US Administration Weaponizes ESTA for World Cup, Rodman and Kang Make Times100, USWNT Triumph/Survive in Brazil Friendly, and More: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
We do like to keep it a bit breezy around here, we enjoy the sport, and the sport, while compelling and emotionally impactful at times, is supposed to be fun. There is, however, a reality I’m going to address today. And that’s the way this World Cup has been managed before a tournament ball even has been kicked.
Let’s use this as the jumping off point:
That’s Arsenal legend Ian Wright talking about how the most prestigious African ref has been denied entry into the US. There is no justifiable reason for this, and none has been offered. The same is true for a number of fans from Scotland, who were denied authorized entry without justification, throwing their travel investment and their hopes of cheering for their first World Cup campaign since 1998 into serious jeopardy. Fans of Iran have apparently been denied altogether. This article from The Guardian does a clean wrap up of these and other such alarming incidents, including the 7 hours of detainment that star Iraqi striker, Aymen Hussein, experienced at a Chicago airport. Note that, in the same group, the Iraqi team photographer was denied entry upon a phone search. At the airport.
And, according to Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, the conditions of the team’s visas demand that they must enter and leave U.S. soil on the same day as their matches. The team will fly into the US for their games, but will train and recoup in Mexico, because the US declined to host the team altogether.
An oft used phrase is “The World Is Watching.” While it is often used hopefully in situations where the faith in universal compassion is not rewarded, in this case, it most certainly is true. Right now, the world is gearing up for its favorite global sporting event, and is watching our nation. What will they see?
At any rate, on to the regular links.
Hayes describes ‘experience I will never forget’ as Brazil given eight red cards in loss to USWNT– The Guardian
A second half own goal following an off-kilter Sophia Wilson shot was the only tally last night in Fortaleza, Brazil, but there was plenty happening. Dudinha had to be stretchered off after appearing to jar her knee in a fateful collision with Emily Sonnett. Red cards for dissent and verbal abuse were copious. After the whistle blew for the final time, riot police with shields emerged to flank the match officials. Other than the injuries on the field, it is a relief no one else was hurt.
FIFA skipped DC — but the World Cup couldn’t– WTOP News
Alecko Eskandarian is quoted in this, and that’s enough for me.
The above speaks volumes about the relevance of The Washington Spirit and its impact on Women’s soccer.
Sofia Cantore and Lucia Di Guglielmo combined well yesterday on the right flank for Italy in yesterday’s tie with Sweden, showing the increased chemistry they’ve built this season.
For a curious online experience digesting World Cup history, look no further.
Austin FC name Jim Curtin as head coach following 2026 season– MLS
Jim Curtin has found a new home in MLS. As his new club currently sits on only 14 points from 15 games played, he’s got his work cut out for him.
USMNT World Cup bracket scenarios, odds to advance, predicted path to knockouts– ESPN
It’s all coming to a head for the USMNT as they prepare for the late game (East Coast time, anyway) this Friday against Paraguay. An ESPN team attempt to give the madness of the 48 team bracket some shape and clarity, focusing on the US’s potential scenarios.
The vibes were good in Irvine, California, especially as fans cheered Chris Richards’ return to training.
USMNT lineup versus Paraguay — Who will Pochettino choose for USA in World Cup opener?– NBC Sports via Yahoo
Not sure I’m with the writers on Tyler Adams’ likely midfield partner, but it’s a time to throw out those takes and look forward to the tournament play.
Croatia arrives in Northern Virginia as World Cup excitement builds– FOX5
Finally, it sounds like Alexandria has taken their hosting duties seriously, and are giving the newly arrived Croatian squad a good Alexandria time of it. Some of the players are older than I am, so that’s nice of them.
That’s all I’ve got! One-up me in the comments, and have a great sporting day!
Can’t wait for some team like the Germans or French to put us on blast for this bullshit. I don’t even think the “shhh we have to focus and win” attitude normally taken by top teams will keep them from expressing their thoughts.
For those wondering what the Scotland targeting is about, it likely originates from this beef. Which, ridiculously, is also the origin of the “windmill” animosity.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15l3knp4xyo
There was a concern of smuggling in Haggis, which has lung in it in Scotland (banned due to prion risk). Maybe criminal records (but the Tartan Army historically travels well, so I don’t get it.)? I heard that we are expediting visas for this, don’t know if that is really happening, however. Really puzzling, really embarrassing for me, personally speaking.
The White House stated that the Somalian ref had been linked to a terrorist group (whether that is true or not, we have the capacity to put a tail on him at all times.) Embarrassing again.
The Brazilian ladies team really had a melt down. But for their stellar keeper play, they could have been blown out. USWNT looked good.
The US has lost the ability to say “trust us, dog” in instances where they cite security, but there is an alternative reason for presidential animosity.
