Filip Bondy

The sheer absurdity of the moment was not lost on Megan Rapinoe, after the 37-year-old U.S. national star was subbed out last October against England by the 17-year-old wunderkind, Alyssa Thompson.

This was never going to be a fair fight. Vietnam rarely crossed midfield, and the U.S. opened their three-peat title quest with a 3-0 victory.

Soccer isn’t ice hockey. The goal is a lot bigger, and the goalies are considerably narrower.

The Americans’ threepeat crusade survived an early challenge.

They aren’t quite there yet, but the U.S. women are now just one loss away from becoming the country’s worst team ever.

The punchless U.S. women are out of the World Cup, after yet another scoreless match and a disastrous shootout.

On Sunday morning, these two coaches, Sarina Wiegman with England and Jorge Vilda with Spain, face each other in the women’s World Cup final.

Spain proved on Sunday that dissension is not necessarily a bad thing, overcoming a torrent of bad feelings to capture a first-time World Cup title with a brilliant, 1-0 victory over England.

Quit your whining! Yes, 2023 produced a torrent of bad moments in our local stadiums and arenas. But you were forewarned and forearmed a year ago that things would turn ugly.

NEW YORK — Quit your whining! Yes, 2023 produced a torrent of bad moments in our local stadiums and arenas.