That’s right, isn’t it? Labatts? Anyway, thanks for your company and your emails – always highly valued. See you next time and do keep tuning in for our Women’s World Cup coverage. Goodnight!
By the way, I’ve received far more rants about Toronto – and links to rants about Toronto – than I know what to do with. I think the best way forward is to head home now and read them all over a crate of Labatts.
Keith Sanderson writes: “There should be retrospective action taken against Abily - a minimum 3 match ban.”
And yes, we mustn’t overlook that. It seemed sly and deliberate.
The sound of the final whistle....
Well, that was a real scuffle in poor conditions. The first thing to say is well done France, who deserved to win. The second is well done England, who set out to stifle the French and by and large did so. We saw next to nothing of the dangerous Thomis and Necib, for example, and clear chances were at a real premium. England ran their hearts out and quite clearly heeded their coach’s instructions to the letter. Sadly one lapse in the first half was punished well by Le Sommer, and England never really looked like creating much going forwards despite some positive changes from Sampson. Not the end of the world, this, and you’d expect a far more positive approach in the final two group games against weaker teams. What it does mean, though, is that there is little margin for error now.
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Full-time: France 1-0 England (Le Sommer)
A real battle, and the French won it.
90+4 min: Almost a last-gasp sight for Kirby! It’s nudged into space and for a split second you think she just might get a run on goal.....but she’s crowded out and, while England win a throw-in immediately, the danger disappears.
90+2 min: Rafferty looks to thump one up the pitch but she shins it out of play and it might be hard for England to build anything now.
90+1 min: Right as the clock hits 90, the ball ricochets to Aluko on the left corner of the area! But her shot lacks composure and is high, wide and harmless. Four minutes of added time here.
90 min: An opportunity for some late England pressure, with France sitting back inside their own half. But Houghton can’t find a white shirt and the French knock it about once more.
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89 min: Moncton vs Toronto, with Mike MacKenzie (from London, Ontario) –
“Moncton gets 6 group games and a round of 16 match. While it’s true that Toronto is main site for Pan Am games, that doesn’t start until July 10. You’d have thought that they could have fit in a few group games at least at BMO Field, home of Toronto FC which now seats 30,000. Hamilton’s brand new Tim Hortons Field (70 km from Toronto) holds 24,000 (can be increased to 40,000 with temporary seating) is hosting the Pan Am soccer. Again they ought to have been able to fit in a few of Moncton’s games.”
87 min: One more French change. Necib, who we saw little from, off and Claire Lavogez on.
86 min: That results in a Rafferty cross that Renard clears well. Houghton plays the second ball back in but Bouhaddi claims ahead of Moore.
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85 min: Bronze punts the ball towards the area from the right but it’s a bit aimless and runs out – rather quickly, again, for which I blame the pitch – on the far side. But England then win a throw parallel to the area, and then another....
84 min: Dali is heavily involved at the moment, from her perch on the right. She clips across one useful ball and then, next time she receives it, lays back more conservatively. Then Bussaglia takes aim from distance but shoots well wide.
82 min: England just cannot get a foot on the ball. Time is starting to run out – but how many risks should they take?
81 min: France make another one though – the experienced Elise Bussaglia (144 caps!) replaces the goalscorer Le Sommer in what seems like a “hold onto what we have” move.
79 min: The rock-solid Renard is in sharply ahead of Scott. Little to see from any of England’s subs yet.
77 min: Bouhaddi, whose distribution has been iffy, lumps one out of play. Can England build some pressure? Not yet. England’s best hope has been in making things scrappy, which they have done well, but never have they looked like prising France open.
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76 min: France have certainly bossed the last few minutes and England are finding it hard to get out. You’d back them for a second at the moment. But here is Jade Moore, replacing Chapman in the engine room, for England’s final throw of the dice.
75 min: Le Sommer has another go, her furthest-out yet, and it stays hit but is well off target. And here comes one last England change....
