36' 0-0 Losada fk at ~30m wide left, bends it to goalline center low, Naeher catches. 37' 0-0 Rapinoe gets to endline wide left, hooks a cross to 6-top 1/3 left, dive-headed away. 38' 0-0 Spain short-pass to Mariona at 30m arc left, bad touch stolen by USA -- but we promptly miss a square pass past Dunn flailing, Spain collect up wide right. 39' 0-0 Spain ground pass to Putellas at arc top right post, she cuts centerward and shoots left foot, just wide left.
39' 0-0 Heath receives at 24m wide right 1-v-2, promptly dumps between them and chases around both on the inside, just inside box top left -- Spain recover and slide-poke away just in time. 41' 0-0 Horan overhits a switch left, over endline. 41' 0-0 Off the gk, Morgan wins the header duel, Rapinoe stabs ball out of air, instantly tries a right crescent dump-and-chase -- and this works vs. Torrejon, who clears into far touch. 42' 0-0 USA possess in the back vs. Spain no longer high-pressing. Longball springs Horan toward arc top -- offside, and ball bounces to Paños.
43' 0-0 Sauerbrunn(?) chips upfield, Rapinoe comes back and clangs it -- directly to Lavelle, who one-touch passes up left touch for Dunn on an unstopped overlap. Dunn gets to endline, floating cross to 6-top 1/3 left headed clear. Spain counter up wide right, switch toward box top mid-left headed away (by Sonnett). Follow-up header to 8m mid-left is too deep, Sonnett shields as Naeher slides out onto it. 45+1' (of +1') 0-0 Spain short-pass in our 1/3 (Ian says 13 passes), entry pass to Losada at arc tangent left. Her backpass intercepted by Ertz. HT 0-0. We don't pass like Spain does, but they haven't created a real chance yet.
OMG This is Ellis's 'A' team and not a shot in the first half. I am now officially worried. We look exactly like we have for a LONG time. Accidental offense 100%. SInce Ellis has no clue what to do... It will surely be time to roll Lloyd out. If that happens then make it for Morgan or Horan. I have little use for either
Spain, with their strong possession game, have forced the U.S. into a counterattacking mode, which isn't a bad thing and in fact we had a couple of counters that led to corner kicks, which led to near-chances. Still, it was a bit of struggle for us, having to chase so much; Rapinoe was too tired to help much defensively after the first 20 minutes. Spain--wow, a joy to watch, but it seems, as Foudy noted, they need a bit more bite up front--more pace from their wingers, perhaps, who really didn't do much, but then they are a combination team, in spades.
Wow, those Spanish players are quick and technical. Dinky-do passes, but it's working for them. U.S. looking oldish and slowish. Getting out-technicaled at every position. Will U.S. muscle and fitness and experience pay off?
At the half we have a match where the US does not seem to be able to maintain any attack. They get bursts but do not seem to at all have a plan as far as finishing. The only danger the US has shown has been on free kicks. The rust is still showing. On the Spanish side I keep hearing about their passing but I have been most impressed with their defense. As soon as they lose the ball they are working to get it back and succeeding more often than not. The Spanish GK looks a bit suspect but if the US does not get shots ON GOAL ot matters not at all. It is making a difference having the players back that were missing and having Dunn at left back, although she is often looking more like a right wing or a center forward. My biggest problem with the US is that no player seems to get upset when they do something stupid or flub a play they should make. The US, as a team, does not seem to really want to perform at their best at all times and that easily becomes the norm. Practice does NOT make perfect but rather practice makes permanent. It is only perfect practice that makes perfect and accepting less than that is, to me, unacceptable. Right now the US is learning how to be average by being accepting of average play.
46' 0-0 USA subs in: - (1 of 6) #12 LB Tierna Davidson for #2 RB Emily Sonnett (and Dunn => RB); - (2 of 6) #11 Mallory Pugh for #9 Lindsey Horan; - (3 of 6) #23 Christen Press for #15 Megan Rapinoe. 44% possession in 1H is our 2nd-lowest, ahead of only the Japan match.
I am aware of this, but heard she will more than likely get the situation worked out and be available for full US tram
51' 0-0 Spain attack up mid-left lane, pass to 14m just cleared away. Entry cross from arc top box right donkey-kicked by Sauerbrunn toward left post, Naeher scrambles and slaps it off Mariona's arm and over endline left. 52' 0-0 Lavelle knocks back to Press trailing, but aimless hop-header dump to nobody through box top center is easily collected. 53' 0-0 Spain surge to arc top mid-right, lose it. 54' 0-1 Lavelle intercepts at circle back, taps to Press at circle left. Press accelerates away from Losada jogging, drives at Pereira and turns her through box top mid-left, continues with speed to 6-top left. Soft left instep roller across mouth beats Paños too deep at own right post, trickles under her dive to goalline center. Paredes slides late but can only deflect it into center back low. Should be credited as a goal to Press, not an own-goal, because it was on-frame already.
The US scores! Press got the goal. The commentators said it was an own goal BUT the ball was going in anyway without the Spanish touch so it really should be Press' goal.
