Fantastic to See the US men ranked in the top 10 for the first time in like 10 years – huge wins over Mexico twice in both Nations League with our starters and the undefeated run to the Gold Cup Championship with our B team including a win over Mexico’s A team with our B/C team no doubt helped along with the close game with the Swiss in Europe. Of course funny to see Mexico 2 spots above us – but you could say the same Italy and Argentina being ranked below Belgium after wins this summer in the European Championships and the COPA. Either way having the US back on the radar is huge. Remember you heard it here first – our golden young generation is bound for the Quarterfinals in Qatar in 2022 followed by a Semi-Final run at home in 2026 – so says the OBC!
Of course a bunch of American’s overseas will start their season’s this weekend see the full update here. Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic came of the bench for the blues when Ziyech got hurt in Wednesday’s SuperCup game vs Valencia. He actually had some good plays and was unlucky not to score in the final seconds of Extra Time. He did take the 6th penalty kick in the Shootout and netted it to keep Chelsea in front in their 1-1 (5-4 win over the Spanish side.) We’ll see if he gets the start Sat vs Crystal Palace at 10 am on the Peacock.
English Premier League, German Bundelisga, Spain’s La Liga all start this weekend
Of course the European leagues kicked off today – with new EPL entrant Brentford knocking off Arsenal 2-0 at home in their first home game in 75+ years as members of the EPL. The Championship team last season won the playoff over Darrel Dike’s Barnsley to advance to the Premier League – GOTTA LOVE THE EPL – there is not a more competitive league in the world than the EPL. Of course the EPL will be on NBCSN, NBC and Peacock pay service this season, while the German Bundesliga has moved from Fox Sports to ESPN+ unfortunately. Spain’s La Liga has moved from beIN Sport to ESPN+ as well – making the Plus – must buy TV – as they also have MLS and USL and the Indy 11. Italy and Renaldo and of Juventus will start next weekend and will play on CBS Sports Network and Paramount + – who also has Champions and Europa League. France with the newly minted Champions League favorites PSG with Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar play their games on beIN Sport.
As Spain’s La Liga moves to ESPN+ and makes their debut on ABC Sunday as Barcelona faces Real Sociadad at 4 pm – the league is in as much flux as it has ever been. Perennial winners Barcelona and Real Madrid – two of the most successful teams in the World – are both struggling to make ends meet after the pandemic – have had massive exits this summer and might struggle to hold in the top 4. My Atletico Madrid returns almost intact after winning the league last year and should be favorites this year but they haven’t won back to back titles in 70 years. Barcelona still has American Serginio Dest – but things will not be the same without Messi. I would love to see one of the minnows of La Liga knock the big boys off – maybe Sevilla or Valencia (Europa League kings). Preview here
Germany’s Bundesliga is always Bayern Munich, Dortmund and everyone else. But it will be exciting to see how American Coach Jesse Marsch and Tyler Adams do at Red Bull Leipzig – this is the first big gig for an American coach ever – and it will be great to see how Marsch does and if Tyler Adams will play the holding #6 midfield slot America so desperately needs him to play. They finished 2nd last year and get started on Sun at 9:30 am on ESPN+ vs Mainz. Of course America’s abound thru-out Germany and Dortmund’s Reyna should start up front Saturday at 12:30 on ESPN+ when they play Frankfort and Timmy Chandler, that follows John Brooks last season’s 4th place finisher Wolfsburg hosting Bochum at 9:30 am on the plus. Preview Here
Finally England’s EPL gets started this weekend – with what I think is the world’s most competitive and compelling league. Sure we only have like 3 American’s in the league right now – unbelievable in my opinion. Of course I root for the EPL teams who have American’s so Chelsea with Pulisic, Zach Steffan of course at Man City – fresh off a solid run last weekend in their loss to Leicester City and newcomer Josh Stewart just signed by Norwich. We’ll see if he can break his way into the line-up after his 10+ million dollar transfer. As for the season – Man City and Chelsea just have too much money in my mind – they will battle it out up top while Liverpool and Man United try to sneak in to the top 3. I like Leicester City and Everton to round out the top 6 Europa League spots – but we’ll see. Preview Here This weekend we get Liverpool and Norwich at 12:30 on NBC Saturday after Man United and Leeds United at 7:30 am on NBCSN and Leicester City and Wolverhampton at 10 am. Sunday gives us the top game of the weekend as Tottenham will host Man City as the Harry Kane drama continues – should be thrilling theater Sunday at 11:30 am on NBCSN. (why NBC doesn’t pick this up I have no idea!!)
Huge congrats to all those players who made high school rosters last week and are getting ready for their opening games this weekend. Special congrats to our Carmel FC current and former Goalkeepers for making their teams at Carmel High School, Guerin and others. On the girls side all 6 goalies came thru our program – as Aubre Empie and Bethany Ducat are on varsity, while Chloe Fouts and Claire Bartley made JV Blue and Mary Grace Knapp and Paulina Cernovi made 9th Grade. On the CHS boys side Charlie Featherson is on Varsity, while Ryan Bartley made JV. The CHS boys are home Thursday at Murray vs Noblesville, while the Highly ranked girls host games at Murray Sat at 11 am vs Hamilton SE, Mon Pike at 6:30 pm and vs Guerin next Fri at 7 pm.
I promise I will get back to the Indy 11 and MLS next week – oh MLS huge games this weekend as Saturday night we get Minnesota United hosting the LA Galaxy at 6 pm on FOX and Sunday night – Portland hosts Seattle in the Cascadia Cup at 9:30 pm on FS1 – this is always a huge matchup between hated rivals both near the top of the table !!
GAMES TO WATCH
Friday, Aug 13
2:30 pm Mgladbach vs Bayern Munich Germany ESPN+
3 pm Brentford vs Arsenal NBCSN
Saturday, Aug 14 EPL, Bundelsiga, La Liga Kickoffs
7:30 am Man United vs Leeds United NBCSN
9:30 am Wolfsburg (Brooks) vs Bochum Germany ESPN+
10 am Liecester City vs Wolverhampton NBCSN
10 am Chelsea (Pulisic) vs Crystal Palace Peacock
12:30 Norwich vs Liverpool NBC
12:30 Dortmund (Reyna) vs Frankfort ESPN+ .
3 pm PSG (Messi) vs Strasbourg beIN Sport
6 pm Minn United vs LA Galaxy FOX
7 pm Indy 11 vs OKC home ESPN+
7 pm KC vs OL Reign NWSL Paramount +
Sunday, Aug 15 – EPL, Bundelsiga, La Liga, Kickoffs
7 am Angers vs lyonnais France beIN Sport
9:30 am RB Leipzig (Adams) vs Mainz Germany ESPN+
9 am New Castle United vs Westham NBCSN
11:30 am Celta Vigo vs Atletico Madrid Spain ESPN+
11:30 Tottenham vs Man City (Steffan) NBCSN
2 pm Barcelona (Dest) vs Real Sociadad ABC
4 pm Atlanta United vvs LAFC ESPN
9:30 pm Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders Cascadia Cup FS1
Tuesday, Aug 17 –
2:30 pm Dortmund (Reyna) vs Bayern Munich German Supercup ESPN+
Wednesday, Aug 18 –
7 pm Loudon United vs Indy 11 ESPN+
8:30 pm Lyonnais vs Barcelona (Women’s Supercup) ESPNU
10 pm Portland Thorns vs Houston Dash (Women’s Supercup) ESPNU
Friday, Aug 15
2:30 pm RB Leipzig (Adams) vs Stuttgart Germany ESPN+
3 pm Brest vs PSG (Messi, Neymar) France beIN Sport
Who Will Win the Premier League Title? Follow the Uncapped Money.
As a new season starts, it’s very much looking like a title race between the two clubs who have the means to grossly outspend the competition.JONATHAN WILSONAUG 12, 2021 Crisis? What crisis? As the rest of European football has felt the pinch of the pandemic, Premier League spending—at least for three of the very biggest clubs—has gone on unchecked with Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United all doling out in excess of £100 million on players, and with the possibility of more to come. As Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan struggle to complete the sales that would allow them to bring in any new blood, this summer has been a startling assertion of the Premier League’s financial might.There are good reasons for that—a more equitable division of broadcast revenues than elsewhere (although the biggest clubs are trying to change that) helps everybody, and also ensures a level of competition, which in turn has been a factor in making the Premier League the most watched league in the world—but they must come with caveats. The most obvious of them is that the money spent by Chelsea and Man City has very little to do with the league.It felt apt that the four Champions League semifinalists last season were Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. In March, Madrid lost an appeal in the European Court of Justice against a ruling that it had received illegal state aid. Man City and PSG are effectively owned by Abu Dhabi and Qatar, respectively, and Chelsea is owned by an oligarch. Madrid now is in trouble, but none of the other three is dependent on football for an income, even if Chelsea has made significant efforts to be self-sustaining.And that, of course, was a key motivation behind the Super League proposal in the spring: An established elite realizing it was struggling to keep up with arrivistes who did not operate under the same financial constraints, forced into action by the exacerbating effects of the pandemic. All that matters then is how strict the financial regulations in your country are, and the Premier League’s are relatively lax, even if there is an ongoing wrangle with Man City that has already lasted more than two years.The club has already spent $139 million on Jack Grealish, with a possible deal in the $200 million range for Harry Kane still on the wish list. With Sergio Agüero gone and Gabriel Jesus seemingly out of favor, the need for Kane would seem more pressing, but Grealish offers something a little different, a dribbler with a sense of anarchy who could perhaps help to break open tight games. That said, anarchy is not often something usually associated with Pep Guardiola sides, and there is the potential for tension.Chelsea is spending a similar figure on Romelu Lukaku in the hope that he will correct its one obvious failing after the arrival of Thomas Tuchel: Struggling to convert possession and domination into an abundance of goals. If he can, Chelsea should be City’s main rival for the Premier League title. Chelsea did beat City three times in the second half of last season, across three competitions, but the doubt is whether it has quite the depth of squad to sustain a title challenge over the course of a full season.Given its debt, Man United’s spending has been more of a surprise: $100 million on Jadon Sancho and $56 million on Raphaël Varane. That perhaps is a reaction to the fan protests against the Glazer family ownership that characterized the end of last season and at the very least expresses a confidence about the financial future of the club that must in part be linked to the decision to roll over the existing domestic broadcast deals for an additional three years without tender.The two signings fill obvious gaps in the squad, and United should be stronger than it has been at any time since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. This now is a test of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s management and whether he is capable of constructing a coherent attacking plan beyond playing on the break. With what he’ll have at his disposal, there can be no excuses.Then there is Liverpool, which has lost Georginio Wijnaldum to PSG and whose only signing so far has been center back Ibrahima Konaté. The Reds will have Virgil van Dijk back from his ACL tear, though, and surely can’t be as badly afflicted by injuries as it was last season (although left back Andy Robertson already is ruled out to start the season with an ankle ailment). The drop off in the contributions of Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino last season must be a concern, but if they can rediscover their form, then Liverpool could also be a title threat again after scraping to a top-four finish last season.”We are not blind. We see what others are doing. We just have to be able to beat them. We will try to do that,” manager Jürgen Klopp recently said.But unless trying is enough for Liverpool, or unless Solskjaer can achieve something remarkable with his new assets, this still feels like a battle between City and Chelsea—the two reigning Champions League finalists, the two clubs who exist outside usual financial constraints.
Difficult days for Real Madrid and Barça plunge La Liga into uncertainty
Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos are gone, while Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid will fancy their chances of back-to-back titlesSid Lowe@sidloweThu 12 Aug 2021 13.00 EDT S ESPN FC
Zinedine Zidane was the first one out, so early it feels like a lifetime ago. Then Sergio Ramos departed, the full-time whistle finally catching up with him. Now Lionel Messi has gone, flying back into Barcelona to find the contract he had come to sign was no longer there. Arguably the three most significant men in Spanish football over the past decade, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, all gone in a single summer. And Ronaldo had already left three years earlier.This week, Ramos contacted Messi to say he could stay at his place if he liked. There was always respect there – well, not always – but it still feels a bit weird, after all those confrontations. Between them, they have played 1,449 games for the biggest clubs in Spain or anywhere, but no more. They have won 15 La Liga titles and eight Champions Leagues. No one has played more clásicos, 45 each. Symbols of the greatest rivalry of all, now they’re teammates. The captain of Real Madrid and the captain of Barcelona have both joined Paris Saint-Germain.
Read moreThese are difficult days for La Liga. Raphaël Varane went too and Bryan Gil, the excitement surrounding a kid who is different ended early. Luka Modric is 35, Luis Suárez 34, and Karim Benzema 33. Sergio Agüero has arrived but he is 33, injured and still not registered. Eden Hazard is, well, no one is really sure what he is yet. It may be natural to look around at what’s left and ask: is that it? Worse, on the eve of the season and a fortnight from the close of the transfer window, Spanish fans could be forgiven for hoping that’s it. Don’t take anyone else, please.
Or, in Barcelona’s case: please do. It is not just that the captains of Madrid and Barcelona have gone to PSG, it is that they have gone for free. It is not just that they went, it is that they went even though they didn’t want to. And why it happened. Barcelona’s likely salary cap this year – the limit that led to their loss – will be set at a level below Premier League clubs, and not just the biggest ones. Their financial difficulties are a full-blown crisis, the president, Joan Laporta, talking about the risk to their viability, even Messi’s departure not enough. On Sunday their season starts: right now their signings Memphis Depay, Eric García and Agüero can’t play.Barcelona’s case is extreme, their debt more than €1bn, and shouldn’t be seen as a measure of the health of the league. Yet it is true that the pandemic hit hard and the financial strain is felt across Spain, particularly at the big two, still clinging grimly to the Super League. Last summer, Real Madrid did not make any signings for the first time since 1980. This summer, only David Alaba has signed, and he came on a free to replace Ramos. Carlo Ancelotti rejoined partly because he understood and accepted the limitations.One potential solution came last Thursday when the league voted to sell 10.95% of its commercial business over the next 50 years to the investment fund CVC in return for €2.7bn. That would provide interest-free loans for clubs now, and many need that.The league promised that accepting it would have meant keeping Messi, probably thinking they had Laporta in a corner. But Madrid and Barcelona do not see it as a solution. Laporta described it as “mortgaging” the club, and Madrid insisted that the valuation was too low and have announced legal action to prevent it from going ahead.Despite that heavyweight opposition, the majority of Spanish league clubs approved the deal on Thursday . The league confirmed 38 of the 42 clubs from the first and second divisions in Spain voted in faour of the deal. The league and CVC gave the four clubs who voted against the deal the option to opt out, meaning they would not benefit from the new funds and would not relinquish a percentage of their future revenues. Athletic Bilbao also opposed the agreement. The fourth club that voted against the deal was not disclosed.There is a curious, almost amusing disconnect in the two clubs who championed the European Super League because football was dying claiming La Liga is not sufficiently valued and La Liga, which insisted it was in fine health, saying that those clubs are overvaluing its earning potential. More importantly, there is a bitter, open war for control of football whose consequences are uncertain. The Super League – a super league, at least – has not gone away. Plotting continues, an assault on power prepared. Barcelona, Madrid and Juventus met just as Barcelona backed out on Messi.
La Liga lost him too – a victim of its own rules on financial fair play, its greatest ever asset gone in the pursuit of a greater good, although right now it feels doubtful that such a thing exists. There was delirium in Paris and a hint of depression on the other side of the Pyrenees, two days before the new season.It was left to Messi himself to offer some optimism. “In the end what matters is the teams: Barcelona and Madrid are still there, so are Sevilla, Valencia, Atlético, big clubs,” he told El País. “The club has always been there despite players going. La Liga is still a big, important competition. Players go but the clubs remain. Real Madrid and Barcelona are going to find it hard but the big stars are going to return to Spanish football.”That may take a while, Messi suggested, but others remain. This week, Gerard Moreno hid inside the Villarreal mascot’s suit, pulling off his gigantic head to reveal that he had renewed his contract. Offers from elsewhere rejected, a couple of days later he produced another wonderful performance to take Chelsea to penalties in the European Super Cup final. Villarreal are Europa League holders, the seventh time in 10 seasons that a Spanish club has won the trophy, a reminder of the quality and reason for continued faith.Still around, too, are Iago Aspas, Joaquín Sánchez (at 40, for goodness sake) and João Félix; Papu Gómez, Mikel Oyarzabal, Comandante José Luis Morales. Modric, Suárez and Benzema are veterans but far from finished, last season showed. Toni Kroos continues to carry around his own personal patch of pitch. Ansu Fati is returning to fitness, Gareth Bale is returning.Rayo Vallecano, the team from barrio, are back. And Mallorca, who have Daniel Sturridge on trial. So are Espanyol, whose timing turned out well: relegated and promoted again during the pandemic, their fans hadn’t seen them play in the second division in 25 years and they still haven’t. And that’s the most important thing: the fans are returning, ground capacities ranging from 20% to 40% for now.
There’s plenty for the fans to see still, the emotional attachment, the identification, still deep. This weekend Pedri, the summer’s great revelation, may play despite only just returning from the Olympics. It would be his 74th game in less than 12 months. Hazard has another chance, hope still not extinguished. And then there’s Antoine Griezmann. Sometimes it seems that people forget how good he is. His sister warned him that if he went to Barcelona no matter what he did he would remain in Messi’s shadow. Could this be his moment, at last?Look at Barcelona’s likely XI and it impresses. Time for some optimism amid the gloom perhaps, a structural and a sentimental dimension to consider: the pressure will be huge and some supporters blame the men who remain for the departure of the player they least wanted to see go, but could Griezmann and his teammates – Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembélé particularly come to mind, maybe even Philippe Coutinho – finally have the balance of obligation and opportunity they need? Could the exposure be good for them, no place to hide, responsibility theirs? Some of them believe so: not all were so sorry to see Messi depart.
Standing before them and Madrid are Sevilla, perhaps offered a unique opportunity to fight for the title, and of course Atlético, seeking back-to-back titles for the first time in 70 years. Some consider them favourites, getting on with adding Rodrigo de Paul (and possibly Rafa Mir) to a settled squad with margin for improvement. Although others departed, Diego Simeone renewed for three more years. There wasn’t much noise but there should have been. When it comes to that opening statement, Spanish football’s most significant over the last decade, he is the one missing: Simeone has to be there, the ultimate competitor. And that, in the end, is the point of it all.
“We’re the champions,” Simeone told his players in training on Wednesday, “and they’re going to come and bite our arses.” All week, in the wake of Messi’s tearful departure, a question has floated in Spain: what now? Now, we play.
Wow lots of news this week – the US ladies lose to Canada then claim the Bronze as Canada go on to beat Sweden in PKs to take the gold in the Olympics, the US Men’s B/C team beats Mexico’s A team 1-0 in the Gold Cup to win back to back trophies vs Mexico for the 1st time in a decade, and Lionel Messi is leaving Barcelona after 21 years with the club. Oh and the French League starts this weekend with America’s Weah playing for French champion Lyon Saturday 11 am on beIN Sport. The EPL season kicks off next weekend – but Leicester City will face Man City in the Community Shield this Saturday at 12 noon on ESPN+, and Christian Pulisic and Champions League Champs Chelsea will face Europa Champ Villiareal Wed at 3 pm in the SuperCup on CBSSN. Honestly I am not ready for the European Season to kickoff – as I recover from this full summer of soccer but I guess I will be ready by next week.
US Men Win Gold Cup vs Mexico (2nd straight Trophy vs El Tri)
The US Men upset Mexico last weekend in the Gold Cup Final – 1-0 as the US B/C team found a way past Mexico’s A team. It was truly a gritty performance as the US youthful defense and Goalkeeper of the tourney Matt Turner shut out El Tri’s offense. Centerback Miles Robinson put in a Player of the Game Performance as he made save after save after save on defense before finally heading in the 117th minute winning goal in ET. And of course Kellen Acosta at the #6 as his performance vs Mexico – might have been the best dmid performace for the US in years. For American head coach Gregg Berhalter its time to give him the credit for what he is putting together. The US Men with our European starters like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKinney, Adams, Steffan and took the youngest team to the nations league final and beat Mexico 2-1 last month when Pulisic buried his PK in the last 5 mintutes. Now with only 1 starter from that weekend starting in the Gold Cup final – a team that was the youngest we have ever fielded for a major tournament that did it again with an impressive 1-0 win late in extra time. Now just to confirm – this team only included 3 players who were on that roster from the nations league – in fact this was for the most part a MLS only squad – as defenders like Atlanta’s Miles Robinson, NYCs James Sands, Colorado’s Sam Vines and Shaq Moore laid claim to more playing time moving forward as they held the youngest backline to play a tourney in a while thru-out the Gold Cup. After all the pain from not qualifying for the World Cup in 2018 – its plain to see the US Men’s National Team is Back. With a former national team player at the helm – Coach Berhalter has turned things around for this US team. He’s giving over 50 players a run – and is building both a group and a program that is on the verge of taking over CONCACAF once again. Not since the Donovan/Beasley/Dempsey days when the US ran off dos a cero wins over our neighbors to the south has the US been the best team in our Region. But after this past 6 weeks of results – its plain to see that the US Men might well be back on track to make that claim – 2 trophies back to back – something no other US men’s team has done. So cudos coach – I have often questioned the line-ups and sometimes the formations – but there is no doubt the US is on the right track!! So who moved themselves up the list to be considered when World Cup Qualification starts labor day weekend? I think Miles Robinson moves into the starting line-up with John Brooks on the back line – his speed and anticipation a perfect compliment to a bigger yet much slower John Brooks. I think Sam Vines makes roster on the left side and give Antonee Robinson of Fulham competition. Not sure Shaq Moore or James Sands on the back line will quite make the next camp – but they are truly players to watch moving forward. Staying in the back – Matt Turner proved this Gold Cup that he deserves a serious look at the #1 Gloves over Steffan. Turner made some saves this tourney that Steffan simply doesn’t make. It will be interesting to see – but Turner is certainly now solidified in the top 3 at GK with Zach Steffan at Man City and Ethan Horvath now at Nottingham’s Forrest. Assuming neither of our European based GKs can earn starting slots – Turner – who goes 90 every game for New England – might just be our best bet in tough matches.
Moving up the field – Kellyn Acosta – finally showed during the knock out rounds and vs Mexico that he can hold down the Dmid #6 slot if Adams is injured. Jackson Yueill proved this is simply over his head and 17 year old Gianluca Busio showed he has potential in the future – but is not ready yet. (He just signed to play in Italy – so lets follow that progress). I thought Eryk Williamson of Portland was also solid in the final vs Mexico – I love that he attacked the goal and constantly went forward rather than backwards. We’ll see if that gets him more time. Of course Roldan solidified his spot with multiple assists this tourney as a super sub. I thought Arriola and Lletget were just average but – you know Lletget is always going to start for coach – so go figure. Up front I thought Matthew Hoppe was the biggest winner – as his play at the wing spot – (he’s an underneath forward for Schalke) was impressive. He really reminds me of a mix of Jordan Morris and Clint Dempsey. He was my man crush this tourney – and I can’t wait to see him maybe get a shot at the #9 slot eventually. Speaking of the #9 – we all hoped Dike would claim the spot this Gold Cup – but in the end he showed he’s just not ready yet. He’s still young – 1 year as a pro and has a lot to learn still – but his hold up ability, his strength in the box, knowledge of proper passing and movement –were simply not there. He’s no Altidore. Heck Zardes proved he’s still in the running as well. Giochinni had some fine moments – including the game winning assist to Zardes vs a very good Qatar team – but he’s also just not there to be a #9 just yet. He certainly hustles as much as anyone on the field. I suspect it will be Josh Stewart up front but I am sure excited to see a battle in that slot. Overall it’s a really exciting time to be a US Soccer fan. The men’s team is Back – just 1 month until World Cup Qualifying starts – and what I think will be a quarterfinals run in the next World Cup. The Golden Generation has arrived!
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids),
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
US edges Australia 4-3 in Bronze Medal Game
So the US ladies bounced back from their horrific loss to Canada by finally finding some offense in a 4-3 win over Australia. Coach A started Rapinoe, Press and Lloyd up front and they rewarded him with 2 goals each by Lloyd and Rapinoe. It was the first start for Rapinoe – and just like I said why she should have started all along – she scored and with humph. Her galicto from the corner spot was spectacular but not better than her off the volley strike from the top of the box on a miss clear by the kiwis. Its because she’s a big game player that I thought she should start the big games – coach A may have well loss the Gold Medal because he didn’t start her on that wing for the big games. Anyway – happy to see the US win the Bronze at least. No small feat – though this team was good enough to win the Gold and they know it. Interesting times ahead as the average age of this team was like 29 years old. This might be the last we see of Rapinoe, Lloyd, Heath, Saubruan, maybe even Alex Morgan who was 2 full steps behind this tourney. Its time to start working in more kids – the question is will Coach A be around to start that movement? I thought he was thoroughly outcoached this tournament – utterly unprepared for the Sweden debacle and not much better vs Canada or Australia. I don’t know who else they would turn to with just 2 years until the next World Cup. But the rest of the World is getting better – the US – We are getting older.
Congrats to Canada on the Gold Medal win – Carmel FC coaches Tom Baker and Carla Baker are Canadian and Coach Carla is a Canadian Hall of Fame Goalkeeper – so thrilled for them!!
GAMES ON TV
Saturday, Aug 7
7:30 am Men’s Olympic Finals – Brazil vs Spain (NBCSN)
9:30 am Beach Soccer – USA vs Japan (USA Network)
11 am Lyon (Weah) vs Brest French League 1 (beIN Sport)
12 noon Leicester City vs Man City Community Shield (ESPN+)
Sunday, Aug 8
8:30 am Fulham (Ream, Robinson) vs Middlesbrough ESPN+
11:30 am Coventry vs Nottingham Forest (Horvath) ESPN+
“I don’t know,” Carli Lloyd said after the USWNT’s 1-0 upset loss to Canada in the semifinal. “I don’t know in this moment. It happens, you know? You can’t win them all.”
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Coach Vlatko Andonovski was at a similar loss on Monday, telling reporters, “I don’t really know,” before adding: “I guess we’re going to have to go back and dig a little deeper and find out what is it that didn’t go the way we wanted.” Without any clear-cut explanations for why a team that dominated its way through a World Cup two years ago suddenly looked so disjointed and ineffective at the Tokyo Olympics, plenty of outside theories have floated around.Here is a look at some of the top theories and our ratings (10=super likely, 1=unlikely) of how likely it is that each actually contributed to the USWNT’s loss:
The USWNT’s roster was too old: 5/10
It’s easy to look at the average age of the USWNT’s roster at the Olympics and point to that as the problem. All of the USWNT’s primary attackers are over the age of 30, except Lynn Williams, who is 28. The USWNT’s two biggest clutch players, Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe, who were heroes in previous tournaments, are 39 and 36, respectively, and both are clearly a step slower than they once were.But there’s other important context. First, being the oldest team in a tournament hasn’t hurt the USWNT before. The USWNT had the oldest squads at both the 2015 World Cup and the 2019 World Cup, and they won both. It’s lazy to say that a team isn’t good just because it’s old.More importantly, the USWNT’s problem in Japan wasn’t its older players. Did Lloyd and Rapinoe have good tournaments? No. But how do you explain, for instance, the uncharacteristic struggles of Samantha Mewis, the 28-year-old central midfielder who many analysts have considered to be the best player in the world?–
Basic execution of the soccer fundamentals — like dribbling and passing — was sloppy, and that happened all the way up and down the roster. As Rapinoe — the most honest and blunt player on the team — said after the tournament-opening Sweden loss, the U.S. was “doing dumb stuff, like not passing the ball, not trapping the ball.” After the loss to Canada, her assessment was nearly the same: “Too many errors from us, again. The space was there for us to play in, and we just couldn’t get into it — too many touches or an errant touch.”To be fair, the Olympics is a particularly grueling tournament because of how few rest days the IOC gives players between games. Having some younger players to take on more minutes and workload could have helped, but with more substitutions available than normal, Andonovski went out of his way to rest his players as much as possible. As Alex Morgan said, the USWNT had the freshest players in the tournament due to the rotations.Still, Andonovski may have found some benefit in bringing more younger players to the tournament — and then actually playing them — but it would’ve been less about their age than… (onto the next category…)
The selected players were too complacent: 7/10
When a team has won a World Cup in the unrelenting fashion the USWNT did in France in 2019, it would be tempting for any new coach to run it back. Andonovski already knew these players could succeed together in the pressure cooker of a major tournament, but what the USWNT seemed to lack more than pure fitness was desire.The players, of course, will tell you they wanted it. The veterans wanted to go out on top as they (likely) end their careers. The younger players wanted to win their first medal in an Olympics. Yet it’s hard not to notice that the one field player who had a standout performance in the entire tournament was Lynn Williams, who notched a goal and an assist against the Netherlands.Williams is playing in her first major tournament, one of the only players on the entire roster to do so. Under both Andonovski and previous coach Jill Ellis, Williams has not been the USWNT’s best attacking player — there’s a reason why she didn’t make any tournament rosters under Ellis and why she originally made the Olympic roster as an alternate — and yet she played in Japan like she had a lot more to prove than anyone else.That also raises the question of why a player like Catarina Macario didn’t have the chance to play a bigger role in the tournament, even as a substitute. She’s talented and has proved herself to be capable of competing at the highest level, but she was only named to one matchday squad (the 6-1 win over New Zealand). If Andonovski had told her he trusted her to take over a game and do her thing, could she have helped unlock an opponent like Canada, which wasn’t committing to attacking in that fateful semifinal? We’ll never know.With the Olympics being pushed back a year, Andonovski arguably had the time to break away from merely copying-and-pasting the World Cup roster and finding some players hungry to make their mark. At a minimum, it would’ve pushed the veterans harder as they fought to keep their spots going into the tournament, but it could’ve yielded some more dynamic options for Tokyo.
Andonovski rotated the starting line-ups too much: 10/10
In any tournament where a bunch of games are packed into a short period of time, a coach has one of two ways to approach it: consistency for the sake of chemistry, or rotation to keep the players fresh for each game. Andonovski clearly leaned toward rotation. Perhaps he was mindful of his roster’s age, or perhaps he just knew that playing a game every three days is a lot for players of any age.Rapinoe wondered after the semifinal if rotation was a problem but then dismissed it.”It just didn’t click for us,” Rapinoe said. “I don’t know if it was just roster rotations a lot. I know it’s a tough tournament, trying to save people. But our bench is deep as hell, so I don’t think we can really put it on that. I can’t quite put my finger on it; I’ve tried, I’ve been thinking about it the whole tournament. We just didn’t have that juice that we normally do.”If the concern about rotations is a drop-off in quality, Rapinoe was right to dismiss that. The substitutes for the USWNT are as good as its starters, and the USWNT never loses individual quality by rotating players. But as a collective, that’s a different story, and the USWNT’s biggest problem in Japan has seemed to be a lack of chemistry.While we can’t see what’s happening behind the scenes to build that chemistry, we do know that there wasn’t much consistency in games. Look no further than an unprecedented nine goals called offside throughout the tournament as tangible proof that the players just weren’t on the same page.”There was a lot of rotation, so in a way I think we had the freshest legs of any team,” Alex Morgan said after the semifinal. “But [other teams] also had the consistency in the line-ups. So that’s what you have to weigh in tournament like this. It’s very different than a World Cup. There were more substitutions than there’s ever been, so it’s very different.”It’s unclear if Morgan was hinting that the higher amount of allowed substitutions meant that less rotation should have been needed; it would have been a good point, too. With five substitutes, it probably wasn’t necessary to introduce five different starting line-ups in five games. If Andonovski had stuck to more consistent starting line-ups, he could have made better use of his substitutions to make sure impactful players were coming into games, instead of just taking players off for the sake of it.
The USWNT got too distracted by its lawsuit or politics: 0/10
Anyone who claims that the USWNT struggled in Japan because they were too distracted by social justice is someone who clearly does not watch the USWNT and has never watched the USWNT. These are people who should be laughed at or ignored.The USWNT has historically been one of the most dominant teams in sports, period, and they’ve done it all while constantly fighting for better treatment and better pay. Seriously, there’s a whole book about it, but you don’t even have to look back any further than the 2019 World Cup. The USWNT filed their equal pay lawsuit only months prior, Megan Rapinoe got into a fight with Donald Trump (which he started, for some reason), and both the USWNT and Rapinoe crushed their competition.The evidence is clear: the USWNT has won more tournaments while caring about social justice than not.
The USWNT didn’t lose enough before the Olympics: 7/10
Fans of the USWNT are very accustomed to winning. So accustomed, in fact, that a single loss is enough to set off calls to fire a coach, which has created a culture where it can be difficult for coaches to experiment and take the risks that result in losses.But losses are good. Jill Ellis has said that losing games before the 2015 World Cup allowed the team to win the trophy, and she thinks the USWNT probably wouldn’t have gone as far without those losses. It’s easy to see why, too: defeats force a hard self-examination of weaknesses and shake away any feelings of complacency.– Olympics medal tracker | ScheduleComing into the Olympics, Vlatko Andonovski had never lost a game with the USWNT, and the team was riding a 44-game unbeaten streak when it arrived in Japan. Where, then, was any serious introspection going to come from? What would have prompted players to look in the mirror and dig a little deeper? It appears the answer is that those things went missing in Japan.
The lack of crowds hurt the USWNT’s mentality: 6/10
Americans will follow the USWNT anywhere. During the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, Reims, a quaint city known for its champagne production and Gothic architecture, looked like an American resort town at the start of the tournament. As soon as the USWNT left, the throngs of traveling American fans did too, following the USWNT from city to city across France. The players admitted that every match in France, except the quarterfinal against France, felt like a home game.But no Americans have followed the USWNT to Japan.Due to the pandemic, the USWNT’s games have been mostly played in empty, dead-silent stadiums. The players have insisted it’s not a big deal — they’ve gotten used to it during the pandemic. But the truth is, if fans were allowed in Japan, no other non-host team would have as much support as the USWNT. It’s hard to measure the impact of it, but ask any athlete: fans add that extra push, and for the USWNT, that extra bit of swagger to put on a show.”With it being a major tournament without fans, we know that energy and everything is gonna come from us,” Rose Lavelle said during the group stage. “It comes from every single player and staff member, so that’s something we’ve been emphasizing too.”But it clearly hasn’t worked, and there’s no substitute for a stadium of mostly USWNT fans. The lack of fans may only be one piece of the psychological difficulty of the past 16 months during the pandemic, but it’s an important piece.
