VAR review at the end of extra time awards Canada a PK.
Naeher came out to contest a long ball and didn't get there. Canadian forward won the header and hit it wide, but referee awarded it up on review.
Seems like a tough call. Both are allowed to contest for that ball. Both jumped into it.
Canada converts the PK. On to a shootout...
Naeher (A) didn't get to the ball, and (B) delivered a double punch to the upper body of Gilles, with enough force that it would knock some people out. Her head bounced off the ground, to the extent that anything could bounce there. That wasn't merely a hit, it was a
brutal hit.
If that's not a foul, then goalkeepers are allowed to foul however much they want. It has to be a foul. And I'm a former goalkeeper and member of the guild, when it comes to defending them. I get angry when goalies punch a ball they got to first and then are plowed into by forwards. Well, this is the reverse, only delivered by closed fists rather than a shoulder.
I can kinda understand it not being given at first, because GKs either get to those first, or retreat to stop it post-shot, 99% of the time. And even when they're close, it's usually like a double-hit kind of thing where they each got a touch. But here, on review, it's clear that Naeher got none of the ball and all of Gilles' noggin.
Naeher's problem there was that she didn't come out immediately. She hesitated, if you watch the high-angle replay. By the time she committed, she was going to be late to that ball. She's got the advantage of being able to reach with her arms, and despite that she was still late. I basically can't wait to replace her with one of the young hungry goalies who deserve a chance - we even have one on the roster, Jane Campbell, who has been a meaningfully better shot-stopper than Naeher for the last 3 years running, and in 2 of the last 3 years so was our third keeper, Casey Murphy. I'm on team Katie Lund, but really any of them need to be given a chance under live game fire.
At least Naeher was able to make up for it on both sides of the shootout. Pretty big emotional rollercoaster for her those last 15 minutes.
