Field temperatures at multiple FIFA Women's World Cup venues eclipsed 122 degrees Farenheit, and while the conditions "have not been directly linked to the use of artificial turf," they have "renewed complaints over the absence of grass fields," according to Nick Faris of the NATIONAL POST. Fox Sports reporter Julie Stewart-Binks said that players have "shared their grievances about the turf with her." Stewart-Binks said of Norway F Isabell Herlovsen, who scored twice in a 4-0 win over Thailand on Sunday in Ottawa, "She felt it was hurting her, because her feet were so hot." A FIFA spokesperson this week told the CP that medical officials are "present at every match to protect the health of the players, in response to a question about the heat at field level" (NATIONALPOST.com, 6/11).
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: In N.Y., Ian Austen writes Women's World Cup organizers are hoping that Canada and the U.S. "enjoy good tournaments" because the long-term survival of at least one of the teams will "probably be necessary for the tournament to reach its ticket-sales target of 1.5 million." Sales as of this week had "reached about one million tickets," but 95% of those tickets "were sold to North American buyers." Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary Peter Montopoli said, "To get to our goal of 1.5 million is going to take some great matches. ... We need Canada and the U.S. to get to the medal rounds." While Montopoli and other organizers are "counting on interest to grow as the tournament progresses to the knockout rounds, it has been handicapped to some degree by Toronto’s exclusion." The Women's World Cup was "effectively crowded out of Toronto by the Pan-American Games, which open there in July" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/12). Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Derek Van Diest notes Thursday's 0-0 draw between Canada and New Zealand was played "in front of 35,544" at Commonwealth Stadium (EDMONTON SUN, 6/12).
NO LUCK OF THE DRAW: SI.com's Grant Wahl notes Germany and France -- the No. 1 and No. 3 teams, respectively, in the FIFA rankings -- are "on a collision course to meet surprisingly early in the quarterfinals" if results hold to form. This situation "wasn’t due to the (bad) luck of the draw, but rather one that was created by FIFA." Unlike in the men’s World Cup, where seeded teams (other than the host nation) are "drawn randomly into their groups, FIFA decided before the draw which groups all the seeded teams would be in at the Women’s World Cup." Basically, FIFA "feels like it needs to put certain teams in certain cities to sell tickets and in certain time zones to help with TV ratings back home." Wahl: "Fair enough. But why couldn’t FIFA still have done a random draw to determine where the group winners would be placed in the bracket in the knockout rounds?" (SI.com, 6/11).
MAKINGS OF A LET-DOWN? The GLOBE & MAIL's John Doyle writes the tournament "needed a reset button after the opening days." The casual soccer fan who watched the opener between Canada and China "might have been appalled," as it was "dull and dreary stuff." Putting aside the "hype and the laudable hope for this tournament," a realist "would say a 24-team tournament is an overreach." The quality of play is "uneven." No world soccer event "should have a 10-0 result," which was the case in Germany's victory against the Ivory Coast last Sunday. Doyle: "Perhaps it’s fatigue with weak teams succumbing to humiliating losses. Perhaps it’s just time for a quick reality check. Promises were made -- there has been a rapid rise in playing standards in the women’s game, and thrills were stipulated. ... But we have to ask -- is this tournament a big disappointment?" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/12).
