Women's football

[Gingerfinch]

Paris finally makes the right decision, and White taps in.

[Gingerfinch]

Technique with that hit! Game done.

[Gingerfinch]

Not sure how Norway haven't scored yet, or how England only have three?

[Durhamfootman]

Norway should have had a pen, but VAR wasn't used for some reason?

ball hit her foot, into the ground and up onto her trailing arm. Under the new rules that isn't a pen, apparently. Seems fair enough. My worry with the new rules, where intent doesn't matter, is that attacking sides will just try to blast the ball into a mass of defenders in the hope that the ball inadvertently hits an arm and VAR awards them a pen

[Durhamfootman]

Paris finally makes the right decision, and White taps in.

best goal of the game, that. beautifully worked and well timed.

not a single offside all night

not a single VAR decision to be made

only one yellow card given and that went to the only player who looked like she fancied getting one.

As a game, it was a good advert for women's football. That's 2 England games where VAR hasn't featured.... as rare as hens teeth, but I guess it shows that games played in the right way won't be unduly affected by the technology.... as long as refs are as good as the one last night, of course.

Fortunately for us, the men will make sure that VAR has as big an impact as it possibly can

[Durhamfootman]

I think Ellen White is joint top scorer for the tournament..... and she didn't have the luxury of putting 5 past a pisspoor team in a 13-0 drubbing, and nor does she take penalty kicks........ although she might end up taking the next one

Anyone else worry that England's semi final might go to a penalty shoot out and Nikita Parris has to take one of them?

[Durhamfootman]

Technique with that hit! Game done.

stunning strike!

Not sure how Norway haven't scored yet

While Millie Bright remains England's most experienced partner for Houghton and worth her place in the starting XI, I was surprised that she didn't come off in the second half and McManus sent on given that the match was as good as won at 3-0. Three of the four gilt edged chances for Norway came from mistakes from Bright after the hour mark.

Bright had been injured prior to the WC, had been up all night vomiting prior to the game, and after an hour there was a close up of her and the sweat was pouring out of her. She seemed to be really struggling to me and that's when she started making all those errors

Fortunately for England, Houghton and Bardsley were magnificent and snuffed everything out.

I've changed my mind about Karen Bardsley. I used to think she was a good shot stopper, but who was poor in the air and who got herself out of position too often. She's been terrific this tournament and she hasn't conceded a goal yet, despite having to make a lot of saves in her 4 matches

[Durhamfootman]

I haven't changed my mind about Duggan, though. Overall she was poor again last night with only a couple of decent touches. When she plays, England offer no threat down the left. Another player who has been injured a lot this season and hasn't played regularly enough. She is a decent enough player, she plays for Barcelona, for goodness sake, but her decision making and execution have looked below par all tournament and I put that down to rustiness. Beth Mead, while nowhere near Duggan in terms of status, has been playing well for England of late.

Bringing on Mead for Duggan 10 mins into the second half might be a big indication that Mead might play in the semi final

[Gingerfinch]

Norway should have had a pen, but VAR wasn't used for some reason?

ball hit her foot, into the ground and up onto her trailing arm. Under the new rules that isn't a pen, apparently. Seems fair enough. My worry with the new rules, where intent doesn't matter, is that attacking sides will just try to blast the ball into a mass of defenders in the hope that the ball inadvertently hits an arm and VAR awards them a pen

I thought the new rule is if it hits your arm, deliberate or now, then it's a pen?

[Durhamfootman]

not if it hits another part first and is deflected on..... as long as the defender's body is not in an 'unnatural' shape

clear as mud

although in this case it was certainly the right decision, I think..... although not if you are a Norway supporter, presumably

[andy]

USA vs France tonight...should be a cracker

[Durhamfootman]

I hope so. Sometimes these highly anticipated encounters end up being a bit of a damp squib

[Durhamfootman]

I like what Neville is doing atm

I'm not even remotely convinced by his tactical acumen, but I think his player management is exemplary. He really seems to have his team on board and believing in what they are doing. He talks them up and backs them to the hilt. More than anything they genuinely seem to be having fun, and in this world where pressure and expectation makes England players from across differing sports wilt, it seems this team may have the balance just about right.

Add to this the most in form striker in the tournament and it may be that England can ask serious questions of whichever of the two best teams in the world makes it through tonight.

I'm hoping for USA, for no other reason than this tournament seemingly will help to decide which teams will be eligible to play in the Tokyo Olympics. I don't understand how it works, but it seems that 3 teams from Europe will be allowed to compete and there is the possibility that the 3 highest placed sides in this world may be the ones. How that helps an England who would have to compete as GB if the authorities even allow them to, I don't know, but I would like to see them there if it's at all possible

[Gingerfinch]

I do love the French national anthem!

[Durhamfootman]

Diving!

Something that has been mostly absent in the tournament and the suddenly the two best teams in the world go head to head, and they are both up to it

No bookings either

should be bookings

Women's football has the chance to be a much cleaner game than the mens, so we surely have to clamp down on it before it becomes as common as it is in the mens game

USA on top in the early stages 1-0