ASN: Taking part in the Blame Recreation: Why the U.S. Failed in Rio

Did Jill Ellis get the lineup and ways unsuitable? Was Alex Morgan wasteful in entrance of purpose? Ought to Hope Solo have accomplished extra? John D. Halloran seems to be on the U.S.’ efficiency in opposition to Sweden in Brazil.

BY

John D. Halloran

Posted
August 13, 2016
8:30 AM

SHARE THIS STORY

THE UNITED STATES girls’s nationwide workforce crashed out of the 2016 Olympic Video games on Friday afternoon, shedding to Sweden in penalties.

For many of the contest, the Individuals dominated possession however couldn’t handle to interrupt by way of Sweden’s protection. Sitting again in a low block, the Swedes bided their time within the first half earlier than hanging on the counter within the 61st minute when Stina Blackstenius acquired within Becky Sauerbrunn and slipped a wonderfully positioned shot previous Hope Solo into the aspect netting.

The U.S. managed to tie the competition quarter-hour later, when Morgan Brian fired a hopeful service into the world. The ball ultimately dropped to Alex Morgan and the striker fired an off-balance shot previous Hedvig Lindahl for the equalizer.

In further time, each groups battled backwards and forwards, however neither aspect may break the impasse.

The match then went into penalties the place U.S. strikers Alex Morgan and Christen Press did not convert from the spot and Sweden gained 4-3.

Virtually instantly after the sport, the recriminations—largely flawed—started.

Some blamed Allie Lengthy as a result of she conceded possession on the play that led to Sweden’s purpose, however that missed move occurred 80 yards from the U.S. purpose.

Some blamed Morgan for failing to transform her penalty and never ending a variety of different probabilities. Nevertheless, blaming the loss on her ignores the truth that she scored the game-tying purpose in regulation and created a number of alternatives for herself and her teammates over the course of the sport. Blaming Morgan—or anybody else—can also be a discredit to the Swedes, who performed incredible, last-ditch protection all sport lengthy.

Some blamed Carli Lloyd, who was uninvolved for lengthy stretches within the contest, ignoring the very fact she performed an vital half in quite a few mixtures that produced probabilities on purpose and scored what ought to have been the dramatic game-winner within the one hundred and fifteenth minute of play (the linesman incorrectly dominated Lloyd to be offside on the purpose.

Press skied her penalty and fired excessive on a late capturing alternative in further time. Nevertheless, she additionally almost unlocked the match solely two minutes after coming into the sport with a slick move proper by way of the guts of Sweden’s protection that discovered Morgan in on purpose.

Mallory Pugh definitely didn’t play her finest sport, however did put Morgan in for alternative within the first half and remained energetic for the whole thing of the competition. It’s additionally absurd to put a lack of this magnitude on the ft of an 18-year-old who has appeared unflappable in video games in opposition to the world’s finest groups this yr, and who was surrounded by veteran stars on the sphere Friday afternoon.

Head coach Jill Ellis rightly deserves a few of the blame for a variety of fascinating selections. She ought to have used Crystal Dunn earlier—the U.S. had dropped right into a lull proper earlier than conceding the opening purpose and the sport gave the impression to be screaming for a participant of Dunn’s tempo and energy. As soon as Dunn entered the match within the sixty fourth minute, she made a direct affect.

Ellis additionally may need used Lindsey Horan as an alternative of Lengthy—particularly understanding that Sweden would bunker—however Lengthy did properly to recycle possession out of the No. 6 place for many of the contest.

Ellis’ substitution sample additionally resulted in some dysfunction. The workforce switched to a 4-4-2 when Dunn got here on, then a 3-5-2 when Megan Rapinoe entered, and returned to a 4-4-2—which pressured Tobin Heath to play proper again—after the U.S. equalized within the 77th minute. A neater resolution would have concerned bringing on Ali Krieger for Rapinoe and pushing Heath again onto the wing the place she had been efficient for many of the match.

Nevertheless, a few of these selections resulted—little doubt—from Sweden scoring first and forcing the U.S. to chase the sport. Not one of the U.S.’ issues on Friday resulted from any systemic, or long-running points. Actually, the workforce had accrued a 16-0-2 report in 2016 heading into the competition. To this point this yr, the Individuals had overwhelmed all comers, together with almost all the world’s finest groups in Canada, England, France (twice), Germany, and Japan.

Penalty kick loss and #USWNT have nonetheless trailed a complete of 20 minutes in 2+ years of event play and soccer Twitter in meltdown mode.

— Neil W. Blackmon (@nwblackmon) August 12, 2016

Taking part in in opposition to Sweden’s defensive ways did appear to name for a lock-picker within the No. 10 place—one thing Lloyd clearly isn’t—however on the similar time, how may Ellis deny Lloyd the chance to push the U.S. on to victory? The captain has confirmed herself a clutch participant repeatedly, scoring the game-winning targets within the 2008 and 2012 Olympic finals and racking up a hat trick in final summer season’s World Cup remaining.

Going ahead for the USWNT the enormous problem is the way you construct an assault constructed round Dunn and Pugh that is not hamstrung by Lloyd.

— Mike L. Goodman (@TheM_L_G) August 12, 2016

Lloyd—admittedly extra of a second ahead as an alternative of a playmaker within the No. 10 function—nonetheless has the flexibility to behave as a sledgehammer in tight matches and almost did it once more on Friday, the linesman’s poor name in extra-time apart.

All in all, there’s loads of blame to solid about, however a extra sober and clear-headed evaluation exhibits this loss to be a mix of unhealthy luck, particular person performances that didn’t dwell as much as their regular excellence, and an impressive and well-executed defend-and-counter technique from the Swedes and their coach Pia Sundhage.

The U.S. has gained Olympic gold on 4 earlier events. This time round, it simply wasn’t within the playing cards.