The world has ‘caught up’ to the USWNT: 4/10
If the question were whether there were other teams in Japan capable of beating the USWNT, then there is a 100% probability that it was a factor in the USWNT’s loss: teams like Sweden and the Netherlands were favorites, along with the USWNT, before the tournament even started. But if the question is whether the world has “caught up,” meaning the field has been somehow significantly more difficult than in years past, that’s a lot less likely.The fact is, women’s soccer has been growing at a rapid pace for several years now, and there have been very good teams capable of beating the USWNT all along. The 2019 Women’s World Cup was easily the most difficult in history — more teams looked like title contenders than ever — and just because the USWNT won it in impressive fashion, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t tough.Sure, it’s possible the USWNT’s failure to reach the gold-medal match in Tokyo will signal a new shift in women’s soccer where the USWNT never reaches a final again. But that seems highly improbable unless the USWNT disbands tomorrow.In truth, there are several teams that can win any major tournament, and that number is indeed growing, but the USWNT reaching a final is never a given. It wasn’t a given in 2016, when the USWNT got knocked out in the quarterfinal at the Rio Olympics, and it wasn’t a given in 1995, 2003 or 2007, when the USWNT didn’t reach the finals of those World Cups either.
The USWNT’s run wasn’t actually that terrible: 5/10
Looking at the USWNT’s performances, rather than the results, is certainly disheartening. By the players’ own admissions, they looked bad, both as a collective group and as individuals. For fans, the team on the field was unrecognizable at times.But reaching the final four of a major tournament isn’t terrible, all things considered. The USWNT has only failed to get that far once in the team’s entire history, and that was at the 2016 Olympics with a loss in the quarterfinal. That arguably puts the Tokyo Olympics in line with the USWNT’s expected results.”This was my eighth tournament, and they’ve all been different,” Lloyd said after the loss to Canada. “They’ve all had a different storyline, they’ve all started and finished in a different fashion, some have been pretty, some have been ugly and some we’ve just scraped by. This one, we didn’t get by.”It’s easy to forget that the USWNT won a World Cup in 2015 playing rough soccer for most of the tournament. The first few games looked so bad that pundits and former USWNT players were questioning why coach Jill Ellis hadn’t been fired already. The USWNT grew into its later games — something this team couldn’t do in Japan — but it was far from invincible.Sometimes in past tournaments, the ball seemed to bounce the USWNT’s way, even when they weren’t playing well. The USWNT had no such luck in this go-round, and sometimes luck makes all the difference.
Gold Cup review: U.S. Men win, Mexico woe and other tournament takeaways
Aug 3, 2021ESPN
The Gold Cup is complete, and after a topsy-turvy, 120-minute battle in Las Vegas on Sunday night, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. team walked away deserving winners over rivals Mexico and made it two trophies out of two attempts over their neighbors this summer, having won the CONCACAF Nations League at the beginning of June.
With the trophy won, the confetti swept away and the players slowly heading back to rejoin their club teams around the globe, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, Eric Gomez and Kyle Bonagura reflect on the tournament’s highs and lows, as well as wondering if it’s no longer just a competition for U.S. and Mexico to dominate.
Biggest takeaway from the competition?
Jeff Carlisle: The U.S. player pool is deeper than originally thought. Heading into the tournament, there were a lot of question marks about certain positions and while a few still linger — namely who is going to claim the starting striker spot — more questions were answered. Miles Robinson looks like a player who can be a real contributor at center-back. Kellyn Acosta is a solid backup for Tyler Adams in defensive midfield and given Adams’ difficulty with injuries, could very well be called upon to play. Goalkeeper Matt Turner can give Zack Steffen and Ethan Horvath a run for their money between the posts, too.
Berhalter also has the luxury of identifying players who can excel in “supersub” roles, be it a midfielder like Cristian Roldan or an outside-back like Shaq Moore. It all gives Berhalter something of a selection puzzle when it comes to naming a roster for World Cup qualifying, which begins in September, but he has many more options than he had before and that is a positive development.Eric Gomez: In the coming weeks and months, the generational shift will emerge as a huge talking point for both the United States and Mexico.
Several of Gregg Berhalter’s young champions, like Matthew Hoppe, Robinson and Turner have likely played themselves into the USMNT World Cup qualifying rotation after their stellar performances. On the other side, Mexico fans can only look on wistfully towards the under-23 team playing so well in Tokyo. They will rightfully wonder what their fortunes would have been like if the Olympic side had suited up instead of the groggy, aging group we saw throughout the Gold Cup.
Moving forward, it seems more and more like this summer served both teams as a long audition for qualifiers. The United States will revel in adding in players to their established mix of young stars, while Mexico will scramble to swap out pieces of an aging core.
Kyle Bonagura: From an American standpoint, the whole point of the roster construction was to identify players who could play roles during World Cup qualification and not only did goalkeeper Turner showcase he’s talented enough to be relied on, he made a strong case to be the No. 1 as well. Other players improved their stock, too, but because of the nature of the position — only one guy plays — it was Turner’s performance that could have the most impact on a first-choice starting XI.
Steffen has been viewed as the locked-in starter for a while now, but after Horvath came up clutch in the Nations League final and Turner’s run through the Gold Cup — the New England Revolution stopper didn’t allow a single goal from the run of play in six matches — Steffen’s standing should no longer be a given. Especially considering that when qualifying begins in September, Steffen will likely still be in a backup role at Manchester City, while Turner (and possibly Horvath) will have been getting consistent playing time.
Is anyone going to challenge the USA and Mexico moving forward?
Carlisle:Canada looks to be the team best-positioned to threaten the U.S./Mexico hegemony. The Reds had already made some noise in the CONCACAF Nations League when they defeated the U.S. at home. Then, they arrived at the Gold Cup without two of their best players (Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David) before being depleted further when forward Ayo Akinola went down with a torn ACL. And yet Canada pushed both Mexico and the U.S. to the limit, losing both matches by a single goal.Tajon Buchanan was already looking like an immense talent at the club level with the New England Revolution. Now he’s showing the same at international level. Stephen Eustaquio impressed, too. When Canada gets its full team together, it could prove formidable indeed.
Gomez: Canada is already there. As was the case with Mexico and the USMNT, Canada was without several of their biggest stars for the Gold Cup. However, they showed they’re deeper than ever and boast an electric group of young talent — Buchanan was a revelation, rightfully winning the tournament’s Best Young Player award — who will challenge to make their first World Cup since 1986.
Meanwhile, Central America is also experiencing a changing of the guard, yielding an interesting preview of what’s to come in World Cup qualifying. Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras have lost quite a bit of steam, while El Salvador was a welcome surprise under manager Hugo Perez. Beyond the three North American countries, La Selecta will challenge Jamaica for the playoff spot and make life difficult for every opponent along the way.
Bonagura: Even without its two best players, Canada advanced to the semifinal, where it had its chances to beat Mexico before losing at the death. So, the short answer is: yes. Canada is on the rise and will be a tough opponent for the United States and Mexico for years to come. Canada hasn’t qualified for the World Cup since 1986, in Mexico, and the expectation this cycle should be for that to change.There is lots of progress to be made, but this generation of Canadian players has the potential to change how Canadian soccer is viewed in CONCACAF and beyond.
Biggest surprise or biggest disappointment of the competition?
Carlisle: El Salvador is another team that looks like it is moving in the right direction. Manager Perez — a former U.S. international, mind you — not only has Los Cuscatlecos more organized, but taking more risks as well, and to good effect. El Salvador was another team that provided a difficult test to not only Mexico, but also reigning Asian champions, Qatar. El Salvador won’t be a pushover by any means when the Octagonal begins in September.
In terms of disappointment, while Costa Rica claimed top spot in their group with three wins, it looks like a team caught between generations, and were soundly beaten by Canada in the quarterfinals. How long can players like Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz carry the load? The start of World Cup qualifying should give us an answer.
Gomez: Tata Martino. After losing the Nations League final to the United States in June, Mexico’s manager found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. Knowing his player pool would be diminished as the under-23 team played the Olympics, Martino felt pressure for the first time in his stint as El Tri manager.Whereas the United States opted to rest all of its main talents, Martino felt he needed to bring as strong a team as he could to the Gold Cup to make up for his previous loss and risk further fatigue. The result was predictable. The Gold Cup is already as near to a zero-sum competition as there is for Mexico, and after Hirving Lozano went down with injury during the tournament’s opening game, even more pressure was mounted on the Argentine coach to deliver a trophy, which ultimately never came.Bonagura: Costa Rica might have gone 3-0 to win its group, but at no point during the tournament did it look like a team capable of making a threatening run in the knockout stages. The 2-0 loss to Canada in the quarterfinals was not an upset by any stretch.Part of Costa Rica’s uninspiring showing can probably be chalked up to introducing a new coach without any time to prepare, but it’s hard to look at the aging roster and come up with many good reasons to expect things to improve significantly in qualifying. This is a country that reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2014 and is but a shadow of what it once was.
Player who impressed you the most?
Carlisle: Miles Robinson. The U.S. center-back should have been named the player of the tournament. (That honor went to Mexico’s Hector Herrera instead.) Not that it matters that much to him as he’ll gladly settle for being part of the Gold Cup championship team, but Robinson was dominant in every game, putting out constant fires and delivering composure on the ball.In the final, Robinson even showed off his ability to carry the ball forward into the attack. And he was central to a U.S. defense that conceded but one goal — a penalty kick, at that — the entire tournament.Will it be enough to break into the U.S. starting lineup? There is an open slot alongside John Brooks, and Robinson’s mobility could make him an ideal replacement for the injured Aaron Long. There is competition as well, though, and Mark McKenzie and Matt Miazga won’t give up without a fight, but Robinson’s emergence was the most positive development for the U.S. in the Gold Cup.
Gomez: While Canada’s Buchanan was spectacular throughout the Gold Cup, Qatar’s Almoez Ali continued his prolific run with his national team, raising many eyebrows along the way.
The 24-year-old striker won the competition’s Golden Boot award and displayed a mix of speed and skill that enthralled observers and rankled defenders throughout. Ali walks away as the only player to win the top scorer award at both the Asian Cup and CONCACAF’s premier national team competition.Lastly, it would be a glaring omission not to talk about Turner’s amazing goalkeeping throughout the Americans’ title run. Especially in the knockout stages, the New England Revolution man looked unbeatable. He’ll definitely remain at the top of Berhalter’s list for any game where Manchester City’s Steffen is unavailable.Bonagura: Setting Turner aside, I think there are two players who really played their way into the United States’ World Cup qualifying conversation: Matthew Hoppe and Robinson. Robinson was deserving of Player of the Tournament honors by being the guy we see regularly in MLS and Berhalter likely comes away from the last month with confidence he can slot him next to Brooks.With that understood, I found myself more impressed by Hoppe. Not because he was more impactful than Robinson, but because we got to see a version of him that didn’t get to regularly emerge at Schalke. While breaking through as a 19-year-old in the Bundesliga was impressive, it was tough to get a good read on how he could potentially fit into the USMNT because Schalke was truly horrific. Their basic inability to progress the ball with any regularity rendered him obsolete more often than not.In the Gold Cup, Hoppe’s confidence and willingness to take people on stood out, and he’s earned a spot this fall.
Berhalter’s USMNT “C team” made the C stand for champions
It didn’t matter much that we had known for months what Gregg Berhalter was planning to do with the rosters for the Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup. The complaints still came when his experimental squad for the Gold Cup was unveiled.
The immediate complaint was that it made little sense to call in what was seen as a USMNT C team, especially with Mexico announcing a close to full-strength team, complete with European-based stars Hirving Lozano, Hector Herrera and Edson Alvarez.
Berhalter and the team never bought into the idea that this American team was a C team — with a B team presumably consisting of those European-based players who didn’t make the cut for Nations League and had their clubs balk at a Gold Cup call — but as it turns out it actually was a C team, only the C stands for champion.
Berhalter took a team loaded with players who had never competed in an international tournament and made them believers. He gave youngsters prominent roles and let them battle through adversity, and he convinced the veterans on the squad to buy into what he was doing.
The result was a tournament run few could have envisioned when that roster was first revealed, which was understandable because few could have seen so many players blowing away expectations.
Followers of MLS already knew Miles Robinson was a quality defender, but few were aware he had the talent to be a USMNT starter. Now they know.
Matt Turner had been the subject of plenty of buzz in MLS in recent years, but for non-MLS followers, the Gold Cup was the first chance to see a player some believe can challenge Zack Steffen for the first-choice goalkeeper role. That idea sounds far less crazy than it did a month ago.
Kellyn Acosta had already provided a tease of his impressive ability in the Nations League final, and carried that momentum into the Gold Cup, where he silenced any lingering questions about which player is the best option as Tyler Adams’ backup in the defensive midfield role.
Even fewer non-MLS followers were aware that James Sands was such a poised and technically-gifted central defender at the age of 20, and now they are aware that he is legit and a real threat to make the World Cup qualifying roster.
USMNT fans who follow Americans Abroad closely were already aware of Matthew Hoppe after his breakout season with Schalke, but the full fanbase hadn’t had a chance to see him up close, and now they know he is a legitimate and versatile attacking threat.
Those are just some of the players who fully embraced the opportunity presented by Berhalter, and rewarded him with tournaments that not only led to a trophy, and precious win against Mexico, but also leaves their coach feeling that much better about the depth of his player pool.
That as, after all, the main goal of the Gold Cup, because there is nothing more important to the USMNT program than ensuring a successful World Cup qualifying campaign, and Berhalter saw the tournament as a chance to identify and develop some new options.
That is where the ‘house money’ theme was born, because no matter what happened in Sunday’s final, Berhalter would be heading home with the knowledge he had found several players that had proven their mettle and worthiness to be included on the World Cup qualifying squad.
Berhalter wasn’t satisfied though. He believed his team had come together in a way that beating Mexico wasn’t impossible, and after leading a full-strength USMNT to a dramatic win over El Tri in June, Berhalter had detailed knowledge of Mexico’s strengths and weaknesses.
That is what led the USMNT to high-press Mexico at every opportunity, never letting El Tri get comfortable, and consistently testing Mexico’s own transition defense with consistently quick counterattacks.
Mexico still had its chances, and might have grabbed a first-half lead if not for Matt Turner’s heroics and the stellar play of Robinson and James Sands in central defense, and if not for some poor finishing by Mexico, but there was a feeling that when the halftime whistle blew one team looked rattled and one team looked energized.
Make no mistake, Mexico’s players felt the pressure of winning a final they were expected to win easily, and the pressure of doing so in a sold-out stadium where close to 90 percent of the fans in attendance were urging them on.
That it was the USMNT that kept pushing the issue late in the match and in extra time, and the Americans who finished strong despite facing a more accomplished collection of players, makes Sunday’s loss all the more bitter for Mexico and head coach Tata Martino, who has to deal with the ignominy of being the first El Tri coach to lose back-to-back finals to the United States.
While Martino suddenly finds himself no longer enjoying his honeymoon period as Mexico coach, Berhalter celebrated his birthday on Sunday with his second trophy of the summer, bragging rights over the coach some fans had wished was hired instead of him, and with another group of players riding the confidence boost that comes with winning an international trophy.
It’s a safe bet Berhalter and his team will enjoy celebrating their title in Las Vegas, before going back to their respective teams, while Berhalter prepares for his biggest challenge, qualifying for the World Cup.
Even with two trophies on the mantle, and two wins over Mexico, Berhalter knows that none of that will matter if he doesn’t lead the USMNT through a successful — and impressive — World Cup qualifying campaign.
After Sunday’s win, and after his work turning a “C team” into champions, there is a lot more reason to believe Berhalter is up to the task.
7/31 US Men vs Mexico Gold Cup Final – Sunday 8:30 pm FS1, USA Women Win in PKs face Canada Mon 4 am on USA
US Men vs Mexico GOLD CUP FINAL Sunday 8:30 pm FS1
WOW the 2nd half of the US 1-0 win over Qatar was fabulous full highlights. The 85th minute goal by sub Zardes from sub Giochinni had been building up for the 20 minutes prior to the goal as Berhalter’s subs we spot on. Roldan, Cannon and Zardes really made a difference in the final 20 minutes of the game as they put huge pressure on the Asian Cup Champions. Listen this Qatar team is good – the best team in Asia – winners of the Asian Cup 2 years ago – tons of experience – the leading scorers and assist men in the Gold Cup. But when Qatar missed the PK early in the 2nd half – the young US team grew up and found a way to win it. GK Matt Turner stood on his head and kept the US in the game – in the first half with 3 SPECTACULAR Saves – as the US gave up way too many shots in the first half. (He’s making his bid to put the pressure on Coach to consider him as a starter come Qualifying time especially if he can keep the US in the game vs Mexico. (Listen Turner starts and plays 90 minutes every game for New England – so having him start over 2 guys sitting on the bench in Horvath and Steffan may not be so crazy). But back to this game – I thought Hoppe was good again tonight in his 75 minutes along with Sam Vines at left back. Dike, and Arriola just didn’t work up top. Hopefully Dike is hurt – because he did not look good. (I love that Coach B started him again because he’s giving his young guys chances to get better- but he’s simply not ready yet.) Zardes was great off the bench along with Giochinni – both might deserve starts vs Mexico or perhaps Hoppe at the #9. For the US this was the youngest/least capped team to ever start a Gold Cup knockout game – much less a Semi-Final with a berth vs Mexico on the line.
Now can this team beat Mexico? Wow – Mexico brought their A team and coach Tata Martino is under a lot of pressure right now – honestly if he loses – they might fire him. I think Mexico has too much against our very young B/C team but Canada took them to the wire Thurs night when Mexico needed a 99th minute goal to win 2-1. Full highlights If the US can keep it close – 2-1 loss maybe? That would be huge – and if Matt Turner stands on his head in Vegas – in what will be a 70/30 Mexican ROAD GAME then Berhalter will have really proven he’s making some serious progress on building the US program back up. Remember the US has not lost on US soil in 13 games – but this will be THE BIGGEST test especially without our European starters. Either way – I am fully back on board – this young, exciting US Men’s team deserves your time, deserves you buying back in again !! Go USA !! Oh and by the way tickets will be on sale soon for US Men Qualifying games in Columbus Oct 13 vs Costa Rica (Anyone wanna roadtrip??) and in Cincinnati vs Mexico on November 12. Interesting to see the US Men putting their opinion out regarding the equal pay argument as they support the US ladies.
Here’s my starting line-up for Sunday night vs Mexico I like Mexico 2-1 (refs will give Mexico a PK)
Zardes
Hoppe //Arriola
Lletget //Williams
Acosta
Vines/Robinson/Sands/Cannon
Matt Turner
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids),
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
US Ladies vs Canada USA Network Mon 4 am Semi-Finals
Thank goodness I was wrong – I thought the Dutch would beat us 3-2 and in the 85th minute I looked to be right as the Netherlands got a PK. But US GK Alyssa Naeher proved once again that she is probably the least respected yet one of the best Goalkeepers in the world. She dove and made the save to keep it tied. GK Naeher Saves US vs Netherlands Then as the US went to penalties – she did it again saving the first against the leading scorer in this game and this tournament Dutch’s Vivianne Miedema before making the 3rd save sending the US into the Semi-Final against Canada who also won on penalties. Coach A surprised everyone by starting winger Lynn Williams, the 2nd leading scorer in NWSL history, on the right side and sending Heath to the left with Lloyd up top. The combo was effective as Williams scored the Brace in her first legit action in this tourney. (She’s been injured some). The Dutch were lethal most of the game peppering Naeher from all over the field. Miedema (10 goals) scored two goals as she bossed America’s center backs Sauerbrunn and especially Dahlkemper most of the night. Dunn was strong defensively in helping especially in the 2nd half when the game really opened up. Coach A may have been thinking PKs as he sat some of our top scorers – as subs Morgan, Press and Rapino all scored from the spot to close out the game. I don’t think Canada is as good as the Netherlands – but this is still a huge game with Sweden probably waiting in the Gold Medal game.
About Canada – They got out of their group with a win (Chile) and two draws (Great Britain and Japan), and then played a goalless 120 minutes with Brazil before besting them in the shootout. We most recently faced them back in February in the SheBelieves Cup, winning 1-0 c/o Rose Lavelle. That match didn’t feature Christine Sinclair, the all time leading scorer in the known universe. This one very likely will. Three of her 187 goals for Canada came in the 2012 Olympics semifinal match, which … well, if tomorrow’s match is half as nuts as that one was, it’ll be a classic. Win, and we play Sweden or Australia again for the gold. Lose, and we play Sweden or Australia again for the bronze.
Here’s the team I would send out if I were coach A against Canada Monday morning. Dahlkemper really struggled – she has to come out this game. I like getting Press back into the starting line-up and giving Williams a shot up top – she’s plays the 9 for her club and maybe she’ll actually stay onsides unlike Morgan and Lloyd. (The US had 2 more goals called back on offsides for an Olympic Record 9 goals wiped out to the flag.)
Announcer Arlo White was classic when he said – the Americans would like to get their HANDS ON THAT FLAG – man he’s good!! Horan needs a rest at mid and Kristie Mewis deserves a run along with Lavelle in the middle.
My Starting Line-Up Monday – US Wins a tight one 2-1
MIDFIELDERS (5): Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Catarina Macario (Lyon),
FORWARDS (5): Tobin Heath (Unattached), Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Unattached), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
Olympics Local Ties
Lori Lindsey – a former US National Team Midfielder who is an Indiana Native and former Pike High School star who went to UVA has done a great job as an analyst on NBCSN for the Women’s Olympic Coverage. Lori’s the blond with short hair giving us the half-time updates and occasionally serving as analyst on the non US ladies games. Cool to see !!
US Men Sunday – 8:30 pm vs MEXICO FS1 Gold Cup FINALS
LAS VEGAS — When the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico meet in Sunday’s 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, it will be the second time in 56 days that the longtime rivals have faced each other with a continental title on the line. And yet the two matches could not be more different in terms of the relative stakes involved.Back on June 6, the sides met in the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League final, and it was the U.S. in desperate need of a win because, for the entirety of manager Gregg Berhalter’s tenure, there had yet to be a victory that confirmed that the team was back on an upward trajectory. A statement was needed, not only to generate some confidence in the coach’s methods but also to give this generation of players something tangible to go with its undeniable talent. And, regardless of the wild sequence of events that took place during the game, the collective group stepped up, absorbed the pressure — and a bottle or two to the head — to ultimately walk away with a 3-2 win after extra time.As for Mexico, while the loss stung — they always do against the U.S. — there was a belief that Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s men had played well enough to win, having led twice and with the chance to make it 3-3 but for Ethan Horvath to save Andres Guardado‘s penalty. As it stood, El Tri would be back to fight another day. So what has changed heading into Sunday’s encounter at Allegiant Stadium? In a word: expectations.
The U.S. came into this tournament with an intentionally youthful, inexperienced roster, with one fundamental reason the desire to give presumptive first-team regulars — Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Giovanni Reyna and others — rest ahead of what is expected to be a busy season for both club and country.But there was also a need to get a better idea of how impactful up-and-coming members of the player pool could be at the international level. This is especially important given that triple-fixture windows dot the horizon for World Cup qualifying, which begins in September, and depth will be tested.Expectation-wise, this left the U.S. in a bit of a conundrum. Berhalter has said from the beginning that the goal was to win the tournament, regardless of roster construction. And yet there have been times when the team’s youth has been trotted out as an explanation for shaky performances.
A 1-0 group-stage win against Canada, who had a slight edge in experience but also fielded some new faces in the absence of stars such as Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, was seen as a case in point, yet it was not so much the young players who let the U.S. down that day but rather veterans who did not step up.In Thursday’s semifinal win, Qatar looked a cut above in the first half but were unable to find a way past the impressive Matt Turner in goal, which allowed the Americans to rally late in the game and seal victory through an all-important Gyasi Zardes goal.That this U.S. squad has reached the final speaks well of its ability to adapt, grow and grind out results. Moreover, while injuries to the likes of defender Walker Zimmerman, midfielder Paul Arriola and defender Reggie Cannon have limited options, they have also given Berhalter data points on players like Shaq Moore, Miles Robinson, James Sands and Matthew Hoppe.Given those developments, the U.S. would seem to be playing with house money on Sunday, although Berhalter denied that was the case in his pregame press conference. Its objectives have largely been achieved and little is expected against the pre-tournament favorite. Yet Berhalter wants his side to be greedy and finish the job.
“We’re not done, and that was the message to the team,” the U.S. coach said after the semifinal. “It’s nice to make the final, but we want to win the final. Our No. 1 goal is to win the Gold Cup. We said that before the Gold Cup, and we’ll say it again.”By contrast, the stakes for Mexico could not be more different. This is a game it dare not lose, even if it almost cannot win; beating a short-handed U.S. team to claim a 12th Gold Cup title would prove little, even if there are a players absent like Raul Jimenez and Hirving Lozano.But in the event of defeat, pressure would increase and doubts would be raised heading into World Cup qualifying. Would it even be enough to cost Martino his job?There has certainly been that impulse at times in the past, but the tenure of predecessor Juan Carlos Osorio is instructive. The Mexico Football Federation stuck by him after a 7-0 thrashing by Chile in the 2016 Copa America Centenario quarterfinals, and that patience and emphasis on stability was rewarded with World Cup qualification and a famous victory over holders Germany in Russia.This Mexico team has found a way to get results, even if the actual play has sometimes fallen short of its lofty standards. Jonathan dos Santos has been rallied around following the death of his father, and one would expect that its experience edge all over the field, but especially in a midfield led by Hector Herrera, will tell at some point.Berhalter noted how poor his side was in terms of winning duels against Qatar, with just 42.7%, while the tackle success was even worse at 30%. If that happens again, the likes of Rogelio Funes Mori should benefit and make it a long night for a back line that has performed so well.But the very nature of this long-standing rivalry means that another drama-filled chapter seems inevitable. Given the mental fortitude shown over the past few weeks by the U.S., as well as the must-win nature of the game for Mexico, expect another compelling encounter.
USA vs Mexico, 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup final: What to watch for
The two regional titans meet for another trophy.By Brendan Joseph Aug 1, 2021, 10:07am
The United States Men’s National Team has the opportunity to win a second trophy this summer, progressing to the final of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Once again, the opponent is Mexico, which Gregg Berhalter and an almost wholly different roster dispatched in June’s Nations League championship. The rivalry is renewed one again at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, the last remaining test in advance of World Cup qualifying.Neither team has looked completely convincing during the competition, an understandable state considering the squads range from the C+ to B+ range. The struggles have provided the opportunity for both managers to discover and integrate depth options, mild experimentation that should continue into the final. However, this is still the United States versus Mexico, with all of the elevated tensions expected from such a fixture. Both programs would receive a slight boost from winning this Gold Cup, although perhaps El Tri manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino would face more criticism after a second consecutive defeat.“We are calm to be in one more final,” the Argentine said in his press conference. “It is what always has to happen with Mexico and more because we know that it is not easy despite the favoritism. We are going to face the United States team. We have the United States jersey in front of us in another final and we will seek to win it.”
What To Watch For
Limit defensive mistakes. Playing in possession is always a risk, with harsh lessons ideally learned in less meaningful matches. The USMNT back line has made a few catastrophic mistakes in the defensive third. Opponents have thus far been unable to take advantage, failing to get past goalkeeper Matt Turner during the run of play. Mexico’s attackers, which includes elusive target man Rogelio Funes Mori, will not be as forgiving.
Keep pace. Outside of the rout against Martinique, there is a paucity of goals. Striker Daryl Dike appears to have hit a mild cold streak relative to his high standards and could probably use a break. If Mexico scores multiple times, the USMNT might not be able to keep pace. The team that finds the back of the net first will probably win.
Fullbacks will be tested. Sam Vines and Shaq Moore have been two of the better USMNT players at this competition, likely solidifying inclusion on future rosters. Both have been involved in the build-up while helping to put out defensive fires, although the occasional opponent counter attack has outpaced their arrival. This final presents their greatest test, as wingers Jesús Corona and Orbelín Pineda play high up the field and cut inside, making space for additional raids from overlapping fullbacks. The American defenders may be instructed to commit fewer runs forward, in turn limiting their influence in possession.
Lineup prediction
Berhalter has some interesting choices to make, particularly in light of recent results. The attacking group has experienced the most rotation throughout the competition, although the same lineup featured in both knockout round matches. Expect the same team except for a major change up top.
Predicted Lineup vs. Mexico (via LineupBuilder.com)
There is no sense in making any great alterations to the defense this late in the competition. Matt Turner has likely cemented himself as the permanent back-up or third choice at goalkeeper. The back line has continued to put in “bend but don’t break” performances, looking to see out one last match.The midfield could experience some changes, but Berhalter appears to have settled on this three as his preferred group. Mexico’s press will challenge Gianluca Busio, looking to force the young player into bad decisions. If the manager chooses to go with a more aggressive option, Cristian Roldan is available and put in an impressive performance against Qatar.The wingers appear established, as Paul Arriola overcame an injury and Matthew Hoppe displays intriguing positional versatility. After scoring the game-winning goal against Qatar, Gyasi Zardes could be rewarded with a spot in the starting lineup. Dike struggled to score outside of his brace against Martinique, possibly forcing Berhalter to instead select the veteran. Both players will likely feature, but the decision of which would serve as the greater impact substitution could wield the greatest influence over the result.
Prediction
The already precarious USMNT defensive depth was further stretched by the injury to Walker Zimmerman. James Sands has performed admirably, even stepping into a four-player back line against Qatar. Unfortunately for this group, Mexico simply has more talent and experience on the roster, handing Berhalter a 3-1 loss.
Gyasi Zardes rewards Gregg Berhalter’s faith, wins Gold Cup semifinal for USMNT
LAS VEGAS — When the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico meet in Sunday’s 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, it will be the second time in 56 days that the longtime rivals have faced each other with a continental title on the line. And yet the two matches could not be more different in terms of the relative stakes involved.Back on June 6, the sides met in the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League final, and it was the U.S. in desperate need of a win because, for the entirety of manager Gregg Berhalter’s tenure, there had yet to be a victory that confirmed that the team was back on an upward trajectory. A statement was needed, not only to generate some confidence in the coach’s methods but also to give this generation of players something tangible to go with its undeniable talent. And, regardless of the wild sequence of events that took place during the game, the collective group stepped up, absorbed the pressure — and a bottle or two to the head — to ultimately walk away with a 3-2 win after extra time.As for Mexico, while the loss stung — they always do against the U.S. — there was a belief that Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s men had played well enough to win, having led twice and with the chance to make it 3-3 but for Ethan Horvath to save Andres Guardado‘s penalty. As it stood, El Tri would be back to fight another day. So what has changed heading into Sunday’s encounter at Allegiant Stadium? In a word: expectations.
The U.S. came into this tournament with an intentionally youthful, inexperienced roster, with one fundamental reason the desire to give presumptive first-team regulars — Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Giovanni Reyna and others — rest ahead of what is expected to be a busy season for both club and country.But there was also a need to get a better idea of how impactful up-and-coming members of the player pool could be at the international level. This is especially important given that triple-fixture windows dot the horizon for World Cup qualifying, which begins in September, and depth will be tested.Expectation-wise, this left the U.S. in a bit of a conundrum. Berhalter has said from the beginning that the goal was to win the tournament, regardless of roster construction. And yet there have been times when the team’s youth has been trotted out as an explanation for shaky performances.
A 1-0 group-stage win against Canada, who had a slight edge in experience but also fielded some new faces in the absence of stars such as Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, was seen as a case in point, yet it was not so much the young players who let the U.S. down that day but rather veterans who did not step up.In Thursday’s semifinal win, Qatar looked a cut above in the first half but were unable to find a way past the impressive Matt Turner in goal, which allowed the Americans to rally late in the game and seal victory through an all-important Gyasi Zardes goal.That this U.S. squad has reached the final speaks well of its ability to adapt, grow and grind out results. Moreover, while injuries to the likes of defender Walker Zimmerman, midfielder Paul Arriola and defender Reggie Cannon have limited options, they have also given Berhalter data points on players like Shaq Moore, Miles Robinson, James Sands and Matthew Hoppe.Given those developments, the U.S. would seem to be playing with house money on Sunday, although Berhalter denied that was the case in his pregame press conference. Its objectives have largely been achieved and little is expected against the pre-tournament favorite. Yet Berhalter wants his side to be greedy and finish the job.
“We’re not done, and that was the message to the team,” the U.S. coach said after the semifinal. “It’s nice to make the final, but we want to win the final. Our No. 1 goal is to win the Gold Cup. We said that before the Gold Cup, and we’ll say it again.”By contrast, the stakes for Mexico could not be more different. This is a game it dare not lose, even if it almost cannot win; beating a short-handed U.S. team to claim a 12th Gold Cup title would prove little, even if there are a players absent like Raul Jimenez and Hirving Lozano.But in the event of defeat, pressure would increase and doubts would be raised heading into World Cup qualifying. Would it even be enough to cost Martino his job?There has certainly been that impulse at times in the past, but the tenure of predecessor Juan Carlos Osorio is instructive. The Mexico Football Federation stuck by him after a 7-0 thrashing by Chile in the 2016 Copa America Centenario quarterfinals, and that patience and emphasis on stability was rewarded with World Cup qualification and a famous victory over holders Germany in Russia.This Mexico team has found a way to get results, even if the actual play has sometimes fallen short of its lofty standards. Jonathan dos Santos has been rallied around following the death of his father, and one would expect that its experience edge all over the field, but especially in a midfield led by Hector Herrera, will tell at some point. Berhalter noted how poor his side was in terms of winning duels against Qatar, with just 42.7%, while the tackle success was even worse at 30%. If that happens again, the likes of Rogelio Funes Mori should benefit and make it a long night for a back line that has performed so well.But the very nature of this long-standing rivalry means that another drama-filled chapter seems inevitable. Given the mental fortitude shown over the past few weeks by the U.S., as well as the must-win nature of the game for Mexico, expect another compelling encounter.
