United States (#1) vs. France (#7)
Moenchengladbach (12 pm eastern)
Last Meeting: United States 4, France 1 (March 13, 2006)
United States
Coach: Pia Sundhage
WC Matches: Defeated Korea DPR 2-0; Defeated Colombia 3-0; Lost to Sweden 1-2; Defeated Brazil 2-2 (5-3 pk).
Lineup
GK-Hope Solo (4 gms, 0.92 gaa, 2 shutouts)
DF-Ali Krieger (4 gms)
DF-Becky Sauerbrunn
DF-Christie Rampone (4 gms)
DF-Amy LePeilbet (4 gms)
MF-Heather O'Reilly (3 gms, 1 goal)
MF-Shannon Boxx (3 gms)
MF-Carli Lloyd (4 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist)
MF-Lauren Cheney (4 gms, 1 goal, 2 assists)
FW-Abby Wambach (4 gms, 2 goals, 1 assist)
FW-Amy Rodriguez (4 gms)
Substitutes:
GK-Nicole Barnhart, Jill Loyden.
DF-Stephanie Cox (2 gms, 1 assist), Heather Mitts.
MF-Megan Rapinoe, Lauren Lindsey (1 gm), Tobin Heath (2 gms), Kelley O'Hara (1 gm).
FW-Alex Morgan (3 gms).
Inactive-Rachel Buehler (4 gms, 1 goal) (red card suspension).
France
Coach: Bruno Bini
WC Matches: Defeated Nigeria 1-0; Defeated Canada 4-0; Lost to Germany 2-4; Defeated England 1-1 (4-3 pk).
Lineup:
GK-Berangere Sapowicz (3 gms, 0.73 gaa, 2 shutouts)
DF-Laure LePailleur (4 gms)
DF-Laura Georges (4 gms, 1 goal)
DF-Ophelie Meilleroux (1 gm)
DF-Sonia Bompastor (4 gms)
MF-Sandrine Soubeyrand (4 gms, 2 assists)
MF-Elise Bussaglia (4 gms, 1 goal)
MF-Camille Abily (4 gms, 1 goal, 1 assist)
MF-Louisa Necib (4 gms, 1 assist)
MF-Gaetane Thiney (4 gms, 2 goals)
FW-Marie-Laure Delie (4 gms, 2 goals)
Substitutes:
GK-Celine Deville (2 gms, 1.90 gaa) , Laetitia Philippe.
DF-Sabrina Viguier (2 gms), Wendie Renard (2 gms), Corine Franco.
MF-Laure Boulleau (2 gms), Caroline Pizzala.
FW-Eugenie LeSommer (4 gms, 1 assist), Elodie Thomis (4 games, 1 goal), Sandrine Bretigny (1 gm).
Preview
These two teams arrived in Moenchengladbach in a very similar fashion. Both finished second in their group stage, losing their last match. Both had to go to penalty kicks to win in the quarterfinals. Both have suffered one red card in this tournament.
However, one big difference is that the United States will be missing a key starter for this match, with Rachel Buehler having to sit because of the red card in the quarterfinal match against Brazil. The United States also had to play one down for nearly 60 minutes on Sunday and France will have 24 hours of additional rest, both of which could be factors in Wednesday's match.
France has never defeated the United States in women's soccer. They haven't even met since 2006 and most of the meetings between the two occured back in the 1990's, a long time ago now.
Neither team has scored much early in the match. France has scored seven of their eight goals after the 56 minute mark. The United States has scored six of their eight goals after the 50 minute mark.
The United States has been to every single semifinal in World Cup history, but their record in semifinal matches is only 2-3. For France, this is their first venture into the semis, having never even reached the quarterfinals before this year.
Goalkeepers
Hope Solo has given up four goals in this World Cup. Two were penalty kicks, one a deflected free kick, and one a brilliant goal by Marta. She has also stopped two penalties, although one was reversed by a referee's decision. Most of the pre-tournament worries about her shoulder have been forgotten now. She is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world right now.
Solo will have to keep her emotions in check for this match. She will likely get tested on some one-on-one chances by the French, who have a lot of speed up front and on the wings. Solo will have to make a lot of split second decisions on Wednesday, especially if her back line gets beat. She is extremely quick and agile.
Berangere Sapowicz should be well rested. She sat out the last match serving her red card suspension from the match against Germany. While she was somewhat maligned coming into the tournament, she has played very, very well, posting shutouts against Nigeria and Canada. She, too, will have to make quite a few quick decisions on Wednesday, especially when dealing with high crosses to the middle, with Abby Wambach as their target.
Advantage: United States
Defenders
It appears both coaches are making changes to their back line for the match. Bruno Bini is putting first game starter Ophelie Meilleroux at center back, next to Laura Georges. Sonia Bompastor and Laure LePailleur will play the outside back positions.
Meanwhile, ESPN is reporting that Pia Sundhage has opted for Becky Sauerbrunn in the US backfield to take the place of Buehler, apparently passing on the opportunity to move Amy LePeilbet back to her natural position at center back by starting Stephanie Cox at left back. It is a bit of risk for Sundhage, because Sauerbrunn has just ten caps and has yet to play at the World Cup. Ali Krieger will start at right back and Christie Rampone will start at center back, joining LePeilbet and Sauerbrunn.
Georges is one of the best center backs in this tournament. She has 100 caps to show for her career. She is very experienced and a tough tackler, not to mention she scored a goal for France against Germany. Meilleroux has experience as well, but she is the third different center back to play along side Georges in this tournament. Sabrina Viguier had started at center back twice.
France has two very active outside backs that like to get forward. Sonia Bompastor was a star in WPS for two season, before returning to play in France in 2011. She is a sly veteran, who is very rarely beaten one-on-one. She also has a nice touch on crosses from the wing. LePailleur is the least experienced of the French starting defenders, but she has also proven a two-way threat as well.
Rampone is surprisingly fast at age 36. When it appeared Marta might have a breakaway in Sunday's match, Rampone stayed close enough to make sure Marta had to go wide, instead of straight at Solo. Sundhage will likely start her on LePeilbet's side again to help make up for the latter's lack of pace. Left back LePeilbet is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in WPS, but that was at center back. The outside position is new to her and her speed is not necessarily well-suited for that position.
On the right side, Ali Krieger and Becky Sauerbrunn will defend for the Americans. Krieger is having an outstanding World Cup and has arguably been the United States' most consistent player to this point. She also scored the game-winning penalty in Sunday's match. She is more apt to get forward than LePeilbet on the opposite side.
Sauerbrunn has been a solid player in WPS and many had labelled her as the heir apparent in the center for the US. But one wonders whether her inexperience will be a problem, because she will be tested by French speed in this match.
Advantage: France
Midfielders
France will likely stay with a 4-2-3-1 set, meaning five midfielders. The United States has been a 4-4-2 team for quite some time.
Veteran Sandrine Soubeyrand and Elise Bussaglia will play holding mids for the French. Soubeyrand is the elder stateswoman of French soccer at age 37. She has already recorded two assists in this tournament. Elise Bussaglia has also had a very good World Cup. Underrated by most standards, Bussaglia has defended solidly and showed her offensive abilities by scoring the goal that sent the match against England into overtime.
At the attacking positions, France will have Camille Abily and Gaetane Thiney on the wings, with Laura Necib in the middle. Abily is a dangerous attacking player, who can score anywhere within 35 yards of the goal. After a lackluster performance against Nigeria, she has been improving ever since. Thiney, a true forward, has two goals to this point and has good pace to attack from the outside.
Necib started the tournament on a high note, playing great matches against Nigeria and Canada. She is very active and not afraid to shoot. She is also one of France's most technically skilled players. The French have a huge advantage in the midfield when it comes to technical skills and their passing game has been superb.
The United States will start the two veterans, Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, in the central midfield. Boxx was once considered one of the best defensive midfielders in women's soccer. She has had a pretty good tournament so far, save for the distraction on Marta's second goal. She is very strong in the air and gives the US a tough one-two punch in the air with Wambach. Lloyd can be inconsistent, but she seems to rise to the occasion when it comes to the big tournaments. She has one of the hardest shots in women's soccer.
Heather O'Reilly and Lauren Cheney start on the wings. O'Reilly is always a threat up the right side with her great speed and can strike from reasonable distance as she showed in the match against Colombia. Cheney has been a bit of a revelation in this tournament. A forward by trade, she has embraced the outside midfield role with a passion. She has been impressive on the offensive end with a goal and two assists, and has shown the ability to track back and help out the US left side defense.
Look for Megan Rapinoe to play a key role off the bench as she did in Sunday's match against Brazil, getting the game-tying assist.
Advantage: Very slightly France.
Forwards
Abby Wambach has been the US target forward for some time now. She has well over 100 goals to her credit, but none bigger than the one she scored against Brazil on Sunday. She has been nursing an Achilles injury throughout the tournament, but when it's game on, she's ready. She, along with Kerstin Garefrekes, is the most feared player in the world in the air. Wambach has already scored twice in this tournament.
Amy Rodriguez has been a bit of an enigma. Blessed with great speed, she has appeared to mature as shown by the improvement in her WPS play. But she still seems to disappear at times for the United States. She will need to keep defenses honest, making probing runs so they cannot concentrate on Wambach.
Alex Morgan plays the role of supersub. She has scored several big goals late in matches leading up to the World Cup, but none so far in this tournament. Like Rodriguez, she is very fast and has already proven that she pairs well with Wambach.
But when you talk about speed up front, you have to talk about France. Marie-Laure Delie is averaging a goal about every 35 minutes over her very young playing career. She has lightning speed and has already showed the knack for taking advantage of opposing defenses and their weaknesses. Delie has already scored twice in this World Cup and seems to cause big problems in the 2nd half when defenders start to wear down.
If there is anyone faster than Delie, it is Elodie Thomis, another dangerous forward. Thomis has more experience than Delie, but has not quite shown her scoring touch to this point. Still, she has scored 15 international goals and much be watched at all times. Eugenie LeSommer has also had a good tournament and assisted on a goal earlier in the tournament. She has good passing skills and could be a force late in this match.
Advantage: Even.
Summary
The French have the advantage in technical skills and the ability to wear the already tired US team down with their passing. Necib and Abily could well be the key in the middle for France. Both can control the tempo of the match, especially Necib. Abily, Thiney, and Delie will cause the US defense problems. LePeilbet will be tested on the American left, as will the inexperienced Sauerbrunn.
