Five Thoughts on The USWNT's Historic Win Against Brazil

It's the day after the exhilaration of winning a football game by forcing penalty kicks with a goal in additional time of extra time is just starting to wear off. Because the nerves are gone, I can better analyze the top 5 talking points from yesterday's match. In no particular order:

1. The USA will win the Women's World Cup if they continue to play like this.
1. Even with only 10 players, they managed to take the game to penalty kicks after going down a goal early in extra time. What could the US have done with a full roster? France took England to penalty kicks, but they have yet to perform at a level like the USA did yesterday. Japan is the only contender to make the final alongside the US at this point, but I honestly can't see Japan beating the US at this point.
2. Brazilian football is in shambles.
1. The women's team failing to win in both the World Cup and Olympics, the men's team struggling to even win a game in Copa America, the U-17 team blowing a 3-1 lead to Germany in the 3rd place match, and the final nail in the coffin of the legendary Ronaldo retiring early due to hypothryroidism.
   
3. FIFA needs to address their referees interpretation of the Spirit of the Game, as outlined in the Laws of the Game.
1. In last year's men's World Cup, FIFA dismissed the referee of the USA vs Slovenia match who disallowed a goal by Maurice Edu because of a foul on an unknown player that the referee was not required to explain, based on FIFA regulations. If the referee from yesterday's game does not get sent home, conspiracy theories that FIFA does not want the USA to succeed may begin.
4. Marta is not going to have a warm welcome when she returns to the Western New York Flash, probably on the July 17 game.
1. Yes, Marta plays in Women's Professional Soccer. Alongside team USA member Alex Morgan. And also Brazilian teammate Maurine. After Marta's penalty kick, she made a gesture to the crowd who started to boo her and then proceeded to be a pain in the ass for the rest of the game, constantly arguing with the referee and taunting the players on the opposite team. She received the loudest jeers when she took her 2nd penalty kick, which she approached as pure business, taking little joy.
5. Despite the incredible drama and finish, this game still contained every single element that Americans hate about football.
1. Blatant diving, terrible officiating, no use of instant replay, and a game being decided by a referee's whistle rather than actual skill on the pitch. If the US had lost, I seriously think Americans would have completely given up on football. The worst part of the game was that the diving that has plagued the men's game like a cancer for the last 10 years or so is starting to infect the women's game, as evidenced by Erika's miraculous recovery from a phantom foul. Major League Soccer is doing the right thing lately, giving automatic yellow cards for diving or flopping, due to the actions of D.C. United star Charlie Davies.