The US ladies’s nationwide workforce opened the SheBelieves Cup in disappointing vogue because it couldn’t make two completely different leads maintain up and completed to a 2-2 stalemate in opposition to a troublesome Japanese workforce
BY
John Halloran
Posted
February 27, 2019
8:30 PM
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THE UNITED STATES ladies’s nationwide workforce opened up the 2019 SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday evening with a 2-2 draw in opposition to Japan in Chester, Pennsylvania.
After creating numerous early probabilities, the People struck first within the contest when Tobin Heath took her defender endline and laid the ball throughout the face of the web for a Megan Rapinoe end within the twenty third minute of play. Controlling the sport in almost each regard, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead into the break.
PINOE!
The USWNT will get on the board first as Megan Rapinoe slots house Tobin Heath’s cross. #SheBelieves pic.twitter.com/5MU5Zd7Fhd
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 28, 2019
Within the second half, the 2 groups traded punches with Japan discovering an equalizer earlier than substitute Christen Press helped re-establish the lead with a powerful help on Alex Morgan’s purpose. Japan, nonetheless, earned the final snigger, stealing a draw away from the People with a late strike within the 91st minute.
With Lindsey Horan out injured, U.S. head coach Jill Ellis was pressured right into a troublesome resolution earlier than the sport even started. The coach elected to go along with Mallory Pugh within the No. 8 function, a little bit of a stunning alternative contemplating she had the proficient Sam Mewis at her disposal on the bench.
Pugh, nonetheless, acquitted herself properly, combining properly with Tobin Heath down the precise flank for many of the first half and the U.S.’ high-pressure within the attacking third made it just about not possible for Japan to attach out of the again.
Between Heath on one flank, Rapinoe on the opposite, and Alex Morgan doing the soiled work to win balls and hold-up play in the midst of the entrance line, the People repeatedly created probabilities on the Japanese purpose and the U.S. appeared set to do much more injury within the second stanza.
However regardless of the stable play via the primary 45 minutes, Ellis determined to change the workforce right into a 5-2-3 to start out off the second half and the wheels shortly got here off the cart. The momentum of the sport swung dramatically with the People unable to regulate the midfield, or successfully strain the Japan backline any longer. And though the U.S. did finally change again to its 4-3-3, the injury had already been achieved.
Japan, constructing in confidence, finally discovered the equalizer when Tierna Davidson poorly cleared a service on to Emi Nakajima, who curled in an effort previous American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. It marked the low-point of a poor sport for Davidson who—nonetheless solely three video games into her restoration from a damaged ankle—struggled all evening monitoring runs and repeatedly misplaced possession out of the again.
Ellis then made arguably her greatest resolution on the evening, subbing Press into the sport. Coming off a very sturdy efficiency within the workforce’s January matches, Press appeared hungry from the beginning and created two probabilities in her first minute on the sector—the second of which was an inch-perfect cross that Morgan tucked away to re-establish the American lead.
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 28, 2019
Solely quarter-hour away from pulling out a victory, nonetheless, the U.S. protection merely wasn’t as much as the duty.
Shaky all evening, and lacking wily veteran Becky Sauerbrunn—who missed the sport with a minor knee harm—the American backline conceded a purpose in stoppage time when Yui Hasegawa beat Crystal Dunn after which laid the ball again throughout purpose to teammate Yuka Momiki for the top-shelf end.
It was the second time Dunn discovered herself roundly overwhelmed on the evening and summed up an all-around poor effort from the American protection.
???? Japan present a late twist and rating a last-minute equalizer in opposition to the USWNT! pic.twitter.com/xCoKzCm9fF
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 28, 2019
Mockingly, Kelley O’Hara—within the beginning XI for the primary time since present process surgical procedure after October’s World Cup qualifiers—proved to be the one shiny spot on the U.S. backline, earlier than being subbed out on the half.
The draw in opposition to Japan will definitely really feel extra like a loss than a tie for the People and the workforce should shortly recuperate earlier than it faces No. 4 England on Saturday in Nashville (4:30 pm ET, FOX).
John D. Halloran is an American Soccer Now columnist. Observe him on Twitter.
