By right of seven reps suggesting approval of the idea, in the absence of any vocalized objection thereto, and in acknowledgment of the apparent will [or at least non-prohibition] of the [silent] majority, I hereby attempt to disaggregate the USWNT's trajectory in this tournament into its three components. I hope that this thread gets a foothold in the forum, if only to separate game discussion from the ongoing debate on the Hinkle call-up/cut, which appears to have overrun the previously created thread. Should you accept this proposal, please still relegate any general tournament discussion to USWNT in the ToN 2018 Thank you.
Updated Japan's roster Mizuho Sakaguchi, Rumi Utsugi, Nana Ichise out injuried, Hikaru Naomoto out due to bad health condition, Saki Kumagai not released by Lyon, Yu Nakasato not called (club duty?).
Brazil - Australia is ON: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...018-tournament-of-nations-brazil-vs-australia
Well it will be streamed on the Fox Sports app. I would guess that it will not be available on the US soccer website because of contractual obligations with Fox.
Almost that time! Meet your starting XI for the 🇺🇸's #ToN2018 opener vs. 🇯🇵!Lineup notes » https://t.co/yWuM1VFv4A pic.twitter.com/ddHYq1JrK3— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 26, 2018 Whistle while you work 😗@TobinHeath plottin’ 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Jd2kei4SER— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 26, 2018
The opposition 🇯🇵#ToN2018 #USAvJPN pic.twitter.com/DIKT2i3Fbv— Ruffneck Scarves (@RuffneckScarves) July 26, 2018
If anyone needs the names in latin character, Japan's line-up is: #18 Yamashita #3 Sameshima #18 Ariyoshi #4 Miyake #22 Shimizu #7 Nakajima #15 Moeno Sakaguchi #14 Hasegawa #24 Miura #8 Iwabuchi #11 Tanaka
02' 0-0 Good chip forward almost springs Morgan through arc top right. Morgan clangs ball too far ahead, Sameshima boxes her out and clears into far touch. 03' 0-0 USA two right throw-ins, cleared. Dunn (as LB!) plays Rapinoe down box left, perfectly timed bent run keeps her just onside. Rapinoe goes to 6m box left, cross back through spot is poked away.
Japan playing a bit like the US historically and high pressing the US. The US hasn't been able to do much in the midfield early. As a result, Japan is winning possession however their main strategy near the final third is hopeful runs to be picked out by balls from near midfield.
11' 0-0 Sameshima(?) holds at 35m wide left, Iwabuchi makes her cut through the very high backline at 25m. Sameshima cuts inside a half-beat too long, outside-in through-ball catches Iwabuchi one shoe-length offside, thereafter alone to 10m mid-left before the whistle registers. 13' 0-0 Japan pass springs Nakajima to arc top wide right, she cuts inside but shot blocked. USA longball sends Press chasing well behind 2 to 25m mid-right, GK Yamashita comes that far out and sweeps clear. Both teams are content to play ping in the back, then take a speculative shot downfield.
1-1 Defenders actually did a decent job of recovering, but Naeher was well off any sort of good line.
16' 0-0 Sonnett(?) deep right throw-in up right touch, knocked out. Horan right throw-in backward, Dahlkemper chips a switch to Dunn. Dunn backpass to Rapinoe (!! -- they've switched positions). Rapinoe dribbles centerward to ~25m mid-left, passes down box left to Dunn. Dunn crosses into 5m 1/3 right, ball gets stuck under 2 sliding defenders as Press overruns both. 17' 0-0 Japan short-pass across USA's box top from box right to arc top, then to box top mid-left. Shot deflects down off some body part, Iwabuchi is offside pouncing to 2m left post, Naeher smothers it.
I noticed it in the Australia vs Brazil match but it even looks worse now, The field is a disaster. Don't they know how to grow grass in Kansas. The field is patchy and rough and not really fit for a match at this level in the US. It looks like one we might see in T&T or Cuba. But the US and Japan are handling it pretty well. Oh, it is now US 1 Japan 0. Whops I was not fast enough 1-1.
I like the way Japan controls the ball and passes it better than the USA. This looks like a typical Jill Ellis team so far and if we manage to win... it will be by brute force, not skill
18' 1-0 Press dribbles through circle top left to 27m arc left, passes inside-out through box top mid-left, perfectly in Rapinoe's stride. Rapinoe crosses to 7m left post low, Morgan trails Sameshima with slightly outside position, sticks a foot out under her defender and pokes it just inside left post low, with Yamashita caught flat-footed. Class is in session.Textbook work from @ChristenPress, @mPinoe, and @alexmorgan13. pic.twitter.com/mDsvCBGC4F— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 26, 2018 19' 1-1 Ariyoshi passes from circle back to circle left, Hasegawa one-touch through-ball through circle top springs Tanaka through the very high backline -- way up at circle back, and leaning the wrong way. Dahlkemper overtakes at arc top center, Tanaka cuts leftward behind her to 16m left post. Chip over Sonnett's sliding legs either gets over them or deflects, perfectly mini-lobs Naeher frozen, into center back high.