57' 0-1 Press cuts in through 2m box left, overhits the cross through box right. 58' 0-1 Press stabs a hot thigh-high pass down perfectly with zero rebound, diagonal pass splits Spain's high line, but Morgan is 1 step offside up mid-left. ??' Dunn shoots to right post, caught. Heath cross. Cross to Heath. USA look turbo-charged now -- as Spain run out of gas? 60' 0-1 USA subs in (4 of 6) #20 Jessica McDonald for #17 Tobin Heath. We get faster!
60' 0-1 Spain subs in (1 of 6) #21 Andrea Falcón for #6 Vicky Losada. 63' 0-1 Hermoso counters to 24m arc left, diagonal pass springs Falcón behind Sonnett through box top left to 5m mid-left. Left-foot shot to left post face-high, Naeher blocks it up high back to Falcón. Header pop-up goes nowhere, Naeher runs along endline and catches. 64' 0-1 Press diagonal pass to Morgan at 15m mid-left. Small clang and chase centerward (that's us in January ), Morgan shoots right instep bend around 2 to goalline center partially screened, Paños smothers it. 65' 0-1 Spain subs in (2 of 6) #7 Marta Corredera for #8 Marta Torrejón.
Ertz is, by far, the best ball winner on the field BUT she cannot seem to make a pass to anybody in white. Nor can she hit anything on goal when wide open. Edit: Of course she has been subbed out and so is done for the day.
68' 0-1 Morgan dumps a through-ball to 2m mid-right, McDonald breaks the trap line alone. Backpass pulled steeply to 6m 3-right, surprises Pugh and rattles through her ankles. Ertz follows, but blasts over bar. 69' 0-1 USA subs in (5 of 6) #25 McCall Zerboni for #8 Julie Ertz.
69' 0-1 Spain attack cleared, but USA turn over in the back. Putellas pops free at box top mid-right, left foot shot to goalline 1/3 right, directly to Naeher. 73' 0-1 Spain subs in: - (3 of 6) #17 Lucía García (W20s) for #19 Amanda Sampedro; - (4 of 6) #18 Aitana Bonmati (W20s) for #9 Mariona 74' 0-1 Meseguer trips Pugh from behind at circle top box right. Foul, yellow card on Meseguer. 76' 0-1 USA subs in (6 of 6) #5 Samantha Mewis for #16 Rose Lavelle. We're basically NC Lite now
77' 0-1 Zerboni dribbles with some pace right-to-left to 30m, good diagonal through-ball springs Morgan through box top left. Called offside, replay shows basically tied with defenders across the field. 79' 0-1 Spain subs in (5 of 6) #22 Nahikari García for #10 Jennifer Hermoso. Spain's W17-19-20 stars are getting their first shot at a world #1.
Pugh continues her pattern of tripping over the grass. She would be a lot better if she could avoid falling down when not being touched.
Morgan selfishly misses a shot and misses two wide open players on the right. I guess she is a bit full of herself.
82' 0-1 S.Mewis harasses 1 from behind, slide-pokes ball free through her wicket. Morgan collects at 30m arc left, turns and dribbles to arc tangent left, shoots right foot outswinging to goalline center. Paños reflex-double-punches ball over crossbar, it drops onto roof. 83' 0-1 USA cross from box top wide right, Morgan is offside up centerline. One of those days where the feet are a tad heavy. 85' 0-1 Bonmati right ck, high to 6m 1/3 left, Naeher comes out and catches high, hangs on while rolling into traffic. 86' 0-1 Spain longball into box mid-left for N.García, Dahlkemper blasts it into far touch.
87' 0-1 Spain pass to Falcón at 2m wide left. Dunn wrests ball away, short pass to -- McDonald way back at her own 12m box right. McDonald lays off, USA outlet past midfield box right, 1-v1 but Pugh called for tugging León(?) down from behind. 88' 0-1 Mewis hooks a cross from midfield wide left toward arc top, McDonald(?) is way offside. 89' 0-1 Davidson => CB, Dunn => LB ... and Pugh is so far back she's basically RB Spain uncharacteristically longball through box top left, too far, Naeher stands over it at 3m until pressure arrives.
The US wins 1-0 but, to be honest it has been a quite underwhelming performance. In this match Spain could not score and the US would not score except for one brief period at the start of the second half. For me the WOM has been, nobody once again. Press looked good for a while but then faded into the background and seems to have developed a bit of the Pugh syndrome of tripping over the grass. If I were playing for or coaching the US I would be very disappointed but the US players are still rusty and I think they will improve.
90' 0-1 L.García chases a ball to arc top mid-right, Davidson interposes, L.García inadvertently spears own jaw upon Davidson's right elbow -- goes down holding mouth, no call, crowd whistles. Bit of scrappy play both ways ensue. 90+1' (of +3') 0-1 USA is indeed in a flat back five, with Pugh as brevet-RB. Spain cross from arc top wide right to 9m center, Dahlkemper heads away but only to box top center. N.García(?) challenges as Zerboni jumps for 2nd header, hard collision knocks Zerboni down -- and she's holding her left clavicle Zerboni resumes? 90+3' (of +3') 0-1 McDonald knocks back to Morgan at arc top right. Morgan passes to Press unmarked at 14m mid-left. Press tries something, both feet slip out and she sideplants. FT 0-1. Better energy, better conditioning, and it's nice that we have one match-up problem they couldn't stop once. We didn't construct much of anything.