The US women of World Cup Semi-finals – 2-1 over England.
Watch the Finals in the US Sunday, US vs. Netherlands, 7/7/19 at 11:00 AM ET on the FOX channel on TV.
If you think that soccer is boring you haven’t watched the US Women play. Yes, games are usually low scoring, but remember that a 3 to 2 soccer game is the equivalent of a 21 to 14 American Football game and we usually don’t find that boring.
If you can’t figure out the rules of soccer and therefore believe you can’t understand how the game is played; soccer rules are for the most part very simple, much more simple than those of US football in my humble opinion.
I am certainly no soccer expert, but here are a few rules that I have picked up which should give you enough insight to understand how a good soccer match is played. (Expert soccer fans feel free to correct me if necessary.)
RULES:
PLAYERS: Eleven players to a team, one of which is the goalie (he or she is in a different colored uniform). Seven substitutes are allowed per team in a game, with the players replaced not allowed to return. Additional subs allowed in overtimes.
OFFICIALS: There is one REFEREE and two LINE JUDGES.
TIME ELEMENTS: The game is played in two 45 minute halves with a running clock with a 15 minute half time. Time periods taken for injuries can be added to the end of each half by the referee. If the scored is tied at the end of the second half, an additional 15 minutes is added. If the score still tied at the end of that over time period a second 15 minute overtime is added. If still tied at the end of the second overtime, the game is decided by a series SHOOT OUTS (see below).
NO HANDS: Players, except the goalies, cannot use their hands to touch or advance the ball. The goalies can use their hands and even catch a ball, but only in the square in front of the goal.
SCORE: When the ball completely crosses the line at the front of net.
OUT Of BOUNDS: A ball is out of bounds over the side lines or the end lines when the entire ball is over the line. On the sidelines if a player is last to touch the ball before if goes out, an opposing player throws the ball in. When a ball last touched by an attacking player goes over the end line on the opponents’ side of the field, the opposing goalie puts the ball back into play by throwing or kicking it. If the ball is last touched by a defending player and goes over the end line on his/her side of the field, on of the opposing players kicks it into play from the corner of the field – this is usually a good opportunity to score.
FOULS: Pretty much if it looks like a foul it probably is one. A player cannot push, strike, hold, jump at, or trip an opposing player. Fouls result in a FREE KICKS by one of the opposing players. A serious foul can result in a YELLOW CARD being given to the offending player by the referee. If the offending player comments another serious foul, he/she is given a RED CARD by the referee, is expelled from the game, and cannot be replace. If player commits a very serious foul, he/she can receive a red card from the referee for the first offense with the same consequences.
OFF SIDES – Off sides can be called when an attacking player is in front of the last defender when the pass is made to him/her. The offside area is designed to discourage players from simply hanging around the opponent’s goal waiting for a pass.
PENALTY KICK: When an attacking player is fouled within square in front of the opponents goal, the player fouled gets a penalty kick with the ball is placed just 12 yards in front of the opponents goal. The defending goalie tries to prevent a score by trying to keep the ball out of the net area. SHOOTOUTS at the end of tied overtime game are done in the same manner.
Enjoy the Women’s World Cup final and pull our girls through to victory.
Cajun 7/3/2019