Because the U.S. girls’s nationwide staff bid farewell to 2 legends of the sport in Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, in addition they slowly started to usher in a brand new period.
There have been few expectations that this month’s friendlies — a 3-0 win over South Africa on Thursday and a 2-0 victory over the identical opponent on Sunday — would deliver wholesale adjustments with Twila Kilgore on the helm. The interim head coach plans to save lots of the foremost decision-making for Vlatko Andonovski’s eventual successor however nonetheless provided hints at what the staff may appear to be when it arrives in Paris for subsequent summer time’s Olympics due to the introduction of some younger gamers.
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The 2 matches additionally served as a reminder of the place the staff’s strengths nonetheless are — and the place room for enchancment exists after a disappointing spherical of 16 exit at this yr’s Ladies’s World Cup.
Listed here are some takeaways from this month’s friendlies.
Refreshing the entrance line
The USWNT’s World Cup marketing campaign was suffering from arguably essentially the most premature scoreless streak in this system’s historical past, however that gave the impression to be behind them after they performed South Africa on each events. They scored 5 occasions in two video games and placed on an attacking show that felt like a extra acquainted model of the squad than the one we noticed on the World Cup.
The star in each matches was Trinity Rodman, who scored on Thursday and Sunday and was a continuing presence all through. She led the youth motion up prime with out Sophia Smith, who’s recovering from a light MCL sprain, and she or he appears poised to proceed doing so en path to Paris. She additionally earned a ringing endorsement from Rapinoe earlier than her swan music, who stated she has “such peace about transferring on” due to the talent on the team and title dropped Rodman, Smith and Naomi Girma.
Rodman bolstered her argument as the way forward for the entrance line, however a pair of veterans additionally made a case for themselves. Lynn Williams scored a brace on Thursday and she or he confirmed her power on set items, a tried-and-true goalscoring methodology for the USWNT, whereas Alex Morgan mixed nicely with Rodman in each video games and assisted each of her targets. The performances didn’t finish Morgan’s scoring drought — she has not scored for membership or nation since Might — however confirmed she’s nonetheless helpful going ahead.
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The USWNT’s World Cup goalscoring struggles imply the competitors for a spot on the Olympics might be a fierce one, and plenty of will nonetheless be interested in different younger expertise that might make a distinction up prime. Chelsea’s Mia Fishel lastly made her debut on Sunday, when she performed 25 minutes and received concerned in a number of attacking performs, whereas the San Diego Wave’s Jaedyn Shaw educated with the staff however didn’t get on the sphere this month.
Changing Ertz
Whereas the USWNT assault seems to be in good palms with out Rapinoe, there are nonetheless some query marks round who will slot in behind them instead of Ertz. The newly retired participant made a reputation for herself as a defensive midfielder and through her two-year absence in between the Tokyo Olympics and the World Cup, it felt just like the staff was in a position to actually overcome her absence.
Andonovski rotated by a handful of gamers in midfield with Andi Sullivan ultimately beginning on the World Cup whereas Ertz slotted in at middle again. The staff was defensively sturdy all through the match however Ertz’s capability to seamlessly join the protection and the assault is a tough act to observe up and raises huge questions on what the USWNT’s midfield stability appears like transferring ahead.
The USWNT’s finest efficiency on the World Cup arguably got here throughout their spherical of 16 encounter with Sweden, which noticed them swap to a 4-5-1 and slot Emily Sonnett into midfield. She returned to the midfield in each video games towards South Africa, which may very well be a sign for her future on the squad. The four-time world champions will ultimately get a lift when Sam Mewis recovers from knee surgical procedure, which may make the midfield battle simply as aggressive because the battle for spots on the entrance line in Paris.
Remembering the great issues
The World Cup efficiency could also be removed from the USWNT’s expectations, however there have been positives to remove from the expertise. Chief amongst them was the staff’s defensive efficiency, through which they conceded simply two pictures on track in 4 video games and just one aim.
That model of the USWNT’s protection returned towards South Africa after they conceded only one shot on track in two video games. The opposition outshot the hosts by the primary half-hour on Thursday however nearly neutralized them for the remainder of the collection — within the second sport, South Africa did not take a single shot.
This defensive sturdiness may function the staff’s spine of their post-World Cup rebuild and middle again Girma is completely suited to guide that mission. Once more, there are questions on who will companion along with her within the again — Ertz did that on the World Cup, however Alana Prepare dinner performed alongside her earlier than the match and likewise began on Thursday, whereas 2019 World Cup winner Tierna Davidson received a shot on Sunday.
