The Time for All Good Fans to Come to the Aid of the US Women’s National Team

Good news, everyone!

Really. The United States Womens National Team topped Mexico 3-0 Friday night at PPL Park.

The 8,773 people who showed up saw a CONCACAF semifinal game folded in there, as well. The final is today: U.S. vs. Costa Rica.

Congratulations are definitely in order. That much is obvious.

Oh, and by the way, this is also happening:

Abby Wambach continues to add to her world goal scoring record after tallying career goals No. 172 and 173 against Haiti on Oct. 20 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. On June 20, 2013, Wambach passed the legendary Mia Hamm to become the world’s all-time leading scorer when she pounded in four goals against South Korea at Red Bull Arena. Hamm had 158 international goals from 1987-2004. The match against Haiti marked the 111th win for the USA in a game in which Wambach has scored at least one goal (111-2-8). Wambach has scored 48 goals in her past 59 games over 2012, 2013 and 2014. She is also third all-time in assists with 65, behind only Kristine Lilly (105) and Hamm (144).

Oh, yes. Congratulations. Y’think?

Kickoff is 6 pm Eastern; game is broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

American Shame

@CONCACAF #MEXvsJAM ... winner to Womens' World Cup Tournament. #RFKstadium is virtually empty. #WWC #WomensSoccer #AmericanShame

— Bidi McGhee (@BidiMcGhee) October 22, 2014

This is an embarrassment to all Americans. An important soccer match at RFK Stadium, with the winner advancing in the CONCACAF semifinals; the loser is out of the World Cup competition. But, hey, it’s women playing soccer, so the stadium is damn near empty.

No wonder our women’s professional league is struggling.

Is it just that it’s not manly enough to watch women play soccer? Or do we somehow feel threatened by the idea that such good and talented athletes could possibly be women?

The Great Brazilian Beer Conundrum

Oh, the problems you’ll find ….

The next FIFA World Cup is not until 2014, but early battles off the field are already drawing attention. Host nation Brazil banned the sale of beer at fútbol matches since 2003, but FIFA officials insist that alcohol sales are a must at World Cup events. Via BBC:

Beer must be sold at all venues hosting matches in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, football’s world governing body, Fifa, has insisted.

Fifa General Secretary, Jerome Valcke, said the right to sell beer must be enshrined in a World Cup law the Brazilian Congress is considering.

Alcoholic drinks are currently banned at Brazilian stadiums and the country’s health minister has urged Congress to maintain the ban in the new law.

Brewer Budweiser is a big Fifa sponsor ….

…. Fifa has become frustrated, because voting on the legislation has been held up in Congress by the dispute over alcohol sales ….

…. “Alcoholic drinks are part of the Fifa World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate,” he said.

Valcke criticised the pace of construction at Brazil’s world cup venues
“The fact that we have the right to sell beer has to be a part of the law.”

There are, of course, other issues dragging down World Cup ’14. Discount ticket issues are still up in the air, as are trademark protections for World Cup sonsors. Valcke noted that negotiations have gone slowly, asserting that this is the first time FIFA and a host nation had failed to resolve such issues five years after assigning the tournament location.