USWNT won’t get reprieve vs. Canada in Olympic semifinals: Why this could be another classic in the rivalry
ESPNFC Caitlin Murray
After the U.S. women’s national team eked past the Netherlands, the reigning champions of Europe, following a grueling 120-minute slugfest and penalty shootout, it would be tempting to see Monday’s semifinal against Canada (4 a.m. ET) as a chance to take things easier. After getting clobbered by Sweden and landing in arguably the toughest quarterfinal of the Tokyo Olympics, Canada is the USWNT’s reward, right?
Not so fast. “This is probably going to be our hardest game: We know that, and we are preparing for it that way,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said Sunday. “It’s a semifinal — it’s four of the best teams in the world,” he added. “Regardless of who plays who, it will be a difficult game.”Whether Andonovski really feels that way deep down or not — cynics will surely doubt it — the U.S. ought to know better than to write Canada off. Here is a look at the history of these two teams, and why Monday’s semifinal could be an explosive one:
Could this be another Olympic classic?
It would be difficult to top the excitement of the USWNT’s quarterfinal match over the Netherlands, but the semifinal against Canada surely has the potential, especially considering what happened the last time these two sides faced off in an Olympics.If you’ve never seen the 2012 Olympic semifinal, then do yourself a favor and avoid spoilers, set aside 2½ hours, and go watch it. If you need your memory jogged: that was the wild back-and-forth shootout where Christine Sinclair scored a hat trick and the USWNT somehow came back three times to win 4-3. Alex Morgan scored the game-winner at the last possible moment in the 123rd minute.That match holds firm as a testament to the USWNT’s tenacity and never-say-die attitude, but it’s also the moment where Canada asserted itself as a top-tier team on the global stage. At the time, it was a bit of a shock to see the Canadians giving the Americans such a battle, but the Canadians earned a bronze medal in 2012, and then earned bronze again in 2016.”In 2012, we were kind of on a hope and on a prayer,” Canadian veteran Desiree Scott said Sunday. “We were hoping we could get to that match, but now we truly believe in ourselves and what we can do on a soccer pitch, and we believe we can get to that gold medal game.”What is perhaps most memorable about that 2012 semifinal at Old Trafford is the way Abby Wambach loudly counted into the ear of the Norwegian referee every time Canada’s goalkeeper, Erin McLeod, held the ball. After McLeod had been warned about time-wasting at halftime — there is a six-second limit on goalkeepers holding the ball that referees almost never enforce — Wambach counted to 10 and the referee blew her whistle, awarding an indirect free kick at the spot McLeod was standing. On the unusually close free-kick inside the box, the referee then called a Canadian defender for a handball, allowing Wambach to score a crucial penalty.As far as USWNT wins go, it was a messy one, but it was thanks in large part due to the gamesmanship and shamelessness of Wambach to needle the referee. That ref has never officiated in another major tournament since, but does the USWNT have another player like Wambach, willing to be a pest and do whatever it takes to win?The players have credited defender Kelley O’Hara as being the one who brings out the most aggression on the field — “I think we could all hear her voice the whole game,” Rose Lavelle said, as if she was putting it as politely as she could, after the U.S. beat New Zealand. O’Hara was also the one who gave a post-Sweden pep talk about being “absolutely ruthless” going forward.Then there’s Megan Rapinoe. Given her performances so far in Japan, it seems unlikely she will reprise her heroic role from 2012, but maybe she’ll dazzle for old time’s sake.The flagship game of Rapinoe’s career will surely be the quarterfinal against France at the 2019 Women’s World Cup — when the president of the United States tries to pick a fight with you and you then score two goals to shut him up, it’s hard to argue otherwise — but her 2012 Olympic semifinal against Canada is runner-up. She scored a pair of sensational goals, including an olimpico (at an Olympics!), and was an all-around menace to Canada.Another unforgettable aspect of that game? Canada’s brutal physicality, which included a pre-VAR incident of Melissa Tancredi stomping on Carli Lloyd’s head after she got taken out on a set piece.Canada’s game plan was pretty clear: do everything possible to disrupt the USWNT so they get frustrated and can’t get into an attacking rhythm. Monday’s semifinal will probably be a bruising affair again, but Canada is also plenty capable of bringing some extra sophistication.”Our team is completely different now,” Scott said compared to 2012. “We’ve developed as a program and the brand of soccer that we play has evolved. Now we’re an attacking threat: we’re not just that defensive Canadian grit.”
The one-sided rivalry due for a revival
The thing about that previous USA-Canada game is that it was the first time in the past 20 years the North American rivalry between these two teams has really felt real. That’s because Canada hasn’t beaten the United States since 2001. In their last 36 meetings, the USWNT won 30 of them and tied in six.As far as Canadians are concerned, the USWNT’s win at the 2012 Olympics deserves an asterisk because of the bizarre refereeing, and they are right. But at times it’s felt like optimism has fueled the rivalry. To wit, after Canada lost to the U.S. in 2019 Women’s World Cup qualifying, then-coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller was asked what it would take to close the gap with the Americans. His answer? “There is no gap.” He offered no further explanation.Ever since 2012, however, Canada has been firmly on the rise. In addition to their bronze medals at the last two Olympics, they reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup and the knockout stage of the 2019 edition after back-to-back group stage exits before that. Even if Canada covets the rivalry a bit more than the Americans do, it doesn’t matter — if one team plays like it’s a rivalry, the other one will have to follow suit.”It’s easy to get up for it because of the rivalry,” USWNT defender Casey Krueger said Sunday. “We know that they are going to bring their best and we have to do the same.”Although the Americans have comfortably had the upper hand in this rivalry and are the favorites heading into Monday’s semifinal, tournament soccer is often different, and Canada in particular has seemed to learn how to step it up on the world stage. The USWNT has played Canada more than any other team in history, and while that could be an advantage for the U.S., it’s certainly an advantage for the Canadians too.Canada’s coach, Bev Priestman, said that she, a non-Canadian, is more motivated by the last time the U.S. faced her team. In February, the U.S. barely eked out a 1-0 win after a tight match in which Canada did well to cut off the Americans’ chances for most of the game.”I do see the same opportunities available that we’d seen in February, so I’m excited,” Priestman said. “We have some freshness in areas where they don’t, which is critical in a game like this. The Canadian-U.S. rivalry is there — I don’t need to even talk about it, it’s a given. But more importantly, when you talk about having a strong vision and that driving everything, this is the game that changes the color of the medal.”There’s one more thing that stands out about that 2012 semifinal, and it’s the sheer brilliance of Christine Sinclair. She put the Canadian team on her back, scoring three goals while the supporting cast around her wasn’t nearly as talented.That’s still a bit of a future worry for this Canada team: once 38-year-old Sinclair retires, will the goals still come as often? The team does have quality attackers in Janine Beckie and Nichelle Prince, with fullbacks Ashley Lawrence and Alysha Chapman also adding attacking threat when they bomb forward. But Sinclair is irreplaceable.No man or no woman has scored more international goals on the planet than Christine Sinclair, who now boasts 187 goals for Canada. (She’s also two shy of tying Christiane’s record for the most goals in women’s Olympic play.) But crucially, Sinclair isn’t just a goal-scorer — she is the glue of the attack. It’s easy to see in Portland, where she plays for the Thorns, in the middle of the field: her vision for distribution is impeccable, she’s excellent at keeping possession in transition, and she sets up her teammates as much as she scores herself.The USWNT will need to limit Sinclair’s impact, in whatever form it comes. If not, Sinclair, who may be playing in her last Olympics, could be playing for a gold medal to cap off her international career.
USWNT’s Rose Lavelle on Alyssa Naeher’s Tokyo 2020 heroics: No one else I’d rather have in the net
“There’s no one else I’d rather have in the net than her,” Lavelle said. “She’s saved us so many times.”Netherlands were awarded a penalty on 80 minutes when Lineth Beerensteyn was brought down by Kelley O’Hara in the box. Martens stepped up to take the spot-kick but was denied by Naeher.The Chicago Red Stars keeper then saved two penalties from Vivianne Miedema and Aniek Nouwen to see the USWNT go through, 42, to the semifinal, where they will face Canada.”This team just kept pushing for 90 minutes, 120 minutes, and we just kept believing that we were going to find a way to get it done,” Naeher said. “Very proud of the four players to step up and score their four penalties to go four-for-four. That is huge.”Lavelle, Alex Morgan, Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe scored the USWNT’s penalties.”I just try to be calm,” Rapinoe said after the game. “I say to myself, the worst that’s going to happen is that we lose the whole thing.”Both Morgan and Press had found the net within four minutes of each other in extra-time which would have given the USWNT the lead but both were adjudicated to be offside.”I’m incredibly proud of them, proud of the way they handled, not just this game, but the way they’ve handled this tournament,” coach Vlatko Andonovski told a news conference after the match.”Coming in and losing the first game, and actually, not just losing but getting our butt’s kicked, it’s not easy for this team that is not used to losing. They’re not even used to having a bad game, and to lose like that was not easy.”It’s not easy to handle the pressure, to handle the loss, and to bounce back in to play the game that we did against New Zealand. That was not easy to do, to win by multiple goals and then to be disciplined enough to do something that is not quite who we are but to be disciplined enough to take it because it’s going to help us get to the point where we want to go.”Then to come in here and impose yourself from the first second, and literally I mean, I felt like we took the game over at the beginning of the game and showed who we are.”
With legendary core on its way out, USWNT will need guile to win gold in Tokyo
Dan Wetzel·ColumnistSat, July 31, 2021, 5:38 AM·5 min read
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TOKYO — When the United States women’s soccer team’s starting lineup was released ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal against the Netherlands, many fans were dumbfounded.The frontline that started the previous game against Australia — Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Christen Press — were all on the bench.Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s reasoning speaks to the underlying story of the Americans at these Olympics — if it’s legendary, yet aging, core is going to secure gold here in a last-dance, last-chance run to glory, it will be achieved through guile, strategy and duct tape. That includes the starting lineups.“I didn’t know if they started the game, if they would have been available at the end,” Andonovski said.It was the end, Andonovski correctly predicted, when they would be most valuable. As the 2-2 tie went to a shootout after 120 grueling, humid minutes, it was his veteran scorers (along with 26-year-old Rose Lavelle) who were most capable of rising up — rather than crumbling — under the pressure of the moment.Each was a second-half sub so they could do just what they did — step to the dot and bury shots into the back of the net, sending the U.S. to a semifinal showdown with Canada on Monday (4 a.m. ET).“If you noticed, those are the four players that took the penalty and scored,” Andonovski said.This is how it has to be for a team that is attempting — in its current form — one final run at a major international title. This crew has little to prove — they’ve already won two World Cups and an Olympic gold. But U.S. Soccer doubled down that an encore performance was possible.Rapinoe (age 36), Press (32) and Morgan (32) have a combined 520 appearances and 224 goals for the national team. They can still be great players, just not for 90, let alone 120 minutes, of grueling knockout-round play anymore.It’s the same for Carli Lloyd (39) and Tobin Heath (33), who started but were replaced by the others. Then there are backline mainstays Becky Sauerbrunn (36) and Kelley O’Hara (32). All but Press (who joined the team in 2013) won gold at the 2012 Olympics.
“2012 is a long time ago,” Morgan said.Back then no one wondered if she, or the others, could run for an entire game and still deliver late. Morgan was on her 123rd minute of play in the semifinals of those Olympics when she soared in the air to head in a game-winner against Canada in the semifinals. These aren’t tireless 23-year-olds anymore, though. They still have talent and tenacity and a will to win, but the challenges are different. Time is undefeated. It’s the opponents who have youth on their side.The Americans’ median age is 29.5. Canada’s is 26.“Right now it’s just getting our bodies ready,” Morgan said of the lack of rest days and quick turnarounds at the Olympics. “This tournament is incredibly short for six games.”That means Andonovski has had to find ways to find rest so the team isn’t shot in these later stages. All 16 of the active roster field players have started and 15 of them have also not started (only Crystal Dunn has begun each game).Andonovski even had to convince a notoriously competitive group to lay back in a 0-0 tie with Australia at the end of group play because that result was all they needed and they could preserve energy in the process.“We are disciplined enough to do something that isn’t who we are but will help us get to where we want to go,” Andonovski said. If that means the players best equipped to deliver on penalty kicks are fresh and ready, then so be it. Under the enormous stress of the situation on Friday, the Americans just shrugged. It was just another big moment in careers full of them.“[I just think], ‘The worst that is going to happen is you are going to lose the whole thing,’” joked Rapinoe. “’You are going to lose the Olympics for your country.’”
She laughed. That’s how you win shootouts. That’s why you have Megan Rapinoe in the game.There isn’t much public talk thus far about any potential finality to this tournament, but it’s there. By the time the U.S. heads to the 2023 World Cup in Australia, new blood will have to be pumped into the roster, perhaps drastically. Lavelle, at 26, is the youngest regular contributor. This isn’t a sport that is typically kind to 30-somethings.The greatness of this group is beyond reproach. They’ve been victorious. They’ve been dominant. They’ve been champions over and over.Now they are going for one last title, one last run for gold. No World Cup champ has ever followed up with an Olympic title. It may be their final accomplishment.It can’t be done the old way, though, just run them out and watch them run people over. You can see that in the starting lineup.
Let’s hope this USWNT-Canada Olympic semifinal lives up to the greatest women’s soccer game ever played
TOKYO — Abby Wambach was desperate. A Christine Sinclair goal — her third of the game — had put Canada up 3-2 in the 2012 Olympic women’s soccer semifinal. Now the seconds, and the United States’ gold medal hopes, were melting away.And so Wambach did what he was always so brilliant at doing. She found a way to change the game … by counting.The referee’s decision that Wambach would inspire/force/bully would go on to infuriate the Canadians, give life to the Americans and set the stage for Alex Morgan’s epic winner in the 123rd exhausted, exhilarated minute to send the U.S. to the Olympic final, 4-3. They’d capture gold a few days later over Japan.It’s been hailed as the greatest women’s soccer game of all time. Comebacks. Heroics. Gamesmanship. Bitterness. Legacy.Nine years and two Olympics later, the two rivals, with plenty of familiar faces, meet again in the semifinals.“Are you guys hoping it’s like that again?” Morgan asked.Yeah, pretty much.Morgan’s goal — where she summoned the energy to win a Heather O’Reilly cross in the air and slip the ball just under the crossbar — is what is most remembered in the United States. In Canada, it’s what happened late in regulation, when Wambach managed to steal the game via clever referee manipulation.“We felt like we didn’t lose,” Sinclair said that night. “We feel it was taken from us … the ref decided the result before the game started.”Wambach was America’s all-time great goal-scorer and one of the most competitive athletes ever. Part of her game was to constantly seek any advantage in any way possible. Might be the intimidation of an opponent. Might be the working of a ref.“She’s well aware of the ‘dark arts,’” Riahn Wilkinson told the Globe and Mail in a 2015 retrospective of the game. “She uses them when she needs to.” Wilkinson’s comment wasn’t meant as a compliment. To Wambach, it might be.Either way, early in the contest Wambach noticed that Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod was trying to slow the game down by holding the ball for a long time before punting it away.For example, in the 27th minute, with the Canadians leading 1-0, McLeod held a ball for 16 seconds. The rule is no more than six seconds, although it is rarely, if ever, enforced, especially in a major international tournament.Wambach didn’t care. She later told Yahoo Sports that she began running toward Norwegian referee Christina Pedersen and counting as McLeod had the ball. In the 60th minute, McLeod held it for 17 seconds. In the 68th, about 15 — 10 or 11 of them while she was on her feet.Wambach said she would get into the teens, but Pedersen would ignore her. No whistles were blown.At halftime, though, an assistant referee had warned McLeod to be quicker on her kicks, but the goalkeeper told the Globe and Mail she assumed it concerned goal kicks.When the U.S. again trailed, 3-2, in the 78th minute, now with time drawing short, McLeod hauled in a Megan Rapinoe corner kick. Wambach again approached Pedersen and started counting.McLeod got possession of the ball at 76:36. She got up from the ground at 76:40. Wambach said when she got her count to 10, Pederson blew the whistle.The clock read 76:49, just as McLeod was kicking it away. Too late. Pedersen had called a delay and awarded the U.S. an indirect kick in the box.There was confusion and pandemonium at Old Trafford in Manchester — England’s ancient and storied “Theatre of Dreams” — where the game was played. The Canadians were confused. So were many Americans. No one on either team could recall such a decision.“The referee said I had the ball for 10 seconds,” McLeod said after. “She, obviously, counted the time when I was on the ground with the ball. Once I got to my feet, I calculated I only had the ball for five seconds.”It was at least nine, but you can understand McLeod’s immediate reaction.“Very harsh,” McLeod said.Sinclair and teammate Jonelle Filigno aggressively sought an explanation but got little they could accept. “[Pedersen] actually giggled and said nothing,” Sinclair claimed. “Classy.” Others couldn’t believe Wambach’s incessant counting had worked.
“I was by her when she was counting on that play,” Lauren Sesselmann told the Globe and Mail. “I wanted to punch her.”But she didn’t. No one did. Canadian coach John Herdman later said his team’s failure was not matching Wambach’s antics by either getting in her face, distracting the referee or, well, whatever it took. Of course, Wambach, at 5-foot-11, was an intimidating presence.Regardless, Rapinoe, who scored two brilliant goals that night, including curling in a corner kick (an Olympic Olympico), took the indirect kick. Her shot hit the arm of Canadian defender Mary-Eve Nault.The U.S. now had a penalty kick. Wambach would take it and, of course, make no mistake, banking a shot in off the left post. Just like that, it was 3-3.
Over the ensuing 40 minutes of regulation and extra time, there was a relentless back and forth, chances for both sides that just missed, crossbars and posts hit, incredible saves and inspired defensive stops, not to mention pushing, shoving, clawing and even more pushing.The game was a frenzy with Old Tafford (full of mostly neutral English fans) hitting states of delirium. At the 2019 World Cup, members of English women’s national team credited the game — its intensity, quality and dramatics — with helping the women’s version of the sport gain credibility in their country. Even skeptics of women’s soccer couldn’t deny this.Eventually, in the last moments, Morgan would end it.The United States won, the Canadians fumed.“[Pedersen’s] got that to live with,” Herdman said. “We’ll move on from this, I wonder if she’ll be able to.”“Put on your American jersey,” Canadian Melissa Tancredi said she told Pedersen. “That’s who you played for today.”For the Canadians, this was an upset denied. They hadn’t defeated their rivals in 11 years, a stretch that included 26 games. The Americans were the global powerhouse, rich with funding and talent, the chosen team of the establishment. They were … well, Canada.When they arrived that night for the game, the U.S. was given the opulent locker room of Manchester United, the stadium’s famed tenant. Canada got a small visitor’s space. The decision by Pedersen just played into it all. They would go into win the bronze medal, but it never felt right.One person with no regrets was Wambach. In this case, a woman whose 184 international goals were the most in the sport’s history (until Sinclair broke the record herself) figured out how to impact the game even when she didn’t even have the ball.“Yes [the call] is uncharacteristic,” Wambach told Yahoo Sports the next day. “But the rules are the rules. You can say it’s gamesmanship, you can say it’s smart, but I’m a competitor. We needed to get a goal. They’re trying to waste time, I’m trying to speed it up.“I wasn’t yelling, I was just counting,” Wambach continued. “I got to 10 seconds right next to the referee and at 10 seconds she blew the whistle.”
It was genius. Eventually even Herdman, the Canadian coach, would agree.“Good on her …” he said a couple days after the match. “She knows how to win matches … She’s a quality player who’ll do whatever it takes to win.”Both Herdman and Sinclair were “investigated” by FIFA for their comments about the refereeing. There are rumors of a heated exchange between Sinclair and Pedersen, but details are unknown. Sinclair eventually served a four-game suspension.Pedersen, meanwhile, returned to ref in Norway, but, according to the Globe and Mail, resigned from working international tournaments with FIFA in 2013, not long after the Olympics.The legacy of the game carries on. And now it’s back. Same two teams. A number of the same players (Sinclair, Morgan, Rapinoe).Same Olympic semifinals.So, yes Alex Morgan, one more like that on Monday, one more U.S.-Canada classic, would be quite fine.
WOW the 2nd half of the US 1-0 win over Qatar was fabulous. The 85th minute goal by sub Zardes from sub Giochinni had been building up for the 20 minutes prior to the goal as Berhalter’s subs we spot on. Roldan, Cannon and Zardes really made a difference in the final 20 minutes of the game as they put huge pressure on the Asian Cup Champions. Listen this Qatar team is good – the best team in Asia – winners of the Asain Cup 2 years ago – tons of experience – the leading scorers and assist men in the Gold Cup. But when Qatar missed the PK early in the 2nd half – the young US team grew up and found a way to win it. GK Matt Turner stood on his head and kept the US in the game – in the first half with 3 SPECTACULAR Saves – as the US gave up way too many shots in the first half. (He’s making his bid to put the pressure on Coach to consider him as a starter come Qualifying time especially if he can keep the US in the game vs Mexico. (Listen Turner starts and plays 90 minutes every game for Philly – so having him start over 2 guys sitting on the bench in Horvath and Steffan may not be so crazy). But back to this game – I thought Hoppe was really good again tonight in his 80 minutes along with Sam Vines at left back. Dike, and Arriola just didn’t work up top. Hopefully Dike is hurt – because he did not look good. (I love that Coach B started him again because he’s giving his young guys chances to get better- but he’s not ready yet.) Zardes was great off the bench along with Giochinni – both might deserve starts vs Mexico or perhaps Hoppe at the #9. For the US this was the youngest/least capped team to ever start a Gold Cup game period – much less a Semi-Final with a berth vs Mexico on the line.
Now can this team beat Mexico? Wow – Mexico has brought their A team and coach Tata Martino is under a lot of pressure right now – honestly if he loses – they might fire him. I think Mexico has too much against our very young B/C team. But if the US can keep it close – 2-1 loss maybe? That would be huge – and if Matt Turner stands on his head in Vegas – in what will be a 80/20 Mexican ROAD GAME then Berhalter will have really proven he’s making some serious progress on building the US program back up. Remember the US has not lost on US soil in 13 games – but this will be THE BIGGEST test especially without our European starters. Either way – I am fully back on board – this young, exciting US Men’s team deserves your time, deserves you buying back in again !! Go USA !! Oh and by the way tickets will be on sale soon for US Men Qualifying games in Columbus Oct 13 vs Costa Rica (Anyone wanna roadtrip??) and Cinncinatti vs Mexico on November 12.
Here’s my starting line-up for Sunday night –
Zardes
Hoppe //Arriola
Busio//Leitget
Acosta
Vines/Robinson/Sands/Cannon
Matt Turner
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids),
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
US Men vs Qatar Thurs 7:30 pm FS1
The USMNT found a way to pull off a solid 1-0 win over Jamaica last weekend moving into the Semi Final match-up with the surprise of the Gold Cup – Qatar. Qatar is the Asian League Champion and has shown their worth in this tourney as they have 3 of the leading scorers in the tournament. This will not be an easy game for the US men as they face off at 7:30 pm followed by Mexico vs Canada at 10 pm – the winners meet Sunday at 8:30 pm on FS1. If the US is going to book their rematch with Mexico in the finals they will need to find a way to score more vs Qatar. Dike started up front and continued to show he is just not ready to be the #9 for the US just yet. His hold up play, his combinations – just not there yet. Young forward/winger Mathew Hoppe has been another revelation this tourney – and he was borderline player of the game as he scored the goal vs Jamaica. He reminds me of Seattle & US winger Jordan Morris with his relentless hustle and willingness to at least try to run at defenders. He didn’t always make it thru – but it wasn’t for the lack of trying as he was actually taken down twice in the box and could have gotten a PK call along the way. His motor is fantastic and he’s definitely adding to his name to the WC qualifying roster list with his play this Gold Cup. Another player who was fantastic – this time at the #6 Dmid was Kellyn Acosta – he played as a true #6 and shut down no fewer than 5 attacks in protecting the young backline. While his passing could be better – and he’s not necessarily going to release a 50 yard bomb pass ala Michael Bradley – this hustle, and defensive work – tells me he’s playing his way into the #2 slot in the dmid slot behind an often injured Adams. Let’s see if he can keep it up and help get us into the final. The 19 year old Busio was actually huge in the right mid slot – as his hustle and cover was key in helping Acosta protect the D. In the back Miles Robinson was POG last weekend and has been the best defender in this tourney so far for the US. Sands was solid next to him even if his passing was a little off this past weekend. The US has a big chance- if they can get past a good Qatar team. I think GK Matt Turner will be a key as Qatar will get some shots off – but the US has only given up 1 goal (a PK) this tourney and if they can keep that intact – the desired matchup with Mexico will follow on Sunday! I like the US 1-0 in a tight game.
Here’s my starting line-up for tonight –
Zardes
Hoppe //Arriola
Busio//Leitget
Acosta
Vines/Robinson/Sands/Moore
Matt Turner
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids),
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
US Ladies vs Netherlands USA Network Fri 7 am Olympics Knockout Round
Well its time for the US to put up or shut up as they will face-off against the team they beat 2-0 to win the 2019 World Cup. The worry I has is this is not the same US team. I am not sure happened in the 0-0 tie vs Australia – other than we just sat back and settled for the tie. I have never witnessed the US ladies – the most dominant Ladies soccer team ever sit back and not try to score. If that was Coach A’s plan to just tie and secure advancement to the next round – I am not sure he understands what it means to be an American when it comes to ladies soccer. I think the US is so poorly coached in this tourney that I am not sure there is any way we win the next game – much less move on to the Gold Medal game with 2 more wins. The offense is not working, the midfield is being overrun and our defense has shown more weaknesses than anytime I can remember. I sure hope I am wrong – but when I wake up at 7 am for the showdown with the Netherlands I will have my fingers crossed but my hopes lowered. Here’s the team I would send out if I were coach A – and we are going to have to score this time because the Dutch will score at least 1 maybe 2 against this defense – so it will take a 3-2 to win it. I am not sure we can score that many against a good team. I see 2-1 Netherlands. Again – hope I am wrong!
2:45 pm Super Cup France Lille vs PSG (beIN Sport)
8:30 pm GOLD CUP Final FS1
Monday, Aug 2 Women’s Olympics
4 am Semis – USWNT/Dutch vs Canada/Brazil (USA)
7 am Semis – GBR/Aust vs Sweden/Japan (USA)
Tuesday, Aug 3 Men’s Olympics
4 am Semis – (NBCSN)
7 am Semis – (NBCSN)
Wednesday, Aug6
8 pm Indy 11 @ FC Tulsa myIndy TV, ESPN+
Thursday, Aug 5
4 am Bronze Medal-Ladies (USA)
7 am Gold Medal-Ladies (USA)
Saturday, Aug 7
7:30 am Men’s Olympic Finals – (NBCSN)
Sunday, Aug 8
7:30 pm Indy 11 @ Atlanta United ESPN+
LADIES OLYMPIC RESULTS
Women’s soccer at the Olympics — Standings
Group E
Great Britain – 7 points (Qualified for quarterfinals) Canada – 5 (Qualified for quarterfinals) Japan – 4 (Qualified for quarterfinals) Chile – 0
Group F Netherlands – 7 (Qualified for quarterfinals) Brazil – 7 (Qualified for quarterfinals) China – 1 Zambia – 1
Group G Sweden – 9 points (Qualified for quarterfinals) USWNT – 4 (Qualified for quarterfinals)Australia – 4 (Qualified for quarterfinals) New Zealand – 0
Familiar foes: USWNT, Netherlands ready for quarterfinal clash
Joe Prince-WrightThu, July 29, 2021, 10:53 AM
For the USWNT and Netherlands, it’s simple: on to the rematch.The USWNT plays the Netherlands on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women’s soccer tournament — bringing together the two teams that played in the World Cup final two years ago in France.
The USWNT won that one 2-0 and afterward the crowd chanted “Equal Pay!” in support of the team’s legal fight for equity with the men’s national team.
This time, there won’t be any crowds and the case is before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals back home in the United States, with no ruling expected in the near future. And obviously there’s greater weight on a World Cup final than an Olympic quarterfinal.
But the game in Yokohama has taken on significance because the normally indomitable Americans showed vulnerabilities in the group stage: Notably a 3-0 loss to Sweden in the Olympic opener.
After a 6-1 rebound win over New Zealand, the USWNT played to a scoreless draw against Australia, which, while uncharacteristic for the offensively dominant Americans, got the team through to the knockout stage.
The USWNT hadn’t been shutout since 2017 before this Olympics, and now the team has been blanked twice in less than two weeks.
“I think a lot of people understand that we’re here to compete and win a gold medal and however we get there, winning is the most important thing. So, yes, fans and outsiders looking in are probably like, ’Oh, this is so different.′ You’ve never seen the U.S. do this,” defender Crystal Dunn said.
“But at the same time, it’s about executing a game plan, moving on from one round to another. And whatever tactics, plans that we have that we’re given, it’s our job as players to trust and believe in ourselves and each other and live to fight another day.”
Netherlands flying at Olympics
Instead, it’s the Netherlands that has become a high-scoring juggernaut. The Dutch scored 21 goals in the group stage — smashing the previous record of 16 set by the United States in 2012.
Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema has an Olympic-record eight goals, and that’s only from the group stage.
Miedema, who plays professionally for Arsenal, is just 25 and already the all-time scoring leader for the Netherlands with 81 goals in 99 appearances. She is also the top career scorer in the Women’s Super League in England.
The United States has played the Netherlands since the World Cup final, winning by an identical 2-0 scoreline in Breda last November. The Americans were undefeated in 44 straight matches before the loss to Sweden.
“We have an understanding of what they like to do as a team, and their style of play. However, that was a friendly game and we understand that we are in knockout rounds and everything can be completely different,” Dunn said Thursday.
“It’s about focusing on our game plan and what we’re trying to do because we can’t get caught up in thinking about ‘Oh, we played them before, so therefore, this is exactly what this game is going to be like.’ That is nearly impossible to do in the knockout round.”
In the other quarterfinal matches on Friday:
CANADA v. BRAZIL, Rifu: Another rematch, but this time of the third-place game at the Rio de Janeiro Games. Canada was triumphant in that one for the team’s second straight Olympic bronze medal, spoiling Brazil’s shot to medal on home soil.
There are many of the same faces in Japan. On Canada’s side, there’s Christine Sinclair, soccer’s all time international scorer among men and women. Brazil has Marta, the six-time FIFA Player of the Year.
Brazil is now playing under coach Pia Sundhage, who led the U.S. women to the gold medal in London in 2012. Canada’s coach in Brazil, John Herdman, now coaches the nation’s men team.
BRITAIN v. AUSTRALIA, Kashima: The Australians advanced to the knockout round as one of the top third-place teams after the group stage. This is the Matildas’ fifth trip to the Olympics and third time they’ve made it through to the quarterfinals.
Britain finished atop Group E. In a quirky rule, Britain’s Olympic teams must include Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland, and all four teams must be in agreement to participate. For that reason, the only other Olympics that has included a Team GB is London 2012.
SWEDEN v. JAPAN, Saitama: The Swedes won all three of their games in Group G to advance, including that 3-0 victory over the Americans in their opener. Sweden famously knocked the United States out of the 2016 Games in the quarterfinals. The team went on to the final, but lost the gold medal to Germany. Japan, as hosts, made the quarterfinals as one of the top third-place finishers. The Nadeshiko won the silver medal at the London Games, but did not make the field in 2016.
USWNT vs. Netherlands, 2020 Olympic quarterfinals: What to watch for
1We’ve reached the kockout stage, and our first opponent is a tough one. By Donald Wine II@blazindw Jul 29, 2021, 6:00am PDT
The United States Women’s National Team have reached the knockout stage of the 2020 Olympics, and from here on out the margin for error is gone. One loss, and they will not see through to their goal of inning the program’s 5th gold medal. Standing in their way tomorrow is the team that faced them in the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final, the Netherlands. The Netherlands arrived at this position by way of winning group F, scoring 21 goals and allowing 8 in their group stage matches. The USWNT were the Group G runners-up, scoring just 6 goals and allowing 4.The USWNT will have a tough road to the gold medal, and it starts with this quarterfinal matchup. The two teams last faced each other back in November, where the USWNT won 2-0 in Amsterdam. Now, the winner of this match will move on to have 2 chances to win a medal.
What To Watch For
Control Miedema. Vivianne Miedema has been the best player in the tournament so far, scoring 8 goals in the group stage. The USWNT will have to keep an eye on her and make sure she can’t engineer any offense. Of course, Miedema’s not the only Dutch player that can make you pay. Lieke Martens and Daniëlle van de Donk are also potent goalscorers that the Americans need to check. However, if they can keep Miedema at bay, that will really help the confidence of the USWNT.
Assert themselves. The USWNT has not played to their capability yet in this tournament. Tomorrow would be a great time to assert themselves and play like they are the best team on the planet. They should play with confidence, but also with chips on their shoulders. People are saying the world has caught up and that their chances of getting a gold medal, or a medal of any kind, aren’t nearly as promising as we thought. The Gals should come out ready to squash all doubt and show they are the team that needs to be feared.
Put shots on goal. The Netherlands may have scored 21 goals, but they’ve also allowed 8 so far. The Dutch defense hasn’t played particularly well, so the Americans should do all they can to light up the net with shots. Make the defense have to make plays, and eventually they will stop doing that. Goals can come. They need to have a focus on creating those scoring chances and then taking those shots.
Prediction
This is a hard one to predict. The USWNT can beat anyone in the field, but they haven’t yet played like the team we expect to see on any given day. It’s another tough one, but the USWNT break through late and it’s Christen Press with the goal to win 1-0.
USWNT underdogs in Olympic quarterfinal, but players are trusting the process under Andonovski5:02 PM ETCaitlin Murray
If the U.S. women’s national team wants to win their fifth gold medal in an Olympic women’s football tournament, they need to get through Friday’s quarterfinal (7 a.m. ET) against a team that has looked like an early favorite: the Netherlands.While the U.S. is limping out of Group G with a loss, a draw and a win, the Netherlands are flying. They topped Group F with a plus-13 goal differential, and even their one draw of the group stage was a wild 3-3 shootout with Brazil, another top team competing in Japan this summer. But the shaky performances of the group stage need to be behind the U.S., because if they lose to the Netherlands, they are going home, and they will match their worst-ever finish in a major tournament.”This is where the real tournament starts,” said Alex Morgan. “You have to win and beat the best to get to that gold-medal match.”