The United States have attacked well from the flanks in this tournament and have several players that can serve crosses into the middle, with Wambach being a very dangerous target. O'Reilly is especially adept at getting around the outside defender to the end line. She will have to face a great veteran in Bompastor in this match, which could be one of the best matchups of the day.
One weakness the United States midfield has shown on occasion is having trouble getting back and allowing too much room in behind them, where opposing teams can counterattack. Without Buehler in the lineup, they cannot allow this to happen in this match, because the French have the players that can exploit this.
France's biggest weakness is defending against set pieces, something that the Americans are quite good at. France will do very well to hold the US off on corner kicks and free kicks and need to surrender as few of those opportunities as possible.
The goalkeeper matchup features Solo and Sapowicz. Sapowicz has played well, but Solo has been very strong. Solo has good command of her penalty area and will try to start a counterattack of her own by launching a quick ball down the field when an opportunity arises.
One thing to watch for early on is if either team, particularly the US, appears to have tired legs. The last match had to take a lot out of each team and the weather has been quite warm in Germany. The United States team had to be nearly emotionally spent following the match against Brazil. One cannot underestimate the effect on this kind of a match. My head and my heart are telling me different things.
Prediction: France 2, United States 1 in overtime.
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
July 12, 2011
July 10, 2011
US Advances on Miracle Finish
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Andreia, Brazil, Cristiane, Daiane, Hope Solo, Marta, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, United States
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Andreia, Brazil, Cristiane, Daiane, Hope Solo, Marta, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, United States
One could only call this a game for the ages. It had a bit of everything, good and bad. There was compelling drama and cheap theatrics. There were great goals and own goals. There were great saves and questionable calls. There were great plays and red cards. There was magic and despair. In the end, Abby Wambach's improbable goal in the 122nd minute forced the match to penalties, with the United States prevailing 5-3 to advance to the 2011 World Cup semifinals.
The United States looked all but dead after Rachel Buehler was sent off and Marta's penalty kick tied the match in the 67th minute. Things looked even worse for the US after Marta's beautiful goal in the first overtime. And as time ticked into stoppage of the second overtime, things looked bleak indeed. But this script had a surprise ending, one that was truly unbelievable.
It wasn't always the prettiest of games. Certainly the referee crew had a very rough day at the office as several calls came into question, a couple of which had a direct effect on the outcome of the match. To be fair, the players didn't make their job any easier with overly dramatic theatrics, seemingly fake injuries, and incessant complaining, from both sides at times.
Kleiton Lima made no real changes in his lineup, keeping Daiane at center back over Renata Costa. Pia Sundhage made only one subtle change, switching the center backs and moving Christie Rampone to the left side with Amy LePeilbet, while moving Rachel Buehler to right center back.
It was almost a precursor of weird things to come that the United States would strike first at the 1:16 mark of the game on an own goal. Rampone sent a long ball to the left corner, with Shannon Boxx chasing it down just before it got to the end line. She hit a low cross into the six, which deflected off Daiane and past Brazilian keeper Andreia into the net. The US had the early lead.
The United States played well in the opening 20 minutes of the match and created a few chances. Rampone sent a long free kick forward with Abby Wambach getting her head on it, but Andreia was able to deflect the ball wide. LePeilbet hit a drive from 25 yards in the 17th minute, but the ball flew just wide of the left post.
However, as play wore on, the United States began to have difficulty stringing passes together. Meanwhile, Brazil was starting to get into their game. Marta placed a right side corner kick toward the back post and over Hope Solo's head, but Aline headed the ball just wide in the 22nd minute.
Just one minute later, Brazil broke out of their own end on a counterattack and Marta nearly had a clean breakaway. Luckily for the US, it was a speedy Rampone giving chase and she was able to stay close to harass Marta just enough. She forced Marta to the left side of the box and the Brazilian striker shot over the crossbar. Just four minutes later, Marta played the ball square to Formiga just outside the 18, but Formiga's shot from dead straight on also cleared the crossbar.
Brazil continued to pressure later in the half. A hard 25-yard shot from Cristiane right up the middle was smothered by Solo in the 36th minute. An Amy Rodriguez turnover in her own end led to a Rosana cross from the right side that landed on top of the crossbar and bounced over. Clearly, Brazil was now controlling play, but the United States went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Yellow cards were the order of the day. Both Carli Lloyd for the United States and Aline for Brazil picked up yellows for fouls and Marta received one for complaining to the referee. Four were handed out to both teams before this match was over.
Pia Sundhage made her first substitution in the 54th minute, sending Megan Rapinoe in for Lauren Cheney. Nearly 70 minutes later, Rapinoe would have a major impact on this match.
Brazil continued to pressure in the 2nd half. Cristiane shot from 25 yards on the right wing with Solo making the save. The ball rolled away briefly, but Solo scrambled to cover up before danger arrived. A minute later, Fabiana was dangerous on the right side of the box, but Solo cut off and grabbed her cross before it could become trouble.
The United States came very close in the 63rd minute. Rapinoe's free kick was from 35 yards out on the left wing found Lloyd who headed the ball off the upper left corner of the crossbar.
Controversy came in the 66th minute. Marta had possession on the left side of the US penalty area, with both Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler in front of her. She half-volleyed the ball over the heads of the American defenders. She then raced stride for stride with Buehler to the ball which was headed toward the six. Both players had their arms fully extended, Buehler's right and Marta's left. As they neared the ball, both of Marta's legs flew three feet in the air and the whistle was blown.
The referee was in a very tough position to see and there was certainly contact, but both players were using their arms on the play. Buehler may have briefly grabbed Marta's jersey as both jostled. However, Marta sold it well and on this day at least, the referee was buying. Buehler was sent off and Brazil awarded a penalty. Marta was jeered for the rest of the game by many in the crowd, with even many of the neutral fans appearing to turn against her.
More controversy followed with the ensuing penalty. Cristiane stepped up to take the kick and Solo made a brilliant diving save to keep the US in front. But hold on a minute, maybe not. It appeared that the ref had ruled that another American player had barely stepped into the box as Cristiane had struck her kick, encroachment if you will. It is play that happens all the time and it is rule that is rarely enforced and a call that is rarely made.
Brazil was awarded a retry and Marta made no mistake on the second kick, beating Solo and tying the match at one. The United States now faced the prospects of playing Brazil down a player for the rest of the match in a tie game.
But if anything, the calls seem to steel the American's resolve and they actually started playing better than they had earlier in the match. Sundhage was hoping that Alex Morgan could provide the US with the spark she had in November's qualifying playoff against Italy, sending her in for Rodriguez in the 72nd minute. Lima, who substitutes minimally, sent Francielle in for Rosana in the 85th minute.
The US had one final chance in regulation as Heather O'Reilly crossed from the right side. The ball came to Lloyd, but it was bouncing and the US midfielder failed to make a connection. Overtime it would be.
Brazil didn't take long into the first overtime to grab the lead. They had possession along the left sideline to start the play. Maurine worked a short little give-and-go with Erika, with Maurine getting the ball in the left corner. She crossed to the six, where Marta hit a left-footed swinging shot over her shoulder, sending the ball over Solo's head, bouncing into the right post and then into the goal.
Once again, though, there was some controversy. It appeared that Maurine had put herself in an offside position before she received the return pass from Erika. However, the call wasn't made and nothing could take away from the brilliance of Marta's strike on the play. It was Marta's 14th career World Cup goal, tying her with Birgit Prinz. Brazil now had a 2-1 lead and were a player up with just 28 minutes to kill.
The United States nearly tied the match in the 98th minute. Shannon Boxx blocked a Brazilian clearance with the ball coming to Wambach on the right side of the penalty area. She hit a low driven shot headed for the inside of the left post, but Andreia made a great diving save to keep her team a goal up.
In the 101st minute, Marta's cross from the right side gave Solo trouble, but the American keeper was able to reach up and punch the ball out at the last second. The first overtime was over and the US was down to their final 15 minutes.
What appeared to be a bit of play acting caused even more controversy. Brazilian defender Erika got bumped in the back in the 114th minute. She then took several steps and decided to kneel down on the turf with an apparent injury.
Play was stopped for over a minute and a half, while she was attended to. She was taken off on a stretcher, but once the stretcher cleared the field of play, she bounced right up, jogged around to the sideline and was ready to come back in. The referee was clearly incensed by this bit of theatrics and promptly carded the Brazilian defender upon her return to the game.
Three minutes stoppage were added, one would guess primarily for Erika's "injury" time. With time running out, it appeared the Americans would be heading home. But the United States had one final shot left in them.
The US gained possession deep in their own end and were able to get the ball forward to Lloyd just shy of the center line. Lloyd was able to work her away across the field and sent a soft pass on the left side to Rapinoe. Rapinoe touched the ball forward until she was about 35 yards out on the left wing. She hit the ball with her left foot, sending it toward the penalty area.
In what could only be called the immaculate cross, Rapinoe's serve flew toward the right corner of the six-yard box, where Wambach was moving in toward the Brazilian goal. With both sweeper back Daiane and goalkeeper Andreia leaping out to intercept, Wambach rose to head the ball. The two Brazilians arrived late and Wambach drilled the ball perfectly inside the right post. The US had miraculously tied the match in the 122nd minute.
The final seconds ticked away and the match was headed to penalties. Penalties are almost always a dicey affair, even if one team appears to have the advantage at keeper. This one would put Hope Solo and Andreia in the spotlight.
Shannon Boxx stepped up to take the first kick for the United States. Andreia took nearly two full steps forward as Boxx approached the ball. She made a good save, but Boxx was correctly awarded a rekick. Boxx converted her second attempt perfectly, and it had to be, because Andreia guessed right and nearly got there. In fact, Andreia guessed correctly on the next two kicks as well, one by Lloyd and one by Wambach, but each one was dead perfect.
Meanwhile, Cristiane and Marta had taken the first two attempts for Brazil and had easily converted their kicks as Solo guessed wrong on both occasions. The Americans led 3-2 as Daiane stepped up to take the third try for Brazil.
Daiane appeared to hit the ball well, going for the right side as her two teammates had previously. But she elevated the ball just a little so that it was about three feet off the ground by the time it got to Solo. This time Solo guessed right and fully extended, punched the ball clear of the goal and the US held the advantage.