It’s a statement, and reporters will expend resources tracking legitimacy. In this particular case, I think debunking is a matter of time.
As for Somalia, this is still going on.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-disparages-somali-immigrants-ihan-omar-cabinet-meeting-rcna347169
DC United has announced that the team has waived Aaron Herrera:
https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-waives-defender-aaron-herrera
On the Facebook post about this, the Guatemalan fans have also bid their farewell to the team, saying they’ll be back if the team signs another Guatemalan in the future. They are certainly a committed group
Fan loyalty is a hell of a thing, but acting like the club fucked up in this circumstance is not accurate.
Herrera is likely gonna get sued by a former teen athlete. If they can’t acknowledge that, that’s their failing.
I’m not really convinced they were ever necessarily “DC” fans to begin with, just die-hard Guatemala National Team supporters that would support whatever club the national team guys are playing for at any given time. Essentially like Messi vs Miami fans.
That’s likely true.
I spoke to an Argentine in friendly with socially, and asked about the importance of Prestianni to the national team, given his 6 match ban for the Vini Jr incident. He didn’t place a ton of importance on his play, but did say that he wasn’t sure if he said anything.
I pointed out that the reaction of all the Madrid players in earshot was immediate and clearly not premeditated, their anger genuine. He sorta glazed over and remained noncommittal.
We’re not rational creatures, we’re rationalizing creatures. Sometimes, principle isn’t in the gut, and requires discipline and prioritization.
That is certainly bad enough, but according to Weiler, Herrera had made clear his desire to move on even before that story came out. And just from this fan’s perspective, Herrera had made that pretty clear with his play on the field, particularly at the end of last season.
I haven’t been to a game in person in several years. Were there actually many noticably Guatemalan fans in attendance? They certainly showed up on social media, but I’m not sure if it’s really too big of a loss in-stadium.
In truth, I don’t know if I’ve seen unified national fan groups at Audi Field, though I’m not in regular attendance at the stadium. They were much more present in my RFK memories.
There are a number of reasons for that, but I imagine the ability to tailgate outside RFK and then travel in together chanting, that’s all gone now. Harder to do that on the metro.
Definitely more of an online presence than in the stadium (which, in fairness, we’ve discussed how paying for the on field product the last 8 years has been rewarding terrible leadership). DC can fill seats by being a good soccer team rather than recruiting for any nationality, US included.
Herrera ends up tied with Brandon McDonald for 24th most games played by a defender in United’s history.
(Lucas Bartlett is currently at 19th.)
Given the circumstances, hope Hefti joins Bartlett at lowering him out of the top 25
Just because I was curious, Hefti is currently tied with Derek Dodson for 65th place. With his next game, he’ll move up to 62nd.
For sure, but given his age profile and now unchallenged place in the lineup, with a bit of commitment to DC, he’ll ascend quickly
The Somalian referee thing is really crushing, as is the treatment of the Iranian team, and so many other incidents and decisions besides.
In the last 24 hours, I’ve seen a couple positive stories though. The first was residents of a town in Kansas just being very happy that the Algerian team had chosen their home as headquarters for the tournament. They were trying to share what they knew about Algeria which was basically nothing, but they were excited for them to be there, and to be gracious hosts. And then I also saw that SEPTA, the mass transit system in Philly, was sharing information about the best ways to be respectful to visitors from the countries, how they preferred to be greeted, and some interesting tidbits about the teams that would be playing in Philadelphia.
That is the America I want to be in. Friendly, gracious, being open and being a good host. Where we can have fun as visitors are experiencing parts of our culture for the first time. It should have been a pretty easy thing to do, but alas. In the past I’ve gone to great pains to watch every game of the World Cup, and I can’t say I’ll be doing that this year.
The cities, as far as iI’ve heard, have been awesome, sometimes even adorable in their curiosity and deepening awareness of other cultures. Saw a video of a man shooting the shit with Senegalese players out for a day of shopping, learning in real time about a number of things.
People are people, and it’s possible for people to like people. There’s no real concentration of human failings anywhere; if humans suck, we suck together.
It is, however, easy to institutionalize the worst and blindly lash out, and it stinks that the cities are being hampered by just that.
Well stated.
Its also been nice/fun to see some of the European (and Japanese) fans discovering and exploring random parts of the US and having an absolute blast. A lot about this World Cup sucks, but at least there’s still some bright spots.
Especially the one German fan tweeting his way from Atlanta to Houston.
Apparently Columbus signed Brooks Lennon. He was on trial with DC in the offseason, but let go without a contract offer. He was coming off a really serious injury, and I guess has now recovered enough. I really like Brooks Lennon and thought if we had signed him, he would be starting over Herrera. Instead, we signed Silvan Hefti, who… has been quite good and started over Herrera.
We probably got the better end of the deal, all told. Still, I wish good luck to Lennon in Columbus, except of course when they play DC.