USWNT as the underdog
Today, the USWNT finds itself in unfamiliar territory. For perhaps the first time, the USWNT arrives in an Olympic quarterfinal as the clear underdog. Dutch midfielder Danielle van de Donk told reporters that the Netherlands’ high-scoring performances in the group stage should serve as proof that “we are not afraid of America.””Somehow I feel like, save the best for last, but maybe they are not the best at all, this tournament,” she added of meeting the USWNT so early in the tournament.The U.S. has certainly gotten to know the Dutch team quite well. The USWNT beat them 2-0 in the 2019 World Cup final, and when the USWNT resumed playing after about eight months of dormancy due to the pandemic, their first game back late last year was in the Netherlands. But those meetings don’t mean much for the Americans, U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said — not because the Netherlands are expected to change their approach, but because they aren’t.”The Netherlands are not a big surprise for the simple fact that they believe in their system, and they believe in what they do,” Andonovski said. “They’re very rigid at times, which makes them who they are and as good as they are. Their system works and they’ve shown that over and over in different games.”If the USWNT is going to get past the Dutch team, they need to turn off the faucet of goals coming from Vivianne Miedema. She has been on fire, with eight goals in the group stage at a rate of one goal every 22 minutes on the field. She has already set the women’s record for the most goals scored in an Olympics prior to the knockout rounds as her team racked up 21 goals over the three matches.But what makes the Dutch team dangerous is that it’s not just Miedema the USWNT needs to worry about, in the way that all of their attention against Australia focused on Sam Kerr. Lieke Martens and Van de Donk are also two especially potent pieces of the Dutch attack that the USWNT will need to contain. The Dutch attack oozes chemistry — the attackers have an uncanny ability to read each other on the field, and they are well-drilled on set pieces, meaning the threats are varied.Limiting the Dutch attack ought to be enough on Friday; the Dutch team has shown defensive vulnerability, and the USWNT should feel confident they can score goals. In the group stage, the Netherlands surprisingly conceded three goals to Zambia, a first-time Olympic team that isn’t on the level of most of the other teams in Japan. Then they conceded twice to China, another underpowered team known more for its disciplined defensive bunkering and organization than its firepower. (The Dutch conceded eight times in the group stage, more than any other team that reached the quarterfinals.)The question is whether the Netherlands will stick to their approach from the previous games or give Andonovski the surprise he suggested he isn’t expecting.”I don’t know if they are very vulnerable: they are very good defensively and they are very disciplined and we’ve seen that in numerous occasions,” Andonovski said. “Obviously, as open as they play sometimes, they do have areas of the field that are more open, so hopefully we can take advantage of it.”
Andonovski’s tactics under the microscope
When a manager switches up how his team plays, the success or failure that follows will almost certainly be pinned on him. As former USWNT coach April Heinrichs once said: “In coaching, you’re either a jackass or a genius.”After a disastrous opening 3-0 loss against Sweden, the USWNT unleashed itself against New Zealand to run up the goal differential with a 6-1 win, but then played with a conservative — some might say “scared” — approach against Australia for a 0-0 draw. Vlatko Andonovski and his staff knew that the U.S. only needed a draw against Australia to advance, so the thought process seemed to be: why risk a loss going after a win?In the end, the USWNT clinched its spot in the quarterfinals, but the team didn’t look like the USWNT fans have been watching for years. The team that dominates and imposes itself was nowhere to be found. When told Thursday about the reaction to the USWNT’s style of play against Australia, it seemed to be news to Crystal Dunn, who said: “I’m not on social media. I have no idea what’s going on in the outside world: it’s been the best thing.”But it’s funny you say that because I think a lot of people don’t understand we’re here to compete and win a gold medal. However we get there, winning is the most important thing.”Yes, fans, outsiders looking in, are probably like, ‘Oh this is so different, we’ve never seen the U.S. doing this,’ but at the same time, it’s about executing a game plan and moving on from one round to another,” Dunn added. “Whatever tactics, plans we’re given, it’s our job as players to trust and believe in ourselves and each other and live to fight another day.”When asked about making the difficult call to rein the USWNT’s attacking instincts, Andonovski admitted it’s a bold approach and probably not what the players would prefer.”It’s not easy, and sometimes you have to sacrifice some of the things that we believe or we’ve worked on to be able to execute the game plan,” he said. “We saw that in Game 3 in the group stage — that was not something that we’ve done in the previous games, but it was a game plan and I felt like we executed it well from the defensive standpoint.”It’s not easy for the players from the tactical and technical standpoint to execute it, but they’ve done a great job,” he added. “Also, from the mental standpoint, it’s not easy, but again lots of credit to them in being ready to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful.”
Echoes of the 2015 World Cup
The prevailing memory of the 2015 World Cup for Americans may be Carli Lloyd’s goal from the midway line en route to her hat-trick in the final. But before that — and before the USWNT’s dominance — the U.S. looked to be struggling. The U.S. never lost in that tournament before they won the trophy, but they played some bad soccer early on, leading fans and pundits alike to worry the USWNT was in for a short tournament.The players stuck to a common refrain: we’re just doing what the coaches want.”We’re just following the direction of our coaches, the coaching plan, doing everything they ask of us,” Lloyd said before the 2015 quarterfinal. “At the end of the day, I’ve got full faith and confidence in everyone that we’ll find our rhythm. We’re working, we’re grinding, the effort’s there.”After the USWNT won their semifinal against Germany and finally played their best soccer of the World Cup, Megan Rapinoe echoed that sentiment: “We stuck to our game plan and stuck to what our coaches were telling us. We always stayed true to what we were doing and felt it was going to come together.”That sounds a lot like the players in this Olympics so far.”It was a tactical decision by Vlatko for us to shift defensively, play a little more conservatively and allow them to get impatient and play it long and give it back to us,” Morgan said after the 0-0 draw to Australia.”The tactics we’ve been given is what we need to execute and we trust our staff to put us in the best position to succeed,” Dunn said Thursday. “So yeah, every game is different and every opponent is different and with that comes new tactics we need to execute.”The USWNT advances to the knockout stages in Tokyo, but fails to impress in a 0-0 draw with Australia.While the players haven’t openly said it, there is a slight tinge of dissatisfaction in their comments, a wish that they could unleash themselves and show the world what they are capable of. But it’s probably fine that the players feel this way, especially if the 2015 World Cup is any guide. After all, the Olympics is a lot of games packed into a small time frame, and teams can risk burning themselves out and peaking too early if they go full throttle from the beginning.Christen Press hinted (ever so slightly) that she and her teammates would prefer to play a more attacking style, but she also made it clear she understands why the game plan worked, and that just because that’s how the U.S. played in the group stage, that doesn’t mean the knockout round will be the same.”This tournament is really tough, with the amount of games you need to play without as many days in between as other tournaments, so there has to be tactical sophistication in how we manage,” Press said Thursday. “Ultimately, when this team’s at its best, we are relentless and we are lethal.”She later added: “In the last three games you’ve seen us take different tactical approaches in the group stage, and now we’re in the knockout phase and I think that’ll look really different. The team is really hungry, and the group stage has left us feeling like we have more to give — I think that’s a great thing, it’s a powerful thing and it’s intimidating.”
USMNT-Qatar semifinal clash presents “very different” Gold Cup test
By Charles Boehm @cboehm Wednesday, Jul 28, 2021, 12:24 PM
The US men’s national team have had to grind out results at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, edging past three of their four opponents by narrow 1-0 scorelines, all of which involved some scrappy play, and suffering, on the part of the host nation and favorites.
They’re expecting a change of pace in Thursday’s semifinal against Qatar at Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium (7:30 pm ET | FS1, Univision, TUDN).
“I think this game coming up is going to be very different from all the rest,” said LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget during a Tuesday media availability. “That’s one thing you get in Concacaf, just different styles. Jamaica was a very physical team and now going against Qatar is going to be quite [the] opposite. They’re going to want to play the ball on the ground and they’re going to want to attack and throw numbers forward.”Invited to participate in the tournament as a guest team in keeping with a strategic partnership between Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, Qatar have turned out to pose the competition’s most prolific attack. Asia’s reigning champions banged in nine goals across their three group-stage matches and netted another three in their pulsating 3-2 quarterfinal win over El Salvador as they aim to become the first-ever invited team to win the Gold Cup.The Maroon also carry a 12-game unbeaten streak, recording 10 wins and two draws since a November 2020 setback against the Korea Republic. Their entire roster is based in Qatar and hails from the same four clubs, allowing for increased chemistry that’s rarely found on the international stage. Each layer makes the first-ever meeting between these two senior national teams only more challenging. “Qatar is definitely a great team. They’re a very offensive-minded, counter-attacking team and they’ve scored a lot of goals so far this tournament,” said Atlanta United center back Miles Robinson, one of the USMNT’s most eye-catching starters thus far. “So it’s just a matter of us sticking to our game plan and trying to stay solid defensively.”Qatar’s Almoez Ali is currently the Gold Cup’s leading scorer with four goals, one of several skillful, vibrant performers in the pass-and-move style overseen by Spanish manager Felix Sanchez, a former FC Barcelona academy coach. Conversely, the USMNT have been the stingiest side, conceding just one goal.
“We’re definitely aware of it; we definitely respect them,” said Lletget. “They’ve done really, really well overseas and now they come here and not many people know much about them and they’re doing good.“They play a very attacking [style],” he added, “so we definitely have to respect that. But I think we have a lot of tools that can hurt them, and I think we can exploit their weaknesses.”
As potent as the 2022 World Cup’s host country has been this month, the USMNT might welcome a change of pace from the rugged affair with Jamaica they survived on Sunday. And they sound highly enthusiastic about their first visit to brand-new Q2 Stadium, which has been a vibrant venue in its opening weeks and was recently announced as the site of the USMNT’s World Cup qualifier vs. the Reggae Boyz in October.“I’ve heard it’s a great stadium, a great atmosphere, I’ve heard the fans are energetic and just the stadium as a whole is really great,” said Robinson, who also said the squad is ignoring “the outside noise” about the rough edges on their performances thus far. “So I’m definitely excited to play there for the first time. We checked out the training ground today, when we were training, it’s nice. So I’m expecting big things from Austin.”It’s the first visit to Texas’ capital city for Lletget, whose LA Galaxy don’t visit Austin FC until late September.
“It’s definitely been a topic of discussion, just being in the new stadium, and everything’s just fresh,” Lletget said. “We’ve heard a lot about this place and the fans that are in the city, so we’re definitely hoping for a really good crowd.”
Expectations on USMNT, Schalke forward Hoppe continue to rise, and he continues to exceed them
Jul 28, 2021 Jeff CarlisleU.S. soccer correspondent
Time was running out for Matthew Hoppe, in more ways than one. There was little more than seven minutes left in Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal between the U.S. and Jamaica, but Hoppe’s night was going to end before the full-time whistle. Nicholas Gioacchini was on the sidelines ready to replace him. The next stoppage in play would see Hoppe carry a night’s worth of frustration with him to the bench.
At which point, Hoppe, 20, made sure he went out on a high. With Cristian Roldan’s deft cross arcing across the Jamaica goalmouth, Hoppe skied at the far post, outleaping Jamaica’s Oneil Fisher, avoiding attentions of Reggae Boyz keeper Andre Blake and headed the ball home to give the U.S. men’s national team a 1-0 victory.Hoppe then exited the pitch, his job done. Nothing that happened before the goal mattered, be it the two times that Blake had stymied Hoppe’s fierce drives, or the occasional missed pass. What mattered more was the relentlessness with which Hoppe played and helped his team.”When a guy puts that type of effort in, and hangs in there and keeps going, we want to stick with him because we thought it was doing a good job and because he’s goal dangerous,” said manager Gregg Berhalter about Hoppe. He later added, “It’s also something we talked about; no space between the backline and the goalie. We’ve got to get it to the far post, and so it was a good play.”
For Hoppe, it was the latest milestone in a year full of them. Last November he made his first-team debut with club side Schalke 04. Six weeks later he became the first American to record a Bundesliga hat trick in a 4-0 win over TSG Hoffenheim, one that allowed Schalke to avoid setting a dubious Bundesliga record for longest winless streak in league history. He was soon adorning the front page of Kicker, the German soccer bible. (Hoppe made sure to grab a few extra copies.) People were soon stopping him in the street, although due to COVID-19 restrictions, neither as many nor as often as in normal times.
“A lot changed for me,” Hoppe told ESPN. “But at the same time, I tried to make everything the same, so I can just keep focusing on what I had to do because we were in a relegation battle. We didn’t have time to celebrate anything. We just had to focus and get on to the next game.”Schalke was unable to avoid the drop, but that didn’t stop Hoppe’s run of success. He impressed Berhalter enough during a U.S. training camp prior to the CONCACAF Nations League finals that he was named to the Gold Cup roster. His debut came against Martinique and now he’s bagged his first international goal, all while playing an unfamiliar position on the left wing.”I’ve been having to adapt to that, except it’s not something that’s new to me necessarily, because when I play striker, I like to move around to confuse the defenders, create spaces for myself and for other people,” he said. “So I’m used to not only stretching the backline, making runs in behind, but also dropping into the pocket to get the ball, and turning and driving at the opponent. I have what it takes to be a complete player, a complete attacker. I just have to keep developing my skills.”There is a swagger to how Hoppe plays. Outwardly, there’s no shortage of confidence given the way he attacks opponents off the dribble, and strikes the ball with venom. But in the past year, new challenges have emerged. That transition from unknown to the cover of Kicker has waylaid plenty of players. Expectations get raised. Attention increases.Hoppe admits there have been times during his career when expectations have weighed heavy. When he was at Barcelona’s residence academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, he said it wasn’t uncommon for him to throw up before games. Perhaps it was residual hurt from being cut from the LA Galaxy’s academy at age 14, or not getting called into U.S. youth national team camps. Or maybe with his dream of being a pro getting closer, he sensed what was at stake.”I’d just be so tough on myself because I expected a lot from me,” he said. Over time, Hoppe learned to make pressure his friend and not his enemy.”Embrace how you feel,” he said. ” And [it’s about] how you adapt, rather than how you react to it, you know? However you feel, that’s how you’re supposed to feel, and you’re supposed to work with it no matter what.”By the time he got to Schalke, Hoppe had become more adept at being comfortable with being uncomfortable. When he moved up to the first team, he spoke of feeling “good nerves,” the kind that didn’t cause him to freeze up, but gave him the energy he needed to excel on the field. It made each step up the ladder easier to manage, although the demands to perform never completely went away.”When I made my move to the first team, I guess there’s some pressure on me at first, things like, ‘Why are you playing this guy? Why are you letting him play forward? Why are you letting him lead the team?’ I got some goals and then eventually I just stopped letting the pressure get to me, and just decided to play.”That freedom is now emerging with the U.S. team. Berhalter noted how Hoppe took some time off following the camp prior to the Nations League, and that it has been a process for the attacker to get up to speed. Now he sees progress.”[Hoppe’s] improving with the concepts, with the position, with his fitness, the sharpness, so all these things have been progressing during the tournament in a positive way,” said Berhalter. “We know we’re asking him to play at times out of position, but it is what it is. We don’t have wingers on this team and it’s an opportunity, and sometimes that’s what you need to really make a difference.”With Schalke set to spend the 2021-22 campaign in the 2. Bundesliga, the expectation is that the club will transfer Hoppe elsewhere. Various reports have clubs from six leagues — including the Premier League quartet of Newcastle United, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers — showing interest in the American. One source cited AS Monaco and Eintracht Frankfurt as being among those who are chasing Hoppe.”I don’t know what the future holds,” said Hoppe. “My focus is on winning Gold Cup and getting another trophy for the USA.”And meeting increasing expectations.
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US Ladies vs New Zealand NBCSN Sat 7:30 am Olympics
Wow- so I was wrong with my prediction last week. I could have seen a 2-1 or possibly a 2-2 game – but 3-0 a$$whipping from Sweden? Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised – Sweden has played the US the best over the past 8 years and they were obviously very prepared for this game. I had to watch the game 2 times to really get a feel for what happened. Sweden found a weakness attacking down the right side constantly putting Crystal Dunn in 2 v 1 situations. I think Sweden took advantage of Dmid Julie Ertz missing to confuse and perplex the US midfield and defense. Without the protection centerbacks Dahlkemper and Sauerbrunn were split and exposed at times especially Becky no supporting Dunn properly. With Horan clueless at the #6 Dmid spot – and Sam Mewis completely disappearing – the Sweden side countered the US 3 forward alignment with their own 3 forward line-up and an overlapping right back who crossed the ball into danger no fewer than 7 times. They scored on 2 of them as Dunn was left to decide by herself which of 3 players to cover at times. Amazingly poor coaching by the US – as an adjustment was NEVER made and the Swedes probably should have won this game 6 to nothing – they blew 2 one v one’s and another breakaway before finally scoring in about the 30th minute. While Coach A finally did bring in Ertz to add some bite to the midfield – she was sloppy with her passing as she rarely completed a pass. Heck Dunn turned the ball over 9 of 13 times that I counted in before finally being pulled thankfully late in the 2nd half. Oh and Alyssa Naeher played fine – I have heard some folks questioning our GK – she made 3 early saves that kept us in this game. Yes she could have maybe handled the corner better by coming to punch out – (no back post defender by the way-AGAIN!! but overall she was fine. While the defense was the worst that I have seen the US play in years – the offense was honestly not much better. Again I didn’t count more than 4 passes completed by the US in a row until late in the game. Sweden won every 50/50 until Ertz came in and was first to the ball almost every time. I was surprised Heath got the start over Rapinoe on the front line – just because I thought he would ease Heath back in and Rapinoe is such a Big Game player – I thought she would start. We know Rapinoe can’t go 90 – but I honestly think Coach A got this wrong. Heath had a nice shot early – but when Rapinoe finally came on down 2-0 – she immediately made hay as she almost beat the keeper near post before setting up Press with a perfect cross that Press dinked off the post. The US actually hit the post twice – as Levelle blew a perfect pass from right back O’hare when she headed past the open net and into the post. Two post balls and perhaps this is the 2-3 game this should have been. Still we kept waiting for the US to wake up – and it never happened. I am not sure if they overtrained or partied too hard pregame but they looked worn out and tired and not like the US team we are used to. I still expect coach A to mix things up Sat vs New Zealand – they are not good – and we should win at least 4 or 5 to nothing. Australia looked equally as weak in just beating this terrible New Zealand team 2-1 so the US should cruise thru the next two games. But as the #2 team from the group the US will have a tougher road with the Netherlands, and Great Britain sitting in the other bracket. Of course you didn’t expect the US to coast did you? At least this way you have to watch – as this is anyone’s Olympics and don’t forget NO Team has ever won the World Cup and then won the following Olympics. We’ll see if the US can fight their way back and compete for this title – I wouldn’t bet against them – but I also think this could get tricky as we get to the knockout rounds- I am just not sure we have a go to scorer when down by 1 with 5 minutes left. We’ll see !!
MIDFIELDERS (5): Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Catarina Macario (Lyon),
FORWARDS (5): Tobin Heath (Unattached), Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Unattached), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
US Men vs Jamaica Sun 9:30 pm FS1
So the US men found a way to survive Canada with a hard fought 1-0 victory last weekend. After scoring in the first 30 seconds – the US dominated for about 10 minutes with their flexible new look 3 man back line with a wondering center mid James Sands introducing himself full scale to the US fans. But when captain Walker Zimmerman, MLS Defender of the Year went out at the 11 minute mark it all changed. Sands and a newly subbed in left center back Donovan Pines -now meant there were 3 relative newcomers on the 5 man back line with about 10 caps between them all. What happened next was the US held on for dear life while Canada continued a barrage on the US goal. GK Matt Turner stood strong and center backs James Sands and 20 year old Miles Robinson turned into stars as each player put in Man of the Match performances with their last second saves and incredible defending against a Canadian team bent on getting the equalizer. US Coach Gregg – tried a back 3/5 with 2 forwards in Dike and Zardes up top. I will admit I was excited to see two forwards in the line-up. But this did not work as both #9s simply did not work off of each other very well. Zardes moves better and has better quick passing while in the #9 slot – and while I thought Dike would shine – he was surprisingly week in his hold up play and willingness to battle for balls now that he was playing a real soccer team. Dike is no Altidore – yet – he’s like 5 notches below that right now – but has tons of potential. His movement is ok – but his hold-up play and passing off that hold-up play leaves A LOT to be desired. He’s young – its just his 2nd year as a pro and It shows – but again he’s got potential. The US really never threatened to score after the opening stanza which is worrisome moving forward for the US. Coach B – needs to figure some things out. For 1 – we don’t have a next level Dmid #6 on this roster (well James Sands maybe- but he’s playing center back for us). Jackson Yueill is showing he can’t match up vs better competition just yet and the young Italian KC man Gianluca Busio who played so well vs Martinique – was completely overrun by Canada last weekend. Busio might well be the future but he’s no Adams just yet. Coach B truly has a challenge as we move forward in the tourney – anything less than a finals matchup with Mexico will be seen as a failure – even with a B team – edging on C team at the moment. Still its exciting to watch – can some players from this young US team emerge and contend for a World Cup birth next winter? I think so as Sands, Robinson and Sam Vines are all making themselves a lot of money with the potential for moves to Europe after this showing. I could see those players replacing – Ream, and Yedlin at least along with back line. Here’s who one writer thinks we should start – I have no idea what the US will do or what alignment they will use vs Jamaica on Sunday night – I just know I will be watching and rooting us on! Ah heck – so here’s my line-up.
Dike (if healthy/if not) Zardes
Hoppe //Leitget
Williamson//Roldan
Acosta
Vines/Robinson/Sands/Moore
Matt Turner
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids),
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
Huge quarter finals as 2022 World Cup Host Qatar faces former US Asst Coach Hugo Perez and the most exciting team in the tourney El Salvador Saturday at 7:30 on Fox. Watch as former Westfield and Indiana University forward Eriq Zavaleta (son of Carlos Zavaleta, owner of Indiana Soccer Academy/futsal in Noblesville) plays centerback! The Toronto FC Defender has become quite the young centerback and should give Qatars tourney leading scorer all kinds of fits.
Indy 11 host Birmingham @ the Mike — Sat 7 pm ESPN+, TV 8
The State Runner-Up Carmel High School Girls will be hosting a soccer tourney Fri/Sat 7/24 at River Road (126th & River Road). Drop on by to see some solid soccer and of course good luck to those trying out starting Aug 2.
7:30pm Gold Cup Qatar vs El Salvador (Westfield’s Zavaleta)
10 pm GOLD CUP QF Mexico vs Honduras FS1
Sunday, July 25th Men’s Olympics
3:30 am Egypt vs Argentina (telemundo)
4 am New Zealand vs Honduras (univserso)
4:30 pm Brazil vs Ivory Coast (NBCSN)
7 am Japan vs Mexico (NBCSN)
3 pm Racing Louisville vs Washington Spirit NWSL (paramount+)
7:30 pm GOLD CUP QF Canada vs Costa Rica FS1
10 pm GOLD CUP USA vs Jamaica FS1
Tuesday, July 27 Women’s Olympics
4 am USA vs Australia Ladies (USA)
4:30 am Sweden vs New Zealand (NBCSN)
7 am Canada vs Great Britain (??)
7 am Netherlands vs China (universo)
Wednesday, July 28th Men’s Olympics
3:30 am Germany vs Ivory Coast (NBCSN)
4 am New Zealand vs Romania (univserso)
7 am Japan vs France (NBCSN)
Thursday, July 29th
7:30 pm GOLD CUP Semi FS1
10 pm GOLD CUP Semi FS1
Friday, July 30th
4 am Olympic Ladies QF NBCSN
6 am Olympic Ladies QF NBCSN
7 am Olympic Ladies QF USA vs ? (USA)
7:30 pm Orlando vs Atlanta
10 pm LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers
Saturday, July 31st
4 am Olympic Men QF (NBCSN)
5 am Olympic Men QF (USA)
7 am Olympic Men QF (USA)
Sunday, Aug 1
8:30 pm GOLD CUP Final FS1
Monday, Aug 3
4 am Olympic Ladies Semi US Ladies? (USA)
7 am Olympic Ladies Semi (USA)
United States looked lost and confused in Olympic opener as Sweden ended its unbeaten run
Jul 21, 2021Caitlin Murray
There was a moment early in the first half of the United States women’s national team‘s opening match of its Olympic campaign when midfielder Rose Lavelle, dribbling into Sweden‘s half with the ball at her feet, looked around furiously and put her hands out, as if she was lost. Even without being able to hear what she said in Tokyo’s cavernous Ajinomoto Stadium, it’s easy to imagine it was something along the lines of, “Where is everyone?”
That, in a nutshell, was how the USWNT began its 2020 Olympics, looking confused in a 3-0 loss to open Group G play.The defeat was notable, first, because the team rarely loses. It came into Wednesday’s match unbeaten in its previous 44, with 40 of them wins. Its last loss was in January 2019, at a friendly in France.To say the reigning Women’s World Cup champions arrived in Japan as a favorite is perhaps an understatement. The U.S. has reached the gold-medal match in five of the six Olympics since women’s soccer became an event, and unlike some of the teams in Tokyo, the USWNT has played warm-up games for the months leading up to this amid the pandemic.But the defeat was also notable because of just how bad the loss was. Confused expressions abounded as players, including Lavelle, looked for an open American to pass the ball to but couldn’t find anyone. As Sweden swarmed, pressing and bossing the midfield, the Americans looked rattled and gave the ball away too cheaply.”It felt like there were holes everywhere defensively,” striker Alex Morgan said. “I didn’t feel like we were pressing together, and then when we were on the attack and we’d lose the ball, we didn’t have the numbers around the ball to win it back.”The hopelessness and confusion wasn’t in spurts, as is wont to happen for even the best teams sometimes — rather, it endured for the full 90 minutes and the USWNT never looked close to waging a comeback. That is a rare feeling in USWNT history. The last example might have been at the 2007 World Cup, where Brazil pummeled the U.S. 4-0 — but there were the extenuating circumstances of then-coach Greg Ryan bizarrely benching first-choice goalkeeper Hope Solo on nothing more than a hunch.There was no reason for the USWNT to lose as badly as it did Wednesday, but plenty of credit belongs to Sweden, a team that over the years has become the tactical thorn in the USWNT’s side. After all, the only Olympics the USWNT crashed out of were in 2016 when Sweden, playing a disciplined, ultra-defensive bunker, knocked the Americans out in the quarterfinals.This Sweden was not a bunker-and-counter team, however. This Sweden was out for the jugular, delivering crunching tackles to stop any whiff of American possession and committing numbers forward to slice through the American defense and strike.Sweden’s first goal, in the 25th minute, went seemingly just as planned: the USWNT got stuck in the midfield with nowhere to go and lost possession, springing Sweden in the other direction. Yellow shirts flew forward and, before the U.S. even seemed to know what had happened, Stina Blackstenius headed the ball into the back of the net.When the USWNT dominates games, it likes to use every inch of the field, spraying the ball around and using the wide spaces to its advantage, and Sweden certainly recognized that, closing passing lines and choking those spaces. That rendered the U.S. midfield a turnover machine. But as much as Sweden deserves credit, the Americans also deserve blame.”We got our ass kicked a bit,” Megan Rapinoe said afterward. “There’s a lot of stuff we can clean up — trap the ball, pass the ball to your own team is probably the first one.”In other words, the USWNT looked flummoxed and unprepared for what it faced Wednesday. It would be easy to say that perhaps the USWNT was just overconfident. Maybe the No. 1-ranked team in the world and the favorite in this tournament had expected it to be a breeze. On the contrary, the USWNT seemed to lack confidence from the opening whistle. That put the Americans in trouble immediately because their confidence is perhaps their deadliest weapon — the mentality that no matter the score, they always believe they can win and find a way to outwork the other team.”We were a little tigh, a little nervous — doing dumb stuff like not passing the ball,” Rapinoe said. “… I think a lot of it was just us not playing free and not being who we are and not enjoying it.”If there is a positive spin to put on the performance, it’s that at least it happened in the tournament’s opener. After 44 games unbeaten, the USWNT might have needed a reminder of the pain of losing.”We’ve had a long string of wins, and we haven’t had a lot of games where we’ve had to come back or anything like that,” forward Christen Press said. “I think it was actually really good to have this match.”Take, for instance, the 2008 Olympics. There, the U.S. lost 2-0 in its opening match to Norway. It bounced back without losing the rest of the way and won gold. While the U.S. doesn’t usually lose in major tournaments, the Americans do usually have bad performances. During the 2015 World Cup, which the U.S. later won, calls to fire then-head coach Jill Ellis over the lackluster performances came from the media and even from former members of the team.At the 2019 World Cup in France — where on paper the U.S. dominated, scoring within the first 12 minutes of every match en route to the final — the round-of-16 match against Spain was shaky, and mistakes allowed Spain to score, making for a surprisingly close match given Spain’s still-rising status in women’s soccer.But the proper lessons will need to be learned, which includes by coach Vlatko Andonovski, whose substitutions projected panic and nervousness rather than the composure that comes from a clear game plan. At halftime, he yanked Morgan, who was the least of the U.S.’s problems as the most advanced player on the field, in favor of Carli Lloyd, who has usually been reserved for late-game minutes. He also took off Samantha Mewis for Julie Ertz, the stuck-in defensive midfielder he surely would’ve preferred to have started Wednesday. After all, Ertz is known as a midfield enforcer who flies in challenges and wins balls. But crucially, Ertz is coming off an injury and hasn’t played competitive soccer since May, and some rust was evident, making her an unlikely solution in a game as difficult as this.The good news, at least, is that New Zealand, the USWNT’s next opponent in Group G, is not at Sweden’s level. It’s also hard to imagine the USWNT can play any worse, so its Olympic campaign can only improve from here.”We, like Vlatko said, got ourselves into this mess,” captain Becky Sauerbrunn said. “Now it’s our responsibility to get ourselves out of it.”
Plunged into an Olympic hole, the USWNT now must prove it can still fight like hell out of it
Dan Wetzelbbv ·Columnist Wed, July 21, 2021, 8:33 AM
TOKYO — Even as they stacked up victories and championships, even as they were celebrated and decorated in ways women before them could never have imagined, this core group from the United States soccer team always focused on their grit more than talent.This was a team full of fury and fight, they’d tell you, mentally and physically tough, the best in the world because they could always dig deeper and push harder. It wasn’t just skill. It wasn’t just tactics. That was their mantra, at least. You can’t argue with the results.Now, after a shocking and humiliating 3-0 loss to Sweden in their Olympic opener, the Americans are going to have to prove it, this time in a way they never have before.If the U.S. is going to take gold — and when you arrive as the World Cup champs on a 44-game unbeaten streak, that’s the only goal — it’ll need every bit of the tenacity it can muster.It didn’t just lose to Sweden, the Americans were dominated in ways they just never are.“We got our asses kicked, didn’t we?” Megan Rapinoe said afterward.Sure did.Now what are they going to do about it?This is just a 12-team event, so the U.S. has ample opportunity to get out of group play and reach the eight-team knockout stage. It needs to finish second in its group, or be one of the two best third-place teams.The U.S. plays New Zealand on Saturday and Australia on Tuesday. It can certainly bounce back, but there is little margin for error.Even then, if Sweden can push the U.S. around like this, do the Americans have what it takes to come back and win this tournament?It wasn’t like they just slept-walked into this. Sweden was a circle-the-date matchup, a true contender and a chance to gain a measure of revenge over the team that eliminated them in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics.“One of the worst results that the senior national team has had in a major tournament,” captain Becky Sauerbrunn called that loss.
Yeah, well …The U.S. was slow to the ball, poor in possession and outclassed from start to finish. The team looked like it was wilting in the heat and humidity of Japan, despite a training camp based mostly in Florida and Texas.“I don’t even know how many goals we have given up this whole year,” Rapinoe said with a laugh. “I don’t even remember the last time we gave up a goal.”The Americans had given up one goal in their previous 13 games … in a tie with Sweden in April.“So to give up three is … not great,” Rapinoe said.It’s not like this is a group that is just learning to play together. This is essentially a run-it-back roster. Coach Vlatko Andonovski favored experience over youth when putting together the roster. Ten of the 18 active roster players available Wednesday were 30 or over, including seven over 32. Seven of the 10 starting field players saw action in that 2016 Olympic loss. Six starters had 100 or more international appearances, and that didn’t include Carli Lloyd (306), Megan Rapinoe (177) or Julie Ertz (110), who were the first three to come off the bench.This was an encore performance for this group, a curtain call trying to do something (follow a World Cup with Olympic gold) that no team ever has.“This is not something we expected,” Andonovski said. “We don’t expect to lose to begin with, especially not 3-0 … I don’t think this team has ever been in a situation like this. It’s a bit of a shock.”So now what? Is there an adjustment to be made? Is there an attitude to fix? Is there a lineup that works? Was this just a bad night after years of near invincibility?Alex Morgan lasted just a half before being pulled. Same with Sam Mewis. The midfield was particularly exposed. Really, no one played well other than perhaps goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who kept it close for awhile.One loss doesn’t end the dream or destroy a dynasty. This is one of the greatest teams of all time, legends to the sport. It can absolutely spring back and win it.Yet age is undefeated. Sweden’s three goals were scored by a pair of 25-year-olds: Stina Blackstenius (two) and Lina Hurtig.And with just two off days, the Americans need to regroup. New Zealand offers a chance for that, it’s ranked 22nd in the world. Australia, however, is different, a top-10 team capable of — and likely eager to — beat the suddenly bloodied top-ranked USA.This is when we’ll see what this group still has. Lloyd. Morgan. Rapinoe. O’Hara. Sauerbrunn. Dunn. Press. Heath. Ertz. They’ve won and won to the point where it looked effortless. They were always quick to remind everyone that it wasn’t, that behind the success and behind the commercials and behind the parades these were women who fought like hell to get to the top.Now here’s the chance to show it, this time with a stunned soccer world suddenly doubting them.
‘We Got Our Asses Kicked, Didn’t We?’ USWNT Reels After Olympic Wake-Up Call vs. Sweden
A 3–0 defeat to Sweden was a rude awakening for the U.S., whose gold medal outlook got a lot cloudier in Tokyo.
