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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Greatest Excuse Ever - My Team Lost Because They Were Struck By Lightning


The go-to excuse of "the dog ate my homework" wouldn't work very well in North Korea. You have to be MUCH more original that that.

After the 2-0 loss to the United States in the Women's World Cup, North Korea manager Kwang Min Kim told the press that his team was recently struck by lightning.

From the BBC:

"When we stayed in Pyongyang during training our players were hit by lightning, and more than five of them were hospitalised," said coach Kim.

"Some stayed in hospital and then came to Germany later than the rest of us. The goalkeeper and the four defenders were most affected, and some midfielders as well. The physicians said the players were not capable of participating in the tournament.

"But World Cup football is the most important and significant event for a footballer, so they don't want to think about anything but football.

"The fact that they played could be called abnormal, the result of very strong will."


Awesome! More at Yahoo Sports

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Who guessed the best player on the field for Mexico would be Jonathan Bornstein?

Tim Howard (USA) vs. Penedo (Panama) - 06.22.2011

Final: USA 1, Panama 0
Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas, USA
CONCACAF Gold Cup
06/22/2011

A very quiet game for both goalkeepers.  Penedo was only required to touch the ball 20 times, 6 touches less than an average game.  From the goalkeeping statistics, it looks as if Panama forced most of the attack in the match.  Tim Howard's exceptional finger tip redirection over the bar in the 79th minute proved to be the difference in the match.





Howard wins the GK battle.

The USA goal may have been prevented with some increased communication from the goalkeeper (Penedo) to the panamanian left defender.  The defender fails to step to the ball leaving the attacker 10 extra yards to advance, and a few extra seconds to pick up his head and find another attacker at the far post.   The execution by the attacker was exceptional, Penedo had no chance to defend this on his own.   His near-post positioning was proper.


Tim Howard
USA
GK Rating: 105.6

Minutes: 90
Touches: 26
Tests: 0
Goals Allowed: 0 
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 3 (5th, 78th, 84th)
Exceptional Saves: 1 (79th)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 1.000
Save % + PKs: 1.000

Jaime Penedo
Panama
GK Rating: 72.0
Minutes: 90
Touches: 22
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 1 
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 1
Exceptional Saves: 1
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.667
Save % + PKs: 0.667

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