Megan Rapinoe went lower left corner with the fourth US try and this time Andreia guessed wrong. The United States were now up 4-2. Young Francielle stepped up next for Brazil. It appeared that Solo had stepped out toward Francielle as the Brazilian took the ball from the referee, perhaps in an effort to psych her out. Solo and Francielle had been teammates in 2009 on Saint Louis Athletica and the two knew each other from there. Francielle did not rattle in the least, calmly placing her shot in the lower right corner to bring Brazil within one at 4-3.
It was all up to Ali Krieger, the one US player who had played much of her professional career in Germany. Krieger stepped up and hit a low bouncing shot inside the left post, out of the reach of Andreia. Krieger had converted and the United States had made one of the most improbable comebacks in soccer history.
Likely, much will be made of the calls that were made and weren't made in the match, most likely by backers of both sides. There are surely some things that need sorting out there.
Brazilian defender Daiane certainly had a rough day, between the own goal, the final US goal, and the missed penalty. To be fair, she played very well otherwise and quite frankly, the Brazilian team as a whole failed to finish off the match when they had the chance, so one could hardly place the blame on any one player.
The United States has now reached every semifinal in Women's World Cup history. They will now face a very tough French team who went through the ordeal of overtime and penalties just 24 hours earlier. The US will have to do so without the services of their starting center back Rachel Buehler, since she will be forced to miss that match on suspension. One wonders if they can lift themselves back up after this emotionally draining day.
But at least until Wednesday, they can believe that miracles can happen, especially when you believe in yourself.
The United States looked all but dead after Rachel Buehler was sent off and Marta's penalty kick tied the match in the 67th minute. Things looked even worse for the US after Marta's beautiful goal in the first overtime. And as time ticked into stoppage of the second overtime, things looked bleak indeed. But this script had a surprise ending, one that was truly unbelievable.
It wasn't always the prettiest of games. Certainly the referee crew had a very rough day at the office as several calls came into question, a couple of which had a direct effect on the outcome of the match. To be fair, the players didn't make their job any easier with overly dramatic theatrics, seemingly fake injuries, and incessant complaining, from both sides at times.
Kleiton Lima made no real changes in his lineup, keeping Daiane at center back over Renata Costa. Pia Sundhage made only one subtle change, switching the center backs and moving Christie Rampone to the left side with Amy LePeilbet, while moving Rachel Buehler to right center back.
It was almost a precursor of weird things to come that the United States would strike first at the 1:16 mark of the game on an own goal. Rampone sent a long ball to the left corner, with Shannon Boxx chasing it down just before it got to the end line. She hit a low cross into the six, which deflected off Daiane and past Brazilian keeper Andreia into the net. The US had the early lead.
The United States played well in the opening 20 minutes of the match and created a few chances. Rampone sent a long free kick forward with Abby Wambach getting her head on it, but Andreia was able to deflect the ball wide. LePeilbet hit a drive from 25 yards in the 17th minute, but the ball flew just wide of the left post.
However, as play wore on, the United States began to have difficulty stringing passes together. Meanwhile, Brazil was starting to get into their game. Marta placed a right side corner kick toward the back post and over Hope Solo's head, but Aline headed the ball just wide in the 22nd minute.
Just one minute later, Brazil broke out of their own end on a counterattack and Marta nearly had a clean breakaway. Luckily for the US, it was a speedy Rampone giving chase and she was able to stay close to harass Marta just enough. She forced Marta to the left side of the box and the Brazilian striker shot over the crossbar. Just four minutes later, Marta played the ball square to Formiga just outside the 18, but Formiga's shot from dead straight on also cleared the crossbar.
Brazil continued to pressure later in the half. A hard 25-yard shot from Cristiane right up the middle was smothered by Solo in the 36th minute. An Amy Rodriguez turnover in her own end led to a Rosana cross from the right side that landed on top of the crossbar and bounced over. Clearly, Brazil was now controlling play, but the United States went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Yellow cards were the order of the day. Both Carli Lloyd for the United States and Aline for Brazil picked up yellows for fouls and Marta received one for complaining to the referee. Four were handed out to both teams before this match was over.
Pia Sundhage made her first substitution in the 54th minute, sending Megan Rapinoe in for Lauren Cheney. Nearly 70 minutes later, Rapinoe would have a major impact on this match.
Brazil continued to pressure in the 2nd half. Cristiane shot from 25 yards on the right wing with Solo making the save. The ball rolled away briefly, but Solo scrambled to cover up before danger arrived. A minute later, Fabiana was dangerous on the right side of the box, but Solo cut off and grabbed her cross before it could become trouble.
The United States came very close in the 63rd minute. Rapinoe's free kick was from 35 yards out on the left wing found Lloyd who headed the ball off the upper left corner of the crossbar.
Controversy came in the 66th minute. Marta had possession on the left side of the US penalty area, with both Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler in front of her. She half-volleyed the ball over the heads of the American defenders. She then raced stride for stride with Buehler to the ball which was headed toward the six. Both players had their arms fully extended, Buehler's right and Marta's left. As they neared the ball, both of Marta's legs flew three feet in the air and the whistle was blown.
The referee was in a very tough position to see and there was certainly contact, but both players were using their arms on the play. Buehler may have briefly grabbed Marta's jersey as both jostled. However, Marta sold it well and on this day at least, the referee was buying. Buehler was sent off and Brazil awarded a penalty. Marta was jeered for the rest of the game by many in the crowd, with even many of the neutral fans appearing to turn against her.
More controversy followed with the ensuing penalty. Cristiane stepped up to take the kick and Solo made a brilliant diving save to keep the US in front. But hold on a minute, maybe not. It appeared that the ref had ruled that another American player had barely stepped into the box as Cristiane had struck her kick, encroachment if you will. It is play that happens all the time and it is rule that is rarely enforced and a call that is rarely made.
Brazil was awarded a retry and Marta made no mistake on the second kick, beating Solo and tying the match at one. The United States now faced the prospects of playing Brazil down a player for the rest of the match in a tie game.
But if anything, the calls seem to steel the American's resolve and they actually started playing better than they had earlier in the match. Sundhage was hoping that Alex Morgan could provide the US with the spark she had in November's qualifying playoff against Italy, sending her in for Rodriguez in the 72nd minute. Lima, who substitutes minimally, sent Francielle in for Rosana in the 85th minute.
The US had one final chance in regulation as Heather O'Reilly crossed from the right side. The ball came to Lloyd, but it was bouncing and the US midfielder failed to make a connection. Overtime it would be.
Brazil didn't take long into the first overtime to grab the lead. They had possession along the left sideline to start the play. Maurine worked a short little give-and-go with Erika, with Maurine getting the ball in the left corner. She crossed to the six, where Marta hit a left-footed swinging shot over her shoulder, sending the ball over Solo's head, bouncing into the right post and then into the goal.
Once again, though, there was some controversy. It appeared that Maurine had put herself in an offside position before she received the return pass from Erika. However, the call wasn't made and nothing could take away from the brilliance of Marta's strike on the play. It was Marta's 14th career World Cup goal, tying her with Birgit Prinz. Brazil now had a 2-1 lead and were a player up with just 28 minutes to kill.
The United States nearly tied the match in the 98th minute. Shannon Boxx blocked a Brazilian clearance with the ball coming to Wambach on the right side of the penalty area. She hit a low driven shot headed for the inside of the left post, but Andreia made a great diving save to keep her team a goal up.
In the 101st minute, Marta's cross from the right side gave Solo trouble, but the American keeper was able to reach up and punch the ball out at the last second. The first overtime was over and the US was down to their final 15 minutes.
What appeared to be a bit of play acting caused even more controversy. Brazilian defender Erika got bumped in the back in the 114th minute. She then took several steps and decided to kneel down on the turf with an apparent injury.
Play was stopped for over a minute and a half, while she was attended to. She was taken off on a stretcher, but once the stretcher cleared the field of play, she bounced right up, jogged around to the sideline and was ready to come back in. The referee was clearly incensed by this bit of theatrics and promptly carded the Brazilian defender upon her return to the game.
Three minutes stoppage were added, one would guess primarily for Erika's "injury" time. With time running out, it appeared the Americans would be heading home. But the United States had one final shot left in them.
The US gained possession deep in their own end and were able to get the ball forward to Lloyd just shy of the center line. Lloyd was able to work her away across the field and sent a soft pass on the left side to Rapinoe. Rapinoe touched the ball forward until she was about 35 yards out on the left wing. She hit the ball with her left foot, sending it toward the penalty area.
In what could only be called the immaculate cross, Rapinoe's serve flew toward the right corner of the six-yard box, where Wambach was moving in toward the Brazilian goal. With both sweeper back Daiane and goalkeeper Andreia leaping out to intercept, Wambach rose to head the ball. The two Brazilians arrived late and Wambach drilled the ball perfectly inside the right post. The US had miraculously tied the match in the 122nd minute.
The final seconds ticked away and the match was headed to penalties. Penalties are almost always a dicey affair, even if one team appears to have the advantage at keeper. This one would put Hope Solo and Andreia in the spotlight.
Shannon Boxx stepped up to take the first kick for the United States. Andreia took nearly two full steps forward as Boxx approached the ball. She made a good save, but Boxx was correctly awarded a rekick. Boxx converted her second attempt perfectly, and it had to be, because Andreia guessed right and nearly got there. In fact, Andreia guessed correctly on the next two kicks as well, one by Lloyd and one by Wambach, but each one was dead perfect.
Meanwhile, Cristiane and Marta had taken the first two attempts for Brazil and had easily converted their kicks as Solo guessed wrong on both occasions. The Americans led 3-2 as Daiane stepped up to take the third try for Brazil.
Daiane appeared to hit the ball well, going for the right side as her two teammates had previously. But she elevated the ball just a little so that it was about three feet off the ground by the time it got to Solo. This time Solo guessed right and fully extended, punched the ball clear of the goal and the US held the advantage.
Megan Rapinoe went lower left corner with the fourth US try and this time Andreia guessed wrong. The United States were now up 4-2. Young Francielle stepped up next for Brazil. It appeared that Solo had stepped out toward Francielle as the Brazilian took the ball from the referee, perhaps in an effort to psych her out. Solo and Francielle had been teammates in 2009 on Saint Louis Athletica and the two knew each other from there. Francielle did not rattle in the least, calmly placing her shot in the lower right corner to bring Brazil within one at 4-3.