For the last five years, even as the U.S. women’s soccer team won a World Cup and rattled off victory after victory, its quarterfinal Olympic exit to Sweden has lingered.It lingered in the run-up to the two sides’ meeting at the 2019 Women’s World Cup (the United States won, 2–0, against a less-than-full-strength Sweden XI). It lingered ahead of an April friendly in Stockholm, a pre-Olympic test for both heavyweights (the two sides drew, 1–1, after a late penalty by the U.S.). And it lingered—of course—as the countries returned to the scene of the crime, with the USWNT fittingly opening up its Tokyo Olympics run against the same opponent it left off against in 2016 on a field in Brasília, stunned after its earliest elimination ever in the tournament.On Wednesday, Sweden took that enduring narrative and kicked down the door, setting an unsettling Olympic tone for the U.S. and giving itself a leg up in its own quest for gold.Dominating in just about every facet, the Swedes put on a clinic against the world’s No. 1-ranked team, executing a note-perfect game plan in a 3–0 win that exposed the United States in a way that even the ‘16 iteration of Sweden did not come close to doing. “We got our asses kicked, didn’t we?” forward Megan Rapinoe, who subbed on in the 64th minute Wednesday with her team already down 2–0, succinctly said afterward.From the start, you could sense something was amiss with Vlatko Andonovski’s team, normally the one stepping on the gas pedal from the first whistle and never letting up. “Off days” for the U.S. are usually code for days when it struggles to finish chances, eventually figuring it out enough to build what had been a 44-game unbeaten streak and a torrid run across the last four years, when its only defeat came to France in January 2019.But in Tokyo, it was the U.S. that was put on its heels almost immediately, repeatedly succumbing to Sweden’s relentless pressure and disruptions and failing to generate any kind of cohesive attack.Missing star Julie Ertz—who entered the Olympics as a major question mark, having not played since May due to a knee injury—the normally formidable U.S. midfield was thoroughly outplayed in the first half, and the defense sliced and diced amid uncharacteristic games from the likes of Crystal Dunn and Abby Dahlkemper. Pointed halftime subs by Andonovski—bringing in Ertz for Sam Mewis and Carli Lloyd for striker Alex Morgan—did little to change the match trajectory and failed to stop the bleeding as the Swedes tacked on two more. Back in 2016, Sweden received plenty of attention for the defensive style of play that successfully led that game to penalties and cracked the U.S.’s code, including then-U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo’s famous postgame remarks.“We played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today … They didn’t want to open play. They didn’t want to pass the ball. They didn’t want to play great soccer,” Solo said that day.No one could make a similar accusation this time. Sweden was brave and assertive, discombobulating the U.S. in a way few opponents can and consistently applying attacking pressure on the Americans and GK Alyssa Naeher. And while Naeher made a series of highlight-reel saves early—and kept the game from being an even worse blowout than 3–0—there was little she could do to stop an onslaught that grew increasingly inevitable.
The United States’s chances, meanwhile, were few and far between, summed up by the fact that it took nearly an entire half for the team to earn its first corner kick. Attempts by Rose Lavelle and Christen Press that clanged off the post were about as riveting as it got for the U.S. attack, normally so potent and unyielding but held to five shots on goal by the Swedes, who were playing without star center back Magdalena Eriksson.“We need to learn from our mistakes this game and then we need to move on. We need to forget about it,” Morgan told Telemundo. “We need to take each game as it comes and then obviously it’s taking care of our bodies because it’s a shorter tournament than a World Cup, so the turnaround is a lot faster.”The U.S. arrived in Japan with a clear expectation—anything less than its fifth gold medal will be a disappointment. Andonovski opted for a battle-tested—and also older—roster filled with experience; of the original 18 that made the cut before rosters expanded to 22, only 30-year-old Kristie Mewis was not a part of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad. This is a team that has long embraced and prided itself on its ruthlessness, its confidence and its will to win. It has felt defeat just four times since that 2016 Olympic exit, three of which came during a five-month period in 2017 when the team’s seeming invincibility displayed real cracks and had then-coach Jill Ellis on thin ice.The response to that rough patch—losing just once in the four years since—is a testament to the group’s mentality and resiliency. Those traits will now be fully tested in Japan, where the U.S. still controls its own destiny but has complicated its path to the podium.Sweden is now in the driver’s seat of Group G with two group-round games for both (vs. New Zealand and Australia) remaining. The winner of the group will face a third-place team from one of the other two groups in the quarterfinals, while the runner-up gets a difficult draw with the Group F winner, very likely to be the Netherlands or Brazil (third place would not necessarily doom the U.S., either, as eight of the tournament’s 12 teams advance to the knockout rounds).Brutal draws are nothing new for the USWNT—look no further than its ’19 World Cup run, when it took down host France in a raucous quarterfinal atmosphere before winning a slugfest with England in the semis—but it hasn’t had to answer to such an early disappointment at a major tournament in quite a long time. And aside from Lloyd and Tobin Heath, the current roster is in uncharted waters.“2008 Olympics, I was part of that team, we lost our first game as well and came away with a gold medal,” Lloyd told Telemundo after Wednesday’s defeat, recalling the U.S.’s 2–0 opening loss to Norway in the Beijing Games. “It’s really, really important for us not to dwell too much on this game.”There won’t be much time to, with New Zealand waiting on Saturday before a group-stage finale vs. Australia on Tuesday. The U.S. will be favored to win both, and New Zealand in particular presents an excellent opportunity to bounce back nicely and get itself on track. With the need for lineup rotation, it will have to be a true team effort on Saturday after Andonovski put what was seemingly the U.S.’s best foot forward against Sweden.Ultimately, the U.S. women will be judged by one thing in these Games—whether or not they bring home the gold medal that they failed to in Rio. To get there, they might not be done with the Swedes, either. Presuming they finish 1-2 in the group one way or another, when is the next time these two sides could possibly meet, and further add to their decorated rivalry?The Olympic final.You want story lines? Nothing could quite beat that.
Megan Rapinoe after USWNT loss to Sweden in Tokyo Olympics: ‘No time to dwell’
The USWNT saw a 44-match unbeaten record end in humbling style as the tournament favorite and world No. 1-ranked side was undone by two Stina Blackstenius goals and one from Lina Hurtig.With four gold medals, the United States has more than any other nation and is vying to become the first team to win Olympic gold following a World Cup title.To do that, though, the team must move on quickly after the loss to Peter Gerhardsson’s side. Speaking after the match, Rapinoe said: “We got our asses kicked, didn’t we? … I thought we were a little tight, a little nervous, just doing dumb stuff.”There’s no time to dwell and think about if Sweden is living in our heads or not. We’ve got another game in three days.”Rapinoe, who came on in the 64th minute with the score 2-0, added: “Did we expect this result tonight? No.”It’s frustrating, and it’s frustrating that it’s Sweden. They found a lot of space on us. I don’t even know how many goals we have given up this whole year. I don’t remember the last time we gave up a goal. So to give up three is not great.”Sweden, ranked No. 5, has been the U.S. team’s nemesis of sorts in recent years. The Swedes bounced the Americans from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games in the quarterfinals, their earliest U.S. Olympic exit ever, by making a defensive stand.In April, Sweden played the United States to a 1-1 draw in Stockholm, which snapped a winning streak dating back to January 2019 when the Americans lost to France in the runup to the World Cup. It was the U.S. team’s only draw this year.U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said: “It’s obvious we put ourselves in a big hole, but we’re the only ones who can get ourselves out of it.”It’s not going to be easy. We’ve got to get positive results in the next two games, but the fact there is still a chance [means] I know this team is not going to give up.”Sweden leads Group G heading into Saturday’s game against Australia in Saitama, while the United States faces New Zealand. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout round.”We have very brave players and very good leaders,” Gerhardsson said. “Brave attitude to win the ball and transition so well. Yeah, I’m satisfied.”In 2008, the United States also lost its first match (2-0 to Norway), but went on to win the gold medal.”I think ultimately as an athlete you go through ups and downs, and this is a hard result, but it’s the nature of a tough tournament,” U.S. forward Christen Press said. “It wasn’t going to be easy. We weren’t going to breeze through six games no matter what. So here we are.”
Zimmerman out while Kessler and Cowell join USMNT camp ahead of Jamaica
Gregg Berhalter took the first steps towards potentially changing his roster ahead of the quarterfinal matchup against Jamaica on Sunday. Walker Zimmerman has been rulled out. Henry Kessler and Cade Cowell have joined the team’s camp in Dallas. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta is here with his thoughts.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTA JULY 21, 2021 7:00 AM
UNITED STATES national team manager Gregg Berhalter revealed important news to his Gold Cup roster on Tuesday night when he announced that winger Cade Cowell and central defender Henry Kessler were going to join the team’s camp on Wednesday. It was further announced that defender Walker Zimmerman has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.Per the amended tournament regulations, teams can replace injured players up to 24 hours prior to the quarterfinal. At this time, however, the United States national team has not made a formal change to the roster. These plans simply give Berhalter more leeway to make a switch.The U.S. team learned it will face Jamaica on Sunday night at 9pm EST in the quarterfinals in Dallas. Changes for the knockout rounds therefore need to be made by Saturday night. Here are a few thoughts on the potential changes.
EXTREMELY INEXPERIENCED CENTRAL DEFENSE
If New England Revolution defender Henry Kessler replaces Walker Zimmerman, the central defense is extremely inexperienced with it now consisting of Kessler, Miles Robinson, James Sands, and Donovan Pines. Prior to the Gold Cup, three of those four central defenders had zero caps and Robinson had just three. While Robinson and Sands have played well, it’s very little experience in the back and that will come into play as the tournament gets harder.ne thing to consider is whether this limits Berhalter’s ability or confidence to play three central defenders in the back. Pines was shaky at times against Canada and with these changes, three central defense adds to the inexperience of the entire team. To drift away from the three central defense lineup, it will depend on how the winger situation is resolved. This team is thin on wingers and that limits the usage of the typical 4-3-3. To return to the 4-3-3 will depend on Paul Arriola getting healthy or Cade Cowell being ready. Otherwise, Berhalter will have to revert to variation of a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1.
COWEL’S VERSATILITY GIVES OPTIONS
Paul Arriola has missed the past two games and Daryl Dike played the final 10 minutes against Canada with a hurt shoulder. Cowell has versatility to play both forward and winger so it remains to be seen who he could be brought into replace.Cowell, 17, has been playing very well recently for San Jose so he has momentum heading into this tournament. This is a very big opportunity for Cowell who could get his first cap in a very big moment.
BERHALTER HAS TIME TO MAKE MORE CHANGES
One thing to consider is that the rules of the tournament give Berhalter until Saturday to make a change. Kessler and Cowell have yet to appear for the U.S. national team and it’s good that they are arriving on Wednesday for an added training session.It’s important to note that MLS has a big slate of games on Wednesday night (and another two games on Thursday). Perhaps more announcements are on their way after these games? There are a few possibilities – bearing in mind the names must come from the 60-player provisional roster. Moses Nyeman and Kevin Paredes recently trained with the U.S. team before the start of the Gold Cup. Chris Mueller is also playing well for Orlando (which plays on Thursday) and he plays as a winger, which could be needed. Jeremy Ebobisse is also in form for Portland and he is a striker option. Justin Che could add defensive depth and he at least trained with the team in May.We will see if more players arrive in camp and if any changes are being made but for now it’s in flux.
Analysis: USMNT starts strong, holds on in 1-0 win over Canada
In its biggest test of the Gold Cup so far, the USMNT got the result it wanted but it didn’t necessarily get the performance. In the end a strong start gave the U.S. team a 1-0 win over Canada to win Group B. Now Gregg Berhalter will have a week to prepare and hopefully have his team healthy for the quarterfinals. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta is here to give his throughts.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTEDJULY 19, 20211:30 AM
THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL team scored early and hung on to defeat Canada 1-0 in Kansas City to win Group B with a perfect nine points. While Group B might have been secured, the performance was far from good enough if the team wants to win this tournament ahead of the knockout stages.The U.S. team once again rolled out with a three-central defense set up (Walker Zimmerman, James Sands, and Miles Robinson).The U.S. got on the board very quickly with one of its fastest goals ever – 20 seconds into the game. Kellyn Acosta swung the ball to Sebastian Lletget inside the box, left of the goal. The California native hit the bouncing ball with his first touch back across the goal and it found Shaq Moore at the far post for an open finish.Gregg Berhalter was forced into an early change in the 10th minute when Walker Zimmerman was forced out of the game with a hamstring injury following a collision. He was then replaced by D.C. United’s Donovan Pines.After a strong start, the U.S. team faded around the half hour mark following the first hydration break. After that, Canada controlled possession of the game and the U.S. was pinned back. Liam Fraser, Tajon Buchanan, Samuel Piette, and Richie Laryea all had strong games for Canada which impressed in the midfield and will likely be a tough out in the knockout stages. Still, the U.S. team limited Canada’s dangerous despite struggling to maintain possession. Buchanan was the most dangerous offensive player in the game for either team and he was effective getting the ball on the left side and cutting in. In the second half, he nearly equalized when his bending shot just missed bending into the far side of the post.The U.S. team was able to see out the win and will now have an entire week off to prepare for the quarterfinal against either Costa Rica or Jamaica next Sunday.Here are some thoughts on the game.
ROBINSON AND VINES STANDOUT
The U.S. team’s two best players on the day were Miles Robinson and Sam Vines who were fantastic on the backline. Both players were the reason why, despite losing the possession battle, the U.S. team was able to drastically limit Canada’s number of very dangerous opportunities – which were few.
1-0 #USMNT defeats Canada to win group. Not a great performance. some thoughts ?Miles Robinson was terrific. Wow ?Vines had a very good game ?Lletget had his moments, great assist ?Hoppe solid off bench ?Buchanan: best player on the field ?Injuries are a huge concern
This was the performance many hoped Robinson could deliver for the U.S. team. This was the first time he was significantly tested for the U.S team and the Massachusetts native delivered with important clearances, duel wins, and passes out of the back. He was a massive obstacle that Canada could not get around and, in my opinion, the most influential player in the game.Robinson has an opportunity to crack into the national team for World Cup qualifying as there are so many questions in central defense. John Brooks is a lock starter for the national team when healthy but Mark McKenzie isn’t quite a set starter at Genk. Meanwhile Matt Miazga, Erik Palmer-Brown, and Cameron Carter-Vickers are all yet to have their club situations sorted out.Sam Vines, likewise, had a massively important game both for the U.S. team and for himself. Long thought of as an offensive left back, Vines showed his defensive attributes in this game – which were always the questions surrounding his game. He was simply everywhere defensively while also being one of the team’s few assets getting forward.Sam Vines: raw # for the #USMNT in 1-0 win over Canada 90 mins 71 touches 0 shots 2 key passes 41/46 passing 3/3 accurate crossing 0/1 long balls 5/7 duels won 5 clearances 2 interceptions 1/1 tackles 1/1 dribbles 0 fouls 1x fouled 2/3 aerials won – very good game
Vines is likely heading to Royal Antwerp after this tournament on a transfer from the Colorado Rapids and anyone who has been paying attention to his game has noticed his improvement every single season. It is possible he cracks into the World Cup qualifying team this fall.
FORMATION ISSUES AND STRUGGLES
The U.S. team seemed to fall off dramatically after the hydration break at the 30th minute. Canada adjusted and the U.S. team didn’t respond.Canada put a lot of pressure on the U.S. team’s deeper central midfielders in Gianluca Busio and Kellyn Acosta. Neither of those two players had strong games and that is where the possession game fell apart. One of the big consequences is that the two outside backs, Sam Vines and Shaq Moore, were pinned back. As wingbacks, the plan was to push them into the midfield on a regular basis but the lack of possession saw them pinned back.The design was that the U.S. team would defend with five in the back but that, when in possession, it would shift to a narrow diamond with James Sands moving to the six and the fullbacks pushed aggressively into the attack to provide width. It never really materialized.The U.S. team played with a two-forward set in Gyasi Zardes and Daryl Dike but was never able to get the benefit given the midfield’s lack of possession. Instead, it turned into a wasted player. If the fullbacks were able to get forward, it would have been a different story as the midfield would have had more outlets out wide and more crosses could have been sent into a pair of forwards who are both good in the air.The U.S. team’s mostly poor performance was a chain of things that went wrong and it started with Acosta and Busio. That led to the outside backs being pinned back and not enough offensive outlets – with everything being geared up the middle. Sebastian Lletget, meanwhile, had a nice game for the U.S. team. His outstanding assist was the defining moment of the game but he was given a very tough task as his two midfielder partners were struggling, and the wingbacks were pinned to the backline. His forward outlets were limited. Canada’s backline was able to mark Zardes and Dike out of the game. Still, Lletget was able to help the team hold the ball better than just about everyone else and help to set up whatever offensive chances it had.
INJURIES MOUNT
It was welcome news for the U.S. team to have Reggie Cannon return from injury and be able to play off the bench. The Boavista-based fullback was effective defensively and Shaq Moore, who started all three games, has been almost overworked given his preseason form.Meanwhile, Paul Arriola remains out and that limits the ability to play from wide positions.The U.S. team badly needs Walker Zimmerman to be healthy and his hamstring will be evaluated this week. Meanwhile, Daryl Dike suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury after falling on it awkwardly in the second half after the U.S. team used all of its substitutions. He was able to continue but clearly wasn’t 100%. James Sands also finished out the game after having to spend some time getting treatment.
PLAYER RATINGS
THE STARTING LINEUP
Matt Turner: The New Jersey native made all the saves that were asked of him and was confident whenever called upon. Rating: 6.0
Shaq Moore: The Tenerife-based fullback took his goal very well with a nice run to back post. For the rest of the game he defended well but struggled to make an impact offensively. Rating: 6.0
James Sands: The New York City mainstay played two roles. Defensively he was a centerback but when the U.S. team had the ball, he shifted to a No. 6 in a narrow diamond. He was relatively solid although didn’t do much in his midfield role. Rating: 6.5
Miles Robinson: This was an important game for Robinson where he showed a lot of defensive quality in helping the U.S. team see out the win. His made a lot of important clearances, won several important duels, and his passing out of the back was solid. He was the MOTM and Robinson should have a lot of confidence moving forward. Rating: 8.0
Walker Zimmerman: The Georgia native left the game early due to injury and his loss was a big setback for the team. Rating: N/A
Sam Vines: Along with Robinson, Vines was one of the few U.S. players to have a solid performance against Canada. His defense was important at several key moments and he shut down Canada on his side of the field. Rating: 8.0
Kellyn Acosta: Aside from his important pass to Lletget on the goal, it was a poor outing from Acosta who was outplayed by the Canadian midfield and was not able to help the team much in possession. It is never good when a central midfield manages just 22 touches in 74 minutes. Canada clearly wanted to shut him out and Acosta had no response. Rating: 4.5
Gianluca Busio: The Sporting Kansas midfielder is a newcomer to the deeper No. 6 and No. 8 positions as opposed to the No. 10 position he grew up playing. He failed to win many duels to win the ball back for the U.S. team. Once in possession, he didn’t make much of an impact and was mostly invisible. Rating: 4.0
Sebastian LLetget: The U.S. team’s best performer in the midfield. He not only assisted, but was the only one capable of getting the ball into dangerous spots and holding the ball. Rating: 7.0
Daryl Dike: Along with Zardes, Dike was effectively controlled by Canada. He was fairly dangerous in the first 25 minutes but after that was quiet. It was admirable how he was able to play hurt the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time. Rating: 4.5
Gyasi Zardes: The Columbus forward had his moments early and worked hard to run down some long balls. At times, he stretched the defense and could send in some crosses. But overall it wasn’t nearly enough and Canada contained both him and Dike. Rating: 4.5
THE SUBSTITUTES
Donovan Pines: Some decent moments but also some moments when he looked extremely nervy in the back and new to the moment. Rating: 5.0
Reggie Cannon: The Boavista fullback defended well off the bench for the U.S. team but mishit a good chance on a goal. Rating: 6.0
Cristian Roldan: Mostly invisible in his 16 minutes off the bench and didn’t do much or enough. Rating: 4.5
Jackson Yueill: Managed to get on the ball a little bit to help see the game out. Rating: 5.5
Matthew Hoppe: Very lively off the bench. Dribbled into trouble a few times but overall brough some energy and helped advance the ball. Rating: 6.0
Who will, and who should the USMNT start vs. Jamaica?
The Concacaf Gold Cup group stage was a learning experience for Gregg Berhalter’s young U.S. men’s national team squad, and the team’ 3-0 record would suggest the group passed some tests along the way.With the knockout rounds up next, the USMNT will need to shift away from the learning portion of the tournament to the testing phase, and it will be pass-fail the rest of the way. For that reason, it is a good bet that Berhalter starts to shift toward his more experienced players.Of course, there will be some new blood in the mix to start based on some impressive group stage showings. James Sands is at the top of the list, having made himself an indispensable starter after his group stage showings. Shaq Moore has also been one of the revelations of the Gold Cup, and Berhalter will have a tough decision to make between starting Moore and starting Reggie Cannon, who has recovered from the injury that kept him out of the USMNT’s first two Gold Cup matches.Daryl Dike and Gianluca Busio had some impressive moments as well, but both struggled in the win against Canada, making it less certain that they will be in the starting lineup on Sunday against Jamaica. There is also some concern about whether Dike will be forced to withdraw after suffering a shoulder injury against Canada.You also have some veterans who haven’t necessarily lit it up at the Gold Cup. Cristian Roldan had a good second half against Martinique, but had forgettable cameo against Canada, putting his chances of starting against Jamaica into question. Kellyn Acosta hasn’t quite maintained the high level he set at Nations League, but should still have a key role to play against Jamaica.With all that in mind, here is the starting lineup we could see the USMNT deploying against Jamaica on Sunday, as well as the lineup we would deploy if we were making the final lineup decisions:
Projected USMNT Starting Lineup vs. Jamaica
Zardes
Hoppe/Gioacchini
Lietget/Roldan
Acosta
Sam Vines/Miles Robinson/James Sands/Reggie Cannon
SBI’s Preferred USMNT Starting Lineup vs. Jamaica
GOALKEEPER
Who will start: Matt Turner
Who should start: Matt Turner
Not a big mystery at goalkeeper, where Turner has been solid in goal.
DEFENDERS
Who will start: Reggie Cannon, James Sands, Miles Robinson, Sam Vines
Who should start: Shaq Moore, James Sands, Miles Robinson, Sam Vines
Sands and Robinson are locks to start in any scenario. It is at fullback where things get interesting.Moore has had a solid Gold Cup, but if Berhalter is forced to go with a 4-3-3 it can be argued that Reggie Cannon is a better fit and better defender than Moore as a right fullback, whereas Moore was more adept at handling a right wingback deployment. Walker Zimmerman’s injury will likely force Berhalter to shelve the 5-3-2.At left back, Sam Vines has been solid and has the experience edge on George Bello, who didn’t impress in his start against Martinique.
MIDFIELDERS
Who will start: Sebastian Lletget, Cristian Roldan, Kellyn Acosta
Who should start: Eryk Williamson, Kellyn Acosta, Gianluca Busio
Two players who are safe bets to start are Sebastian Lletget and Kellyn Acosta. The question is where will they be deployed?
Lletget has operated strictly as a midfielder at the Gold Cup, but he has played on the forward line in the past and is no stranger to being deployed on the wing. It is something Berhalter should consider as he deals with the absence of wide threats.The safe bet for Berhalter is the Lletget-Roldan-Acosta midfield, with Acosta in a defensive midfield role. Berhalter knows this trio, and has used them in important matches before.That being said, Roldan’s Gold Cup hasn’t been a memorable one, and as much as Busio struggled against Canada, he could find more success playing against a Jamaica side that doesn’t boast as strong a collection of central midfielders as the Canadians.One player who has shown well in his Gold Cup appearances is Eryk Williamson, and he could help bring some defensive bite. Partnering Williamson with Acosta in front of Busio would give the midfield an edge that could serve the USMNT well against Jamaica.
FORWARDS
Who will start: Matthew Hoppe, Gyasi Zardes, Nicholas Gioacchini
Who should start: Matthew Hoppe, Gyasi Zardes, Sebastian Lletget
Dike’s health status complicates things a bit because if he is healthy he will absolutely be in the mix to start.Having said that, look for Zardes to step into his more familiar target striker role ahead of Dike in a 4-3-3. Zardes’ superior hold-up play gives him the edge, and he also has experience playing against Jamaica.Hoppe has impressed every time he has been on the field, and why he isn’t the prototypical wide player, Hoppe has shown a liveliness and skill on the ball to be an effective wide forward option. The only doubt about him being a starter is whether there is a concern about his fitness and if he can give Berhalter 70+ minutes as a starter. Berhalter could decide that Hoppe is a better weapon off the bench, and start Lletget on the left wing.Then you have the right forward spot, which could go to Nicholas Gioacchini, or Paul Arriola if he is recovered from the injury that has sidelined him since the opening win against Haiti. Gioacchini has been a lively threat in the opportunities he has been given, and could be a problem for Jamaica’s suspect defense.If trying to maintain possession and dominate the ball is what Berhalter will ultimately be hoping for, then deploying Lletget as a wide forward would serve the dual purposes of giving the USMNT a player who can provide effective service from the wing, and also help free up a midfield spot for someone like Eryk Williamson to provide some added bite and creativity to midfield.
What do you think of our projected lineups? Which would you start? Who are you most excited to see play?
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Ladies Soccer and the US get things underway before the actual Olympic games opening Ceremonies – as soccer kicks things off on Wednesday AM. The US ladies of course will play their nemesis #5 ranked Sweden who knocked them out of the last Olympics in the Quarterfinals. Of course the US dispatched of Sweden in the World Cup 2 years ago – but the sting is still there. Christen Press: USWNT loss to Sweden in Rio drives its quest for Olympic gold
Lots of discussion about who will start vs Sweden and who will play and how the roster will be adjusted for the 3 games in the group stages – but I look for Coach A to throw a knockout punch in the first game. I think he starts his strongest possible team looking to knock off Sweden and take control of the Group. For that reason I think he starts Rapinoe – she’s a big game player and was the MOP of the Olympics, I like Alex Morgan up top and Christen Press on the right. Press can play any of the top 3 slots – but she’s lethal on the wings and is our top and most dangerous scorer since the World Cup. I expect to see Lavelle (assuming her ankle is ok) along with Sam Mewis in the mid along with either Lindsay Horan or Julie Ertz at the #6. If Ertz is healthy I think she starts – as Horan could sub in at either of the 3 midfield spots or even as a 2nd forward if behind late. The normal back line of Dunn on the left, Sauerbrunn and Dahlkemper in the middle and O’Hara on the right should front Naeher in goal.
I think Tobino Heath will be the first sub in for Rapino the other subs will depend on the situation. Assuming the US beats Sweden I would think Heath and Lloyd will get starts in game two vs New Zealand with Williams and Macario seeing some time off the bench in game two. Coach A will need to work in rest for Rapinoe, Morgan, Heath, Lloyd, Ertz and possibly Lavelle as I don’t think any of them can play all 3 matches. I look for the US to get started strong and to claim a 1 maybe a 2-0 win over Sweden. If you miss the game live – the game will be REPLAYED ON NBCSN at 8:30 am and again at 6 pm on NBCSN and of course the replay will be on NBCOlympics.com.
Opinion: Grudge match with Sweden the perfect opener for USWNT at Tokyo Olympics
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY
Tue, July 20, 2021, 9:20 AM·3 min read
TOKYO – Nothing like a good ol’ fashioned grudge match to kick off the Olympics.The U.S. women begin play Wednesday with a game against Sweden. Yes, that would be the same Sweden that knocked the Americans out of the Rio Olympics in the quarterfinals, their earliest exit ever at a major tournament.“What happened in 2016 was one of the worst results that the senior national team has had in a major tournament,” captain Becky Sauerbrunn said Tuesday. “From playing in that game, I know how disappointed we all were. It has lit a fire going into (the World Cup in) 2019, and also here for 2020.”The rivalry between the USWNT and Sweden was already feisty before Rio. The U.S. has faced no team more often at the Olympics and World Cup than Sweden – the group-stage game in Tokyo will be their ninth at a major international tournament – including at each of the last five World Cups.Seven of their last eight games overall have been decided by one goal or less, including a 1-1 draw in April that snapped the USWNT’s 16-game win streak, the third-longest in team history.But it’s that 2016 loss, on penalty kicks, that still stings.The U.S. women don’t lose often – all of six times since 2015 – and it’s really a rarity when big prizes are on the line. Since the World Cup began in 1991, the Americans have won it four times, including the last two. They have won the gold medal four times since women’s soccer was added to the Olympic program in 1996.And when they don’t win, they usually come close.They were runners-up at the 2011 World Cup, and finished third in 1995, 2003 and 2007. Before Rio, the Americans were silver medalists at the one Olympics where they didn’t win gold.So to lose in 2016 was galling enough. To do it before even the medal rounds? It was almost incomprehensible.“The players who were there in 2016, it’s in the back of our minds,” Alex Morgan said before the April friendly. “And those who weren’t there, we’ll be sure to remind them.”Sweden has potent forwards, and it has the size and strength to go toe-to-toe with the Americans. But it’s the Swedes’ attitude that makes them such a formidable foe.If they’re intimidated by the Americans and all their success, you’d never know it. They will do whatever it takes to win, even bunkering down as they did in Rio to take the game to extra time and then penalties.“I think it’s more a question to the U.S. team, what do they think we do very good against them,” Sweden captain Caroline Seger said Tuesday, when asked to explain her team’s success against the USWNTThat doesn’t mean Sweden takes the Americans lightly, either.“We know we have to be very prepared. We have to step up to a level that is very high,” Seger said. “The U.S. brings its best when it needs to be the best. It’s going to be very tough game tomorrow, but I also know we’re very prepared.”The Americans are hoping to become the first reigning World Cup champion to win the Olympic title, and a loss – or draw – against Sweden would not end those chances. But beating Sweden would put the USWNT in control of Group G and, theoretically, an easier path through the medal rounds.Those are concerns for another day, however. For now, the Americans have one thought and one thought only in mind.“It’s a loss that I’ve thought about a lot over the last five years, and how am I, how are we, going to get revenge?” Kelley O’Hara said. “Hopefully we’re going to beat them.”Let the grudges, err, Games, begin.
USWNT’s Tobin Heath, Matildas’ Ellie Carpenter, Team GB’s Caroline Weir among Olympic players to watch
Jul 19, 2021Kathleen McNamee
While the men’s football competition at the Olympics is often an opportunity to get a sneak peek of some up-and-coming talent, the women’s competition is stacked with both new and recognisable names.With no age limits in the women’s comp and with squads being expanded this year thanks to COVID-19 precautions, there will even more talent on display in Tokyo. Coaches can bring 22 players but must pick 18 for matchday.While many stalwarts of the game return, several young prospects will be looking to make a name for themselves. The United States women’s national team have the best claim to being tournament favourites — they are looking to make history by becoming the first team to win a World Cup and Olympic gold back-to-back — there are 11 other nations looking to derail them.Here are ESPN’s picks of the players who might just be the ones to look out for during the competition.
Christiane Endler (Chile)
The six-time Chilean Player of the Year has often been described as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and her experience will be needed as they come up against medal contenders Canada and Great Britain in their group, as well as hosts Japan. She conceded just four goals in the Division 1 Feminine last season and helped Paris Saint-Germain win the league for the first time. This earned her a move to European behemoths Lyon. Endler’s distribution is one of her strongest assets and alongside her confidence in defending set pieces, she is always one to watch.
Caroline Weir (Team GB)
Team Great Britain is often dominated by players from England, but it is a testament to the talent of Scotland’s Caroline Weir that she would be the first name on many people’s teamsheet. The attacking midfielder is known for scoring stunning goals from the edge of the box, drawing comparisons to Eric Cantona from her teammates. Besides scoring, it is her technical ability that makes Weir an important component of Hege Riise’s squad. She has a pass-completion rate of over 85% and is confident with the ball at her feet, averaging between 60 to 70 touches per game. With much of the squad made up of her Manchester City teammates, she’s well positioned to score some more Puskas Award-worthy goals.
Mana Iwabuchi (Japan)
There was surprise in some quarters when Iwabuchi opted to join Aston Villa last season. The experienced forward has played with some of the world’s best. She managed just two goals, but her average of over 70 touches per game shows she’s invested in build-up play. A big move to Arsenal at the start of the summer — where she will be reunited with former Bayern Munich teammates Vivianne Miedema and Lisa Evans — will hopefully give her more opportunity to shine and no better way to start that than with Japan at the Olympics. Precise and deliberate on the ball, she poses a serious threat.
Lieke Martens (Netherlands)
Vivianne Miedema is often put forward as the star of Netherlands’ squad and while her goal-scoring record speaks for itself, there is plenty of other talent in the European champions squad. One such name that sticks out is Martens, who won the Primera Iberdrola and Champions League this season with Barcelona. The Catalan club’s dominance at home and abroad was second to none and Martens has played a vital role in getting the team to that point. Elegant on the ball, she likes to play wide before using her technical ability to either get behind defences or take a shot. Netherlands have arguably the easiest group in the competition — with matches slated against China, Brazil and Zambia — but that opens things up to some magical moments from Martens.
Ellie Carpenter (Australia)
The young player from Australia has made a remarkable name for herself in Europe, and her skills will be needed as her side face one of the toughest groups in the draw. The Matildas have struggled in games in the run-up to the Olympics, but Carpenter has been consistently a standout player. With oppositions well aware of the threat of the side’s star Sam Kerr, having other options going forward have been key and Carpenter’s ability to scarper up the wing from the defence and turn attacker has only heightened her usefulness to Tony Gustavsson. While she’s the fifth-youngest on the squad, she brings a mature style of play which if utilised correctly could be a key element to the Matildas’ success.