73 min: Necib draws a free kick from Bassett, who has a shiner on her eye now. Wonder if we’ll hear more about that.
71 min: Thomis off for France and Dali – yes – on. England did a fine job on Thomis.
70 min: It’s almost for nought though as, while England have Houghton and Bassett down, Abily lashes in a volley from 10 yards that cannons away fortunately off the prone Houghton in front of goal.
But how did Abily make that chance? It looked like a sly, sly elbow on Bassett. If the referee had spotted that, it could have been a red card offence.
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68 min: Another England change. Reading striker Fran Kirby, who was a doubt with illness, replaces Alex Scott. That’s a very attacking switch, and it looks like an orthodox 4-3-3 now.
68 min: Rafferty, a bundle of energy, surges forward, passes to Aluko and goes for the return, but Aluko tries to go round the outside herself and is muscled off the ball.
67 min: Necib’s delivery is good, her best of the match, and several players rise for it but nobody can quite get that decisive touch. Goal kick.
66 min: Chapman trips Le Sommer though, and is booked. Free kick about 35 yards out...
64 min: Jill Scott is in well to get the ball away from the quiet Necib inside the area. What’s encouraging is that, while there is not a great deal happening chances-wise, England are really hanging in there. Territorially it’s about even. It only takes one chance.
63 min: A stat and a pun from Raymond Reardon –
“On the subject of crowds the World Cup website states that the crowds for the eight matches total 262,202 for the eight matches so far (ave just under 33, 000). But the 8 matches have been 4 double headers : do they get patrons to leave at the end of the first match or are the total crowd numbers just another FIFA deSEPPtion?”
62 min: Duggan, of course, was vilified by some utter idiots when she took a photo with Louis van Gaal after City’s men had lost to United last season. But her football ability should paint a better picture....and she’s unmarked at the back post as Bronze, who can’t pick her out, tries to play a ball across from the left.
60 min: Toni Duggan, the excellent Manchester City striker, comes on for White – who really took one for the team today. Expect her to assume a more orthodox attacking role.
57 min: Scott got a knock there and is also covered in 3G rubber crumb. I hate that stuff. Find bits in my carpet for days after playing seven-a-side.
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56 min: Le Sommer is such a danger. She’s a little like Robin van Persie in her willingness to shoot early from all angles. This time Abily feeds a delightful ball into the area and, on the spin, she flashes a volley over from 15 yards.
Then England counter and, from a backpass, Aluko hassles Bouhaddi into conceding a corner. It’s played low, and cleverly, to Jill Scott, who gets to the ball first and hooks a shot straight at Bouhaddi. Good stuff all round.
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55 min: France just settling things down a bit now. For all England’s energy, hard closing and running, they don’t really look like creating a clear opening.
53 min: Bardsley was out quickly to clear a dangerous ball over the top a moment ago. But England certainly look a tad more assertive at the moment. As I say that, Bronze and Rafferty have to do superbly yet again to crowd out Thomis.
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Half-time audio report from The Offside Rule, in cold, wet Moncton:
50 min: Le Sommer is almost presented with a clear chance by a slack Williams pass, but her first touch is – mercifully for England – poor. Then Bronze shows initiative to drive down the left and Georges heads away. It is a decent ball but Aluko, for all her many gifts, is not a great target.
49 min: Aluko lays back to Alex Scott but her cross is long and, although Rafferty salvages it on the far side, the move dissolves.
Mate @NickAmes82 Moncton IS Stoke on a Tuesday Night - why this city was included with the others is beyond most of us here in Canada
— JPO™ (@CITY_CFFC) June 9, 2015
I’m probably wading innocently into some highly combustible Canadian politics here.
47 min: Le Sommer gets away from Chapman though and has another thud from 20 yards. It is down the throat of Bardsley. Either side, and trouble would have resulted.
46 min: No changes yet, but expect more attacking intent from England up to a point.
Peeeeeeeeeeeep! England get the second half going
45 to go.