It was all up to Ali Krieger, the one US player who had played much of her professional career in Germany. Krieger stepped up and hit a low bouncing shot inside the left post, out of the reach of Andreia. Krieger had converted and the United States had made one of the most improbable comebacks in soccer history.
Likely, much will be made of the calls that were made and weren't made in the match, most likely by backers of both sides. There are surely some things that need sorting out there.
Brazilian defender Daiane certainly had a rough day, between the own goal, the final US goal, and the missed penalty. To be fair, she played very well otherwise and quite frankly, the Brazilian team as a whole failed to finish off the match when they had the chance, so one could hardly place the blame on any one player.
The United States has now reached every semifinal in Women's World Cup history. They will now face a very tough French team who went through the ordeal of overtime and penalties just 24 hours earlier. The US will have to do so without the services of their starting center back Rachel Buehler, since she will be forced to miss that match on suspension. One wonders if they can lift themselves back up after this emotionally draining day.
But at least until Wednesday, they can believe that miracles can happen, especially when you believe in yourself.
July 9, 2011
Quarterfinals - Game Four
United States (#1) vs. Brazil (#3)
Dresden (12 pm eastern)
Last Meeting: United States 1, Brazil 0 in ot (August 21, 2008)
United States
Coach: Pia Sundhage
Matches: Defeated North Korea 2-0, Defeated Colombia 3-0, Lost to Sweden 1-2.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hope Solo (3 gms, 0.67 gaa, 2 shutouts), Nicole Barnhart, Jill Loyden.
Defenders: Ali Krieger (3 gms), Christie Rampone (3 gms), Rachel Buehler (3 gms, 1 goal), Amy LePeilbet (3 gms), Stephanie Cox (2 gms, 1 ast), Becky Sauerbrunn, Heather Mitts.
Midfielders: Carli Lloyd (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Shannon Boxx (2 gms), Lauren Cheney (3 gms, 1 goal, 2 ast), Heather O'Reilly (2 gms, 1 goal), Megan Rapinoe (3 gms, 1 goal), Lori Lindsey (1 gm), Kelley O'Hara (1 gm), Tobin Heath (1 gm).
Forwards: Abby Wambach (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Amy Rodriguez (3 gms), Alex Morgan (2 gms).
Brazil
Coach: Kleiton Lima
Matches: Defeated Australia 1-0, Defeated Norway 3-0, Defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-0.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Andreia (3 gms, 0.00 gaa, 3 shutouts), Barbara, Thais.
Defenders: Daiane (2 gms), Aline (3 gms), Erika (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Renata Costa (2 gms), Elaine, Roseane.
Midfielders: Maurine (3 gms), Formiga (3 gms), Fabiana (3 gms), Ester (3 gms), Francielle (3 gms), Beatriz (1 gm).
Forwards: Marta (3 gms, 2 goals, 2 ast), Rosana (3 gms, 2 goals), Cristiane (3 gms, 2 goals, 1 ast), Thais Guedes (1 gm), Grazielle (1 gm), Daniele.
Goalkeepers
Hopo Solo is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. She has two shutouts so far in this World Cup, before Sweden ended a long scoreless streak for her. Of the two goals she gave up, one was a penalty and one a deflection off of a defender, she could be blamed for neither. She is quick, agile, and very tough to score against. She also starts counterattacks by quickly getting an outlet pass to start her team forward.
However, she will have to be nearly perfect in this match, because no matter how good her defense is, you can bet that Brazil will get some great scoring chances at some point in the match. She has the luxury of knowing that she has shut this team out before, in the 2008 Olympics, when everything was on the line.
Andreia is a solid keeper and has had a very good World Cup so far. She has posted three shutouts to date, but she hasn't been tested all that much, so this game should be a good measure of just how well she is playing. She, too, has proven to be very agile and quick. She has a great record, but did give up two goals to Canada in a tournament at the end of 2010, so she can be scored upon. She does not have the distribution skills that Solo does, but few keepers do.
Advantage: United States
Defenders
This is one of many areas that these two teams contrast. Brazil will play a three back set, with basically what amounts to a sweeper in Daiane. Very few teams have the talent to play this kind of defense and get away with it, but Brazil is such a team. At the outside back positions, there is Erika, who already has a goal and an assist in this tournament. She is the most offensive-minded of the group. Aline, is on the other side, and is very sound defensively.
So what will the United States throw at them? If Heather O'Reilly is healthy and playing, Erika will have to be particularly careful on her side. O'Reilly is one of the fastest of the American midfielders. They will also have to give up few set pieces, because that could be where the US is most dangerous with Abby Wambach.
For the United States, Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler will start in the middle, with Ali Krieger and likely Amy LePeilbet to start on the outside. Stephanie Cox is another possible starter at left back. Buehler is a hard tackler in the middle and Rampone has experience and good speed. As a natural center back, LePeilbet has struggled at times in her new position at left back. Ali Krieger is the most attack minded of all US defenders and she has had a very good World Cup so far.
After two solid games defensively, the United States were once again exposed against Sweden as they had been by Mexico last year. They play a high line and are susceptible to through balls to smart forwards who know how to time their runs properly. There lack of speed will be a problem against Brazil, particularly Marta, who may be the fastest striker in the world.
Advantage: Brazil
Midfielders
Brazil's starters in the midfield are Maurine and Fabiana on the outside, with Formiga and Ester in the middle. Three of these four have played in WPS. Formiga is the experienced veteran. She is strong defensively, tough on 50-50 balls, and distributes well. Fabiana is well-suited for being a wing player and serves the ball with excellent precision.
The Brazilian midfield has not been very involved in the scoring so far and they must often track back to support their back line. They are technically more skilled than the US and pass the ball well. Brazil will look to their midfield to switch the point of attack and most importantly, to link to the forwards, where Brazil does most of their damage.
One key for the United States in this match will be the health of Heather O'Reilly. If she can play, her speed could cause Brazil problems on the right side. That was missing in the US match against Sweden. Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd play central midfield. Lloyd has a goal and an assist in the tournament, but she needs to guard against trying too many hopeless 35 yard shots. She has a strong shot, but needs to use it wisely.
Lauren Cheney has been the surprise for the United States. She has proven quite a good midfielder in this tournament and has a goal and two assists. She will tend to occasionally revert to a striker and shade toward the center of the field, but showed excellent ability to track back to aid her defense in the last match against Sweden. Megan Rapinoe will start if O'Reilly can't. The US midfield will have to guard against giving Brazil too much space in front of their back line.
Advantage: Slightly United States (if O'Reilly is healthy).
Forwards
There are attacking players and then there is Marta. Determined, fast, smart, and skilled, she can shred any defense, no matter how it's setup to defend against her. She can score and she can set up others as she has shown in this tournament with two goals and two assists. And her speed will be a real problem for the United States. But if they can defend against her, she does have a tendency to get frustrated at times and that really must be part of the US strategy against Brazil.
Rosana has had a very good tournament so far with two goals of her own. Cristiane may not quite have Marta's skills, but she is a born scorer. Cristiane did score two goals in her last match, but had been relatively quiet leading up to that. This threesome gives Brazil quite a potent attack.
The United States' most potent weapon for many years has been Abby Wambach, but nagging injuries have given her problems. Wambach is one of the best in the air and the very definition of a target forward. She seems content, almost too content at times, in setting up her teammates at times now. Her striking mate will likely be Amy Rodriguez, a speedy forward who hasn't really hit her stride in this tournament. Alex Morgan is the American supersub, but also has been less effective than in games earlier this year.
The United States will often try to play outside in, using O'Reilly and Cheney to serve the ball to their forwards from the wing. Wambach will be their primary target and it seems as though everything plays off of her. The US forwards are not as good in one-on-one opportunities as their Brazilian counterparts.
Advantage: Brazil
Summary
Kleiton Lima has made only one lineup change throughout this tournament, that at center back. He has used his subs very sparingly, with only a total of 54 minutes for his bench players for the entire group stage, which is almost shocking. Francielle is the only substitute that has been used consistently. One has to wonder if now that they will be playing tougher competition and tighter matches, if this won't come back to haunt them. Substitutes have been key in the first two quarterfinal matches.
The United States cannot match Brazil's technical abilities, so they must just try to contain them. The high defensive line and the offside trap are dangerous tactics against a team that has this much speed. Will the US play more conservatively in back for this match?
Almost the entire of Brazil's attack in this tournament has been from their forwards. Their midfield does not have a goal or an assist in three matches. At times, they have disappeared in the shadow of their great front line. Meanwhile, it has been the opposite for the United States, getting four goals and three assists out of their midfield. But the United States midfield can be very much the Jekyll-Hyde proposition.
Brazil appears to be a bad matchup for the United States. So will this be a repeat of the 2007 World Cup semifinal, a 4-0 victory for Brazil, or will it be more like the 2008 Olympic final, a 1-0 victory for the US.
My Prediction: Brazil 2, United States 1.
Dresden (12 pm eastern)
Last Meeting: United States 1, Brazil 0 in ot (August 21, 2008)
United States
Coach: Pia Sundhage
Matches: Defeated North Korea 2-0, Defeated Colombia 3-0, Lost to Sweden 1-2.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Hope Solo (3 gms, 0.67 gaa, 2 shutouts), Nicole Barnhart, Jill Loyden.
Defenders: Ali Krieger (3 gms), Christie Rampone (3 gms), Rachel Buehler (3 gms, 1 goal), Amy LePeilbet (3 gms), Stephanie Cox (2 gms, 1 ast), Becky Sauerbrunn, Heather Mitts.
Midfielders: Carli Lloyd (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Shannon Boxx (2 gms), Lauren Cheney (3 gms, 1 goal, 2 ast), Heather O'Reilly (2 gms, 1 goal), Megan Rapinoe (3 gms, 1 goal), Lori Lindsey (1 gm), Kelley O'Hara (1 gm), Tobin Heath (1 gm).
Forwards: Abby Wambach (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Amy Rodriguez (3 gms), Alex Morgan (2 gms).
Brazil
Coach: Kleiton Lima
Matches: Defeated Australia 1-0, Defeated Norway 3-0, Defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-0.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Andreia (3 gms, 0.00 gaa, 3 shutouts), Barbara, Thais.