Magda Eriksson (Sweden)
The Chelsea captain led her club to domestic glory, and with Sweden tipped as one of the main challengers to the USWNT’s bid to make history, her experience is going to be crucial. The squad is packed full of young exciting talent like Hanna Bennison, but the importance of Eriksson can’t be underestimated. She was part of the squad that won silver at Rio 2016 and after a disappointing defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final, Eriksson will be on the hunt for silverware. Technically she’s very gifted, with Chelsea manager Emma Hayes often saying she could have a career in coaching, such is the level of her football brain. Watch her marshal the Swedish defence against some of the world’s best forwards and marvel at how she seems to know what they’re about to do before they even make a move.
Tobin Heath (United States)
Tobin Heath is far from a lesser-known name, but she has had a difficult season with injuries. Having missed out on the second half of the Women’s Super League season with Manchester United, she faced a race to get fit in time for the Olympics. There was a question mark over whether Vlatko Andonovski was right to pick her to travel but she answered all these and more with her comeback against Mexico. Two goals in two games showed she is ready to compete for a starting spot and after such a lengthy spell out, we could be treated to some Heath magic in Tokyo. Look out for her stealing the ball from the opposition and darting through the defence before releasing a powerful strike that leaves even the best goalkeepers stuck to the spot.
The Top Threats to the USWNT’s Quest for Olympic Gold
The U.S. is a clear favorite to bounce back from 2016 humiliation and capture a fifth gold medal, but the tournament field features some familiar foes capable of preventing that.
Set your alarms and keep the coffee at the ready.The Olympic women’s soccer tournament begins Wednesday in Japan, with Great Britain vs. Chile kicking off at 3:30 a.m. ET as the first of six group-round games that day. The U.S. follows an hour later with its opener vs. Sweden, and additional group matches on July 24 and July 27 will precede the knockout rounds, with an eventual gold-medal match taking place on Aug. 5 (it’ll Aug. 6 in Tokyo).The tournament features 12 teams, with the FIFA world No. 1 USWNT being widely considered the favorite. The U.S. has not lost since a road defeat to France in January 2019 (44 matches), and it’s attempting to become the first reigning Women’s World Cup champion to win the subsequent Olympic gold medal (not to mention, aiming to avenge its shocking Olympic quarterfinal exit five years ago).The road to the podium, however, will not include a couple of familiar heavyweights. France, the world’s No. 3 ranked team, will not feature in Japan because of European qualification rules (the confederation’s three Olympic spots went to the three countries that finished highest at the ’19 World Cup), and No. 2 ranked Germany won’t have a chance to defend its 2016 gold medal for the same reason. Spain, a rising threat in the women’s game, won’t be there, either, after its round-of-16 exit to the U.S. two years ago.Despite those absences, intrigue still abounds as the rest of the world tries to knock the U.S. off its perch. And if you’re a fan of chaos and underdogs, consider that if the USWNT doesn’t win gold, we are guaranteed to get a first-time women’s Olympic champion. The tournament groupings are as follows (Groups A-D are part of the men’s tournament, which kicks off Thursday):
Group E: Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Chile
Group F: Netherlands, Brazil, China, Zambia
Group G: United States, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand
Who should U.S. fans be most concerned about? We break down the seven teams most likely to stand in the way.
Top threats
Netherlands
FIFA world ranking: 4th
The U.S.’s 2019 final opponent is lurking again in these Olympics. The Dutch should be regarded as the favorite to win Group F, and doing so could put them on another championship collision course with the U.S. (should both countries win their respective groups, they would be on opposite sides of the knockout bracket). The Netherlands is led by Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema, one of the world’s premier strikers at age 25, as well as Barcelona forward Lieke Martens, Manchester United midfielder Jackie Groenen and PSV goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal, the last of whom gave the U.S. fits in said World Cup final. The U.S. successfully kept Miedema and the Dutch attack in check in that game, but she’ll be a major key to any gold medal push this team makes in Japan.Generally, scoring isn’t a problem for the Netherlands. The Dutch can put up goals in bunches and have tallied some eye-popping results in 2021, pummeling Australia 5–1, Belgium 6–1 and Norway 7–0. But 1–0 defeats to Italy and Spain, as well as a 2–0 loss on home soil to the United States last November (a game that had key absences on both sides, including Miedema), show they are still trying to get over that final hurdle since bursting onto the scene by winning the Women’s Euros in 2017.This tournament is also a sendoff for Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman, who has brought this federation to the cusp of global glory and is taking the England women’s job in September. Ending her tenure on a high, though, may require putting the type of offensive pressure on the U.S. that they’ve failed to do in the sides’ last two meetings. That starts in the midfield, where Groenen, Lyon’s Daniëlle van de Donk and others will play a pivotal role in any Olympic run.
Sweden
FIFA world ranking:5th
The Swedes are one of just two teams since April 2019 that have played the U.S. and not lost (the other, South Korea, is not at these Games). Three months ago, the USA needed an 87th-minute penalty kick by Megan Rapinoe to salvage a 1–1 draw in Stockholm. They’ll meet again on Wednesday in a sneaky-critical opener for both sides—the victor, should there be one, will have the inside track at winning Group G, which comes with the award of avoiding a scary quarterfinal matchup (Group G’s second-place team will draw the winner of Group F, very likely to be either the Netherlands or Brazil. The Group G winner will face a third-place finisher in the quarters). https://74d7e61e4dbff740f1569a37bc073e66.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html A number of the Sweden players who were on the 2016 Olympic roster when it stunned the U.S. are back, including star center back Magdalena Eriksson, midfielder Kosovare Asllani, forwards Sofia Jakobsson and Fridolina Rolfö and captain Caroline Seger. This group shouldn’t be intimidated by the prospect of facing the U.S.—or anyone else—and if there’s a silver lining to opening with such a high-profile match, it’s that there can’t be a rematch until the final.
The next tier
Brazil
FIFA world ranking: 7th
Two former USWNT head coaches will be on other sidelines in Japan—Brazil’s Pia Sundhage is one, and New Zealand’s Tom Sermanni is the other. Sundhage, of course, famously won gold while coaching the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics in London, then stepped down and took the job in Sweden, where she managed the 2016 team that knocked out the U.S. in the quarterfinals. In 2019, she took over for Brazil and now leads an intriguing group looking to cause some real damage at the Tokyo Games.In the last decade-plus, Brazil has struggled to replicate its women’s soccer golden days, when it was runner-up at both the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympics, and when Marta—now 35 and still a very good player—was at her incredible peak. But there’s plenty of talent here in 2021, and under Sundhage, this group has evolved into one on the upswing. Marta is still here, of course, and amazingly so is 43-year-old Formiga, who has played in every single Olympics that has had women’s soccer (since 1996) and is making her seventh(!) trip.The title of Brazil’s top playmaker now, though, belongs to Debinha, a dynamic midfielder who stars in the NWSL and is a scoring threat whenever she approaches the 18-yard-box. Brazil will need her at her best in its quest for a medal. This group did see the U.S. earlier this year, losing 2–0 at the SheBelieves Cup (it beat both Canada and Argentina by multiple goals in its other matches in the event). Brazil had its chances against the U.S. and will need to be more clinical if it’s to break through in Japan, starting in a crowded Group E.
Canada
FIFA world ranking:8th
Could we get a U.S.-Canada meeting at a major tournament for the first time since that instant classic at the 2012 Olympics? It’s certainly a possibility, with Canada right in the mix again for a medal and a number of potential paths to these sides meeting in the knockouts. The Canadians gave the U.S. a ride at the SheBelieves Cup in February, holding the hosts scoreless for 78 minutes before a Rose Lavelle goal proved to be the difference. And while Canada left that event having scored only once, it was playing its first matches under new head coach Bev Priestman.Priestman hasn’t had a lot of time to implement her vision on the team ahead of the Olympics, but there have been some encouraging results. Canada beat England 2–0 on the road in April, tied Brazil 0–0 in June and drew with the Netherlands 3–3 last week in a pre-Olympic training match.The roster is a mix of experience—like all-time international goal-scoring leader Christine Sinclair (38 years old) and a player with 205 caps in Sophie Schmidt (33)—and youth, like standout defender Ashley Lawrence (26) and midfielder Jessie Fleming (23) and promising young forwards Jordyn Huitema (20) and Evelyne Viens (24). The big question for Canada, though, is a familiar one: Can this team score enough? With a variety of attacking options—which also include Janine Beckie and Nichelle Prince—Priestman is hoping to find the right mix that gives Canada the clinical finishing it needs to get on the podium.
Great Britain
FIFA world ranking: 6th (for England; however, Great Britain could also pull from the rosters of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
In certain ways, Team GB is a bit of a mystery heading into this Olympic tournament. The England team that pushed the United States to the brink in the 2019 Women’s World Cup semifinal has taken multiple steps back in the two years since, winning just three of the nine friendlies it’s played and most recently falling to France and Canada by an aggregate score of 5–1. Meanwhile, manager Phil Neville moved on to MLS, and Hege Riise has taken the reins (including those of Team Great Britain) until Wiegman arrives in September.Many of the England players who were on that 2019 team are now part of Team GB, and only three of its 22 players (Scotland’s Kim Little and Caroline Weir; Wales’s Sophie Ingle) are from outside that federation. So the concerns around England’s recent form are real, as is the fact that Great Britain will enter its opener having scarcely played together (a scheduled July friendly with Zambia was canceled, but it did recently beat New Zealand 3–0 in a closed-door Olympic warm-up friendly).Perhaps of chief concern is the Team GB defense, as England posted just two clean sheets (vs. 30th-ranked Portugal and 48th-ranked Northern Ireland) in its last 11 official games. The defender list is familiar, including The Best FIFA Women’s Player honoree Lucy Bronze at right back and Millie Bright, Steph Houghton and Leah Williamson at center back, but that group hasn’t always proven to be the most effective unit at the international level, particularly on set pieces. Look for the talented 24-year-old Williamson, of Arsenal, to have a larger role this time after barely appearing at the ‘19 World Cup.In the attack, Team GB definitely has the pieces to be dangerous, including Ellen White, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Georgia Stanway and promising 20-year-old Lauren Hemp. Kirby is coming off a brilliant season with Chelsea, while White starred two years ago in France. Still, Team GB will need to gel quickly to succeed in a tricky group and avoid falling behind the eight ball—or worse, missing the knockout phase entirely.
Japan
FIFA world ranking:10th
The host side has been building toward this Olympic tournament for some time, sacrificing experience for youth at the ’19 World Cup to rebuild for the future. Those growing pains were still on display at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, when Japan lost all three games just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports, and it’s only played five friendlies since. The good news: it dominated four of those matches by a combined score of 27–1, and won the fifth, 1–0, over Australia. The bad news: The average FIFA ranking of the non-Australia opponents is 42.3, so those routs are largely not indicative of the quality of team it will face in these Olympics.While this is a young group, not everyone on this Japan roster is inexperienced on the big stage. Mana Iwabuchi, 28, has been on the scene since the 2011 Women’s World Cup, and the creative forward has scored six goals across the five 2021 matches. Captain and 30-year-old Saki Kumagai, meanwhile, was a stalwart at Lyon and is an anchor of the Japanese defense.With a lack of high-quality games to go on, it’s hard to gauge exactly what to expect out of Japan in these Games, but make no mistake: It has its eyes on the podium, including a push for gold. Group play will be critical, with Japan, Canada and Great Britain all conceivably able to finish anywhere from first to third. The difference in placement is steep and will largely shape who is most likely to advance past the quarterfinals.
The wild card
Australia
FIFA world ranking:9th
On paper, The Matildas are a perfectly solid team. They have one of the best strikers in the world in Sam Kerr, who is always a threat to score so long as her teammates can get the ball to her feet (or head). They have a team filled with players with major (and varied) club experience, ranging from the NWSL to the WSL to the local W-League. And of the 18 players on the initial Olympic roster before it expanded to 22, only one (Kyra Cooney-Cross) is making her debut on a major tournament roster.The problem? For one thing, Australia is on its third head coach since 2019, and the turnover—on top of the pandemic—has taken its toll. Interim coach Ante Milicic managed the team at the 2019 World Cup and was intended to also coach the team in Japan, but he left the position a year ago. Former USWNT assistant Tony Gustavsson took over in September and has gotten off to more than a rocky start. After going a year without an international game, the Matildas got their doors blown off by Germany and the Netherlands and have lost four of five games in 2021, drawing a fifth with Sweden.Australia’s defense has long been leaky, but if its attack isn’t going to compensate, it makes any road to what would be a surprise medal in Japan a particularly tough one. It also finds itself in a brutal group, and it likely needs to steal points from the U.S. and/or Sweden to avoid a third-place finish and potential elimination. Still, this roster feels too talented and experienced to write off, and if it can get some confidence going early, it has the potential to disrupt either its own narrative or someone else’s.
Great Britain vs. Chile
Wednesday, 3:30 a.m. (Olympic Channel, Universo)
The long-awaited Olympic women’s soccer tournament kicks off Wednesday, two days before the Opening Ceremony kicks off the Tokyo Games in full. Great Britain plays as a unified country only in the Olympics, and its team has plenty of talent. England’s Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze, and Scotland’s Kim Little are among the headliners.But the English contingent has underwhelmed at the international level, and this is a trap game for them. Chile goalkeeper Christiane Endler is one of the world’s top netminders and will be an even bigger deal on the world stage when she starts playing for Lyon after the Olympics.
Assessing the Matildas’ Tokyo Olympics opponents: New Zealand, Sweden, USWNT
Samantha LewisAustralia Correspondent
It’s a cliche that each Olympic Games will be unlike anything we have seen before. But this time, after the pandemic forced a year-long delay to Tokyo 2020 — resulting in no crowds, fragile athlete bubbles, a city still in a state of emergency, and a national population largely against the whole idea — they will, for once, be right.There can be no downplaying how fundamentally the pandemic will shape performances at the Tokyo Games, especially when it comes to the football. With many more moving parts and more participating athletes than most other sports at the Olympics, the football tournaments must be viewed and assessed through a lens deeply informed by the history and context of the past 18 months.While sport is always touted as a level playing field, it never is — especially when something like a global pandemic has exacerbated the natural and structural advantages of some national teams over others.Group G is a tantamount example. Australia are joined in this group by New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States: three teams that have, by virtue of their resources, their player pool, their geographic location, and their league availabilities, enter Tokyo 2020 from very different starting points.
Two of the teams in Group G (Australia and New Zealand) didn’t have a national team camp or international-level game for over a year, while Sweden and the USWNT were able to cobble together camps and matches throughout 2020 and 2021. By contrast, even though he formally started his role in January, Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson didn’t meet some of his players face-to-face until June.To Football Australia’s credit, the Matildas were able to play a series of friendlies against top-ranked opponents in the months leading up to the Games, allowing Gustavsson and his players to re-introduce themselves to each other before they take the pitch for one of the biggest tournaments of their careers.Tokyo 2020, then, carries with it an enormous asterisk. These wider, uncontrollable circumstances have affected different teams in different ways, and it is likely that the pointy-end of the women’s football tournament will be filled by those nations who were able to wiggle their way through the various lockdowns and suspensions with their squads and systems intact.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the three teams Australia will be facing in Group G and how far each of them could go.
New Zealand
When vs. Australia: Wednesday 21 July, 9:30pm (AEST) Where: Tokyo Stadium Head coach: Tom Sermanni FIFA rank: 22 Key players: Abby Erceg (North Carolina Courage), Ria Percival (Tottenham Hotspur), Ali Riley (Orlando Pride), Annalie Longo (Melbourne Victory)
History: Despite their decade-long dominance in the Oceania Football Confederation, New Zealand have never made it past the quarterfinals of an Olympic Games or senior Women’s World Cup. However, they have performed admirably over the past few years under the watchful eye of former Matildas and USWNT head coach Sermanni, most recently finishing fourth in the 2020 Algarve Cup after defeating Belgium on penalties and narrowly losing to Norway 2-1 in the semifinals.When it comes to major tournaments, though, things look a little different. The Football Ferns finished third in their group at Rio 2016 following a win over Colombia, but their inferior goal difference saw them bundled out of the “best third-placed team” spot behind Sweden and Australia, both of whom advanced to the quarterfinals from other groups.In France in 2019, New Zealand were also knocked out at the group stage, though they did put up a fight against eventual runners-up Netherlands (losing 1-0) and Olympic dark horses Canada (losing 2-0), while also controversially losing to Cameroon 2-1 in the 95th minute. What is pleasing for New Zealand, unlike the other teams in their group, is the promise of their next generation. The Kiwis finished third at the 2018 Under-17 Women’s World Cup, sensationally defeating youth powerhouses Japan on penalties and then beating Canada 2-1 to claim bronze. Some of those players — including goalkeeper Anna Leat, Marissa Van Der Meer, and striker Gabi Rennie — have all been included for Tokyo, while the head coach of that triumphant campaign, Leon Birnie, is Sermanni’s assistant
New Zealand’s Olympics run, then, can be seen in a similar vein to Australia’s: laying the foundations and introducing the next generation for a stronger showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which the two nations will be co-hosting. With the promise of home-ground advantage and a squad of impressive emerging players, it’s that World Cup, not the Olympics, that the Kiwis are building towards.
Prediction: While they have been on the cusp in a number of major tournaments, New Zealand are one of the Tokyo sides whose pandemic-affected circumstances seem just too difficult to overcome.With players already scattered across the world, border restrictions and suspensions have made it nearly impossible to organise full-team camps and international-level friendlies to the same extent as their Group G rivals. In fact, their first and only friendly of 2021 came just last week, where New Zealand lost 3-0 to the Great Britain squad.In addition to their lack of preparation, which will likely manifest on the pitch in technical rustiness and international-level fitness, New Zealand are also missing key players such as defender Rebekah Stott and striker Rosie White, both due to illness
Aside from defending their way to a best third-placed finish, it would be miraculous for New Zealand to get out of their group. Getting through their three games without any major injuries would be a success; anything else is a bonus.
Sweden
When vs. Australia: Saturday 24 July, 6:30PM (AEST) Where: Saitama Stadium Head coach: Peter Gerhardsson FIFA rank: 5 Key players: Hedvig Lindahl (Atletico Madrid), Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea FC), Kosovare Asllani (Real Madrid), Stina Blackstenius (BK Hacken)
History: Sweden are a team designed for major tournaments. Outside of the United States and Germany, they are one of the most successful national teams across Olympic Games, European Championships, and World Cups — even though they have never won the top gong in any of them.They were runners-up in Rio, losing to Germany 2-1 in the gold medal match after sensationally defeating both the U.S. and Brazil on penalties earlier in the tournament. They finished third at the 2019 Women’s World Cup after defeating a fancied England; a result that doubled as both teams’ qualification for Tokyo 2020.Sweden also have the benefit of being an older, wiser, and more weathered playing group. The majority of them went to France and to Brazil for the past two major tournaments, and as Swedish football journalist Mia Eriksson told The Far Post podcast recently, there has not been as much player turnover or introduction of new blood as some other national teams in Tokyo.Given the unpredictability of the tournament, this may play in Sweden’s favour: these are players who are highly familiar with each other (both at national team and club level) and with big tournament experience.Captain Caroline Seger alone has 214 caps to her name, becoming Europe’s joint-most capped player in history against Australia last month. Seger is joined by players currently working at some of the world’s best clubs including goalkeeper Lindal (Atletico Madrid), Eriksson (Chelsea FC), Asllani (Real Madrid), and Sofia Jakobsson (Bayern Munich); all of whom have been playing together at national team level for several years.This is a team, then, that knows the toll that high-intensity, high-turnover tournaments like the Olympics can take. Having played several more games over the course of 2020 than their other Group G opponents, including both friendlies and competitive European Championship qualification matches, Sweden are not just more willing but also more prepared — physically, tactically, and psychologically — to take it on.
Prediction: Australia have more of an edge over other teams in Group G when it comes to Sweden, having played them most recently in a 0-0 friendly in June. However, Sweden weren’t fully stocked that day, missing or giving limited minutes to a handful of key senior players who have been included in the Tokyo squad.Their recent record is particularly impressive: Sweden haven’t lost a game since March of last year, a run that has included a 1-0 win over traditional rivals Norway and a 1-1 draw against gold medal favourites, the U.S., in April.Experience, consistency, talent, fitness: Sweden are unquestionably capable of a podium finish at Tokyo 2020. They will likely finish second, if not first, in Group G — but just where they finish up in the tournament overall will depend on which opponents fall their way in the knockout stages. If they can get past these early hurdles, they’ll have proved themselves worthy of a medal even before the big day arrives.
United States
When vs. Australia: Tuesday 27 July, 6:00PM (AEST) Where: Ibaraki Kashima Stadium Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski FIFA rank: 1 Key players: Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Christen Press (unaffiliated), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride)
History: They’re already the winningest national team in the history of the women’s game with four World Cups (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019) and four Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012) to their name. And yet, despite winning all there is to win, the USWNT are still out to create more history at Tokyo 2020 in potentially becoming the first team to win gold after also winning a World Cup the previous year.
Of all the teams competing at Tokyo 2020, this is certainly the one capable of doing just that. The U.S. come into the Olympics on an extraordinary 44-game unbeaten streak, with their last loss being delivered by France in January 2019. Since then, they’ve played out just four draws, three of which came against teams they could potentially face in Tokyo’s latter stages (Japan, England, Sweden).
Like Sweden, the U.S. have a squad overflowing with big game experience. All but three of the Tokyo roster went to the 2019 Women’s World Cup, while majority — including veterans Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Morgan, Ertz, Sauerbrunn, and Kelley O’Hara — also went to the Rio Games, a tournament that still haunts them after their shock elimination by Sweden in the quarterfinals (the first time the USWNT failed to medal in an Olympic Games).
The talent and experience of the squad itself aside, the U.S. have also been playing consistently (both at club and national team level) throughout the pandemic, including 12 games in 2021 alone. Across those 12 games, which featured a mix of top 10 and lower-ranked sides, the USA scored 37 goals and conceded just once (against Sweden), with goal-scorers coming from all over the park.
At club level, all the players have received game-time either in their very own National Women’s Soccer League or across the pond in England’s FA Women’s Super League throughout 2020. Those with more recent European experience, too, such as former Manchester City players Lavelle and Sam Mewis, will likely draw upon those valuable months of technical and tactical insight if they find themselves face-to-face with their old team-mates or club-based opponents.
Alongside Sweden, the U.S. are the other team in Group G who have been able to navigate the various spanners COVID-19 has thrown at them. And of all the teams competing at Tokyo’s women’s football tournament, it’s the USWNT who have the resources, the talent, the preparation, and the determination to make the kind of history that a team like them are worthy of.
Prediction: It’s not often you say that the USWNT have a point to prove, but the 2016 Rio Games is the albatross this team are determined to shake from their necks. Tokyo is the U.S.’s chance to return to the summit of the Olympics, fuelled from within by a core group of experienced players who know what it takes to get there.
This is, however, Andonovski’s first major tournament as a national team head coach, having replaced Jill Ellis after the 2019 Women’s World Cup. How well he deals with Tokyo’s pressure-cooker environment and manages his squad could determine how far they go. If he does it well, they are undoubtedly gold medal favourites. Anything less, given the players at his disposal and their recent history, will be a disappointment.
The final group in the Olympic women’s football tournament will likely be the toughest. Group G has the two-time defending world champions, the defending silver medalists, and two other incredibly tough teams. There will be a team strong enough to win a medal that will not get out of this group, and that’s why it will be the group that most people pay attention to when the games begin next week.
USA
The 2-time defending world champions. The #1 team on the planet, the favorites of the tournament. The USWNT is looking to become the first women’s team to win a gold medal right after winning a World Cup. For them, anything less is failure, and they’ve brought an experienced lineup full of some of the best players in the world to go for gold in Tokyo.
FIFA Rank/Elo Rating: 1/1
Recent Record: The USWNT haven’t lost in 2021. They did have 1 draw that took place on the road against Sweden, but every other match has been the USWNT showing why they’re the world’s #1.
Odds of Winning Group: Favorite
One to Watch: Forward Christen Press has been involved in 37 goals in her last 37 international appearances. She not only scores, but she creates goals for others. She’s ready to be the best at this tournament.
Sweden
Sweden is a team that will always compete, and they have the silverware to prove it. The 2016 silver medalists, Sweden is back for more and to show that they can get all the way to the end and stand tall with the gold medal.
FIFA Rank/Elo Rating: 5/6
Recent Record: Sweden has 4 wins and 2 draws in 2021, including a draw against the United States. They’re the only team that has managed to score a goal on the USA since March 2020.
Odds of Winning: In The Running
One to Watch: Midfielder Kosovare Asllani has star quality and is a terrific scorer for Sweden. She can also create scoring chances, and defenses will have to focus on her every match.
Australia
The Matildas are a team that can be dangerous in this tournament. They have some superb players, and they have played well recently against the United States. Still, that hasn’t yielded any trophies or medals. Australia exited in the quarterfinals in Rio 2016 and the Round of 16 in the 2019 World Cup, but they’re hoping that 2021 is the year that the yellow and green are atop the podium.
FIFA Rank/Elo Rating: 9/7
Recent Record: Australia has not had a good run lately. In 2021, they do not have any wins, managing a lone draw to Sweden in 5 matches.
Odds of Winning: In The Running
One to Watch: Samantha Kerr is one of the best players in the world, and she’s going to be counted on to carry Australia throughout the tournament.
New Zealand
The Ferns are the team that’s rated the lowest of the 4 in Group G, but that doesn’t mean they’re the weakest. They always possess a tough mentality on the field and have the players to beat anyone. In their quest to be considered among the top 10 programs in the world, they have the biggest test of all being in this group. New Zealand appears to be ready for the challenge.
FIFA Rank/Elo Rating: 22/26
Recent Record: New Zealand only has one match played in 2021. They lost 3-0 to Great Britain in a tune up match earlier this week.
Odds of Winning: Outside Chance
One to Watch: Hannah Wilkinson is their best goalscorer, and she hopes to make a leap to the next level in helping New Zealand beat the giants.
No games, shock illnesses and late arrivals: New Zealand ready to fight despite horror Olympic lead-in
Jul 19, 2021Stephanie BrantzESPN Columnist
Imagine trying to prepare a team to face the best in the world at an international football tournament, having played just one competitive match together in the preceding 498 days.It’s not an ideal situation at any level of the game, but that is precisely the one in which the New Zealand women’s national team find themselves — playing just one friendly match in 16 months ahead of heir opening match at the Olympic Games against Australia on Wednesday.Prior to the closed-doors friendly against Great Britain at the Todoriki Stadium in Tokyo last week, the Football Ferns’ last collective outing — competitive or otherwise — was at the Algarve Cup on March 10, 2020.New Zealand’s third-place playoff at that tournament was in fact the last match played there.Germany were declared winners after the final was cancelled when Italy withdrew due to the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic in their home country — in hindsight, it was an ominous precursor to a developing global crisis.The Ferns finished fourth after a 2-1 loss to Norway and, while head coach Tom Sermanni recalls the match with perfect clarity, he also remembers having no inkling at that point that it would be their last time together for well over a year.Instead of planning a series of camps and international friendlies for the lead-in to Tokyo, Sermanni spent the rest of the year stranded in Australia as the coronavirus spread around the world slamming borders shut. He travelled around the country where possible, to watch the four New Zealand players plying their trade in the W-League, but had to rely on television broadcasts, match streaming and written reports to keep tabs on the balance of a squad scattered around seven different countries on three separate continents.While 17 members of that side who participated in the 2020 Algarve Cup will pull on a New Zealand shirt once more in Tokyo this month, health issues have resulted in the absence of two important names from the team sheet.Rebekah Stott was planning to appear in her third Olympic campaign for the Ferns in Japan before being diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in February 2021.On the day her teammates run out on the pitch in Tokyo to face Australia in their opening Group G match, Stott will be in Melbourne awaiting the results of a PET Scan which will tell her if she is in complete remission.The popular defender, who made a heart-warming return to the football pitch with NPLW side Bulleen Lions in Melbourne last week, is an important part of the Ferns’ culture and she has written in her blog that her absence from the team is tough to take even though she knows her health is the priority at this time. – “I am fortunate enough to have represented my country at two Olympic Games already, but it doesn’t make the heartbreak of missing out this year, in one of my favourite countries, any easier,” Stott wrote.The 28-year-old might have played for Australia at under-17 and under-20 level, but her loyalties are very much with her country of birth.”Having represented both New Zealand and Australia, it’s always a special game for me, and although I hope my Aussie friends have great games, I hope for nothing but Kiwi success,” she wrote.Forward Rosie White, who has 100 international caps herself, will also be cheering her team on from home after she was sidelined with chronic illness.”I am heartbroken not to be able to compete with this incredible team inTokyo,” White announced on Instagram, expressing her disappointment.”Unfortunately, I’ve had a big health set back and have to slow down for the time being.”Life is mysterious and unpredictable but I couldn’t be more grateful for all the support I have received.”I’m so proud of all the women named in this squad and I can’t wait to be their biggest supporter.”While the combined experience of Stott and White will be hugely missed on the park, the Ferns have said they are using their teammates’ fighting spirit as inspiration.”We’re flipping it around and using it as something to go into this tournament firing with, to really push us on in the tournament,” Ria Percival told Goal.Percival will be the most experienced player in the Ferns side in Tokyo, with the Tottenham Hotspur defender chalking up 152 national team appearances with her last outing.Alongside veterans Ali Riley, Abby Erceg and Iceland-based CJ Bott, Percival will make up a backline charged with repelling the forays of some of the best strikers in the world.
While Sermanni reiterated that the reason for his outrage was solely based on what he termed the “unprofessional and discriminatory behaviour” of the two clubs in releasing their Brazilian players early and not extending the same courtesy to the New Zealanders, he was understandably relieved when Riley and Erceg — who are halfway through an NWSL season — arrived match fit.”It was the unfair treatment from the two clubs that was my only complaint,” Sermanni told ESPN.”However, the fact they [Riley and Erceg] have been playing, is so important. We have only five outfield players who have had competitive football in the past two months and they are at a different level of readiness compared to the other 14 outfield players we have.”Striker Hannah Wilkinson is one of those who has had a six-week break away from regular football, after completing her club season with MSV Duisburg in the Frauen Bundesliga at the beginning of June, travelling back to New Zealand and then completing the required 14 days of quarantine.The scorer of New Zealand’s last goal in international competition, 29 year-old Wilkinson will lead the attack, supported by the likes of Betsy Hassett, Katie Bowen and Olivia Chance.Although the Ferns’ strike-force failed to find the back of the net and the team conceded three goals in their one and only warm-up match, it doesn’t overly concern Sermanni.”The performance, in regards to where we were at in relation to Team GB is what I expected,” he said. “Many of their side play together in the top clubs in Europe and have played together in the last 12 months.”I think the value for us is that we got 90 minutes together for the first time in 16 months.”I said before the game that the result was not critical. The match gave us the opportunity to assess what we need to do going into the tournament, it gives both the staff and players a focus now on what we need to correct in a very short and unusually intensive period of time.”With an ominous task ahead, Sermanni is realistic about the disparity in preparations between the New Zealanders and their Group G rivals Australia, Sweden and the United States.”The USWNT has played 15 games this year. We’ve only played that many matches in the last two-and-a-half-years — and that included a World Cup year. Even Australia has managed to stay together since the June window,” he said.”I think preparation time will be the biggest difference, it magnifies the gulf now that the game is more professional but you go into the tournament with the hand you’re dealt and then you go in with the best preparation you can in the circumstances, to get the best results.”The Tokyo Olympics will be Sermanni’s last tournament in charge of New Zealand with the Scot stepping down after its conclusion. But his focus until then is solely on what he can control and, despite the disadvantages faced in the lead-in, he believes no one should be writing the Ferns off just yet.”For New Zealand, we need to get our tactics, preparation and selection spot on,” he said.”Obviously everyone has to turn up on the day but we feel if we can get those three things right, then we always have a chance and that’s what we are looking to do in this tournament.”
Mens Olympic Soccer Games to Watch
Mexico vs. France
Thursday, 4 a.m. (USA Network, Telemundo)
There’s a lot of buzz around Mexico’s men’s team going into the Olympics, and for good reason. Diego Lainez, the 21-year-old winger, is a star and surrounded by key veterans in goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, midfielder Luis Romo, and striker Henry Martín.This game will be a great measuring stick. France defender Timothée Pembélé is a rising star with Paris Saint-Germain, and two of Les Bleus’ three over-age players play for Liga MX power Tigres: winger Florian Thauvin, and prolific striker André-Pierre Gignac.
Also Thursday: Egypt vs. Spain, 3:30 a.m. (Olympic Channel, Universo); New Zealand vs. South Korea, 4 a.m. (NBCSN); Ivory Coast vs. Saudi Arabia, 4:30 a.m. (Olympic Channel); Argentina vs. Australia, 6:30 a.m. (Olympic Channel, Universo); Japan vs. South Africa, 7 a.m. (NBCSN); Honduras vs. Romania, 7 a.m. (NBCOlympics.com); Brazil vs. Germany, 7:30 a.m. (USA Network, Telemundo)
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So the US made quick work of Martinique finishing with a solid 6-1 win as Daryl Dike scored the double. The win means Canada and the US will play for top spot in the group on Sunday 5 pm on Fox. The US need a win to advance as the top team to avoid a match with Mexico in the semi-finals setting up this nice must win game against the Canadians. Canada is of course missing their best player in Bayern’s Alphonso Davies while the US is fielding a B team at best with most of our European starters off. Still both teams will want to avoid a match-up with tourney favorite Mexico who has brought their full A team with plans to win the Cup. Of course Canada won in their last matchup in the nations league group stages with the US. After an uninspiring 1-0 win the first match with Haiti – the US men changed most of the starters and the tactics in beating the worse team in the group and possibly the Gold up in Martinique 6-1. Forward #9 Dike just missed a hat trick as he scored 3 goals but had his 2nd goal ruled an own goal later. (hate that rule!) All in all the youngsters played well.