England huddle. Houghton talks. Everyone listens. Houghton continues to talk. Rafferty nods. Huddle disperses. Rain falls.
The teams are coming back out. Can Sampson cook up a winning formula?
Kari Tulinius, thoughtfully, on the game:
“Weatherwise Moncton’s doing its best impression of a Tuesday night in Stoke. I suppose we’ll know how good Louisa Necib is at the end of the game. All meaningless tests aside, that’s a slick looking French team. On Jonathan Wilson’s old theory that the team with the best full backs wins the World Cup, they’re certainly in with a shout.”
John Archdeacon, heroically, on 3G:
“Firstly. Since a few hours ago I am on my sick bed after contracting a bug from my 3yr old. I’ll spare you the details. Regarding the 3G I have very little energy so will keep this short. I play in a league in Brighton on the newest 3G pitches available and yes, it is very accurate in replicating a particular grass surface, notably a decent one. I say particular because obviously most pitches change slightly (or massively in the case of municipal parks etc) with the seasons - and with changes in the weather. I am quite happy with them at the moment... I scored a first half hat-trick on one last night.”
More sounds from Moncton – the half-time whistle:
Half-time reading from former England coach Hope Powell:
It’s a little known fact that in England women’s football is already the number one female participation team sport, with more women and girls playing football today than netball and hockey. Barriers to getting young girls involved aren’t anything like they used to be. We now have role models, players can earn enough to play as a full-time job. The obstacles to playing and earning a living have been eradicated. Personal sponsorship and team sponsorship have changed dramatically. Agents have come into the game. Everything has changed since I played.
Progress can be seen by the number of spectators too. Having women’s teams affiliated to the traditional men’s clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester City has really helped. The FA’s Women’s Super League is now broadcast on BT: the fact that a commercial broadcaster wants to televise WSL is significant and gives the game a new level of prominence – it proves there’s a real appetite for it. Investment is more than it’s ever been. On every front things have improved – and men are watching the game as well as women, boys as well as girls.
England will be disappointed. They stifled France for half an hour, barely a sight of goal at either end in rough conditions, but a moment of sloppiness was punished clinically and they’ve struggled to assert themselves since. Not much going on to support the isolated Aluko and they may need some attacking reinforcements in the second half, although there is no point risking a goal difference problem with two and perhaps three teams to progress from the group.
Half-time: France 1-0 England (Le Sommer)
Still all to play for.
And another view on the attendance:
@NickAmes82 Re: Attendance. Shuttle buses from distant parking zone to stadium. 4 buses for 13,000. Organisers not without blame.
— Port of Brandon (@portofbrandon) June 9, 2015
45 min: France win a corner. This time it’s the other full-back, Boulleau, down by the byline and playing it against White. The full-backs look excellent at both ends, it must be said. White clears the corner for another, which is played short before Abily’s outside-of-the-foot delivery is claimed very well by the diving Bardsley.
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@NickAmes82 Re: Attendance. It is 2:40pm, on Tuesday, in tiny Moncton.
— Ryang (@RyanSGriffiths) June 9, 2015
Yes, fair point.
43 min: Houara, all the way from right back, gets onto a Le Sommer pass on the byline and crosses. At the same time, the tigerish Rafferty clatters into her and forces her to overhit the delivery. It’s surely a foul, really, but nothing given.
41 min: In the meantime England have a decent go at scoring, Bouhadi beating Bronze to a right-sided cross but only punching as far as Chapman on the edge of the area. She can’t quite wrap her foot around it to loft it into the unguarded net and it sails wide.
Here’s what it sounded like when France scored:
39 min: Rafferty is playing Thomis very well down France’s right, England’s left. She’s on her like glue and blocks a cross for a corner, which Bardsley doesn’t convince with. France keep the ball and work it to Necib, who shows her footwork for the first time by beating two players as she cuts in from the right before shooting wide.
37 min: Bronze tries to take on right-back Houara midway through the France half but it’s not really on. Not much support for her there either.