Defenders: Daiane (2 gms), Aline (3 gms), Erika (3 gms, 1 goal, 1 ast), Renata Costa (2 gms), Elaine, Roseane.
Midfielders: Maurine (3 gms), Formiga (3 gms), Fabiana (3 gms), Ester (3 gms), Francielle (3 gms), Beatriz (1 gm).
Forwards: Marta (3 gms, 2 goals, 2 ast), Rosana (3 gms, 2 goals), Cristiane (3 gms, 2 goals, 1 ast), Thais Guedes (1 gm), Grazielle (1 gm), Daniele.
Goalkeepers
Hopo Solo is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. She has two shutouts so far in this World Cup, before Sweden ended a long scoreless streak for her. Of the two goals she gave up, one was a penalty and one a deflection off of a defender, she could be blamed for neither. She is quick, agile, and very tough to score against. She also starts counterattacks by quickly getting an outlet pass to start her team forward.
However, she will have to be nearly perfect in this match, because no matter how good her defense is, you can bet that Brazil will get some great scoring chances at some point in the match. She has the luxury of knowing that she has shut this team out before, in the 2008 Olympics, when everything was on the line.
Andreia is a solid keeper and has had a very good World Cup so far. She has posted three shutouts to date, but she hasn't been tested all that much, so this game should be a good measure of just how well she is playing. She, too, has proven to be very agile and quick. She has a great record, but did give up two goals to Canada in a tournament at the end of 2010, so she can be scored upon. She does not have the distribution skills that Solo does, but few keepers do.
Advantage: United States
Defenders
This is one of many areas that these two teams contrast. Brazil will play a three back set, with basically what amounts to a sweeper in Daiane. Very few teams have the talent to play this kind of defense and get away with it, but Brazil is such a team. At the outside back positions, there is Erika, who already has a goal and an assist in this tournament. She is the most offensive-minded of the group. Aline, is on the other side, and is very sound defensively.
So what will the United States throw at them? If Heather O'Reilly is healthy and playing, Erika will have to be particularly careful on her side. O'Reilly is one of the fastest of the American midfielders. They will also have to give up few set pieces, because that could be where the US is most dangerous with Abby Wambach.
For the United States, Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler will start in the middle, with Ali Krieger and likely Amy LePeilbet to start on the outside. Stephanie Cox is another possible starter at left back. Buehler is a hard tackler in the middle and Rampone has experience and good speed. As a natural center back, LePeilbet has struggled at times in her new position at left back. Ali Krieger is the most attack minded of all US defenders and she has had a very good World Cup so far.
After two solid games defensively, the United States were once again exposed against Sweden as they had been by Mexico last year. They play a high line and are susceptible to through balls to smart forwards who know how to time their runs properly. There lack of speed will be a problem against Brazil, particularly Marta, who may be the fastest striker in the world.
Advantage: Brazil
Midfielders
Brazil's starters in the midfield are Maurine and Fabiana on the outside, with Formiga and Ester in the middle. Three of these four have played in WPS. Formiga is the experienced veteran. She is strong defensively, tough on 50-50 balls, and distributes well. Fabiana is well-suited for being a wing player and serves the ball with excellent precision.
The Brazilian midfield has not been very involved in the scoring so far and they must often track back to support their back line. They are technically more skilled than the US and pass the ball well. Brazil will look to their midfield to switch the point of attack and most importantly, to link to the forwards, where Brazil does most of their damage.
One key for the United States in this match will be the health of Heather O'Reilly. If she can play, her speed could cause Brazil problems on the right side. That was missing in the US match against Sweden. Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd play central midfield. Lloyd has a goal and an assist in the tournament, but she needs to guard against trying too many hopeless 35 yard shots. She has a strong shot, but needs to use it wisely.
Lauren Cheney has been the surprise for the United States. She has proven quite a good midfielder in this tournament and has a goal and two assists. She will tend to occasionally revert to a striker and shade toward the center of the field, but showed excellent ability to track back to aid her defense in the last match against Sweden. Megan Rapinoe will start if O'Reilly can't. The US midfield will have to guard against giving Brazil too much space in front of their back line.
Advantage: Slightly United States (if O'Reilly is healthy).
Forwards
There are attacking players and then there is Marta. Determined, fast, smart, and skilled, she can shred any defense, no matter how it's setup to defend against her. She can score and she can set up others as she has shown in this tournament with two goals and two assists. And her speed will be a real problem for the United States. But if they can defend against her, she does have a tendency to get frustrated at times and that really must be part of the US strategy against Brazil.
Rosana has had a very good tournament so far with two goals of her own. Cristiane may not quite have Marta's skills, but she is a born scorer. Cristiane did score two goals in her last match, but had been relatively quiet leading up to that. This threesome gives Brazil quite a potent attack.
The United States' most potent weapon for many years has been Abby Wambach, but nagging injuries have given her problems. Wambach is one of the best in the air and the very definition of a target forward. She seems content, almost too content at times, in setting up her teammates at times now. Her striking mate will likely be Amy Rodriguez, a speedy forward who hasn't really hit her stride in this tournament. Alex Morgan is the American supersub, but also has been less effective than in games earlier this year.
The United States will often try to play outside in, using O'Reilly and Cheney to serve the ball to their forwards from the wing. Wambach will be their primary target and it seems as though everything plays off of her. The US forwards are not as good in one-on-one opportunities as their Brazilian counterparts.
Advantage: Brazil
Summary
Kleiton Lima has made only one lineup change throughout this tournament, that at center back. He has used his subs very sparingly, with only a total of 54 minutes for his bench players for the entire group stage, which is almost shocking. Francielle is the only substitute that has been used consistently. One has to wonder if now that they will be playing tougher competition and tighter matches, if this won't come back to haunt them. Substitutes have been key in the first two quarterfinal matches.
The United States cannot match Brazil's technical abilities, so they must just try to contain them. The high defensive line and the offside trap are dangerous tactics against a team that has this much speed. Will the US play more conservatively in back for this match?
Almost the entire of Brazil's attack in this tournament has been from their forwards. Their midfield does not have a goal or an assist in three matches. At times, they have disappeared in the shadow of their great front line. Meanwhile, it has been the opposite for the United States, getting four goals and three assists out of their midfield. But the United States midfield can be very much the Jekyll-Hyde proposition.
Brazil appears to be a bad matchup for the United States. So will this be a repeat of the 2007 World Cup semifinal, a 4-0 victory for Brazil, or will it be more like the 2008 Olympic final, a 1-0 victory for the US.
My Prediction: Brazil 2, United States 1.
July 5, 2011
World Cup: Day 11
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Korea DPR, Norway, Sweden, United States
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Korea DPR, Norway, Sweden, United States
The two teams advancing from Group C have already been decided, with placement being the only thing left. The United States will meet Sweden to determine who wins Group C, with a tie going to the United States. Colombia and Korea DPR have been eliminated.
Group D is a bit more interesting. Brazil has qualified for the quarterfinals and will win the group unless they have a disaster against Equatorial Guinea. Australia and Norway will meet to decide the second team out of Group D. The winner advances to the quarterfinal, while the loser goes home. Australia would advance in case of a tie, based on goal differential.
Brazil vs. Equatorial Guinea (12 pm eastern)
Brazil has the luxury of only needing a tie to clinch the group and since they have a hefty edge in scoring differential, they would likely win the group even in the event of a loss. Equatorial Guinea is playing for pride at this point and they have made a good account of themselves in this tournament so far.
It will be interesting to see how many players Brazilian coach Kleiton Lima elects to rest, if any. They have clinched a quarterfinal berth and the chances of them not winning the group are very slim indeed.
There is no doubt that Marta was the dominant factor in Brazil's last match. She scored two goals and added an assist in leading Brazil to an easy 3-0 win over Norway. Rosana has two goals so far in the tournament and has looked very good to this point. Cristiane is the only one of the three forwards who hasn't scored yet and one would think she would be pushing to do so in this match.
Brazil has not surrendered a goal in two matches and Andreia has done a solid job in goal on the whole, posting both shutouts. The Brazilian three defender formation looked vulnerable at times, but as of yet, no team has been able to score against them. Brazil has dominated midfield play with Formiga, Fabiana, and Maurine.
For Equatorial Guinea, it has been Anonman, Anonman, Anonman. She single-handedly kept her team in the match against Australia, twice stripping a defender of the ball and scoring. She will take every opportunity to shoot and is always dangerous. Diala is another player that has shown flashes of strong play in the attack.
We are hoping that there are no more embarrassing moments from the back line, as when Bruna picked up the ball in the last match. Carolina has generally been the Guineans strongest defender. Miriam will start in goal for the African squad.
The Brazilians do not have a lot of pressure in this match and they should be able to handle Equatorial Guinea, if they do not let their guard down and take Anonman too lightly. She is world class. In spite of their two losses, Equatorial Guinea has had a respectable World Cup, but it is hard to see them winning this one.
My Prediction: Brazil 3, Equatorial Guinea 0
Australia vs. Norway (12 pm eastern)
This match has become a winner-take-all proposition for a quarterfinal berth. Norway dug themselves a deep hole on goal differential because of their three goal loss to Brazil. Now they must win to advance, while a tie would be good enough for the Matildas.
For Norway's offense, it has been a frustrating World Cup so far. Only Emilie Haavi has scored and she has probably also played the best of any of the forwards or attacking players from the midfield. Elise Thorsnes and Isabell Herlovsen have not been able to find the net.
Australia has been a bit more successful, owing mostly to Lisa De Vanna's speed and determination. Leena Khamis also played well in her start against Equatorial Guinea and she has a goal to her credit.
The midfield battle should be interesting. Certainly, Australia's midfield, particularly Collette McCallum, has been very active in the first two matches. Ingvild Stensland is the driving force behind Norway's midfield.
Both defenses struggled in their last match. Servet Uzunlar had a nightmare with Anonman of Equatorial Guinea. Will Tom Sermanni make changes on his back line for this all important match? They were respectable against Brazil holding them to one goal.
Norway simply had no answer for Marta. They are not the fastest defense in any sense of the word and Marta's was able to run around and by them. De Vanna will pose a problem for Norway as well, although she is more direct and less crafty than the great Brazilian.
It is hard to give a goalkeeper's edge one way or the other. Both Melissa Barbieri for Australia and Ingrid Hjelmseth are solid keepers, with experience.
