Arsenal dodged the Bear with a (0-0) lackluster performance in Portugal against FC Porto. Actually, both teams came into the final Match Day knowing that a draw would be enough to progress into the knock out stages of the Champions League.

However, it was Porto that tried their best to make it a soccer game. Arsenal played so poor and heartless, one wonders if they will be able to raise their football in the next round of the tournament, let alone against Chelsea on Sunday.

Arsenal and Jans Lehman will be thanking the goal posts as Porto player’s Postiga and Quaresma both hit the uprights, which saved the blushes for Arsene Wenger and the Henry-less Gunners.

Playing with the lone striker, Adebayor, sometimes it looked like the water-Gunners were playing a 3-7 with no impetus to put out any offense. Hleb, “Simply Fab”-regas, and Ljungeberg were all meant to pull the strings in midfield, but played like puppet boys and lacked any real inspiration to get the Gunners firing.

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Oh the times, they are a changing: the times when the U.S. Women’s National Team was untouchable. Nobody could lay a finger on our beloved liberators of football for the fairer sex. Nobody except for the occasional kick you where it hurts China Squad.

I can remember walking down the street in a Mexican town in 1997 with some of the locals and seeing two girls in skirts kicking a ball. One of my friends said that he had never seen that before.

Wow, for that to be said in Mexico in 1997, when women’s soccer was picking up real steam for the U.S. in 1987, no wonder no team this side of the Atlantic could stand a chance versus us and our only arch rivals Canada, who will ultimately always be second best. But what of this Mexico? They do not suffer under the football stereotype of second best verse the U.S. Can they be better then the Red, White and Blue?

Well, from this year’s semifinal Gold Cup match, obviously the tides are turning. Yes the U.S. was victorious 2-0, but there were glimpses of Mexican dribbling and industry. Something that the U.S. will ultimately have problems with since we do not uphold individual genius as much in the U.S. Women’s game. 

I’ll tell you that the Mexican’s do uphold these features, and their inventiveness on the pitch will see the U.S. gasping for air. The U.S. Women are not playing particularly better football then the Canadians right now and the Mexicans 4 years from now. This industry, work rate, fitter then you type of play is about to outlive its shelf live. Our fitness was our trump in the years past; no one could keep up with these American engineered athletes that would be there to contest everything.

Now what happens when your opponents’ infrastructure has evolved to produce the same athlete? Well, to be the most fit will be common; it will be the most inventive, and the most skillful, that will be on the winning end.

If you say the U.S. Women’s team has that, well you could be right, but answer me this. What is the difference between the Midfield players and the Defenders other then their position? If we want to talk intricacies, then there maybe a few, but overall they are pretty much, hard working, harsh moving athletic players. The dribbler’s gene is not found in any of them. Our forwards are industrious and willing to put a dagger in the hearts of their enemy, but other then a good cut or two, inventive, non-predictable soccer is not there, just like the Men’s team to a greater extent.

Do you know who will have this inventive, non-predictable nature in play, the countries that currently display it in their more evolved Men’s branches? So look for Mexico to continue to grow rapidly along with Brazil and the rest following suit.

Where does this place the U.S. Women? Obviously, right in line with the Men, 20th or so in the World! Maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but no one can say that the current crop of girls are any better then what we were fielding in 96 when we won Gold in Athens (Athens, Georgia, Olympics 96) and the famous sports bra was shown around the world.

What this means for Women’s Soccer in general is that we must prepare to see sports bras from many different nations tearing off their jerseys.

Frank Rijkaard and Barcelona fans will be hoping that Ronaldinho’s return to form will spill over into the mid-week’s Champions League showdown against Werder Bremen.

The German club is coming off an emotional high from their 1-0 victory over Chelsea; however, they must travel to the Nou Camp to face a recharged Barcelona team.

The last time the two clubs meet, Bremen forced an own goal from Puyol, and Barcelona needed Messi to score in the late minutes to secure a tie.

Going into the last Match Day, Barcelona sits in third place beneath Chelsea and Werder Bremen (both on 10 pts.). With just 8 pts., this time a draw will see mighty Barcelona fall into the UEFA Cup, a disaster for the La Liga club.

At the weekend, Barcelona has a much easier fixture as they face lowly Levante while Bremen face Hertha Berlin (5th spot in the Bundesliga), who are only 3 pts. behind 2nd place Bremen.

America came into their semifinal 1st leg against Chivas on a conga line of goals (they defeated Atlas 6-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals), but found the defense of Chivas much harder to crack.

There was early pressure from both teams in the 1st half with both teams creating chances. Chivas had the early pressure, but it was Blanco who came closest with a flick that hit the back post. Chivas created a great chance in the 30th min. with the striker Bravo just missing also at the back post.

America threatened again in the 40th min. when defender Castro tried his luck from outside the 18 with a shot that sailed just wide of Oswaldo Sanchez and the post. Despite the pressure, it was goalless as the teams went into half time.

The tide turned in the 53rd min. when Morales slotted home a penalty after Chivas striker, Bautista was brought down by Castro in the penalty area. Bautista then turned provider in the 61st min. when his cross from the right was headed home by Mexican International, Oscar Bravo.

America clawed back in opportunity in the 88th min., but striker Cabanas’ penalty effort was saved by Sanchez and then thwarted on the follow up rebound.

America goes back to Aztec Stadium on Sunday for the 2nd leg with the pressure of having to score 3 goals and keep a clean sheet to get to the Finals.