36 min: England then look to reassert themselves, two or three tackles flying in rather wildly, before one from Bronze concedes a free kick. France look much more comfortable on the ball now, unsurprisingly, although the wind does not seem to be helping anybody. The stadium as a whole is very, very quiet.
34 min: White hooks over her head for the supporting Alex Scott to chase, but the left-back Boulleau is very quick and covers well. What have England got now? Plan A had seemed to be working but one sloppy moment has cost them dearly.
33 min: France now pinging a pass or two around, and a few intricate balls around the area lead to an Henry attempt to burst into the box, but Williams stamps the idea out.
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31 min: A fine strike from Le Sommer, from 20 yards high inside Bardley’s near post to the right of the area, but that was poor from England. Thiney had tried to exploit some space in front of the defence but it seemed to be snuffed out, and Bassett came away with the ball. Just get it away! No, she sold Chapman, who was on her heels, short and Le Sommer stole in and sprang forward. Two seconds later and bang, it was in. Bardsley got both hands to it but might perhaps have done better too. A shame for England, who had started well – that was totally avoidable, although France had started to get on top.
Updated
Goal! France 1-0 England (Le Sommer 29)
There you go.
28 min: Another shot from France, Thiney spinning on the left corner of the box and forcing Bardsley into another diving save at her near post.
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28 min: On that 3G pitch, David Wall asks –
“Has anyone every played on 3G artificial pitches and know how they feel underfoot and how the ball runs on them? A number of the players look quite hesitant when running with the ball, as though they’re worried that it will run away from them if they try to properly sprint with it? I’m sure it’s better than the old fashioned ones where a small tap would send the thing shooting off ahead of you and dribbling was less close control than trying to catch the thing, but do they really reproduce the way in which a ball holds up on grass?”
Just quickly: in my opinion, no.
26 min: Oh dear. Aluko tries to take Georges on, plays it against her foot, and wins a corner.....only she doesn’t as referee Thalia Mitsi and her team decide it’s a goal kick. Very poor decision.
25 min: Jill Scott spreads the ball nicely wide to Alex Scott though, but her ball down the line for White is overcooked. The 3G surface didn’t really do much to slow it down, mind you.
24 min: Just signs now that France are getting a foothold here.
23 min: Now a proper sight of goal for Le Sommer, who can get a left-footed volley away 15 yards out after a throw-in is not cleared properly. Alex Scott deflects away for a corner, which Bardsley gets a fist on but not cleanly. It bobbles about and there is a tentative cry for handball against Bassett, but nothing doing.
22 min: Aluko has taken a knock to her foot, and is having a bit of treatment. Should be ok.
21 min: Necib dummies, then hits it, and Bardsley pushes the ball out fairly convincingly by her near post. First effort on target there – it was a cross-cum-shot really.
20 min: Le Sommer, who is a very good player, cuts back across Fara Williams on the left of the area and is chopped down rather rashly. Dangerous free kick.....
19 min: The very involved Jill Scott leads a break and has a chance to play Aluko in but instead looks down the inside right channel, I think for White. Georges gets a boot to intercept it, and Bouhadi catches. Is that a backpass? England appeal for it but I don’t think so – it wasn’t directed intentionally to the goalkeeper.
18 min: England really are hunting in packs here. Jill Scott gets in again to clear ahead of Henry. Then Houara directs a ball for Necib but it drifts off the pitch. It still looks rather grey and windy in Moncton.
16 min: Alex Scott finds Jill Scott, who has started well. She battles tenaciously down the right and wins another throw-in. France have not yet been able to string any moves of note together, and we’re yet to really see Necib.
Updated
14 min: Excellent stuff from Chapman, who wins the ball by the halfway line and almost plays Aluko in behind. Then Jill Scott crosses from the right after bursting down the line well, but her cross sails over the bar. Even start here though, and looks predictably tight.
13 min: England are closing the French down well so far, forcing them to go long from the back. One such ball nearly sets the quickfire Thomis away down the right but Rafferty uses her body very well to win a free kick.