Australia is known for playing balls over the top of the defense and may try to do that here, leaving De Vanna and her speed to chase them down. I'm not sure if the middle is the best place to attack Norway, however, and the flanks might be a better option for Australia, using McCallum and Heather Garriock to serve balls into scoring position. De Vanna will need support from her fellow Matildas as well. Australia can simply not afford the mistakes that they made against Equatorial Guinea.
Norway needs to keep Australia's best weapons in front of them or to the outside. De Vanna can be prone to offsides, so they might be able to catch her a few times, but they must be careful. Set pieces are likely to be physical affairs in this match, with neither team backing down. Herlovsen, Thorsnes, and Pedersen need to put more shots on frame.
This is probably the most compelling match out of all of the final group stage games, with so much at stake.
My Prediction: Norway 2, Australia 1
United States vs. Sweden (2:45 pm eastern)
This match will decide first and second place in Group C, as both have already qualified for the quarterfinals. The United States has the edge in goal differential and will therefore win the group with a tie.
Key players for both teams are likely to miss this match. Sweden will definitely be without their star midfielder Caroline Seger, who will miss this match because of yellow card accumulation. She is the motor in the middle that makes Sweden run.
The United States will almost certainly be without wing midfielder Heather O'Reilly, who suffered a groin injury in the last match against Colombia. Abby Wambach continues to have nagging problems with her Achilles tendon and heel. Neither practiced on Monday.
The injuries will certainly hurt the American attack if neither can play. Lauren Cheney might ordinarily replace Wambach, since both are target forwards, but Cheney has been starting as an outside midfielder for the two previous games. Megan Rapinoe, who Cheney replaced in the starting lineup, will now have to take O'Reilly's place, leaving two forwards, Alex Morgan and Amy Rodriguez. One other possible option is Kelley O'Hara, a late addition to the team after Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury.
The United States, after a slow start in the first half against Korea DPR, has played very well for the last game and a half. They have scored five goals in those two matches and their defense has shut out two opponents. Truth be told, Hope Solo hasn't had to make all that many saves to this point. But the back line is still the most suspect part of the United States' team and Sweden will likely be a tougher foe than either Colombia or Korea.
Meanwhile, Sweden has struggled through their first two games, deservedly winning both matches, but being less than impressive in doing so. One would guess that Lotta Schelin would give the American back line problems with her combination of speed and strength. It should be an interesting battle in the penalty area between Solo and the tall attacking players on Sweden, including Schelin and Jessica Landstrom. There should be some fierce battles on set pieces.
Sweden's defense has been solid to this point and they too have posted two shutous. Lindahl is very tested and experienced in goal for Sweden. One would suspect the United States might want to attack on their left, the right side of the Swedish defense. Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro generally don't make a lot of mistakes on Sweden's left side.
With Seger sidelined, one would think we would see more touches for Forsberg and Sjogran in the midfield. Lisa Dahlqvist has played well to this point in the tournament and has a goal to her credit.
I believe this game is about as even as it gets. It's probably going to come down to who can best compensate for their missing players. Wambach draws so many defenders to her and is so devastating on head balls, that her loss would hurt the American attack considerably. Without the active O'Reilly up the right flank, my guess is we will see more attacking up the middle from the US.
Sweden has a number of quality midfielders, so while the loss of Seger will hurt them, I believe they have experienced options at their disposal. Schelin has been largely frustrated to this point, but she seems to relish in facing the US.
My Prediction: Sweden 2, United States 1
Korea DPR vs. Colombia (2:45 pm eastern)
This match features the two youngest teams in this year's World Cup. Both of these teams have been eliminated as far as advancing to the quarterfinals. Both teams will look to this game to build toward the future.
Korea is known for their strong technical abilities and they will try to break down Colombia with a methodical attack using short passes to work their way up the field. Colombia is more likely to be impatient. They will look to target their young attacking players where they can go one-on-one against Korean defenders.
Colombia will likely start Yoreli Rincon in this match after starting her on the bench against the United States. Their young star will likely try to find space in the middle of the field and look for shooting opportunities whenever possible. Look also for Cataline Usme and Carmen Rodallega, a dangerous player on the left wing, to also cause Korea problems. Orianica Velasquez looked very good in limited minutes against the US and she might get more opportunity in this match.
Defensively, Natalia Gaitan has probably been Colombia's best player. Sandra Sepulveda started both of the first two matches in goal, but injured her hand against the United States and looked shaky on one of the goals scored after that.
Korea's Jo Yun Mi will be the focus of their attack. She is an extremely talented player and this may be a game that she will have a breakout performance. Ra Un Sim is also dangerous on the attack for Korea. Also beware of defender Song Jong Sun, one of Korea's most experienced player and one that likes to jump into the attack. Hong Myong Hui will probably be in goal for Korea.
Not only are these two teams the youngest, but they are also two of the shortest teams in the tournament. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see who wins the battles on set pieces in this match.
It is hard to judge what will happen when two very young teams meet each other in what is essentially a meaningless match. But while this match has little meaning as far as standings or advancement are concerned, I'm sure both teams will fight hard to win this one.
My Prediction: Korea DPR 1, Colombia 0
Group D is a bit more interesting. Brazil has qualified for the quarterfinals and will win the group unless they have a disaster against Equatorial Guinea. Australia and Norway will meet to decide the second team out of Group D. The winner advances to the quarterfinal, while the loser goes home. Australia would advance in case of a tie, based on goal differential.
Brazil vs. Equatorial Guinea (12 pm eastern)
Brazil has the luxury of only needing a tie to clinch the group and since they have a hefty edge in scoring differential, they would likely win the group even in the event of a loss. Equatorial Guinea is playing for pride at this point and they have made a good account of themselves in this tournament so far.
It will be interesting to see how many players Brazilian coach Kleiton Lima elects to rest, if any. They have clinched a quarterfinal berth and the chances of them not winning the group are very slim indeed.
There is no doubt that Marta was the dominant factor in Brazil's last match. She scored two goals and added an assist in leading Brazil to an easy 3-0 win over Norway. Rosana has two goals so far in the tournament and has looked very good to this point. Cristiane is the only one of the three forwards who hasn't scored yet and one would think she would be pushing to do so in this match.
Brazil has not surrendered a goal in two matches and Andreia has done a solid job in goal on the whole, posting both shutouts. The Brazilian three defender formation looked vulnerable at times, but as of yet, no team has been able to score against them. Brazil has dominated midfield play with Formiga, Fabiana, and Maurine.
For Equatorial Guinea, it has been Anonman, Anonman, Anonman. She single-handedly kept her team in the match against Australia, twice stripping a defender of the ball and scoring. She will take every opportunity to shoot and is always dangerous. Diala is another player that has shown flashes of strong play in the attack.
We are hoping that there are no more embarrassing moments from the back line, as when Bruna picked up the ball in the last match. Carolina has generally been the Guineans strongest defender. Miriam will start in goal for the African squad.
The Brazilians do not have a lot of pressure in this match and they should be able to handle Equatorial Guinea, if they do not let their guard down and take Anonman too lightly. She is world class. In spite of their two losses, Equatorial Guinea has had a respectable World Cup, but it is hard to see them winning this one.
My Prediction: Brazil 3, Equatorial Guinea 0
Australia vs. Norway (12 pm eastern)
This match has become a winner-take-all proposition for a quarterfinal berth. Norway dug themselves a deep hole on goal differential because of their three goal loss to Brazil. Now they must win to advance, while a tie would be good enough for the Matildas.
For Norway's offense, it has been a frustrating World Cup so far. Only Emilie Haavi has scored and she has probably also played the best of any of the forwards or attacking players from the midfield. Elise Thorsnes and Isabell Herlovsen have not been able to find the net.
Australia has been a bit more successful, owing mostly to Lisa De Vanna's speed and determination. Leena Khamis also played well in her start against Equatorial Guinea and she has a goal to her credit.
The midfield battle should be interesting. Certainly, Australia's midfield, particularly Collette McCallum, has been very active in the first two matches. Ingvild Stensland is the driving force behind Norway's midfield.
Both defenses struggled in their last match. Servet Uzunlar had a nightmare with Anonman of Equatorial Guinea. Will Tom Sermanni make changes on his back line for this all important match? They were respectable against Brazil holding them to one goal.
Norway simply had no answer for Marta. They are not the fastest defense in any sense of the word and Marta's was able to run around and by them. De Vanna will pose a problem for Norway as well, although she is more direct and less crafty than the great Brazilian.
It is hard to give a goalkeeper's edge one way or the other. Both Melissa Barbieri for Australia and Ingrid Hjelmseth are solid keepers, with experience.
Australia is known for playing balls over the top of the defense and may try to do that here, leaving De Vanna and her speed to chase them down. I'm not sure if the middle is the best place to attack Norway, however, and the flanks might be a better option for Australia, using McCallum and Heather Garriock to serve balls into scoring position. De Vanna will need support from her fellow Matildas as well. Australia can simply not afford the mistakes that they made against Equatorial Guinea.
Norway needs to keep Australia's best weapons in front of them or to the outside. De Vanna can be prone to offsides, so they might be able to catch her a few times, but they must be careful. Set pieces are likely to be physical affairs in this match, with neither team backing down. Herlovsen, Thorsnes, and Pedersen need to put more shots on frame.
This is probably the most compelling match out of all of the final group stage games, with so much at stake.
My Prediction: Norway 2, Australia 1
United States vs. Sweden (2:45 pm eastern)
This match will decide first and second place in Group C, as both have already qualified for the quarterfinals. The United States has the edge in goal differential and will therefore win the group with a tie.
Key players for both teams are likely to miss this match. Sweden will definitely be without their star midfielder Caroline Seger, who will miss this match because of yellow card accumulation. She is the motor in the middle that makes Sweden run.
The United States will almost certainly be without wing midfielder Heather O'Reilly, who suffered a groin injury in the last match against Colombia. Abby Wambach continues to have nagging problems with her Achilles tendon and heel. Neither practiced on Monday.
The injuries will certainly hurt the American attack if neither can play. Lauren Cheney might ordinarily replace Wambach, since both are target forwards, but Cheney has been starting as an outside midfielder for the two previous games. Megan Rapinoe, who Cheney replaced in the starting lineup, will now have to take O'Reilly's place, leaving two forwards, Alex Morgan and Amy Rodriguez. One other possible option is Kelley O'Hara, a late addition to the team after Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury.