Full USMNT roster for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders (8): George Bello (Atlanta United), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Donovan Pines (D.C. United), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Midfielders (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)
Forwards (6): Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Daryl Dike (Orlando City), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)
US Ladies start Olympics with Sweden Weds 4:30 am USA Network
So the #1 Ranked and World Cup champion US ladies will kick off their Olympics with a match with nemesis Sweden on Wed at 4:30 am on USA. Sweden of course knocked the US out of the last Olympics in the Quarter finals – their worst finish ever. The US will look to avenge the 2016 loss to Sweden which knocked them out last Olympics by getting on the board early. Olympics Women’s Soccer on TV
Wow the Copa and the Euro’s wrapped up the first stanza of the summer of soccer in style as Argentina and specifically Messi (the GOAT) finally won their first international tournament with the 1-0 win over Brazil in the Copa Finals. Messi fell to his knees and both teams gave huge congrats to this player as he finally lifted his homeland of Argentina to a win after so many disappointments in the past. (World Cup finals lost in PKs, Copa 2 times in Final) Brazil’s Neymar was especially classy as he congratulated his old teammate from Barcelona Messi. It was a good game – and while Messi didn’t score in the final – he left as the leading scorer in the tourney, the leading assist man and the MVP of course. Congrats to Messi !! You are the GOAT!
As for the Euro finals – wow !!! The game came down to a 1-1 game after an incredible 120+ minutes of play. I thought the refs were great – letting them play and not being suckered into calling crap fouls for the home English squad like had happened all tourney. In the End – Italy’s old guard of Juventus center backs Chilini and Bonnuchi average age 36 – took home the trophy after Italy won 3-2 in PKs. Of course England’s coach Southgate blew the decision on the PK takers and order when he left the poor 19 year old Saka as the last shooter. What and idiotic thing for a coach to do. The kid had never taken a PK for Arsenal and he’s only 19. ALL OF THE BLAME for the loss should not be on the 3 guys who missed but on the coach for putting them in that situation. OF course the racism that has followed on the 3 young black players is unforgivable and horrific. But I say Southgate should bare the blame for his selection of shooters – more than the shooters themselves. Italy finished allowing just 4 goals in the tourney as GK Gigi Dolurama won the tourney MVP and Golden Glove. The amazing return of Italy just 3 years removed from not making the 2018 World Cup gives hope to us US fans looking ahead to next winter’s World Cup. In the meantime Italy’s BRINGING IT HOME to Rome!! Viva Italia ! Great Saves Euro 2020
Indy 11 host Memphis @ the Mike — Sat 7 pm ESPN+, TV
The Pitch: Sunday’s USA-Canada Match to Feature MLS-Heavy Rosters That Showcase North American Player Development –MLS.com
Sunday’s USA-Canada Match to Feature MLS-Heavy Rosters That Showcase North American Player Development
Concacaf Gold Cup squads for the U.S. and Canada feature a combined 70 percent of players (32 of 46), who currently hail from Major League Soccer clubs. As the two countries prepare to meet head-to-head in the Group Stage of the tournament on Sunday (5 p.m. ET, Univision / TUDN / FOX), the progress of MLS player development is contributing in a big way to the future of fielding North America’s national teams.
When the U.S. Men’s National Team’s opened Gold Cup action against Haiti last Sunday, the starting lineup included 10 active MLS players of the 11 on the field. As a handful of MLS academy products made their international debuts, Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gianluca Busio earned his first cap at home at Children’s Mercy Park, and 23-year-old Portland Timbers midfielder Eryk Williamsonreminisced on attending the 2013 Gold Cup, with dreams of one day representing his country.
MLS personalities are shining in a major way for Canada as well, with five academy products named starters and three more coming off the bench in their 4-1 victory over Martinique on Sunday. Toronto FC academy products scored key goals when Jonathan Osorio finished the game-winner in the 26th minute, and Theo Corbeanu put away Canada’s fourth goal in the 89th.
Canada will take on Haiti on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / TUDN), followed by the USA vs. Martinique (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / UniMás / TUDN) before the two sides square off on Sunday.
Gold Cup Grants Mexico A Highly Touted Homegrown
LA Galaxy forward Efraín Álvarez is the rising 19-year-old dual-national who last Saturday forever solidified his ties to the Mexican National Team when he appeared in the Gold Cup Group Stage match against Trinidad & Tobago.
As Álvarez is gradually earning minutes for country, making his second full international appearance for Mexico in the game, the now cap-tied teenager has the national team support and guidance from a pair of his current club teammates. LA Galaxy midfielder Jonathan dos Santos, who was also called up to Mexico for Gold Cup, will be on his side throughout the tournament before both resume club competitions alongside Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, who is tied for the Golden Boot lead in MLS.
With a bright future ahead, Álvarez has sided with Mexico as he joins an ever-growing crop of young players developed in MLS, who are fielding the next generation of North American national teams.
United States beats Martinique with Daryl Dike double to reach Gold Cup knockouts
The United States rode a pair of Daryl Dike goals to an easy 6-1 win over Martinique to book a spot in the knockout rounds of the 2021 Gold Cup on Thursday night in Kansas City.The U.S. improved to 37 wins, one loss and four draws in the Gold Cup group stage.Dike opened the scoring for the U.S. with a glancing header from a nice cross into the box from Matthew Hoppe.A Martinique own goal led to the second for the Americans, when after a goalmouth scramble and a near miss from Gianluca Busio the ball trickled into the net off of defender Samuel Camille.The U.S. started hot after the break with Miles Robinson scoring before Dike netted a classy second to put Gregg Berhalther’s side up 4-0 before the hour mark.Emmanuel Riviere struck from the penalty spot to get Martinique on the scoreboard, but Gyasi Zardes offset that strike soon after with a clinical shot on the back of a nice team move to restore the four-goal lead for the U.S.Nicholas Gioacchini added further gloss to the scoreline, finishing a close-range shot from a Busio cross to make it 6-1 in favor of the U.S.Hoppe, who started, and Donovan Pines, who entered in the 70th, raised the total to 47 debuts in 31 matches under Berhalter.Berhalter changed seven starters from last weekend’s opening 1-0 win over Haiti, inserting defender James Sands along with Busio, George Bello, Eryck Williamson, Christian Roldan, Hoppe and Dike. The lineup averaged five international appearances and was in effect a junior varsity, with only Roldan regularly getting much time with the primary player pool.Dike, coming off a breakout loan from Orlando to second-tier Barnsley in England’s second-tier League Championship, raised his international goals total to three. He put the U.S. ahead in the 14th minute with a header off a long cross from Hoppe.Next up for the U.S. is a Group B-deciding match against Canada on Sunday to see which nation takes top honors and earns a No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals.
Are Olympics too easy for USWNT, and too small for women’s soccer?
11:04 AM ET Caitlin Murray
When the U.S. women’s national team finally begins its Olympic campaign in Japan, it will be the massive favorite. There are some good reasons for that, including its No. 1 world ranking and its title as the reigning World Cup champion.But there’s an even better reason: there’s just not a ton of competition. With only 12 teams in the entire tournament, many of the best teams in the world won’t even be there. Germany, the gold-medal winner of the 2016 Olympics and the No. 2-ranked team in the world? It’ll be watching from home.France, the world’s No. 3-ranked team with seven players in ESPN FC’s Women’s Rank, the most of any country aside from the U.S.? Also at home.
So, why won’t the best teams be there?The short answer is that the women’s soccer tournament is too small and governing bodies haven’t seemed to mind. With just 12 teams, it’s smaller than the men’s Olympic tournament and has room for just three participants from Europe, the dominant region of the world.Even worse, there’s no qualification tournament for European teams, which sends a signal of complacency and reduced expectations.While the men’s teams all have regional qualifiers and fight for their spot at the Olympics, placement at the previous Women’s World Cup decides which European teams compete at the following Olympics. Seven of the eight quarterfinalists at the 2019 Women’s World Cup were from Europe.So, when France lost to the U.S. team in an electric, thrilling quarterfinal match in Paris, it got hit with a double whammy: it was not only out of the 2019 World Cup, it was out of the 2020 Olympics, meaning it wouldn’t get to compete in another major tournament until the European Championship in 2022 at the earliest.”There has to be something that changes this,” former U.S. team captain Abby Wambach tweeted at the time. “UEFA needs to spend the money and do a proper qualifying tournament. France is too good not to be at Olympics. Total shame.”That’s not to say there won’t be any good teams in Japan. The U.S team’s opening game will be against Sweden, the team that knocked the U.S. out in 2016. The Netherlands, the team that reached the 2019 Women’s World Cup final, will also feature.But if the U.S. wants to reach its fifth-ever gold-medal match, it has to get through a three-game group stage in which merely coming in third place in a four-team group is enough to advance, and then just two knockout games. It’s not exactly a robust competition — the Women’s Euros are tougher — and it will only continue to lose relevance as the Women’s World Cup expands to 32 teams in 2023.So, can it be fixed?The International Olympic Committee has no excuse for keeping the women’s soccer tournament at just 12 teams. The men’s tournament features 16 and fits into the Olympic schedule just fine, especially because most of the soccer tournaments take place outside the host city.Critics say there is simply no time for a proper qualification tournament in Europe because quickly after the World Cup, teams start using their international windows on European Championship qualifiers, which take months. But that’s only true if UEFA is unwilling to tweak its calendar slightly.CONCACAF’s Olympic qualification tournament, for instance, happens in just one FIFA window. UEFA has more teams, but there’s no reason it can’t stage a similarly truncated event with World Cup placement or world rankings serving to weed out teams and avoid drawn-out early rounds.It might require a little effort, but making the Olympic women’s soccer tournament bigger and more prestigious would be good for everyone.Women’s soccer as a whole lacks events with consequential games, and the sport needs more high-stakes competition. While European teams have the Euros, there’s otherwise a dearth outside of the World Cup and the Olympics, and national teams can only grow and garner more investment if they play games.At the same time, the IOC would benefit from women’s soccer earning a higher profile at the Olympics. The U.S. team, for instance, garnered record TV ratings for NBC in 2012 — the last time it won a gold medal — which translate to more value for the IOC. The Women’s World Cup in 2019 drew record TV ratings around the globe. As the interest in women’s soccer grows, the IOC would be foolish to not want to join in.To be sure, the IOC wouldn’t want to face backlash from FIFA if women’s Olympic soccer became as prestigious as the Women’s World Cup. On the men’s side, FIFA has required the Olympics serve mostly as a U2 evet to avoid overshadowing the World Cup. The women, on the other hand, compete with their full senior squads.But the IOC probably won’t have to worry about that.For FIFA to feel compelled to water down the women’s Olympic tournament, it would first need to know the value of the Women’s World Cup, which it does not and has shown little interest in finding out. That’s why FIFA assigns all its World Cup revenue to the men’s version of the tournament, and no one can say how much the women’s tournament generates.The women’s soccer community, by revering the Olympics as the No. 2 event in the sport behind the World Cup, has done its part to help soccer blossom at the Olympics. Now it’s time for the IOC to return the favor and expand the women’s field to be on par with the size of the men’s tournament, or make it even bigger.It’s the least it can do.
Indy Eleven: 4W-5L-3D, 15 pts. (-2 GD); 4th in Central Division
Memphis 901 FC: 3W-4L-3D, 12 pts. (-3GD); 8th in Central Division
What the Boys in Blue absolutely did not do last Saturday was play 46’ of a soccer game. There certainly wasn’t a weather delay followed by a power outage at OKC Energy FC’s Taft Stadium. Cammy Smith totally did not score his second goal of the season in the first half to initially put Indy Eleven up 1-0, before Energy FC found the back of the net to equalize. None of that happened, alright? Instead, OKC Energy and Indy Eleven will play at a later date. The Time Variance Authority forgives you for your confusion and encourages you to get ready for Indy Eleven’s match against Memphis 901 FC this Saturday at Carroll Stadium.Indiana’s Team returns home looking to turn around its fortunes at The Mike, a task that will once again need to get done without defender Neveal Hackshaw, one of four USL Championship standouts representing Trinidad and Tobago at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Indy will have to continue to patch the hole he leaves in their defense, as opposing teams average just over five more shots when Hackshaw isn’t present in the backline (11.5-16.75). Results have not favored the Boys in Blue when the 25-year-old has been absent on national team duty, but while their 0W-3L-1D record in such games could be cause for alarm, only one goal conceded in each of those last two outings – including the latest performance last Wednesday at Atlanta United 2 that saw the Eleven boast a season-high eight shots blocked and 12 interceptions – shows the coping mechanisms are coming into form.Something that certainly isn’t lacking for Indy is the high volume of production they’re seeing from its goalkeepers. Jordan Farr, Bobby Edwards and Eric Dick have all stepped in between the sticks across the first 13 12 games, the first time in franchise history that Indy has had three different goalkeepers appear in goal in one season, with each making a significant impact. Farr, now in his fourth season with Indiana’s Team, is the #1 in the box, having registered 25 saves before he was sidelined with a wrist injury in June. Edwards stepped up in a big way, registering eight saves in his Indy Eleven debut at Sporting Kansas City II on June 20 that helped elevate his side to a much needed 2-1 victory. The Butler University Alumnus Dick was brought in on loan from Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew SC in response to Farr’s injury and made his debut against ATL UTD 2 with an inspired performance that saw seven saves from the Carmel native. With top showings from a rotating cast of ‘keepers, there’s no doubt that there are safe hands in goal for Indy, making Interim Head Coach Max Rogers’ top of the lineup sheet decision both easy and difficult at the same time.Memphis 901 FC come into this weekend trying to find their way out of the basement of the Central Division – although their situation is not as dire as it first appears. Memphis has been riddled with injuries and players missing due to international duty throughout the 2021 season, but are starting to find solid footing and carry multiple games in hand on all but one Central foe. Kyle Murphy has caught fire in the goalscoring department for the Bluff City squad, having netted four times in the past three games and earning a nod to the bench of the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 11 after scoring twice against Atlanta United 2.It wasn’t all blue skies for Memphis in that game against ATLUTD 2 however, as they lost starting goalkeeper John Brener to a season-ending injury. However, Memphis signed former Saint Louis FC goalkeeper Kyle Morton on loan from MLS’ Houston Dynamo, providing a more than suitable back-up plan. Morton wasted no time, grabbing a clean sheet and helping Memphis take down Central Division leaders Birmingham Legion FC 1-0 in his debut last Saturday.
Indy Eleven will look to avenge its loss last time out against the Memphian side, which featured some questionable calls that didn’t fall in Indy’s favor. The most infamous was perhaps the “no-goal” call on forward Manuel Arteaga’s shot that banged off the bar and straight down across the goal line before rebounding back into play, for what would’ve been his third on the season at that point. It wasn’t meant to be for Arteaga or the Eleven that night, as they would eventually fall to Memphis 2-1, nearly clawing their way back into it after a goal from defender Karl Ouimette six minutes into second half stoppage time and a surge of Indy play right before the final whistle.
The Boys in Blue have historically owned this series, never scoring less than three goals in a meeting before first meeting of 2021. That includes their only previous meeting in Indy prior to 2021, a 3-0 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium on Oct. 5, 2019.
IND PLAYER TO WATCH: MF NICK MOON
Another game, another player to watch nod for Nick Moon. Since (again) Indy definitely in no way played a game last Saturday, it’s only fair to highlight Moon for the Eleven’s matchup with Memphis (again). Moon’s versatility has been on full display through the 2021 campaign. In his second year with the Boys in Blue, Moon has featured in several different roles for Indy, mostly on the right side. Last year, Moon mostly played in a forward position for Indy, but Moon has experienced playing in both offensive and defensive positions through his collegiate career and into his rookie season with former USL League One side Lansing Ignite, where he earned a spot on the inaugural All-League Second Team for his efforts.That hasn’t stopped his offensive production though, as the 25-year-old is currently second on the team with two assists on nine chances created. Moon looked dangerous once again in Saturday’s scrimmage, dribbling up and down that right side and looking for opportunities in attack.Moon has been impressively on the wing, having won 66 duels so far this season (only trailing Arteaga’s 80) as well as adding 15 clearances and nine interceptions. Numbers don’t lie – Moon is a strong contributor up and down the flank for the Eleven, and they’ll need him to step up on both sides of the ball in order to send Memphis home to face the music.
MEM PLAYER TO WATCH: GK KYLE MORTON
Morton returns to USL Championship play once again after the former Saint Louis FC goalkeeper made the move to Major League Soccer with Houston Dynamo during the offseason. With Brenner now out due to a season-ending injury, Morton has been brought in on loan by Memphis to boost the side’s goalkeeping corps. The 27-year-old has spent a bevy of time with different USL Championship sides including the Rochester Rhinos, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, and most recently Saint Louis FC (R.I.P). Indy tallied a 1W-2L-1D record against Morton-guarded goals in 2020, the ‘keeper collecting a clean sheet and clinched playoff berth for STL along the way. Morton was also named as a 2020 USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year for his efforts.
In Morton’s Memphis 901 FC debut he helped propel his new team to perhaps its biggest victory of the season so far, taking down division leader Birmingham Legion FC 1-0. The West Chester, Pennsylvania, native came up in a big way with eight saves over the course of the match, earning a spot on the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 12 for his performance. The James Madison University alum is going to be a tough one to beat Saturday, but one of Indy’s missions will no doubt be throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at Morton.
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Sorry soccer fans on vacation this week so not much time this week. The summer of soccer’s first stanza wraps up this weekend with the Copa Final matching Brazil and Neymar vs Argentina and Messi looking for his first ever international title, having reached the finals 3 times. Of course after a fabulous Euro Cup – nothing more than a spectacular final between surprising upstarts Italy (missed the 2018 World Cup just like the US) and England looking to “bring it home” for the first time since the 1966 World Cup. Honestly with the home field advantage and the refs calling EVERYTHING for them – how could England not make the finals Sunday at Wembley. Assessing the final – Italy has been the more impressive side with a surprisingly potent counter attack to go along with the Best Defense in the World. Those two experienced centerbacks combined with the great – Gigi Donaroma in between the pipes and the calm Mancini with his Armani suits – this Italy team looks the better side coming in. That being said – you know the 60K or however many they let into the stadium will be rooting hard for England. The chance to end over 50 years of frustration with a Euro title won at home would be great for the 3 Lions. (England). It will certainly be must watch soccer Sumday at 3 pm on ESPN (Coverage starts 2:30 pm). Don’t miss the anthems – Italy singing their anthem defines the soccer in Europe. I think like in every important game for England this Euro’s that the Ref will gift them a goal for sure. So Italy will have to score at least 2 goals to steal the win on foreign soil. I like Italy in a 2-1with a goal in extra time by the Juve man bringing the title back to Italy.
US Starts Gold Cup on Sunday Eve 8:30 vs Haiti FS 1
The US rolls out the B team with mostly MLS players for this edition of the Gold Cup which started this weekend. The US contigent still has a bunch of possible US World Cup players on the roster. I am excited to see Atlanta’s Miles Robinson along with Nashvilles’ Walker Zimmerman in the middle and Reggie Cannon on the right back spot. Yuelle will get a chance to see if he can solidify a backup spot at the #6 slot behind Adams. Up front should also be exciting as Orlando’s Dike will look to try to claim that #9 spot with some goals this summer. I will have much more on this next week – as the US should certainly advance to the knockout rounds. Huge game next Sunday with the US facing Canada on FS 1 at 5 pm. Of course Mexico has brought their A team – so look for them to definitely make the finals – against hopefully this US MLS team.
GAMES ON TV
EUROS + COPA America FINALS
(Euro’s all times ET; coverage starts about 30 minutes before kickoff; all games also stream on ESPN+, Copa on Fox, FS1, FS2
Saturday, July 10
COPA Final 8 pm (FS1)
Gold Cup – Mexico vs T&T(Hackshaw) 10 pm (FS1)
Sunday, July 11
EURO Final (London) – 2:30 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN+, Univision, TUDN)
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS – Fri/Sat-Quarter Finals as Favorites Fall
Wow – the last few days of Quarterfinal action in the Euro’s has been scintillating. First it was Italy needing extra time to finish off Austria 2-0, then Belgium sent home the defending champs Portugal and Renaldo in ET. Then #2 ranked and defending World Cup Champs France were shocked by Switzerland in Penalty kicks as France talisman Mbbape’s shot was saved by the Swiss Keeper. Then England quieted the ghosts of past vs Germany in a tight 2-0 win at home at Wembely as 45K delirious English fans went crazy. Then finally not to be outdone the Ukraine upset Sweden in ET as 2-1 as Sweden went down to 10 men – to advance to the quarters vs England. All in all 8 spectacular games with many going to Extra Time- WOW! And Some Spectacular saves along with a GK nightmare.
Now it leaves us with some intriguing matchups as Belgium vs Italy Fri at 3 pm – matches two of the favorites awaiting the winner of Spain and Switzerland. It could be called the Euro’s of Redemption as Italy, Spain and England have advanced further than they have in forever. Can Spain keep up the scoring vs the counterattack of the Swiss? Will sentimental favorites Denmark continue its magical run without their best player Christian Erikson watching from home? Will Belgium’s Golden Generation get them past Europe’s best defense in Italy? Will England win one on the road in Rome to return home for the semi’s at Wimbley? Hopefully it will continue to delight. I of course missed the same 2 of the Elite 8 that everyone else did I am sure as France and Sweden surprisingly fell. This time I see Belgium continuing their run to face the Swiss, while England and Denmark prevail in the other bracket. Who do you like?
Ok am I the only one not paying attention to the COPA after spending 5 hours all afternoon watching the EUROs? I mean Fox is doing a fine job covering the games – but the drama just hasn’t really been there. That should all change this week ast the quaraterfinals get underway with some solid match-ups including Brazil and Chile, Friday at 8 pm and Uraguay vs Colombia Saturday afternoon.
BRACKET – QUARTERFINALS
Friday, July 2 21 – Peru vs. Paraguay (Goiania; 5 p.m. ET, FS 1 ) 22 – Brazil vs. Chile (Rio de Janeiro; 8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Saturday, July 3 23 – Uruguay vs. Colombia (Goiania; 6 p.m. FS1) 24 – Argentina vs. Ecuador (Brasilia; 9 p.m FS1 )
BRACKET – SEMIFINALS
Monday, July 5 25 – Brazil or Chile vs. Peru or Paraguay (Rio de Janeiro; 7 p.m. ET,)
Tuesday, July 6 26 – Argentina or Ecuador vs. Uruguay or Colombia (Brasilia; 7 p.m. ET)
US Ladies Face Mexico Thurs Night 8 pm FS1, Mon 7/5 5 pm ESPN
Huge news that the Olympics is going to allow 22 players on the roster now instead of the 18 originally planned. The addition allows the 4 alternates who were on the travel squad to actually play now which is fantastic and allows youngster Caterina Macario to be in the mix. I still would have liked another youngster on the forward or backline – heck Margerie Purse would have filled both rolls and given us a little more diversity. I wonder why we don’t have ANY Hispanic players on the ladiers side? Anyway will be interesting to see if Heath or Ertz play tonight or Mon vs Mexico – games the US should win obviously – no matter who they roll out there. Interesting Story on Mara Gomez Argentine PlayerAlso Mia Hamm’s Rookie card just sold for 34K Lots of Stories on the Ladies in The Ole Ballcoach.
DEFENDERS (6): Abby Dahlkemper (Manchester City, ENG), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage),
FORWARDS (6): Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Manchester United, ENG), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Tobin Heath
Alternates – On full roster now – Catarina Macario M (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA), Lynn Williams (F), Casey Krueger (D), Jane Campbell (G) 5 Subs per game will be allowed like the men.
Thursday, July 1 USA Women vs Mexico 8 pm (Fox Sport 1)
Monday, July 5 USA Women vs Mexico 5pm (ESPN2)
Indy 11 host Birmingham July 3 — $3 concessions Sat 7 pm ESPN+, TV 8
Huge tie for Indy on the road last week at Louisville as the 11 secured a solid 3-3 tie! Of course they return home this Saturday to celebrate America July 3rd with Celebrations golare and $3 Concessions on everything from hot dogs to popcorn to sodas and even beers I think!! Tickets at a special Discounted Price are Available Here– Friends of Indy 11.
Good luck to Former Carmel FC player Rosie Martin as she competes at the ENCL National Championships with her U14 Fire team this weekend !!
ALTERNATES: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars), Catarina Macario (Lyon), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
What To Watch For
How much will Tobin Heath play? Julie Ertz is not expected to appear tomorrow as she recovers from injury, but we will likely see the first of Tobin Heath in a USWNT jersey in 2021. Heath, who also has been recovering from an ankle injury sustained at Manchester United, looks to be ready to get some minutes as she dials up her fitness for the Olympics. Will we see her for an extended period of time, or will any appearance from her be just a cameo?
How aggressive will the high press be? Storms are forecast for Thursday, so the high press could be tricky should the weather indeed be wet. Still, Andonovski will want to see how his high press will work against a team that is aggressive on the ball and who wants to quickly possess the ball and move it downfield. With 18 players in the Olympics, he’ll look to see how often he can turn up the intensity and when he has to dial it back.
Keep focus. Eyes on the prize. The USWNT needs to work on the things they know they will need to improve if they are going to win the gold medal, and that should be their focus. Keep up the intensity and the stellar play that has carried them this far, but continue to hone in on the details and don’t lose sight of the goal: winning gold in Tokyo.
Prediction
The wet weather will keep the fireworks on the field at bay, and it will be a slow affair. However, the USWNT break through with a couple of goals to beat Mexico by a familiar scoreline: 2-0.
Winning gold, not developing young players, is the USWNT’s objective at Tokyo Olympics
This may seem surprising or disconcerting, but in the past two years, the average age of the United States Women’s National team has advanced two years.If you need a moment to get over the shock, it’s understandable.After the USWNT reached for the stars Wednesday to announce the roster for the upcoming Olympic Games – “Ted Lasso” leads Jason Sudekis and Brandon Hunt on Twitter, decorated striker Alex Morgan joining Robin Roberts on ABC’s Good Morning America – there was plenty of criticism regarding the dearth of young players and the advancing age of those who made the team.Forward Carli Lloyd (below) will be 39 at the Olympics. Defender Becky Sauerbrunn will be 36. There are more players over 30 than not. However, every player included save one was part of the 2019 World Cup championship squad.y “No huge surprises in the USWNT squad which, I think, is quietly disappointing. The likes of Midge Purce, Catarina Macario, Casey Short etc. are all names more than worthy of a spot in the 18-player squad,” wrote Olympic journalist Courtney Hill, “but, as is the theme with (national teams), age and experience prevails once again.”“Could we please get younger players experience? The whole front line is over 32,” was the comment from Twitter account maizenblu52.Here’s the thing: The task at the Olympic Games is not to gain experience. It’s to win. Vlatko Andonovski’s objective in assembling his first major tournament roster as USWNT head coach was to select the 18 players best suited to winning the games necessary to claim the gold medal. One can debate whether he achieved this with the players chosen, although those lining up on the side opposite the coach should be aware that squads fielded for his first 20 games won 19 and drew once. He’s undefeated in actual competition, so he’s probably winning any argument with you.
“I was very happy with a lot of those players that didn’t make it. I was very thankful for everything they did, for the effort they put in, and in some ways they helped this team grow and develop and prepare for the tournament,” Andonovski told Sporting News. “We still believe those players are good players; just in evaluating them and analyzing them and comparing them with some of the other players we have on the roster, we believe the ones that made it are slightly ahead and give us the best chance to win the tournament.
“But with that being said, we keep an eye on all of the players that didn’t make it, especially the young ones, to have them back as soon as the Olympics are over and start preparing them for the World Cup and beyond that.”With Olympic rosters accommodating only 18 players, there is not a lot of room for experimentation, for the luxury of including a young player who is unlikely to appear but would benefit from the experience of being in camp.The fair question is how particular veterans might hold up to such a compacted schedule: three games in six days at the group stage, a total of six over 17 days for those teams that reach the gold medal match. Among the healthy players, that is particularly a concern involving Megan Rapinoe (above), who’ll be 36 when the Tokyo Games start. Even at the 2019 World Cup, she did not demonstrate great speed covering the left flank and often could be seen abandoning still-promising movements if there was some possibility they could fail, allowing her to conserve energy. It’s a pattern repeated through several appearances in this calendar year. However, at the World Cup, Rapinoe scored six times and earned the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. And in 2021, she has scored seven goals in nine appearances, including three from open play during the SheBelieves Cup.What coach would leave home that player?(Yes, the obvious answer is Jurgen Klinsmann. It was a test).“I don’t look at players by age, because there’s so many other things we look at,” Andonovski said. “The most important thing is whether they perform or not, whether they’re going to be able to help us win the Olympics or not.“We do look at data, and every data we get from a physical perspective, they’re hitting all the numbers that they need in order to fulfill the tests that we believe are going to be given to them. On top of that, you can look at the statistical data, you’ll see that Megan Rapinoe has scored the most goals in 2021, and Carli Lloyd has the most assists.”The greatest risk Andonovski has taken with his roster is with Julie Ertz and, more to the point, forward Tobin Heath.
Although Andonovski said Heath is closer to regaining full health than Ertz and could play in pre-Olympic friendlies against Mexico on July 1 and July 5, Ertz was an easy choice because of the absence of an experienced replacement at the defensive midfield position. They’ll wait as long as necessary for her, even if she can’t open the tournament.Heath has played only nine times in 15 months because of pandemic cancellations, her decision to opt out of the NWSL Challenge Cup in June 2020 and knee and ankle injuries that ended her season at Manchester United and kept her from any recent national team involvement. But the substitute rules are such the USWNT could withdraw her, for legitimate injury reasons, even after the Olympics began and bring in a replacement such as 28-year-old Lynn Williams or 21-year-old Catarina Macario (below).ettys
“Catarina is an exceptional player … a player with exceptional potential,” Andonovski said. “She’s not quite ready, I think, right now, at this moment. I wouldn’t say she’s not ready, but other players were more ready than her to be at the Olympics. We believe she has the potential to be on this team for a long time.”To this point, it hasn’t made much difference to Mallory Pugh’s career to have been included on the 2016 Olympics roster at age 18, except, possibly, to frame her past five years as a disappointment. She was a part of the 2019 World Cup roster and scored six goals in 19 total appearances that year, but Pugh has earned only one cap since.At 19, when a deep reserve for Bundesliga titan Bayern Munich, Julian Green was included on the 2014 USMNT squad at the World Cup in Brazil – some viewed his as the spot that should have belonged to Landon Donovan – and Green even scored an extra-time goal against Belgium. But he has spent most of his club career since playing in Germany’s second division and hasn’t earned a cap since 2018.Playing a young player on a major-tournament roster can have its benefits, but it is not a magical device for conjuring future superstardom. No sport is conquered so easily. Were the USWNT to be forced to field a less-prepared player because youth was valued over, well, value, that could cost a game that costs a gold medal. The U.S. women have won 67 percent of all golds ever awarded in women’s soccer. Andonovski knew the standard he was expected to maintain when he accepted the job.
WHO’s Gonna Win the Euro’s
Below, our writers select the team they believe will be lifting the trophy on July 11.
The tournament just seems made for Italy. Euro 2020 has doused the talent of so many individual greats, with injury or fatigue or poor form, and venerated the team. Italy are greater than the sum of their parts, and some of those parts are players who come from the likes of Atalanta, of Sassuolo, and with whom Mancini has persisted throughout their 30-game unbeaten run. They really seem to know what they are as a side and have faith in that. They are on a scorching run which they only need to extend by three games.
Jason Burt – England
There is nothing to fear and they have as much chance as Belgium, Italy or anyone else. Their half of the draw has opened up and – hopefully – there is a realisation now that Gareth Southgate has mapped out this campaign and is not going to be affected by outside noise. England will draw even more belief from beating Germany.
If England can conquer one 55-year hex by knocking out Germany, they can banish another by reaching the final. But I am yet to be convinced they have enough options in attack to trouble Italy. To watch the poise with which Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina took their late goals against Austria was to be reminded that Roberto Mancini’s players remain the outstanding team of this tournament.
Jeremy Wilson – England
It is not blind optimism or myopic patriotism that now makes England the tournament favourites. It is the logic of the best draw, their performances, the depth of their squad and home advantage. Knockout football can always still be defined by one freak incident – and Belgium would represent especially formidable opponents – but a wonderful opportunity awaits.
James Ducker – Italy
Italy to pip England in the final. Roberto Mancini’s side are in the toughest half of the draw and were given a scare by Austria but they are on an incredible unbeaten run and, collectively, look the best of a bunch of quarter-finalists who all have their flaws or problems; in Belgium’s case the likely absence of two of their stars, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.
Thom Gibbs – Italy
England winning a final feels a bridge too far, a wrong to be avenged in Qatar next December? Italy look the strongest team in the draw’s other half, in a tournament where collective might keeps besting stellar groups of individuals.
Chris Bascombe – Belgium
They are the number one international side so logic dictates they should win it from here. Roberto Martinez’s team also have an excellent record against England, who they will meet in the Wembley final…
Matt Law – England
Yes, I might have woken up slightly heady after the victory over Germany at Wembley. And, yes, I know Gareth Southgate has warned this is a dangerous moment as the nation expects England to stroll their way into the final. But we’ve never had a better chance and it’s time to trust Southgate and his players. It’s coming home!
Luke Edwards – Belgium
I want to say England with all my heart and they could do it. They really could. But Belgium, on paper, are the best team left in the competition and beat England twice in 2018 with relative ease. But Hazard and De Bruyne will miss their quarter-final…
Euro 2020 talking points: England-Belgium final? Highlights of an epic round of 16? What’s with all the own goals?
ESPN
What were your round-of-16 highlights?
Gab Marcotti: The sheer drama of most of the games: Croatia‘s comeback against Spain, Switzerland‘s comeback against France, Ukraine‘s winner against Sweden, the scares that both Belgium and Italy got. And there was a ton of breathtaking skill as well, though I think I liked Paul Pogba‘s goal (and celebration) best. Overshadowed in all this is one of the best storylines of the tournament in my opinion, Denmark‘s run to the quarterfinals. And while the England vs. Germany game was a bit of a dud, sometimes football is all about the outcome and that’s OK, too.
Mark Ogden: The day that gave us Spain vs. Croatia and France vs. Switzerland will go down as one of the most memorable and exhilarating at any tournament. But my highlight was being at Wembley for England’s 2-0 victory against Germany to witness, and hear, the explosion of joy and relief that greeted Harry Kane‘s goal — England’s second — which confirmed the win. England hadn’t beaten Germany in a knockout game at a tournament since 1966, and it has weighed heavily on previous teams. But this victory was a cathartic one, and it seemed as though 55 years of pent-up frustration was released at the final whistle.