11 min: Ellen White, who is a very useful striker, seems to be deployed in a “hardworking” role down the right – perhaps Dirk Kuyt-like, in a good way.
10 min: Fairly sparse crowd in Moncton, it seems. Not as desultory as for So Cow’s gig, but still. They’re enthused momentarily as White tries to go on a run, but Boulleau stops her in her tracks.
8 min: Looks like Aluko ploughing a lone furrow up top at the moment for England. At the other end, Houghton covers well to concede a corner as Le Sommer looks to get away. Necib’s corner is cleared by Rafferty, and the second ball is headed harmlessly wide by the dangerous striker Abily.
5 min: Henry gets down the right for France and Ellen White can’t clear her delivery at the far post. Boulleau fires in a shot that’s deflected for a corner, which England clear.
4 min: Another corner for England, and this time it’s cleared. Positive start though.
4 min: England win a corner, conceded by Renard. It’s high and deep from Aluko and Bouhaddi claims it well at the far post, but then promptly distributes out of play for a throw. It seems wet, windy and unpleasant in Moncton.
Updated
3 min: Now a free-kick for England 10 yards inside the French half. Fara Williams looks for Jill Scott but she’s beaten in the air by Renard.
2 min: Good early run from Aluko down the left, winning a throw by the corner flag. Already the French are sticking to her like glue.
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Peeeeeeeeeep! France, left to right, kick us off!
It begins.
Captains Renard and Houghton have coin-tossed...we’re ready...
And Patrick Hull on the tournament:
“The tournament’s been good so far, the Sweden - Nigeria game was one of the most entertaining I’ve seen in a long time. This one might be a more cagey affair, but the joy so far about this World Cup has been seeing a place for athletic, speedy forwards to prosper (see Nigeria and Cameroon) - something that maybe has been lost in the men’s game with the increasing emphasis on out and out physicality.”
Philippa Booth on Bergeroo and France:
“Bergeroo replaced Bruno Bini, who was perhaps as ‘dogmatic’ as Powell, and certainly had tactical limitations. Things seem more balanced for France since the change, coping well without Necib (injured) earlier this year. France’s potential weakspot is that while they shoot *a lot*, they can struggle to convert against the better teams. Looks like Sampson is setting up to frustrate them. Thomis v England’s left side could be an interesting battle.”
The teams are out, by the way, and the French are currently belting out La Marseillaise....
And why would I go there when I can go to the ‘Tide & Boar’? John Neville:
“For a beer in Moncton, I recommend the Tide & Boar pub (www.tideandboar.com) downtown. They have a great selection both on tap and bottled and excellent food as well.
“PS to Brian - the Reversing Falls are in Saint John, New Brunswick. Moncton has the tidal bore.”
To clear up the Toronto thing, from Rob Edwards:
“Just to let you know the main reason Toronto isn’t hosting any World Cup games is that they will be hosting the PAN-AM games in the next few weeks. Plus, if it was in Toronto, most of the fields would be turned into apartment buildings before the full-time whistle.”
@NickAmes82 Odd choice of venues for WWC - no games in Toronto, despite it being our biggest city with the most football fans.
— AndyDunn (@lairdoflard) June 9, 2015
Decent point. Why’s this?
It’s a tough crowd in Moncton. That or So Cow had an “off night”
@NickAmes82 Moncton: worst show our band ever had. Monday night. 5 people came, hate-stared, left. Think it was the night after a GWAR show.
— So Cow (@socow) June 9, 2015
Just to repeat an earlier question – are you enjoying this tournament so far? What are your hopes and expectations, and how do you feel it has developed in the last two decades?
England will be skippered today by Manchester City’s Steph Houghton. If you’re new-ish to all this, you might remember her free-kick heroics at London 2012, for which she was very much the poster girl. Here are some thoughts from her dad, Len:
A bit more France context. Their coach is Philippe Bergeroo, and those with good memories might recall that the former goalkeeper was involved in the French men’s Euro ‘84 and World Cup ‘86 squads. He also coached their shot-stoppers at World Cup ‘98, and managed PSG at the turn of the millennium. He is also a whole 29 years older than Sampson.
