ASN: U.S. Girls Tie Sweden in Tense, Scoreless Battle

Each groups performed properly, however in a sport that desperately wanted a aim, neither Pia Sundhage’s Sweden crew nor Jill Ellis’ American squad may break by way of. Right here is John D. Halloran’s match report.

BY

John D. Halloran

Posted
June 12, 2015
10:30 PM

SHARE THIS STORY

BEHIND A GUTSY and decided defensive effort, the US ladies’s nationwide crew battled Sweden to a 0-0 draw within the second sport of play in Group D on Friday night time in Winnipeg.

The tie places the U.S. on the head of Group D heading into its ultimate match in opposition to Nigeria. Listed below are three ideas from the sport.

THE DEFENSE WAS EXCELLENT

Regardless of the shortage of scoring within the match, U.S. followers needed to respect the wonderful defensive effort put forth by the American backline in opposition to the Swedes. The middle again tandem of Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn was improbable all night time lengthy, breaking apart numerous promising Swedish assaults and holding down the fort whereas the U.S. offense went wanting—albeit fruitlessly—for a second-half aim.

CLICK HERE TO RATE THE U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

Johnston’s greatest second got here within the fiftieth minute when she was pressured to make a 90-yard restoration run to snuff out a counter assault after a U.S nook, whereas Sauerbrunn did almost the very same factor within the 63rd minute. Making an attempt to overlaying up an errant go by left again Meghan Klingenberg, Sauerbrunn stepped into the midfield, however didn’t win the ball. Because the Swedes bore down on the U.S. aim with Julie Johnston caught in a 2 v. 1 scenario, Sauerbrunn recovered into the play to kill off the assault. 

Becky Sauerbrunn and Julie Johnston…RESPECT

— Matt Besler (@MattBesler) June 13, 2015

For her half, Klingenberg made the play of the sport. Within the 77th minute, she held her place on the publish throughout a Swedish nook kick and headed away a shot that was headed for into the online to protect the 0-0 draw. 

Klingenberg saves it off the crossbar for #USA https://t.co/GyfA3EJPnl

— Ryan Krasnoo (@RyanKras) June 13, 2015 
OFFENSE STILL A MESS

When the U.S. tied South Korea final month in its ultimate match of the Ship-Off Collection, Abby Wambach was fast to try to calm the rising worries of many followers by saying after the match, “Everybody, don’t freak out. We’re going to be fine.”

Nevertheless, that doesn’t look like the case. For months now, the U.S. offense has been sputtering alongside whereas the veterans on the crew have continued to argue their, “Nothing to see here, move along” mantra. And whereas a sport in opposition to the fifth-ranked Swedes needs to be a tightly contested match, these points go far past one dangerous sport.

For her first few months in cost, Ellis tinkered with a 4-3-3 formation earlier than lastly reverting to the tried and true 4-4-2. She has additionally eschewed the usage of a conventional holding midfielder, as a substitute shoe-horning arguably the most effective playmaker on this planet, Lauren Vacation, into the function. Carli Lloyd, who has all the time been key to the U.S.’s offensive manufacturing, has additionally struggled to seek out her greatest kind in Ellis’ system, failing to attain in 9 consecutive matches courting again to the March Algarve Cup.

On Friday night time, the U.S. did get a couple of vibrant moments down the flank from Megan Rapinoe, however the different American attackers (together with Sydney Leroux, Christen Press, and Morgan Brian, in addition to Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, and Alex Morgan off the bench) failed to provide a lot of be aware over 90 minutes. For that cmuch expertise to be that ineffective, there have to be deeper points.

A number of instances throughout Ellis’ use of the 4-3-3, she stumbled onto the right mixture, however failed to comprehend it. The U.S. discovered an offensive movement within the few video games during which it used Lauren Vacation, Carli Lloyd, and Morgan Brian within the center collectively—slightly than the a number of instances it tried to power Wambach or Rapinoe into the attacking midfield function. In these few video games—with Vacation, Lloyd and Brian operating the midfield—the U.S. assault lit up because the addition of Brian allowed Lloyd to get ahead and spark the American assault.

It could appear counterintuitive, particularly contemplating the depth and breadth of the U.S. striker pool, however a transfer to a 4-2-3-1 with Brian, Vacation, and Lloyd patrolling the center could also be what the U.S. must get out of its present offensive funk. In any case, what’s the level of beginning two strikers when you’re not even producing possibilities on aim? 

WHO IS THE RIGHT MID?

Many speculated earlier than Friday’s match that Ellis would possibly transfer Press up high for Wambach at the beginning—and that’s precisely what occurred. Nevertheless, most thought that Ellis would then convey on Tobin Heath to play proper midfield—that didn’t occur.

As a substitute, Ellis began Brian out of place on the flank and she or he did not have make a lot affect on the match. Then, because the U.S. struggled to discover a aim, Ellis transfer Press out to the wing when Amy Rodriguez entered. Later, Press was withdrawn for Wambach and Leroux was moved to the wing, earlier than Morgan was subbed in for Leroux and Rodriguez was moved to the flank.

Confused? So, it appears, had been the U.S. gamers.

One frustration of U.S. followers since Ellis took cost is her tendency to position gamers out of their pure positions. And whereas a few of that’s needed—to an extent—with a crew stuffed with a lot expertise, it’s also clearly inflicting issues within the broad areas of the sphere as Ellis continues the revolving door of forwards and middle midfielders out of the U.S.’s proper flank.

Regardless of the widespread knowledge that Press is greatest as a No. 9, most of her greatest video games with the U.S. have really come together with her deployed broad. Press scored in opposition to Australia from the midfield place and her golazo in opposition to France in March was additionally when she was enjoying within the midfield.

It may not be the best circumstance, but when Ellis is hell bent on not giving Tobin Heath a bigger function to play, Press is the U.S.’s most suitable choice out broad.

Editor’s Observe: The sequence under exemplified the competitiveness, and the scorelessness, of the night. (Images by Jeremy Olson for American Soccer Now.)