were going to run away with it for a bit there
Okay, so i don’t know if you US guys can see it yet but i’m watching from england and enjoying the shit out of it!
like, i should be watching gb v nzl but i turned over because it was boring and i realised that rapinoe was on the other channel…
We’re able to watch everything live for these games. I’ve got your GB v NZL game on my computer, with USA on tv.
^ uninformed and english haha
good football watchin’ skills!
I was going to chastise you for prioritising pants over patriotism, but I just checked the score and the USA match does sound a tad more exciting.
I thought the GB match was pretty good after a nervy opening few minutes, but mainly my mind is boggling at the fact the BBC is showing two women’s football matches live on TV, simultaneously.
There’s three! these two and the canada. They’re on the red button :D
It was boring, but, tbh, pants over patriotism is pretty much my motto.
Guess it’s back downstairs for SOCCER fun.
This game is giving me so many emotions.
Yay soccer! I still have not gotten over my soccer hangover from the dudes’ Euro Cup this year, so I can’t wait for Olympics soccer! And I can root for my home country this time – USA! USA!
Don’t forget the UK vs New Zealand playing in Cardiff today!
Drinking game: every time commentator talks about Pinoe’s “shock of blonde hair” take a drink.
I was playing a drinking game of a shot everytime he says ‘girl/s’
fucking BOTP
I’m having so many feelings! I usually cheer for France in soccer, but I’m so in love with the US women’s team that I’m changing my loyalties. Tons of internal conflict.
i know dude, i’m france all the way all the time non stop but this is really killing me
I know, I love Les Bleues (and also Les Bleus, who I was rooting for in the Euro Cup this year – triste!) but I don’t feel like I can root against my own country and I just really love the current U.S. squad.
Allez Les Bleues! Well, actually, I found myself rooting for Team USA. Which is a shame, because Les Bleues played so much better than Les Bleus have in years. It was a fantastic game. Everyone just played so well, on both sides.
I’m on the french border right now, tears might be a real thing soon
I mean this in the most supportive/least derogatory way but THAT VIDEO IS SO GAY.
Have tickets for the final, hope thy make it! Along with GB of course…
So jealous!
ME TOO!!! I almost can’t even think about the US making it to the final, because if they don’t I will be heartbroken and probably want to give away my tickets….
I’m watching GB vs NZ, but I was told that I cheered too enthusiastically when GB scored. The rest of this match hasn’t been too amazing, but it’s a change to see women’s football on TV so I’ll take it. Hopefully we’ll get better as the tournament progresses.
So, I know that you all probably wanna talk about the game
BUT I GET SO DISTRACTED EVERYTIME THEY PUT RAPINOE ON THE SCREEN ALL ZOOMED IN.
can we talk about that…?
My real life girlfriend calls Rapinoe my actual girlfriend when we are watching a game. I think it’s natural to be distracted… Haha.
i’m going to get a heart attack before this tournament is over. i can feel it already. what a completely insane first 20 minutes.
also whassup with that no call on the baby horse take down in the box? damnit ref issit too much to ask that you not be incompetent.
I know! And then that girl was straight-up hugging Alex Morgan in the box during that corner and no one did anything. Argh.
that girl just couldn’t resist herself some baby horse.
NO ONE IN CANADA IS BROADCASTING US WOMEN’S SOCCER.
Everyone wants to watch the Canadian game, or something.
Which is still good, and Sophie Schmidt is essentially a Canadian Megan Rapinoe, but still
I’m missing out on Wambach’s glorious head(ers).
Glad GB got the win and looking forward to the Brazil match now, but seeing thousands of union jacks at a football match is SO WEIRD.
France is a very good team,so not surprised it is a tough game for the usa. Especially since France’s team consists mostly of players from Lyon,champions league winners
I’m at work and can’t watch this but I’m living vicariously through the twitter recap.
C’mom US!!!!
Gooooooal, Carli Lloyd!
Rapinoe has had a hand in two of our goals!
Keep it going ladies!
I would be on here more, but my fingers are already bleeding from tweeting (@melo5520)and texting… one hashword: #heaven
They’ve really picked it up second half, hell of a game from Morgan and Pinoe.
My blood pressure is up. Is it the gameplay, Wambach, or both? Both.
Great match, USA! Yes!
I am unfortunately not watching the game because I am (even currently) in class. But I am refreshing the shit out of the Results app on my phone and thus far very happy! I am trying to hide smiles when I refresh and see that another goal has been scored by the US.
