Rhian Wilkinson's Official Website

RHIAN'S SOCCER JOURNALS:

REFLECTIONS ON BRAZIL 12th July 2008

Once again, here is the usual delayed game journal!

Before I even start, I really need to say a big thank you to all the fans who made it out to the game on 10th July for our match against Brazil, our first home game in almost two years. It has been a long, LONGGG wait for a chance to play at home, and the fans who came to cheer us on made the wait well worth it. A special thank you to the Toronto Eagles whom I have met before, and who had prepared a "Go Rhian Go" banner and who had managed to smuggle it into the ground. It felt good to take corners in that Eagles' corner.

There was never a time in Thursday night's game when I forgot that I was playing in front of my fans. It was finally a fantastic feeling to have the "12th player" (the crowd) on our side. We are not very used to it.

The conditions for the match could not have been much better. It was 23 degrees with a very light wind. We played at the south end for the first half, which meant that we faced the sun which was slightly frustrating for me and my fellow right hand side players. However, if this is our only complaint, I figure we are lucky. Mind you, I won't be getting into any discussion of BMO's turf.

Before the match started, our sponsors Winners and the CSA made a thoughtful presentation to Christine Sinclair and Randee Hermus to recognize the significance of passing the milestone of earning more than one hundred caps each for their country. Then, it was down to business.

The Brazilians, as always, came ready to play, and I think gave us and the fans a good, entertaining game. I have heard from a few quarters that the first half of the game was a dull one. While I admit that the last 15 minutes of the first half might have been a little slow, this is something that happens in many games because both teams try to reach half time without making a mistake. Other than that though I would have to tell anyone who thought the game was dull to look at some of our game footage from a few years ago. We have had some spectacularly boring games in the past, which were true tests of our fans' support.

By comparison I feel that this match was anything, but dull. The Brazilians are a tricky bunch and they have some amazing talents on their team. Obviously Marta was missing, which was a big disappointment to us, as well as to many of our fans, but they still had some brilliant soccer players out there. A few of their players made a few of us look positively silly at times, a Brazilian footballing trait which makes me even prouder of how we played.

Was it our best game? No, it was not, but I do think we came out to play and did very well. We did make some silly that will still need to be fixed before we head to Beijing. But, for us to have been the stronger team in this match against one of the top four teams in the world, one month before the Olympics begin, and I don't think I am being biased here, is a very good position to be in.

We played a hard game of soccer against a skillful, fast and entertaining Brazilian side, and I am very proud of my team right now. I have also been enjoying the offside/onside debate that has been raging over the Brazilian goal. The FIFA rule about a player needing two "opponents," rather than the goalie and an "opponent," to be ahead of her when gaining an advantage by being in this position, has tested many players' and fans' knowledge of the rules of the game. I believe she was definitely offside. However, from a tactical standpoint, when they scored, it was not against the run of play. There were a few times when the four of us at the back had a tough time clearing the ball. And. I would rather be punished with a tied game now, than have to face similar experiences come August. We need to fix what is happening.

After a few days R and R with my father in Mississauga, it is now back to camp in Vancouver. Once again, a huge thank you to all our Canadian supporters. The experience of playing in front of you all at the National Stadium, will be one that I will long remember. It was a highlight of my soccer career, and I know that I am not the only one on the team who felt so moved by the fans cheering us. The least we could do on the day was to stay after the game and sign as many autographs as possible. I am not sure who was the lucky fan who caught Sinclair's cleats when she tossed them into the crowd, but I wanted those!!!

Further preparation and the Olympics are up next. But, I am looking forward to seeing everyone on home soil again soon.