USWNT avoids history, takes down germany 2-1.
Eduardo Munoz Alverex, AP
I said it last week that the USWNT’s reign might be coming to an end, and unfortunately, I think I predicted it a little too well. On Thursday, November 10th, they fell 2-1 to Germany for their third loss in a row. This was the first time the national team lost three games in a row since 1993.
The US did not look terrible, but several missed opportunities, and a very clear missed call that would’ve resulted in a US penalty led to their downfall. In general, Germany just outplayed the US women. The US fell victim to a Casey Murphy own goal early in the game, and never recovered. In the second half, the team started to play better, especially once the subs started coming on. Megan Rapinoe scored an equalizer in the 85th minute, but Germany’s Pauline Krumbiegel scored the eventual game winner in the 89th, putting the nail in the coffin of a rather disappointing game.
The bigger issue here is not the USWNT’s talent. They have a nearly unlimited pool of talent. Players like Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith, Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma, and Rose Lavelle have the talent to win games. The entire 24 player roster is incredibly talented. The bigger issue for the US women is the lack of continuity and poor coaching choices. Fans have been skeptical of Manager Vlatko Andonovski’s decisionmaking, but following their loss to Germany on November 10th, fans are even more frustrated.
The USWNT that took the field for their second game versus Germany looked very similar. Vlatko only made two changes to the starting XI. However, there was a problem looming over the team. They had never lost four games in a row, and they desired to keep it that way. This game also marked Alex Morgan’s 200th cap with the team, making her only the 13th player to achieve that status. To start the game, the US women looked very prepared; however, that feeling of being prepared did not last long. Germany’s Julie Brand scored the opening goal in the 18th minute. For the rest of the game, the US did not look like themselves. Forward Mallory Pugh created a few chances, but they could not finish anything.
When they stepped on the pitch for the second half, they were a completely different team. Mal Pugh was an integral piece of the comeback, as she turned in her best game for the National Team all year. Sophia Smith scored an equalizer in the 54th minute, and Pugh followed that by scoring the game-winner just two minutes later. The on-field momentum shift can absolutely be attributed to an epic Alyssa Naeher save that perfectly set up Smith’s goal. When the final whistle blew, the US saved themselves from the wrong end of history, and defeated Germany 2-1.
Howard Smith, ISI Photos
The adjustments the US women made in the second half ultimately led them to victory. They did not seem to follow the structure set by their manager, as they played freely, leading to space for open chances. Although there were a few missed opportunities and a couple of missed calls, the US women held it together, and proved that they are still the same juggernaut. No one should be questioning this team’s mentality any longer.