The United States, after a slow start in the first half against Korea DPR, has played very well for the last game and a half. They have scored five goals in those two matches and their defense has shut out two opponents. Truth be told, Hope Solo hasn't had to make all that many saves to this point. But the back line is still the most suspect part of the United States' team and Sweden will likely be a tougher foe than either Colombia or Korea.
Meanwhile, Sweden has struggled through their first two games, deservedly winning both matches, but being less than impressive in doing so. One would guess that Lotta Schelin would give the American back line problems with her combination of speed and strength. It should be an interesting battle in the penalty area between Solo and the tall attacking players on Sweden, including Schelin and Jessica Landstrom. There should be some fierce battles on set pieces.
Sweden's defense has been solid to this point and they too have posted two shutous. Lindahl is very tested and experienced in goal for Sweden. One would suspect the United States might want to attack on their left, the right side of the Swedish defense. Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro generally don't make a lot of mistakes on Sweden's left side.
With Seger sidelined, one would think we would see more touches for Forsberg and Sjogran in the midfield. Lisa Dahlqvist has played well to this point in the tournament and has a goal to her credit.
I believe this game is about as even as it gets. It's probably going to come down to who can best compensate for their missing players. Wambach draws so many defenders to her and is so devastating on head balls, that her loss would hurt the American attack considerably. Without the active O'Reilly up the right flank, my guess is we will see more attacking up the middle from the US.
Sweden has a number of quality midfielders, so while the loss of Seger will hurt them, I believe they have experienced options at their disposal. Schelin has been largely frustrated to this point, but she seems to relish in facing the US.
My Prediction: Sweden 2, United States 1
Korea DPR vs. Colombia (2:45 pm eastern)
This match features the two youngest teams in this year's World Cup. Both of these teams have been eliminated as far as advancing to the quarterfinals. Both teams will look to this game to build toward the future.
Korea is known for their strong technical abilities and they will try to break down Colombia with a methodical attack using short passes to work their way up the field. Colombia is more likely to be impatient. They will look to target their young attacking players where they can go one-on-one against Korean defenders.
Colombia will likely start Yoreli Rincon in this match after starting her on the bench against the United States. Their young star will likely try to find space in the middle of the field and look for shooting opportunities whenever possible. Look also for Cataline Usme and Carmen Rodallega, a dangerous player on the left wing, to also cause Korea problems. Orianica Velasquez looked very good in limited minutes against the US and she might get more opportunity in this match.
Defensively, Natalia Gaitan has probably been Colombia's best player. Sandra Sepulveda started both of the first two matches in goal, but injured her hand against the United States and looked shaky on one of the goals scored after that.
Korea's Jo Yun Mi will be the focus of their attack. She is an extremely talented player and this may be a game that she will have a breakout performance. Ra Un Sim is also dangerous on the attack for Korea. Also beware of defender Song Jong Sun, one of Korea's most experienced player and one that likes to jump into the attack. Hong Myong Hui will probably be in goal for Korea.
Not only are these two teams the youngest, but they are also two of the shortest teams in the tournament. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see who wins the battles on set pieces in this match.
It is hard to judge what will happen when two very young teams meet each other in what is essentially a meaningless match. But while this match has little meaning as far as standings or advancement are concerned, I'm sure both teams will fight hard to win this one.
My Prediction: Korea DPR 1, Colombia 0
June 27, 2011
World Cup: Day 3
Sweden vs. Colombia (8 am eastern)
The first match in Group C will feature perennial power Sweden against newcomer Colombia. There is certainly a contrast in age here, with Sweden being the second oldest team at the World Cup and Colombia being one of the youngest.
Sweden is always a force to be reckoned with in women's soccer and this team is no different. They return 12 players from their 2007 team which was eliminated for the first time in the group stage.
Their midfield features veteran Therese Sjogran and captain Caroline Seger, both of whom play in WPS. It will be up to these two to control the match and set up always dangerous forward Lotta Schelin. Schelin has 37 international goals and will pose a huge problem for Colombia's back line.
In fact, Sweden's size in general will give Colombia fits. Colombia has only one player listed as over 5-7 and they will have to deal with a much bigger Swedish team that includes Schelin and fellow striker Jessica Landstrom. Therefore, Colombia will need to stay away from set pieces, where they are at a huge disadvantage.
Sweden will miss defender Stina Segerstrom who is out with injury, but their back line is experienced and solid, led by Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro.
Colombia will rely on Catalina Usme and Yoreli Rincon on the offensive end of the field. 17-year old Rincon may prove to be one of the best young players in this tournament. Colombia must keep possesion as long as possible and make the taller Swedish team chase.
Hedvig Lindahl is one of the most experienced keepers in the world and she will give Sweden an edge in that department. Paula Forero led Colombia through qualifying, but Sandra Sepulveda is getting quite a few starts lately in goal for Colombia.
On defense, Colombia will count on Kelis Peduzine, their tallest and one of their most experienced players to keep Sweden in check.
It will be a study in contrasts, with Sweden having a huge advantage in size, experience, and depth. I believe that will be too much for the young Colombian team to overcome.
My Prediction: Sweden 4, Colombia 0
United States vs Korea DPR (12:15 pm eastern)
In an equally interesting study in contrasts, the United States will take on Korea DPR in the other Group C match. The bigger, stronger, and more experienced US team might have a little more problem with the technically strong team from Korea.
One problem for the United States is that, until recently, they probably haven't had much of chance to scout the Koreans. Korea had a huge tournament on their roster since they qualified last May and now boast nine players from their U-20 team. Korea DPR is the youngest team in the field.
The midfield battle will be paramount in this match. The United States two central midfielders, Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, will need to be on top of their game. A turnover against the Koreans and you are likely to not get possession back for some time.
Their counterpart is Jo Yun Mi, who was the MVP of the Asian Cup last year. She is hugely talented and very dangerous on the offensive end. Another player to watch is Ra Un Sim, a forward that will test the American back line, one that has been plagued by injuries and has been exposed at times in recent losses.
The Americans will want to exploit their size advantage as they did against Japan in two recent friendlies. Abby Wambach poses a big problem for the Korean defense and she is one of the best in the world in the air. The US will need to make the most of their set pieces in this match.
The goalkeeping edge goes to the United States and Hope Solo. After missing much of the last year with a shoulder injury, she is back and looking strong as ever. Solo will keep the United States in most games, no matter how well they are playing in front of her.
Korea will probably go with Hong Myong Hui, who posted three shutouts in the Asian Cup and another two in the Asian Games last fall. She was the starting keeper for Korea in the U-20 World Cup last year and the U-17 World Cup before that.
The United States has huge advantage in size and experience. But they can have problems against technically superior squads like Korea DPR is likely to be. They can ill-afford to fall behind such a team. Korea will need to limit the US opportunities on set pieces and will be at their best with the ball on the ground and at their feet.
The US is also facing a lot of pressure in this World Cup. Their outward appearance is one of confidence, but there has been heavy criticism thrown their way in recent months and they will no doubt be under more pressure than Korea in this match. They have a history of starting slowly and Korea DPR might be able to take advantage of that.
This will be a close match. I think the US might have a slight edge overall, but worry about their inconsistency over the past few months, as well as their back line's injuries and speed.
My Prediction: United States 1, Korea DPR 1
The first match in Group C will feature perennial power Sweden against newcomer Colombia. There is certainly a contrast in age here, with Sweden being the second oldest team at the World Cup and Colombia being one of the youngest.
Sweden is always a force to be reckoned with in women's soccer and this team is no different. They return 12 players from their 2007 team which was eliminated for the first time in the group stage.
Their midfield features veteran Therese Sjogran and captain Caroline Seger, both of whom play in WPS. It will be up to these two to control the match and set up always dangerous forward Lotta Schelin. Schelin has 37 international goals and will pose a huge problem for Colombia's back line.
In fact, Sweden's size in general will give Colombia fits. Colombia has only one player listed as over 5-7 and they will have to deal with a much bigger Swedish team that includes Schelin and fellow striker Jessica Landstrom. Therefore, Colombia will need to stay away from set pieces, where they are at a huge disadvantage.
Sweden will miss defender Stina Segerstrom who is out with injury, but their back line is experienced and solid, led by Charlotte Rohlin and Sara Thunebro.
Colombia will rely on Catalina Usme and Yoreli Rincon on the offensive end of the field. 17-year old Rincon may prove to be one of the best young players in this tournament. Colombia must keep possesion as long as possible and make the taller Swedish team chase.
Hedvig Lindahl is one of the most experienced keepers in the world and she will give Sweden an edge in that department. Paula Forero led Colombia through qualifying, but Sandra Sepulveda is getting quite a few starts lately in goal for Colombia.
On defense, Colombia will count on Kelis Peduzine, their tallest and one of their most experienced players to keep Sweden in check.
It will be a study in contrasts, with Sweden having a huge advantage in size, experience, and depth. I believe that will be too much for the young Colombian team to overcome.
My Prediction: Sweden 4, Colombia 0
United States vs Korea DPR (12:15 pm eastern)
In an equally interesting study in contrasts, the United States will take on Korea DPR in the other Group C match. The bigger, stronger, and more experienced US team might have a little more problem with the technically strong team from Korea.
One problem for the United States is that, until recently, they probably haven't had much of chance to scout the Koreans. Korea had a huge tournament on their roster since they qualified last May and now boast nine players from their U-20 team. Korea DPR is the youngest team in the field.
The midfield battle will be paramount in this match. The United States two central midfielders, Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, will need to be on top of their game. A turnover against the Koreans and you are likely to not get possession back for some time.
Their counterpart is Jo Yun Mi, who was the MVP of the Asian Cup last year. She is hugely talented and very dangerous on the offensive end. Another player to watch is Ra Un Sim, a forward that will test the American back line, one that has been plagued by injuries and has been exposed at times in recent losses.
The Americans will want to exploit their size advantage as they did against Japan in two recent friendlies. Abby Wambach poses a big problem for the Korean defense and she is one of the best in the world in the air. The US will need to make the most of their set pieces in this match.
The goalkeeping edge goes to the United States and Hope Solo. After missing much of the last year with a shoulder injury, she is back and looking strong as ever. Solo will keep the United States in most games, no matter how well they are playing in front of her.