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Brian has more on Moncton:
“Home of the ‘reversing falls’ magnetic Hill. Grew from logging and transporation hub for the CN Rail. Follow the river to the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape and you will see highest tides in the world.”
Some welcome Moncton background from Brian Cruickshank. Advantage France?
“French may have a bit of a crowd advantage here , as Moncton , although located in New Brunswick and not in Quebec, has a large French speaking population (Acadian). But, interestingly, European and Quebecois French don’t often see eye to eye. Something to do with the European variety being a bit snobbish. And the French they each speak is very different, to the point they often can’t understand each other.”
Interesting. But I still want someone to tell me where I’d get a coffee, a beer, a three-course meal and some kulcha.
Here are some highlights from yesterday’s Sweden 3-3 Nigeria, surely the match of the tournament so far:
And in equally pressing matters, have any of you ever been to Moncton? I’ve been to Canada and all that, but genuinely knew nothing of the city before it popped up on the list of World Cup hosts. Set the scene for us, if you can. What would I do with a long weekend in Moncton?
So to England, and we’ll have to see how these players line up – Sampson has a great degree of tactical and formational flexibility up his sleeve, which perhaps could not be said for his more dogmatic predecessor, Hope Powell. One thing we should perhaps do is talk about expectations. England have made tremendous leaps and bounds over the past few years but, perhaps like the men’s team, are generally considered to be a notch below the real favourites. But they are ranked sixth in the world (France are third) and might be encouraged by the fact that, of the sides above them, Sweden stuttered badly against Nigeria yesterday and neither Japan nor the USA entirely convinced in their opening-game wins. A little momentum gathered today, and who knows...?
The stand-out name in that France team is Louisa Necib. She’s been compared to Zinedine Zidane for a long time now, and not only because both have Algerian heritage. She makes the team tick and is one of the most exciting creative forces in the world. Want to see proof? Here’s proof:
The France team!
#FRA XI: Bouhaddi, Renard (C), Boulleau, Georges, Henry, Houara, Le Sommer, Abily, Thomis, Necib, Thiney #FRAENG
— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) June 9, 2015
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The England team!
#ENG team v France: Bardsley, A Scott, Rafferty, Williams, Houghton (C), Bassett, J Scott, Aluko, Bronze, Chapman, White #Lionesses
— England (@england) June 9, 2015
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Here we go
Let the agony/ecstasy/apathy/flag-waving commence. It’s another England World Cup campaign and, most immediately, another shot at toppling a France side that seems to have the Lionesses’ number at the moment. The highly-favoured French have accounted for England at the last two major tournaments – painfully, on penalties, four years ago – but they can’t crush anyone’s spirits tonight. It’s only the first game of three in Group F, and third place would give you a strong chance of making the last 16, so nothing will be won or lost in Moncton this evening – but what a marker Mark Sampson’s team could lay down with a positive result and performance tonight.
It kicks off at 6pm UK time (2pm local, 7pm in France) and there’s much for us to discuss. How do you rate the team’s chances, and the abilities of the highly-rated 32-year-old coach Sampson? Do the French have a hex over England? What have you made so far of what looks a very open, positive tournament? Do you dig the 3G pitches? Let’s talk Women’s World Cup between now and kick-off – it doesn’t have to be purely about England.
But it will be, mainly. And to warm you up, here’s some reading matter. We have Louise Taylor talking to Sampson, who admits to one or two nerves. Louise is very busy out there and has also collared Jill Scott, who promises not to head-butt anyone again. And here is her excellent preview of the game, whose buildup has seen the two teams bunked up together.
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Send in your emails and tweets, and let’s hope this evening’s game matches up to everything we’ve seen in Canada so far.
