Singular Focus - Kumagai
Life in Cayman Islands as an expat involves playing and watching a lot of sport, this is so, probably because time is plentiful on island and most sporting facilities, including sports bars are but half a “Keisha Cole” song away – literally. When it comes to watching major sporting events, there are plenty of great venues on island and over the past 2 weeks, the Women’s World Cup 2011 event has been all the rage for those who love soccer. Personally, I have never followed the Women’s World Cup event at any point in time until recently, because where I am from, I was just never exposed to it. Now that I am, I love it!
Sunday was the World Cup Final, and I chose to watch it at the Treasure Island Resort bar on Seven Mile Beach where there were about 20 or so supporters for both the USA and Japan. To be honest I went “Swiss” on this one – neither here nor there – because my favorite team was already out. Anyway, having watched several matches before the final, that involved both the Japan and the US, I have to say that I loved the way Megan Rapinoe played in the middle of the park on the left. What really impressed me was that she had the movement and the passing ability of a certain maestro named Paul Scholes. The moment that they took her off, I thought to myself “that’s it, no more creativity from the US!” Having said that, as a team, Japan played with a dogged plan, almost as though they were playing chess – “I will let you take my Queen at some point in this match, but your King is going down – you just don’t know it yet!”
I do think that Japan has a very great player in Sawa Homare, who has been around for a while, but this must have been her crowning glory. Although they were driven by a natural passion to lift a nation that has gone through so much of late, I truly believe that it was more their skill, guts and a well laid plan that got Japan to the the promised land in soccer. Enjoy your success Japan and team USA, you have no shame in losing to such a great team!
Filed under: International Tagged: | Cayman Islands, chess, Japan, Paul Scholes, Treasure Island, USA, women, world cup
