For what it's worth, I'll probably be rooting for Japan against England in Tampa on Tuesday regardless of how this match ends up.
75' 2-2 Mewis steps to a loose ball at 25m box right, switches left but slices it well behind Rapinoe(?)'s run, into near touch. She's not "on" yet. 76' 2-2 England high a longball up wide right, sending White to test Sauerbrunn 1-v-1. Sauerbrunn passes along 1m to Franch, who turns and dribbles to 6-center -- and nearly gets closed down again by White chasing. Tricky forward pass to Dahlkemper, forcing her to settle-and-turn in own box with two pincering -- she gets her pass away, and we pass out of the back. Whew -- Franch cuts those really close. 77' 2-2 Heath gets flattened. Rapinoe fk at ~10m wide left, to 3m 5-left, Ertz makes that near-post run and heads just wide left, hard into endboard. 79' 2-2 Long diagonal pass reaches Rapinoe alone at 5m wide left. Backpass toward 10m center poked away. Our crossing action is never in front of the chasing backline, it's always back into the thick of the crowd.
Seeing Wambach on the back of Morgan on that last run I realized that would be the only time "Wambach" could move that fast.
80' 2-2 Long service sends Morgan into box at 12m mid-left. Pressured shot on the run sails wide left and curls into endboard behind goal -- right spin, just not enough time to get the shoe to wrap. 82' 2-2 Morgan chases to 5m wide left, muffs or changes mind about left-foot shross -- then McManus shoulder-strikes her down into endzone. 84' 2-2 Dunn chases sideways to circle back left, loses a 50-50 and trips. England send numbers across midfield, pass to Mead in deep wide right, cross blocked by Davidson into near touch.
86' 2-2 England defend with 1 at circle top and the rest in their own 1/2. Morgan misses a pass over Lavelle's foot, but Davidson intercepts the clearance and passes ahead to Morgan. Backpass, Davidson snipes up left touch to Rapinoe. Tight cross along endline caught by Bardsley at left post. 87' 2-2 USA subs in (4 of 6) #10 Carli Lloyd for #19 Crystal Dunn. 88' 2-2 England subs in (3 of 6) #9 Jodie Taylor for #7 Nikita Parris.
The US actually had several good chances that were almost created and every one was ruined by BAD first touches.
90' 2-2 Bronze fouls Rapinoe on a late reach-and-tap to the shin. Rapinoe fk at 30m box left, sent to Morgan at 8m right post, she jumps amidst 2 and heads straight up. 90+1' 2-2 England counter and drive 3-v-4-ish to box top left, long shot to Franch's gut at left post, Franch catches. 90+2' 2-2 USA create an almost-beautiful four-ping tight pass combo in England's box -- except that we didn't plan it, either, and never turn it into a shot, and the fifth ping was one too many. 90+3' 2-2 We turn 2-3 half-chance entry passes awry, mis-settling them over endline without settling or shooting.
The next tournament is decidedly more important. And 2-2 draws in that tournament tend to lead to a missed escape from the group stage or an early exit on PKs in the knockout rounds. I think this team needs a little inspiration [as if they're reading this]: Boring is easy. Everybody can be boring. But you're gooder than that.— Kid President (@iamkidpresident) January 11, 2019
I still say this team’s problem is stringing together passes through the center to maintain possession and then making good creative passes to free up a shot. I like the idea of developing Pugh as a 10 because we definitely need some speed and athleticism up the middle, but I don’t think she’s there yet.
90+4' 2-2 We get frantic, which is decent, but about 30' too late. Many more imprecise touches, no shots, zero saves needed. Credit England for running with us and never leaving anybody open. FT 2-2.
This means that the US has close to zero chance to win this "tournament." It would take a tie in the other match and the US beating Brazil by 3or more goals. I do not have the energy to figure what a 2 goal win would do in that situation but I "think" that would mean a Japan win. unless that 2 goal win was something like 4-2.
Alexi Lalas doesn't sound quite as enthralled with this team and its current strength as he did before the match. Was he watching the other night?
I agree that they need inspiration, that’s why I kind of think they’d be better served by losing to Brazil. That way they’re upset and motivated heading into the World Cup. As it stands, I’m not sure they’re good enough to just rely on skill to carry them all the way.
Perhaps if US Soccer would devote itself more to the game and less on being woke, the WNT wouldn’t so often play as if Beyoncé, J.K. Rowling, RGB and Mother Teresa were actually in those uniforms.
I wish the next match could be classified as a youth match or something. I have no interest in seeing this team play Brazil.
I haven't by any means given up hope. It's just that this team's running out of time to start turning things around. Although I do have a headache now, which I think is a first for a USWNT match.