ASN: Here is How the U.S. Girls Can Defeat the Swedes

Former U.S. girls’s nationwide crew coach Pia Sundhage will lead Sweden in opposition to Jill Ellis’ crew Friday night time, and American Soccer Now’s John D. Halloran has some insights on the match.

BY

John D. Halloran

Posted
June 11, 2015
4:15 PM

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AFTER PICKING UP A 3-1 WIN over Australia to open up play in Group D on Monday, the USA girls’s nationwide crew will now flip its World Cup focus to Sweden (Friday at 8pm ET, Fox).

Right here’s every part it is advisable to know in regards to the match, together with a preview of the fifth-ranked Swedes, what the U.S. must do to safe a win, and the implications of the match for the People’ World Cup hopes.

The Opponent

The truth that the U.S. and Sweden had been drawn into the identical group—together with Australia and Nigeria—is the largest cause that Group D is taken into account to be the group of demise within the 2015 World Cup. All 4 groups are harmful and the U.S. and Sweden are thought of to be two of the seven groups with a practical probability of successful the entire thing.

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Sweden additionally bodily fatigued within the sport, with a number of gamers having to cease and stretch their calves—often an indication of cramping—within the second half.

Essentially the most fascinating facet of a matchup with Sweden, from a U.S. perspective anyway, is the Sundhage element. The 55-year-old coach led the U.S. to Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, in addition to  to the World Cup finals in 2011. Whereas she confronted her fair proportion of criticism as U.S. coach—very similar to present head coach Jill Ellis does immediately—Sundhage proved her value when it counted in large tournaments.

Sundhage was by no means one to tug punches—even when she coached the U.S.—and even supplied some criticism this week in an interview with the New York Instances. In it, she questioned American midfielder Carli Lloyd’s psychological toughness.

 “Carli Lloyd was a challenge to coach, by the way,” Sundhage said. “When she felt that we had faith in her, she could be one of the best players. But if she began to question that faith, she could be one of the worst. It was so delicate—so, so delicate.”

Received a message from Carli Lloyd on SWE coach Pia Sundhage’s vital feedback on her forward of USA-Sweden: “I plan to respond on the field.”

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) June 10, 2015

On the sector, the Swedes are led by a cohort of high gamers operating by the backbone of crew. Beginning with Nilla Fischer at middle again, operating by captain Caroline Seger within the middle of the midfield and ending with Champions League winner Lotta Schelin up entrance, the Swedes could cause issues for the most effective of groups.

The final time the U.S. and Sweden met was on the 2014 Algarve Cup. The U.S. misplaced 1-0 and head coach Tom Sermanni was fired shortly after the event.

The People

The U.S. is so gifted that it may defeat good groups even when it’s not firing on all cylinders—which is what occurred in opposition to Australia to open group play.

Sadly for the U.S., Sweden is a good crew, and a mediocre exhibiting probably will end in a loss.

To keep away from defeat the U.S. must do a greater job enjoying by—and never over—its midfield. Towards Australia, the U.S. repeatedly, and aimlessly, smashed the ball ahead with little emphasis on possession. The end result was an unsightly sport that the U.S. received solely by superior health, nice goalkeeping, and the offensive stylings of Megan Rapinoe.

Second, the U.S. must be extra productive up high. Abby Wambach and Sydney Leroux began in opposition to the Aussies and each went scoreless. Many blame the U.S.’s extra direct play on Wambach herself, who tends to want balls performed to her head, not her toes. Nonetheless, when Wambach did get probabilities within the space on flighted companies (each occurred to be on set items, not within the run of play), she missed the purpose fully.

One possibility could be to maneuver Christen Press up high, bench Wambach, and slot Tobin Heath in on the wing. Most pundits and followers appeared to agree that Heath regarded good in her restricted minutes in opposition to Australia and Heath does have the kind of inventive aptitude the U.S. appeared to be lacking in opposition to the Matildas. Nonetheless, one fear with Heath is her propensity to be a defensive legal responsibility, a trait not encouraging contemplating among the latest performances of the U.S.’s exterior backs.

Aside from shifting Press up high, head coach Jill Ellis may begin Amy Rodriguez or Alex Morgan. Rodriguez has proven flashes over the previous six months in restricted motion, however she has by no means completed fairly sufficient to benefit a daily beginning spot.

For her half, Morgan remains to be recovering from a bone bruise suffered again in April and got here off the bench late in opposition to Australia for her first motion in two months.

Group Stage Implications

With the U.S. on the high of Group D getting into the match, a poor end result in opposition to Sweden definitely received’t spell catastrophe for the U.S.’ World Cup hopes. However it’s going to definitely make life tougher.

The second-place crew in Group D may face Brazil within the Spherical of 16, Japan within the quarterfinals, and host-nation Canada within the semifinals. Ending first in Group D, nonetheless, would put the U.S. ready to not must play in opposition to one other group winner till the semifinals.

That ought to be the purpose, and beating Sweden ought to be an enormous precedence.