Team GB Womens Football

[avenueone]

The Olympics opening ceremony is tomorrow but due to time constraints some football matches had to be played before this i.e. last night - and guess what - it was women's football that had to be played before the games actually starts - just wondering how that was decided.
On a brighter note - GB won !!

Japan did too! Wonder who I'll support if it's a UK/Japan final??

Maybe it is done on the popularity of the event?

Well done to the team on winning though!

Theres loads of football, mens and womens, being played before the opening ceremony. 8 matches today, inc GB mens I think

I went to see USA v France at Hampden yesterday (USA won 4-2) and I was thinking the same. Why was it picked on to start before the Olympics officially opened?

I do not see what your problem is OP? You realise that it was being portraid as a huge honour to be the first Olympic event to take place. An event to be taking place completely on it's own so no being hidden behind running, or eventing, or trap shooting. A single platform for the biggest potential tv audience ever?

As a feminist is it not more important that the profile and the celebration of what women can achieve, and the value of women's effort be celebrated with out having to compete with other sports.

But to address your question it would not be possible to hold all the matches during the time span of the main Olympics, as I understand it I may be wrong on that. But just by going by the recent European football where they took 3 weeks at two games per day for the first two weeks to get to the knock out stage then I think it likely that the football would need to start early in order to finish on time.

The first mens matches are tonight. What's your point op?

I was quite happy to see it actually as had been wondering for a while where the women footballers were.
Got a bit sick of dh and his football....

Ah ok - didn't know the men were playing tonight - that is ok then
Come on team GB!

this happens every olympics, it is just the first time that GB has had a GB team so we have never noticed before.

I think it's good that the women's team got the focus of the attention from being the first event of the Olympics. Once the main Games start, the focus will be on the other events anyway, and most of the football interest will be on the men. So it was a good opportunity to show what they could do - which they did, in spades. Would be nice if they won a medal - especially if the men don't - because it might be the start of a bit more attention for the women's game generally.

And wasn't it great that a woman from Team GB scored the first ever goal at the 2012 Olympics!

How embarassing that they got the flag wrong - saw that this morning.

It was decided because the default is for 2 days rest between matches, and in order to fit in all the required matches to the final and 3/4th play-off, all the football had to start early. Is it a problem? Why was this point raised? The precedent for this goes back many years.

Whether footballers deserve such a break when Mr Wiggins can come back from winning the Tour and start training for the cycling team is another question entirely.

The point was why did the women have to play early and not the men but it turns out the men are too so all good
Think I was just also miffed at I was at my bros when it started and he and his FIL were pointing out their lack of skill grrr.

I thinks it's seen as an honour to be opening the games, rather than a negative thing. NZ are a top side, so beating them is no mean feat. I would bet that the women's GB team get further than the men's.

The lack of skill comment is a load of bollocks. I watch Premiership football regularly. The women's game lacks the physical power of the men's game, but from what I have seen this means that they choose to play a short, quick passing game rather than hoof long ball after long ball. Believe me, men like your brother and FiL make the same inane comments at ANY match, just to sound like they have some special kind of insight. It's tripe.

It was a superb result. I thought they looked very skillfull - lets hope they go all the way.

I'm looking forward to going to the game against Brazil next Tuesday!