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Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd scored for the Yanks and the U.S. protection held sturdy to ship the People right into a quarterfinal showdown in opposition to China on Friday night time.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
June 22, 2015
11:30 PM
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ON A CRAZY NIGHT in Edmonton—which included a purple card, eight yellow playing cards, and two penalty kicks—the USA girls’s nationwide staff superior to the World Cup quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over a feisty Colombian aspect.
After battling to a scoreless draw by means of the primary 45 minutes, and regardless of one other night time of struggles for the American offense, the U.S. lastly took cost of the match within the second half. A Colombian purple card within the forty sixth minute lowered the South American aspect to 10 gamers and the U.S. discovered two targets courtesy of Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd to get by means of to the following spherical.
Listed here are three ideas on the match.
OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES CONTINUE
Up till Colombia went down a participant, the South People not solely hung in with the USA however even at instances appeared just like the extra harmful aspect. Whereas the U.S. fruitlessly pounded the ball ahead into the field all through the primary stanza, the Colombians appeared sharp with quick-passing mixtures and a few terrific particular person talent.
On the half, the possession numbers had been practically an identical and Colombian goalkeeper Catalina Perez—who was third on the staff’s depth chart coming into the World Cup, is barely 20 years previous, and is a sophomore on the College of Miami (the place she can also be a backup)—had stored the U.S. at bay with some sturdy saves.
Reminder- the goalkeeper at present shutting out the #USWNT within the World Cup is a backup goalie for a university staff that went 4-13-1 final yr
— Mike Donovan (@TheMikeDonovan) June 23, 2015
When the U.S. did lastly break the Colombians down early within the second half, with Morgan getting onto the top of a fast by means of ball from Megan Rapinoe for a breakaway, Perez took Morgan down and obtained a purple card.
A penalty was additionally given—doubtful provided that it appeared to have occurred on the road of the 18-yard field—however Abby Wambach missed the following spot kick nonetheless.
Nonetheless, the injury was finished because the Colombians, now down a participant, by no means appeared the identical and the U.S. rapidly established management of the match.
Wambach misses the body on the PK https://t.co/yxjnqgikoU
— Ryan Krasnoo (@RyanKras) June 23, 2015
4 minutes after Wambach’s missed penalty, the U.S. lastly discovered the breakthrough when Ali Krieger picked up a unfastened ball within the nook and located Morgan within the field. The striker turned and fired a right-footed shot to the close to submit the place it snuck in to place the U.S. forward. Lloyd then doubled the American lead within the sixty fifth minute on a penalty after Rapinoe was taken down within the field.
I sincerely hope the #USWNT wins the World Cup so I can overlook about the way in which we truly performed… #WomensWorldCup
— Alecko Eskandarian (@alecko11) June 23, 2015
Definitely, the world of girls’s soccer continues to enhance, however the U.S. offense merely must be higher. Within the People two earlier matchups with Colombia—within the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics—the U.S. gained 3-0 and did so in additional convincing vogue. And on this World Cup, the U.S. offense has struggled since minute one.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS?
The U.S. girls had higher hope the previous mantra holds true. With the offense nonetheless misfiring, it has been the American protection conserving the staff in video games. Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn have been improbable all event lengthy, with Hope Solo developing huge when wanted.
Mixed with Meghan Klingenberg and Krieger as the surface backs, the defensive group has now began 10 video games collectively and picked up eight shutouts within the course of, together with three in 4 video games throughout this World Cup. The quintet at present owns a 0.2 targets in opposition to common in its 10 matches collectively and haven’t allowed a objective in 333 minutes.
When American Soccer Now spoke with midfield stalwart Carli Lloyd again in January, she predicted that the U.S.’s protection, not its offense, could be key: “On the finish of the day, protection wins championships,” she told us. “I do know it is clichéd, however we’ve got to be a powerful [defensive] unit.”
For her personal half, Lloyd has been a combined bag on this event. She did decide up a objective in opposition to Colombia by way of penalty—her first tally in 11 video games. The goalless streak has been so uncharacteristic for the usually prolific attacking midfielder that one should return to 2008 to seek out the final time she began such a stretch. Maybe the penalty strike will probably be what she must get on monitor on this event, however the half that almost all followers have most likely missed this World Cup is Lloyd’s glorious defensive work.
Once more on Monday night time, Lloyd was a monster within the center, profitable tackles and quite a few 50/50 balls. It won’t present up on the rating sheet, but when the U.S. goes to depend on its protection to win video games, Lloyd might want to proceed to do the soiled work for the People within the center.
YELLOW CARDS AND CHINA
Up subsequent for the People will probably be China on Friday night time (7:30pm, Fox Sports activities 1). Nevertheless, the U.S. will head into the sport with out two key midfielders, Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Vacation, who each earned yellow playing cards in opposition to Colombia and will probably be suspended for the quarterfinal matchup.
Yellow card accumulation is the brand new squad rotation
— Sarah (@DasGherkin) June 23, 2015
Each gamers will probably be missed—particularly Rapinoe, who has created practically each offensive probability for the U.S. this whole event. However that is the place the U.S.’ depth ought to come into play. . Morgan Brian, who is a superb participant in her personal proper, can slot in for Vacation within the middle of the pitch whereas Christen Press can change Rapinoe.
Up high, as laborious as it could be to simply accept for some followers, head coach Jill Ellis ought to keep on with the Wambach-Morgan mixture. The 2 have an amazing chemistry collectively and join properly, whereas Wambach’s holdup play in opposition to Colombia was surprisingly good.
The U.S. additionally continues to depend on set items and repair from the flank to generate the majority of its probabilities and, prefer it or not (missed probabilities and all), Wambach remains to be the staff’s greatest goal participant within the space.
Definitely, the U.S. may enhance the standard of its companies—a lot of which had been overhit, or performed behind the objective—particularly on useless balls the place Vacation and Rapinoe couldn’t appear to seek out their vary on Monday.
The final time the U.S. performed China, on the Worldwide Match of Brasilia in December, the 2 groups drew 1-1.
Author : usa-foot
Publish date : 2025-03-06 04:03:26
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