Related, I have noticed today a much bigger proportion of girls on their phones/laptops during class than usual. I SEE YOU CHECKING OUT WOMEN’S SOCCER SCORES TOO.
I can’t watch anything at work either.
If anyone just so happens to make some animated Rapinoe .gifs I’d be all over that. .. jus’ sayin’
this would be heavenly. I’ll send baked goods or something.
I too will offer baked goods or something!
This reminds me of when I had to work all day during the 2010 World Cup, and constantly attempting to check the scores online without my boss detecting me…
If you have a smartphone, there’s an nbc live extra app that will let yous stream coverage
I’ve just realised my dissertation red mist meant I never twigged that the fact men’s Olympic football is being played in Glasgow (boring) also meant that WOMEN’S OLYMPIC FOOTBALL IS BEING PLAYED IN GLASGOW. I am in the same city as Hope Solo and I didn’t even try to get tickets.
Utter, utter lesbian fail. Oh lord.
THAT’S ST MUNGO’S CATHEDRAL. THEY WERE AT ST MUNGO’S FUCKING CATHEDRAL WHAT IS MY LIFE
That was promising.
France has learned well the lesson Keep Face Clear of Wambach’s Feet. Brutal!
Also, that Party in the USA video. Thanks Wambach/LeP, now I know what I look like when I dance. Enthusiastic arm flailing may not be pretty but it gets the job done.
That video made me genuinely feel like I have a shot with US Women’s Soccer players. I don’t know if that is healthy set of emotions to be harboring. But it sure is distracting.
My girlfriend certainly has feelings about my feelings about the US Women. Feelings about feelings. How utterly gay.
I don’t have the channel to watch it here, but will stay tuned to the comments to see who wins!
OH MY GOD THAT VIDEO.
I wish that the uk team were more like the US team so i could love them since that is my team and all. But, the us team have made themselves so accessable and loveable. I’m sure the uk team are as crush-worthy (and youknow, i’m more likely to get with them since they live nearer) but i just don’t know them! i need to get more into women’s football.
this x1000.
There is nothing out there on the GB team [which is understandable seeing as they’ve only just entered existence] but there’s also hardly anything on England/ any of the women’s teams here, compared to the mass of videos/info you can get on the US team.
I want to support GB [and women’s football over here in general], but at the moment, I’m a total US fangirl.
Omg, SAME. I am so glad that GB never played USA because I would have been so conflicted!
I think I wanted GB to win more, but I wanted to WATCH USA more. Like I sort of wanted Japan to equalise in the final just so it would go into extra time and the match would be longer. Also I felt a bit bad for Canada and the ref’s decision in the match before that so… while I supported USA it wasn’t 100% wanting them to score, score, score. Plus Rapinoe had gone off. :(
SAME.
I watched the first 30 minutes then had to miss the rest because of meetings, but I finally got caught up (thank god for dvr) and holy fuck that was AWESOME!
Great game. They always seem to keep things dramatic! Loyd’s goal was badass. Ever so sad I’ll be at work during the next game :(
I didn’t know this was on! :(
I had class during this game so I recorded it and managed to stay off of the internet until I got to watch it. I was worried that someone would ruin it for me, but then I realized that most people in Alabama probably don’t watch the USWNT. Successful self-imposed media blackout! Great game,
I still can’t believe germany did not qualify.is this real life?
go US! (until you’re up against sweden. go Blågult!)
On vacation and dragged my nieces and nephew away from the pool to watch this game. Crazy Auntie had her Wambach shirt on representing! (sort of…) By the end go the game, I had bought Morgan and Solo shirts for the new fans online! We were screaming like it was the finals. I need a Pinoe shirt next. We all love that video too.
I am addicted. Also, It is against my contract to let the baby I nanny for watch television. Wambach > Job Security. He is also really cute when he chants(u) “S-A” and cried when they left for the half.
Worth it.
It’s going to be an unproductive few weeks. I watched the both US/FR and GB/NZ matches today while cooking, using the excuse “I’m cooking right now, so I can’t be working, so I can watch these games…”
I MADE SO MUCH FUCKING FOOD!
I was at work during the game. :(
But my favorite part was when my (French) girlfriend stopped texting me and I knew the US was back on top.
My second favorite part was when I got home and was being nice and not saying anything (after weeks of arguing over who will win) and her Mom texts her to say “Elles sont trop fortes ces américaines!”
Too bad if the US moves on the French can’t hang in for silver, if I understand the set up correctly.