James Olley: Being at Wembley to witness England beat Germany in a tournament knockout match for the first time in 55 years. The stadium may only have been half-full, but it has never been louder for an international fixture. There was a real sense that anything could be possible, in part created by results elsewhere in what is surely one of the most entertaining knockout rounds there has ever been. Spain’s victory over Croatia will take some beating as the game of the tournament, but Switzerland’s comeback against France was more dramatic given they were 3-1 down with nine minutes left.
Julien Laurens: In terms of pure drama, and even if it broke my heart, France vs. Switzerland was just exceptional. It will forever be a classic in Euros history. There was everything: the upset, the penalties, Karim Benzema‘s control for his equaliser, the Swiss comeback, Didier Deschamps’ tactical shambles, the belief. Another highlight was Raheem Sterling feeling at home at Wembley again and kicking the Germans out of London. Spain vs. Croatia was mad, too, another classic. Credit to Alvaro Morata and Luis Enrique for never giving up and believing in themselves and their team — it paid off.
Rob Dawson: Spain vs. Croatia and France vs. Switzerland were both thrilling games. If you’re a neutral, you can’t beat a late fightback from nowhere. In terms of individual moments, it’s hard to look past England’s win over Germany. In his postmatch interview, Gareth Southgate spoke about seeing his old teammate David Seaman smiling on the big screen at Wembley and that he hoped he had managed to ease some of memories from Euro ’96, when he missed in the shootout against Germany in the semifinal and England went out. You could tell something had lifted from his shoulders, and it was mirrored all over the country.
Tom Hamilton: We’ve been overindulged with this round of matches. Each was fascinating and exhilarating in its own way, with Spain’s 5-3 win over Croatia an astonishing seesaw of a game, and then later matched by Switzerland’s penalty shootout win over France. Pogba’s goal was fantastic, as was Thorgan Hazard‘s winner for Belgium against Portugal. Also, spare a thought for Benzema’s Dennis Bergkamp-esque first goal against the Swiss, while will fall into the haze of France’s exit. And it’s been impossible not to get caught up with Denmark’s journey through these Euros with Kasper Dolberg their latest hero. But after everything he’s weathered in this tournament, you had to smile when Morata scored against Switzerland. He’s been near the headlines the whole way through this championship — for better for worse — and he deserved his goal.
Do you need to revise the final match-up you predicted before the last 16?
Olley: Er, just a little. France were my clear pre-tournament favourites, even in the tough half of the draw, and Switzerland looked the perfect springboard into the latter stages. To make it worse, I thought Netherlands would push on after three Group C wins. Italy against Belgium is too close to call, but Austria caused the Italians problems and Belgium’s greater firepower can win the day. England have it in their hands to reach the final from the other half.
Laurens: I do need to revise my final match-up because I predicted a France vs. Germany final and they have both been eliminated! One side of the draw is easy to call now: England will go to the final because no one in that bracket can stop them. The other side of the draw is tougher to predict. I will go this time for a place in the final for Belgium. They have learnt a lot from the 2018 World Cup and their semifinal defeat against France. Now this group of players are ready for their first final and for a first trophy in a big tournament.
Dawson: My prediction was France vs. England, but that was before France bottled it against Switzerland after being 3-1 up with 10 minutes to go. England should make it out of a bracket containing Ukraine, Denmark and Czech Republic. Even though Belgium have got the toughest quarterfinal against Italy, they have the players to get to Wembley on July 11, too.
Hamilton: Well my shout of France reaching the final and winning the whole thing now looks a little foolish, so let’s go for an Italy-England match-up on July 11 at Wembley. I tipped Denmark to go far in the tournament from the outset and they could yet surprise us all and win the championship, while Belgium are ticking along nicely, but I fear injuries could derail their bid. Italy are brilliantly coached by Roberto Mancini, and with England riding the crest of the wave after their win over Germany, that could be a very tasty match-up in the final.
Marcotti: I had Belgium vs. Germany, so obviously I need to revise Germany since they lost. Logic suggests England at this point, but I still want to believe in the Danish fairy tale, so I’ll go with them. I’m less confident about Belgium following Kevin De Bruyne‘s injury, but feel I should stick with them.
Ogden: I predicted a France vs. England final prior to the round of 16, but wouldn’t have been surprised if England had succumbed to Germany. France losing to Switzerland was never in the equation, though, and the world champions’ defeat has blown Euro 2020 wide open. With Les Bleus out, I am going for Belgium to reach the final instead — but it all depends on the fitness of De Bruyne and Eden Hazard for their quarterfinal against Italy.
Which coaches have impressed you, and who has struggled?
Dawson: Luis Enrique showed how strong a character he is by sticking with Alvaro Morata when the easy decision would have been to bow to outside pressure and pick someone else. It paid off, and not only because Morata scored Spain’s fourth goal in their 5-3 win over Croatia. His all-round performance was fantastic, especially the way he held the ball up and brought others into the game. Kylian Mbappe missed the decisive penalty for France against Switzerland, but Deschamps should take most of the blame for the result. There was no need to change his system, and it put France on the back foot from the first whistle.
Hamilton: Denmark’s Kasper Hjulmand has been my star of the tournament. He’s managed to navigate everything that’s been thrown at his side, and still they play wonderful football and have a real shot at winning this tournament. Luis Enrique has stayed true to his coaching philosophy and that’s finally paid off, while England’s Southgate and Italy’s Mancini have both made bold choices which have paid off. But for those who have struggled, look no further than the managers already back home, in France’s Deschamps and Germany’s Joachim Low. Both teams have been far poorer than the sum of their parts.Marcotti: Mancini, tactically, has been hugely impressive in the way he reinvented Italy and this group of players. Luis Enrique, too, is very good, though his personnel choices leave me scratching my head sometimes. And I have to give a shout out to Hjulmand, just from a man-management perspective, given what Denmark have been through. On the flipside, Frank de Boer lived down to expectations I guess. I knew Low was going to struggle, I didn’t expect it to be to this degree. As for Deschamps, I’ve long been a critic, so I can’t say I’m surprised, but switching to a back three was such an extreme choice (and an extremely bad one), I can’t let it go without mention.
Ogden: Vladimir Petkovic has been in charge of Switzerland since 2014, but he rarely earns headlines or receives plaudits. Perhaps Deschamps and France underestimated him ahead of their meeting in Bucharest because Petkovic inspired the Swiss to a famous victory with a tactical game plan and smart use of substitutions. Switzerland are well organised, but they also have flair, and that is down to Petkovic’s astute coaching. As for strugglers, Low looked like a man out of ideas during Germany’s brief stay at the tournament. He has overseen a period of success during his 15-year reign, but he should have left after their group-stage exit at the last World Cup.
Olley: Southgate deserves credit for tackling this tournament with a clear plan. It has caused consternation among some England fans, chiefly because it isn’t what anyone expected: A squad brimming with attacking potential has prioritised safety-first football and defensive stability. It isn’t pretty — and there remains a suspicion the balance could tip too far the other way — but it is highly effective. Contrast that with Germany’s Low, who had talented players at his disposal but never moulded them into an effective unit during the tournament, albeit still finding a way to put four goals past Portugal. Equally, Deschamps’ decision to change system and personnel against Switzerland clearly contributed to France’s surprising exit given how much they improved when going back to a more trusted 4-4-2 shape in the second half, only to then fail to tighten things up to close the game out.
Laurens: Let’s start with the disappointments. France’ failure is on Deschamps. He picked the wrong tactics and the wrong players against Switzerland. Fernando Santos’ choices for Portugal were as bad against Belgium, while De Boer failed as soon as the level of Netherlands’ opponents rose, and it was still only Czech Republic. But well done to Luis Enrique for always believing and not changing anything for Spain, to Mancini and Hjulmand for giving Italy and Denmark a real identity and to Roberto Martinez and Southgate for having dealt well so far with extreme pressure.
We have seen nine own goals; any theories as to why?
Ogden: When you consider the individual own goals, it can be nothing more than a bizarre coincidence that so many have been scored. There is no direct comparison, for instance, between Martin Dubravka‘s own goal for Slovakia against Spain and Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon‘s failure to connect with Pedri‘s back-pass against Croatia. A lack of familiarity with the tournament ball may be a small factor, but a ball is a ball — it’s round and it moves, so blaming the ball would be looking for excuses.
Marcotti: I think it’s just sample size and randomness. Two of the goalkeeper own goals were freak mistakes. I don’t think there’s much to read into it other than domestic leagues seem to be a bit happier awarding goals even with big deflections, possibly because it suits both the attacker and the defender. UEFA seem a bit more rational in that regard.
Olley: A cynic might argue it is the consequence of a dilution in quality arising from an increase to 24 participants given the second-highest number of own goals (three) occurred at Euro 2016, when the format changed for the first time. But the elite nations have been heavily involved. And the two Portugal ‘scored’ came from overloads in wide areas and defenders left with little alternative. The same is true, to a lesser extent, of Germany’s Mats Hummels against France. That can happen anywhere — Dubravka is unlikely to make the same mistake he did against Spain for the rest of his career. Ditto Simon’s error for Spain against Croatia.
Laurens: Is there a rational explanation? Not really; more bad luck and bad plays. There were moments of pure madness, from Dubravka smashing the ball into his own net or Simon thinking about his pass before even controlling the ball. And moments of pure mediocrity like when Hummels and Juraj Kucka couldn’t get their feet right. Merih Demiral, Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro are all really good players but they were victims of great crosses. Wojciech Szczesny and Lukas Hradecky were unlucky with the ball bouncing off the woodwork onto them.
Dawson: It’s an anomaly. You can’t account for mistakes like Dubravka’s or Simon’s. Play the same tournament another nine times and you wouldn’t get the same number of own goals. It’s just one of those things that can happen in football.
Hamilton: A large swathe of players in this tournament will no doubt be suffering from mental fatigue after this never-ending season, and so this may have impacted some of the decision making at key moments. A couple of own goals — Demiral’s and Hummels in their respective openers — can be accounted for by poor positioning. Some have just been plain unlucky: Szczesny could have done nothing about his own goal against Slovakia when the ball rebounded off his post to hit him and go in. Then you had Croatia’s farcical opener against Spain, as Pedri’s back-pass slipped past Simon. There doesn’t seem to be any uniting factor between the nine, other than football’s staples of misfortune: bad luck and pressure.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Sat-Tues Knockout Round of 16
Sorry soccer fans – been on the road traveling some last week and this – but man has the soccer at the Euro’s been spectacular. What a final 2 days of Group Stage games as Hungary was just 10 minutes from knocking out Germany and defending Euro champs Portugal and Renaldo were on the ropes two as they needed a tie vs France in the group of death to advance. In the end 3 powerhouses of France, Portugal and Germany all 3 did advance but things were touch and go their as Hungary gave it a go at home. Tuesday gave us the battle royal as Sweden edged Poland despite the world’s leading goalscorer Lewandowski’s 2 spectacular goals to tie it up late. Sweden would advance as Poland lay exposed trying to get the go ahead goal needed to advance. It made for some super exciting futbol as I am sure the knockout Rounds will provide us as well. Some huge games with Sunday’s Netherlands vs Czech Rep at noon and #1 Belgium vs Portugal at 3 pm. Portugal’s Renaldo looking to become the leading scorer in international games his 107 goals tied for 1st. I picked Italy as my surprise team of the tourney and they have come thru – with 3 shutouts and goals galore – we’ll see if they can keep it up vs Austria on Sat at 3 pm. Of course the Biggest game of the Sweet 16 is Tuesday’s Germany vs England game at Wembley at noon – tons of stories below as England looks to quiet the ghosts of past international losses to Germany. Of course I am almost forgetting the biggest moment so far of the Euro’s was of course Denmark great Erickson having a heart attack on the field and actually needed a shock to revive him on the field. Huge news that the 29 year old father of 2 is fine and will survive a normal life moving forward without playing again. I for one will be rooting for Denmark to make a run past Wales and Garreth Bale on Sat at noon. I like Denmark, Italy, Dutch, Belgium, Croatia, France, England and Sweden to advance – should be fun – all the games on ESPN, where the coverage has been fantastic – nice 30 minute lead ins – good announcers and solid analysis overall.
I haven’t had much time to dive into the roster – not surprised to see Llyod, Rapino and of course Heath assuming she’s healthy on the roster – these are 3 difference making forwards – and while you would like to start grooming some youth up front – I am not sure who in that group I would leave home. I was a little surprised to see both Mewis – as Kristie at 30 earned her way back on the team with her performances this year. I would have probably taken her as an alternate and given Macario the nod. On the back line – no issues here – except I might have considered taking right back/right winger Margaret Purge over Emily Sonnett. Especially since I think Horan showed she can cover for our #6 superstar Julie Ertz in case she has lingering issues with her knee. This team’s average age is the oldest at the Olympics – almost 30, obviously coach decided it is more important to win now – A World Cup Winner has never won the Olympics the following year, as opposed to building for the next world cup. I certainly can’t argue with Coach A’s result so far – and an Olympic Win would be huge – can’t wait till July 23rd !!
FORWARDS (6): Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Manchester United, ENG), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Tobin Heath
Alternates – Travel but only play if players get hurt — Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA),
Thursday, July 1 USA Women vs Mexico 8 pm (Fox Sport 1)
Monday, July 5 USA Women vs Mexico 5pm (ESPN2)
Indy 11 take on Louisville Sat 7:30 pm ESPN+, My Indy TV
So since I left my friend and our starting keeper Jordan Farr has gone out with a broken hand and we fired our coach Martin Rennie. Get well soon Jordan !! To fill in as backup which he’s down a former Carmel High School, Carmel Dad’s Club, and Butler University Alum Eric Dick has been loaned from Columbus in MLS. Welcome home Eric!! Of course back-up goalie Bobby Edwards played great in his first start with 9 saves as his man of the match performance helped or Indy 11 take one on the road at KC last week. Not surprised to see Rennie out – as that has been mumbled for weeks now – honestly I am happy to see what we look like under a new head man to close the season. The 11 are just one game back of Louisville and beat them at their place earlier this month – hopefully the boys in blue can repeat the performance before their July 3rd home game with Birmingham at the Mike. Hopefully Jordan Farr can return in a month and continue his stellar season.
COPA on Fox
Fox takes over some Copa big boys this weekend as Sunday gives us Neymar and Brazil vs Ecuador at 5 pm on Fox, and Monday evening Argentina and Messi (who’s staying at Barcelona) take on Boliva at 8 pm on Fox. The knockout rounds start next Sat July 3.
GAMES ON TV
EUROS + COPA America 2021
(Euro’s all times ET; coverage starts about 30 minutes before kickoff; all games also stream on ESPN+, Copa on Fox, FS1, FS2
Euro 2020 round of 16 preview: Form, key players, predictions and everything you need to know
Predictions
Who’ll make it through to the final eight? Our experts make their picks.
Hamilton: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, England vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Ogden: Belgium vs. Italy; France vs. Croatia; England vs. Sweden; Czech Republic vs. Wales
Olley: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Croatia, Germany vs. Ukraine, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Dawson: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, England vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Wales
Marcotti: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, Germany vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Laurens: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, Germany vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Wales
First there were 24 teams and now, after a wild two-week group stage, just 16 teams remain as the Euro 2020 knockout rounds begin Saturday. Will France add Euro glory to their World Cup from 2018, or will Portugal become just the second team ever to defend a Euro title after Spain did it in 2008 and 2012?England and Germany have looked far from their best so far: which of them will be left standing after they meet at Wembley on Tuesday? And how about Spain or Italy, both flying slightly under the radar, given low expectations, but with more than enough talent to make a deep run?Let ESPN FC get you ready for the round of 16 with a comprehensive look at every fixture, all of them streaming LIVE on ESPN and ESPN+ over the next four days, and our experts pick the eight teams they think will advance to the quarterfinals.
Form guide: Wales got through Group A after drawing 1-1 with Switzerland and then producing a remarkable performance to beat Turkey 2-0 thanks to goals from Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts. They finished with a spirited 1-0 defeat to Italy in Rome and ended up second in Group A.
Denmark’s campaign began with the traumatic events in Copenhagen as Christian Eriksen collapsed against Finland. Despite the midfielder suffering a cardiac arrest, Denmark restarted the match later that night and lost 1-0. They rallied against Belgium in the next match but lost out 2-1. They then knew they had to beat Russia in the final match, and they hammered them 4-1 to go through in third place in Group B.
Key players: It’s impossible to look past Gareth Bale for Wales. He’s been the heartbeat of this side through their Euro 2020 journey but they are more than a one-man side. Ramsey is showing signs of being back to his best, while Kieffer Moore is a real handful up front. Danny Ward has also been magnificent in goal, despite having played more matches for Wales in the Euros than he did for Leicester City this season. Daniel James will also cause Denmark‘s right side all manner of difficulty.
How they stack up: Wales will try to operate on the counterattack, looking to soak up the pressure and then hit them on the flanks through James and Bale, and then trying to find Moore to cause havoc in the penalty area. They’re happy to operate a low block but are most effective when they’re pressing higher up the field, looking to pounce on any opportunities. Much of their attacking play goes through Bale, and he’s happy to play on the wings or through the middle. Denmark will be mindful of Wales’ first goal against Turkey: Bale dropped deep like a quarterback and floated a beautiful pass into the path of Ramsey, who slotted it home. Also expect plenty of energy from the bench.
Denmark are a neat passing team and will play a 3-4-3, looking to get balls in to Braithwaite and Poulsen. Damsgaard and the tricky Joakim Maehle are their other main threats, but they are also happy to have a go from anywhere: they had the most shots in the group stages out of any team (61). Beware the hammer-shot of defender Christensen after he smashed one in from distance against Russia, while Damsgaard’s ability to come in off the left and play through the middle of the park is also a threat.
Hojbjerg and Delaney are canny operators in midfield and will try to lock up that middle third; Ramsey and Joe Morrell will need to unpick that.
This match will be played back at Eriksen’s old Ajax home in Amsterdam, so expect the bulk of the support to be in Denmark’s favour. We think they’ll continue their Euro 2020 journey with a win against Rob Page’s spirited Wales. — Tom Hamilton
Form guide:Italy sailed through their group with three wins and was able to rest eight players for the third and final match against Wales. Austria finished second, performing as expected in the first two games — beating up on North Macedonia and losing to the Dutch — before winning the de facto playoff for second against Ukraine.
Key players:Jorginho isn’t the only Italian midfielder who can pass, but he’s the “point guard” for this team, setting the tempo and controlling the play. Fellow midfielders Manuel Locatelli and Nicolo Barella are equally important, setting the pressing triggers, supporting the attack and sharing the creative load.
David Alaba is Austria’s biggest name and most gifted player. He might be lining up at center-back for Real Madrid next season, but he has played three different positions (none of them in central defence) thus far at Euro 2020. Martin Hinteregger is a defensive stalwart, and Marcel Sabitzer and Christoph Baumgartner are dynamic midfielders who can get in the box and shoot.
How they stack up: This isn’t like the Italy sides of old. Roberto Mancini’s teams play an up-tempo, press-and-pass game that sees them dominate possession and commit plenty of men forward. Austria like to build play from the back as well — certainly more than any of the teams Italy faced in the group stage — and it’ll be interesting to see how they cope with the Italian press. Up front, Marko Arnautovic is a physical, edgy striker (Sasa Kalajdzic off the bench is even bigger), which in some ways should suit Italy’s veteran central defenders.
Italy will need to deal with the threat of Sabitzer and Baumgartner running into the box, whereas Austria’s main concern defensively will come on the flanks. Both wide forwards Domenico Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne (not to mention Federico Chiesa, if he starts) love to take on fullbacks, and they should get plenty of support, particularly down the left, from Leonardo Spinazzola. Ciro Immobile is a very busy forward who’s useful even when he’s not scoring (which he has done freely at club level, less so with the national team) and he’ll be looking to stretch the expert (but not overly mobile) defensive partnership of Hinteregger and Aleksandar Dragovic.
Italy are coming off a 30-game unbeaten streak and haven’t conceded in 10 matches, so despite their front-foot approach, they’ve coped well defensively. It’s hard to see that run coming to an end against Austria.— Gab Marcotti
Form guide: Playing in their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup, the Netherlands coasted through Group C with a 100% record and eight goals scored in three games. The Dutch played all those games in Amsterdam, however, so they’ll be playing away from home for the first time in the tournament when they face the Czechs in Budapest. Despite finishing third in Group D, the Czech Republic had secured qualification before losing 1-0 to England in their final group game, with a win against Scotland and draw against Croatia highlighting their ability to get results in the competition.
Key players:Georginio Wijnaldum is the man who makes the Dutch tick. While much of the focus is on Memphis Depay, who has just completed a move from Lyon to Barcelona, former Liverpool midfielder Wijnaldum has been the star man to date by excelling in a more advanced role than he played under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. He has hit three goals in three games so far and will be crucial if the Netherlands are to progress to the latter stages.
Patrik Schick has been the outstanding performer for the Czechs so far, with the Bayer Leverkusen forward also netting three goals in three games. His long-distance strike in the 2-0 win against Scotland is the leading contender for goal of the tournament and, while defenders Tomas Kalas and Vladimir Coufal have been impressive at the back, Schick is the man who is carrying Czech hopes on his shoulders because he is most likely to score the goals to get them beyond the Dutch.
How they stack up: The Czechs are a well-drilled and disciplined outfit, but they also have players capable of hurting the Dutch, including Schick, Tomas Soucek and 18-year-old Adam Hlozek. They will be happy to sit deep and soak up pressure before attempting to strike on the counterattack, and they are likely to be the biggest test faced by the Netherlands so far.
Having already faced England and Croatia, two of the strongest teams in the tournament, the Czechs may be more match ready for this one than the Dutch, who emerged from a weak group with Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia. And although they beat Ukraine in a five-goal thriller in their opening game, the Netherlands’ defensive shortcomings were exposed in that match and could be punished by the Czechs.
But while the Czech Republic should not be underestimated, it is clear that momentum is with the Dutch after their winning start to the tournament. The absence of injured Virgil van Dijk has not been an issue as yet, with Daley Blind, Matthijs de Ligt and Stefan de Vrij forming a three-man defensive partnership.
The Dutch do lack a cutting edge, though, and might may prove their downfall, if not against the Czechs then against a more formidable later opponent. Denzel Dumfries has brought pace and goals out wide, but centre-forward Wout Weghorst is a workhorse rather than a thoroughbred in the mould of previous Dutch strikers such as Marco van Basten, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie.
Both teams have their limitations, yet both are capable of producing a big performance to get through this tie. It will be tight and an example that group results count for nothing in the knockout stages. — Mark Ogden
Form guide: Except for 45 minutes against Denmark, Belgium were comfortable in Group B, finishing top with a perfect record and scoring seven goals. Portugal‘s path out of Group F was more complicated. They looked good in some spells and awful in others, conceded goals but scored them too, and eventually finished third to sneak through.
Key players: Portugal have got enough attacking talent in Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota and Bruno Fernandes to cause Belgium problems, but they gave up too many chances in the group stage, and they will need Ruben Dias in top form if they are going to stop Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku in Seville on Sunday. He has had a fantastic first season at Manchester City but will need to be at his best against Lukaku, who has looked sharp.
Belgium’s key man is De Bruyne. His link-up play with Lukaku was devastating in their last group game, against Finland, and if he can find the same space against Portugal, he will create enough chances for Roberto Martinez’s side to win the game.
How they stack up: Belgium and Portugal prefer to attack than defend, so there should be goals. Both teams scored seven in the group stages with at least two in each game. Belgium will look to get De Bruyne on the ball in little pockets around the penalty area as much as possible so he can flick passes in to Lukaku, something that worked well against Finland. To stop it, Portugal will have to cramp De Bruyne for space, and it might come down to Renato Sanches to be the man to try to smother the Manchester City midfielder.
If fitness is an issue after such a long season, Belgium should have the edge. Martinez was able to make eight changes for the last group game, with Youri Tielemans and Leander Dendoncker given the night off, while Portugal needed a full team to earn a 2-2 draw with France to make sure they didn’t go home early. At one stage, trailing France and with Hungary beating Germany, they were going out. Belgium are the No. 1-ranked team in the world and have shown enough in the group stage to be considered favourites against Portugal, who were dismantled by Germany, but with Ronaldo in form with five goals already, you never know. — Rob Dawson
Form guide:Spain started slowly with two draws but punished a very poor Slovakia performance to win 5-0 and ensure they finished second in Group E behind Sweden. Croatia also needed a big win against Scotland in their last group game to finish second in Group D after losing to England and being held by Czech Republic.
Key players: Spain were struggling for goals until they came up against a Slovakia side seemingly determined to concede as many as possible. Despite finding the net against Poland, Alvaro Morata has looked short of confidence, and he will need to be more clinical if Spain are going to make it through to the later rounds. For Croatia, Luka Modric reminded everyone how good he is during the win over Scotland. Even at 35 years old, he can keep a midfield ticking over with his movement and ability on the ball. His goal against Scotland — bent into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area — wasn’t bad either.
How they stack up: Spain will go into the game as favourites because they’re, well, Spain. But Croatia won’t have seen a lot in their group-stage performances to scare them. Croatia have won two out of the past three meetings, one at the last Euros and again in the Nations League in November 2018.
Spain will need the experience of Sergio Busquets to help win the midfield battle against Modric, and the pair should know each other well after their many clashes playing for Barcelona and Real Madrid. It’s likely Croatia will have to withstand a lot of pressure, but if they can keep Spain playing in front of them rather than getting in behind, they will be hard to break down. It might end up being a game of few clear-cut chances and could come down to which team is most clinical on the day. — Rob Dawson
Form guide:France topped the group of death with an impressive win against Germany (1-0), a laborious performance against Hungary (1-1) and two big mistakes resulting in two penalties for a draw against Portugal despite a commanding second half (2-2). Switzerland qualified only as one of the best third-place finishers in the group stage. They managed only a draw with Wales (1-1), then were given a lesson by Italy (3-0), only to react well against Turkey (3-1) with a convincing victory.https://thepodium.espncreativeworks.com/poll/60c21f1a41dd37005a7aca32/60c221eb3e2dac002fe1d61dKey players:Paul Pogba has been the most consistent French player in the group stage. He was superb against Germany and Portugal with the quality of his passing and his work rate. He will be one of the keys again in Monday’s game. If the Swiss can’t cope with him, he’ll be able to dictate the pace of the game and will be able to find his front three. Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann will have a big impact on this tie too. Mbappe is the only one yet to score in this competition so far among the three, something he’ll want to change in the round of 16.
For Switzerland, the leaders have been disappointed so far. Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice against Turkey, but was poor in their first two games. Simply put, Switzerland cannot win if the Liverpool forward is not leading the way. Granit Xhaka also needs to have a bigger impact in midfield. His battle with Pogba will be interesting.
How they stack up: These two teams know each other so well after meeting at Euro 2016 as well as in the 2006 and 2014 World Cups. However, it will be the first time Switzerland play them with a three-man defense and a 3-4-1-2 formation. Could this change the dynamics?
That said, Les Bleus are big favourites regardless of how the Swiss play. We saw France deal really well with Germany’s 3-4-3 formation in the group stages, meaning the key to this game will be Pogba and N’Golo Kante: they’ve never lost when starting together and have yet to find an opponent capable of causing them problems. Switzerland struggle without the ball and could really struggle to prevent the French from developing their attacks. If Didier Deschamps’ side gets control of the ball and can set the tempo of the game, there will be no way back for the Swiss even with the extra rest since the end of the group stage. And even if Vladimir Petkovic’s men have the ball, they will have to be really creative and good in the last 30 yards to put the French defence under pressure.
Psychologically, France’s dominance vs. Switzerland in the past 20 years could have an impact too. The last time the Swiss beat their neighbours was in 1992 — seven encounters ago! — Julien Laurens
Form guide:England were one of only two teams to keep three clean sheets during the group stage (along with Italy), beating Croatia and the Czech Republic either side of drawing against Scotland. Germany were six minutes from going out of the tournament but snatched a late equaliser against Hungary to finish second in a tough group during which they lost to France but beat Portugal 4-2.
Key players:Harry Kane hasn’t scored yet at these finals, but he remains the England player most feared by other countries. Manager Gareth Southgate has rotated the supporting cast behind Kane to generate the movement in advanced areas that can give him the space to thrive, but it looks as if Raheem Sterling and one other from Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho will form England’s forward line. None of them can finish like Kane, however, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup, and if England are to continue creating only a limited number of chances, they’ll need the Tottenham Hotspur striker in top form to take what comes his way.
There is consternation in Germany over Joachim Low’s use of Joshua Kimmich, given he has established himself as an excellent defensive midfielder only to be often used as a right wing-back in this tournament. Wherever he plays, however, the 26-year-old can still use his excellent range of passing to good effect. Kimmich is precisely the kind of midfield metronome England lack, and any rhythm the Germans find at Wembley will likely come through him.
How they stack up: Southgate adopted a cautious, disciplined approach during the group phase, content to take what England had as they entered the final phase of a game and see that result out. That is due to a combination of factors: fatigue in the squad, England’s historically suspect game management in tournament football and concerns over the robustness of his defence. England almost always struggle to retain possession in Euros and World Cups. Arguably his biggest decision is how much risk he is willing to inject into England’s setup. There is pressure on him to do so from fans excited by the attacking talent contained within the squad, and there are big decisions ahead, not least whether he switches to a back three to match up with Germany as he has often done against top sides.
There is a sense of structure to England that, surprisingly, Germany have lacked so far at these finals. Their chaotic qualification points to an unusually porous back line and a lack of cohesion in attack, relying on individual brilliance to a significant extent even in their win against Portugal. Doubts remain over the 3-4-2-1 shape with Serge Gnabry as a false nine, but the Bayern Munich winger performed well there before Euro 2020 and the individual quality Germany possess make it eminently possible they could begin peaking at the right time, as they have so often done in past tournaments.
Southgate has rotated his full-backs, and whoever is asked to stifle Kimmich, assuming he plays on the right again, will have a key role to play. The presence of two No. 10s could tempt England into playing two defensive-minded midfielders again, but with that comes pressure to use the ball more inventively than Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips have largely done to date. There will also be the majority of 45,000 fans willing them on.— James Olley
Form guide:Sweden started with a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Spain in their opener, then edged past Slovakia 1-0 thanks to Emil Forsberg‘s 77th-minute penalty. That was their first goal in 365 minutes of Euros action, dating back to their opener in Euro 2016, so they have found goals hard to come by. They finished with a 3-2 win over Poland, thanks to a double from Forsberg and Viktor Claesson‘s late winner, to top Group E.
Ukraine managed to get through as one of the best third-place teams despite losing two of their three Group C matches. In their opener against the Dutch, they came back from two goals down to level the match, only to lose 3-2 thanks to Denzel Dumfries‘ 85th-minute winner. Next up they managed to get past North Macedonia 2-1 thanks to strikes from Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk. But they finished the group with a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Austria in Bucharest.
Key players: Sweden’s 21-year-old striker Alexander Isak is one of the players of the tournament so far. Although he hasn’t yet scored, he’s been outstanding for Sweden and is usually not far removed from whatever they’re doing well. Forsberg will get plenty of headlines for his three goals in as many matches, and he has been outstanding, but Isak is a wonderful player who has delightfully tricky feet and a tendency to drop deep and fashion his own chances. With several of Europe’s top teams hunting a new striker, you can imagine plenty will be casting envious eyes at Real Sociedad for having Isak. Also beware Dejan Kulusevski, who’s waiting to be unleashed. The Juventus maestro has played just 35 minutes in the tournament so far, having missed the Swedes’ opener due to testing positive for COVID-19. But in that 35-minute cameo against Poland, he teed up Forsberg’s second and Claesson’s winner.
For Ukraine, they’ve been reliant on West Ham United‘s Yarmolenko. He has scored twice for Andriy Shevchenko’s side. His first was a delightful arching, curled effort against the Dutch, and his other, against North Macedonia, was more straightforward as he tapped in at the far post to help his side to that key win. Oleksandr Zinchenko offers a threat down the left, while keep an eye on Shakhtar Donetsk‘s centre-back Mykola Matviyenko, who’s been linked with Arsenal. They’re likely to target set pieces, but expect the front three of Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk and Ruslan Malinovskyi to knock the ball about. Teams won’t have it easy to dwell on possession against Ukraine, as they have three players (Matviyenko, Oleksandr Karavaev and Illia Zabarnyi) in the top five for ball recoveries in the group stage.
How they stack up: Sweden can play a variety of ways, but their style will likely be a hybrid of how they tackled their second and third group matches rather than their opener against Spain, in which they had just 15% possession. They’ll likely employ a 4-4-2 and look to funnel the ball through the brilliant Forsberg, who’ll play off the left or through the middle. Isak and Robin Quaison offer a threat up front, but this Sweden team is built on belligerence, durability and work ethic. They are a tricky team to break down — with Victor Lindelof, Marcus Danielsson and Robin Olsen their defensive rocks — but have that dab of class up front to grab the necessary goals.
Ukraine will play a mix of 3-4-1-2 and 4-3-3 and know they have it in their locker to frustrate big teams, having drawn with France earlier this year. They’ll be underdogs for this match, but it’ll be fascinating to see where Shevchenko plays Zinchenko. The Manchester City man has been used on the left wing by Ukraine, but he looked more effective when operating slightly deeper, giving him license to overlap the winger and get in behind the back. Their options up front are dangerous, with Yarmolenko dovetailing neatly with Yaremchuk and Malinovskyi, so there are zero concerns there, but they must find a way to improve their transitional play and service to the front men. Their defence has given up chances — conceding five goals to date — but still have class in Matviyenko. Also expect Viktor Tsygankov to make an impact from the bench, if he fails to make the starting XI.
With the outstanding Isak one of the players of the tournament so far, expect Sweden to get through to the quarterfinals, but this will be a match where there will be plenty of shadow boxing before we get a knockout blow. — Tom Hamilton
Predictions
Who’ll make it through to the final eight? Our experts make their picks.
Hamilton: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, England vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Ogden: Belgium vs. Italy; France vs. Croatia; England vs. Sweden; Czech Republic vs. Wales
Olley: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Croatia, Germany vs. Ukraine, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Dawson: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, England vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Wales
Marcotti: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, Germany vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Denmark
Laurens: Belgium vs. Italy, France vs. Spain, Germany vs. Sweden, Netherlands vs. Wales
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