Why women don’t cheat at soccer – USA TODAY
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USA Today Sports’ Martin Rogers recaps the Women’s World Cup match between the U.S. and Colombia.
USA TODAY Sports
OTTAWA – The sharpest bite of the Women’s World Cup so far came from an ignorant tweet about women’s sports from a national sports writer, not from the teeth of a player, a la Luis Suarez.
The most spectacular dive has been the sudden and surprising fall from grace of Brazil, a pre-tournament favorite, rather than countless players tumbling to the turf at the slightest touch in the hope of cheating their way to a penalty kick.
And the most severe case of feigned injury wasn’t from a pseudo-victim rolling around on the floor in mock agony, but one day last week when the Nigerian coach sustained surprisingly hurt feelings because of a rather harmless line of questioning.
“Maybe women are less dramatic than men,” United States midfielder Tobin Heath told USA TODAY Sports. “People always say about women’s football that they don’t dive as much. I don’t really know why it is different in the men’s game. We have this authentic feel to the sport, because you don’t see that and it is a lot less questionable for the referee when you see a tackle. I am proud the sport gives off that because (cheating) can be an annoyance to fans and teams as well.”
Pick on women’s soccer if you must, and plenty choose to, but don’t try and portray it as simply a lesser version of the same game. It is in many ways a different game, with its own nuances and thankfully, less of the comical attempts at ill-intended subterfuge.
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USA Today Sports’ Nancy Armour previews the quarterfinal match between the U.S. vs. China.
Frankly, it is all quite refreshing. The World Cup brings to soccer pairs of eyes who rarely sample the sport at any other time. As the showpiece occasions of soccer, men’s and women’s World Cups should showcase the best of what the beautiful game has to offer.
While last year’s men’s event was a wonderful feast of soccer, with goals and drama aplenty amid the transfixing backdrop of Brazil, it turned some off due to its never-cured epidemic of diving, faking, whining and other antics designed to fool the referee and gain an unfair advantage.
Sadly it is just part of the culture, and part of the game.
“Fortunately it never became part of the culture for us,” said veteran U.S. defender Christie Rampone, who has been part of the national team set-up dating back to its last World Cup triumph, in 1999.
The dirty tricks have happened so long in men’s soccer that the absurdity is tolerated. The closing minutes of matches typically see players on the leading team afflicted with all sorts of ailments that require urgent medical attention, only to make a magic recovery seconds later.
“We just like to stay on our feet,” said head coach Jill Ellis. “You do see it at times, but it’s not prevalent. It is done in the men’s game to manipulate and gain an advantage, and we are more about trying to do that in the flow of the game and less in the simulation.”
It happens infrequently enough that when it does it is somewhat jarring. On Monday, a Colombia player went to the ground clutching her face after being nudged in the chest by Julie Johnston. The referee, France’s Stephanie Frappart, had a poor game, but was switched on enough to turn down the appeal. You could almost spot the quizzical raise of an eyebrow toward the Colombian.
Women’s soccer is getting stronger as it is played in greater numbers and with more frequency around the world. Some of the elements it has picked up from men’s soccer are good, such as enhanced tactical know-how and highly structured physical preparation.
As for the cheating? Well, that can take a dive.
PHOTOS: U.S. vs. Colombia
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