Somehow I’m no longer in the mood for “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” since having taken in this U.S.A. – England 2019 Women’s World Cup semifinal. It goes like this.
England was down 2-1 when one of their girls threaded this beautiful pass to this other, who netted the ball to tie the game. After a review, though, they found her to have been offsides, by about one foot or so, if that, thus nullifying the goal.
About 15 minutes later, an England girl was going in for a pass that was a scoring opportunity and took a wild fall from an approaching American. On the ensuing penalty kick, the American goalie made an incredible save, diving and grabbing the ball at the corner of the goal right as it was about it go in. The game ended in a 2-1 U.S.A. victory.
After the game, they showed the England girl who’d got her goal taken away. She looked about 25, broad-shouldered but with a friendly-looking face and an upbeat disposition. Her face was pale except for her eyes, which were wet and had red rings around them. Looking at her, my eyes welled up with tears.
And I was looking around at all the players walking around after the game, the Americans celebrating and the British clapping in obligatory class and concession. And I just wish I wouldn’t have seen any of this. I wish I wouldn’t have watched the game at all.
And I was looking around for any pair of players who were from opposing teams, congratulating one or exchanging any pleasantries. But I just didn’t see it. One American girl tried to help up a British girl from the ground, and though the British girl wasn’t rude, she didn’t extend a hand and it was clear she didn’t want to be touched by the American. The British girl who got her goal taken away was clapping, in observance with the general custom of a game’s end, being the loser. She definitely handled it way better than I would have. I would have cussed and insulted the ref, after that offsides call, gotten thrown out of the game, and then seen that ref in my dreams that night, which of course would have been stupid, almost as stupid as watching this fu**ing crap was in the first place.