Korea will probably go with Hong Myong Hui, who posted three shutouts in the Asian Cup and another two in the Asian Games last fall. She was the starting keeper for Korea in the U-20 World Cup last year and the U-17 World Cup before that.
The United States has huge advantage in size and experience. But they can have problems against technically superior squads like Korea DPR is likely to be. They can ill-afford to fall behind such a team. Korea will need to limit the US opportunities on set pieces and will be at their best with the ball on the ground and at their feet.
The US is also facing a lot of pressure in this World Cup. Their outward appearance is one of confidence, but there has been heavy criticism thrown their way in recent months and they will no doubt be under more pressure than Korea in this match. They have a history of starting slowly and Korea DPR might be able to take advantage of that.
This will be a close match. I think the US might have a slight edge overall, but worry about their inconsistency over the past few months, as well as their back line's injuries and speed.
My Prediction: United States 1, Korea DPR 1
June 22, 2011
Group C Preview: United States
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Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, Pia Sundhage, Shannon Boxx, United States
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, Pia Sundhage, Shannon Boxx, United States
United States (#1)
Region: Concacaf
Coach: Pia Sundhage
How They Qualified: Finished 3rd in Concacaf Region Qualifying, then defeated Italy in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: 3rd Place
2003: 3rd Place
1999: Champions
1995: 3rd Place
1991: Champions
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barnhart, Solo, Cox, Rampone, Boxx, Lloyd, O’Reilly, Wambach.
Roster (Average Age: 27.71)
Recent Matches:
They are the number team in the world according to FIFA rankings. They have won the World Cup twice in their history and finished third three times. They might be the most experienced team at the World Cup. They are definitely the oldest team at the World Cup and it’s not even close. They are the United States.
And they have been criticized recently as too old, too slow, too this, too that. Some of the criticism is valid, some a little over-the-top. Whether this will give them a chip-on-the-shoulder, it’s us against the world mentality for this Cup, I don’t know.
The United States appeared to reach their pinnacle in May of 2010 when they easily defeated Germany by a 4-0 margin in Cleveland, Ohio. Truth be told, they haven’t looked nearly so dominating since. Their long unbeaten streak extended into November, when it looked like they were cruising to another easy qualification for yet another World Cup. And then, the unthinkable happened. They lost to Mexico.
For a short time, there was a possibility that they would not even qualify. They went on to defeat Costa Rica in the Concacaf third place match and then defeated Italy twice by 1-0 to become the 16th and final qualifier for the 2011 World Cup.
This year has brought mixed results. They won the Four Nations and the Algarve Cup, defeating Canada, Japan, and Norway in the process. However, they also dropped a match to Sweden at the Four Nations and were outplayed in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of England in April. So where will they finish in Germany?
One good sign is the return of Hope Solo, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Shoulder surgery last fall put this World Cup in doubt, but she appeared to be 100% in recent friendlies. She’s only been scored upon in one game out of her last 13 appearances dating back to early 2009.
Abby Wambach is the focal point of the US attack. One of the best target forwards in the world, she has no peers in the air. Joining her at forward will be the relatively young trio of Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney, and Alex Morgan. Morgan has become the “supersub” of the United States, scoring several important goals late in contests.
The midfield is very experienced with Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, and Megan Rapinoe. They did receive a blow when Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury just a month before the World Cup. It is the central midfield that will be one of the keys for the United States. Lloyd and Boxx need to be at the top of their game if the United States are to have a good tournament. They have started nearly every game over the last several years when they have been healthy.
Defense may be the biggest question mark. First, there are the injuries. Christie Rampone, Amy LePeilbet, and Heather Mitts have all been nursing injuries this year, with Mitts just barely making fitness under the deadline for Germany. Second, there is age. This is a fairly old group and they have been exposed in some matches recently, certainly in the loss to Mexico in November. Finally, there is left back, where Pia Sunhage has tried several players. Right now, it appears she will opt for either center back LePeilbet or natural outside back Stephanie Cox.
This will be a critical World Cup for the future of this team. A bad showing may signal a changing of the guard and the need for a substantial turnover in personnel. A good tournament would prove that Sundhage’s quiet confidence in her team was more than warranted.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained at www.fifa.com and www.ussoccer.com.
Region: Concacaf
Coach: Pia Sundhage
How They Qualified: Finished 3rd in Concacaf Region Qualifying, then defeated Italy in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: 3rd Place
2003: 3rd Place
1999: Champions
1995: 3rd Place
1991: Champions
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (8) Barnhart, Solo, Cox, Rampone, Boxx, Lloyd, O’Reilly, Wambach.
Roster (Average Age: 27.71)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Barnhart | GK | Philadelphia Indep. | 29 | 39/0 |
| Jillian Loyden | GK | magicJack | 26 | 1/0 |
| Hope Solo | GK | magicJack | 29 | 94/0 |
| Rachel Buehler | DF | Boston Breakers | 25 | 58/1 |
| Stephanie Cox | DF | Boston Breakers | 25 | 73/0 |
| Alex Krieger | DF | None | 26 | 17/0 |
| Amy LePeilbet | DF | Boston Breakers | 29 | 48/0 |
| Heather Mitts | DF | Atlanta Beat | 33 | 115/2 |
| Christie Rampone | DF | magicJack | 36 | 234/4 |
| Becky Sauerbrunn | DF | magicJack | 26 | 10/0 |
| Shannon Boxx | MF | magicJack | 33 | 145/22 |
| Tobin Heath | MF | Sky Blue FC | 23 | 27/2 |
| Lori Lindsey | MF | Philadelphia Indep. | 31 | 21/0 |
| Carli Lloyd | MF | Atlanta Beat | 28 | 110/27 |
| Kelley O’Hara | MF | Boston Breakers | 22 | 5/0 |
| Heather O’Reilly | MF | Sky Blue FC | 26 | 143/29 |
| Megan Rapinoe | MF | magicJack | 25 | 30/10 |
| Lauren Cheney | FW | Boston Breakers | 23 | 41/13 |
| Alex Morgan | FW | WNY Flash | 22 | 18/7 |
| Amy Rodriguez | FW | Philadelphia Indep. | 24 | 64/17 |
| Abby Wambach | FW | magicJack | 31 | 156/118 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5/11 | Mexico | Friendly | W 1-0 |
| 5/18/11 | Japan | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 5/14/11 | Japan | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 4/2/11 | England | Friendly | L 1-2 |
| 3/9/11 | Iceland | Algarve | W 4-2 |
| 3/7/11 | Finland | Algarve | W 4-0 |
| 3/4/11 | Norway | Algarve | W 2-0 |
| 3/2/11 | Japan | Algarve | W 2-1 |
| 1/25/11 | China | Four Nations | W 2-0 |
| 1/23/11 | Canada | Four Nations | W 2-1 |
| 1/21/11 | Sweden | Four Nations | L 1-2 |
| 11/27/10 | Italy | World Cup Playoff | W 1-0 |
| 11/20/10 | Italy | World Cup Playoff | W 1-0 |
| 11/8/10 | Costa Rica | Concacaf | W 3-0 |
| 11/5/10 | Mexico | Concacaf | L 1-2 |
| 11/1/10 | Costa Rica | Concacaf | W 4-0 |
| 10/30/10 | Guatemala | Concacaf | W 9-0 |
| 10/28/10 | Haiti | Concacaf | W 5-0 |
| 10/6/10 | China | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 10/2/10 | China | Friendly | W 2-1 |
| 7/17/10 | Sweden | Friendly | W 3-0 |
| 7/13/10 | Sweden | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 5/22/10 | Germany | Friendly | W 4-0 |
They are the number team in the world according to FIFA rankings. They have won the World Cup twice in their history and finished third three times. They might be the most experienced team at the World Cup. They are definitely the oldest team at the World Cup and it’s not even close. They are the United States.
And they have been criticized recently as too old, too slow, too this, too that. Some of the criticism is valid, some a little over-the-top. Whether this will give them a chip-on-the-shoulder, it’s us against the world mentality for this Cup, I don’t know.
The United States appeared to reach their pinnacle in May of 2010 when they easily defeated Germany by a 4-0 margin in Cleveland, Ohio. Truth be told, they haven’t looked nearly so dominating since. Their long unbeaten streak extended into November, when it looked like they were cruising to another easy qualification for yet another World Cup. And then, the unthinkable happened. They lost to Mexico.
For a short time, there was a possibility that they would not even qualify. They went on to defeat Costa Rica in the Concacaf third place match and then defeated Italy twice by 1-0 to become the 16th and final qualifier for the 2011 World Cup.
This year has brought mixed results. They won the Four Nations and the Algarve Cup, defeating Canada, Japan, and Norway in the process. However, they also dropped a match to Sweden at the Four Nations and were outplayed in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of England in April. So where will they finish in Germany?
One good sign is the return of Hope Solo, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Shoulder surgery last fall put this World Cup in doubt, but she appeared to be 100% in recent friendlies. She’s only been scored upon in one game out of her last 13 appearances dating back to early 2009.
Abby Wambach is the focal point of the US attack. One of the best target forwards in the world, she has no peers in the air. Joining her at forward will be the relatively young trio of Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney, and Alex Morgan. Morgan has become the “supersub” of the United States, scoring several important goals late in contests.
The midfield is very experienced with Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, and Megan Rapinoe. They did receive a blow when Lindsay Tarpley went down with an injury just a month before the World Cup. It is the central midfield that will be one of the keys for the United States. Lloyd and Boxx need to be at the top of their game if the United States are to have a good tournament. They have started nearly every game over the last several years when they have been healthy.
Defense may be the biggest question mark. First, there are the injuries. Christie Rampone, Amy LePeilbet, and Heather Mitts have all been nursing injuries this year, with Mitts just barely making fitness under the deadline for Germany. Second, there is age. This is a fairly old group and they have been exposed in some matches recently, certainly in the loss to Mexico in November. Finally, there is left back, where Pia Sunhage has tried several players. Right now, it appears she will opt for either center back LePeilbet or natural outside back Stephanie Cox.
This will be a critical World Cup for the future of this team. A bad showing may signal a changing of the guard and the need for a substantial turnover in personnel. A good tournament would prove that Sundhage’s quiet confidence in her team was more than warranted.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained at www.fifa.com and www.ussoccer.com.
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