WNT v Trinidad & Tobago (OQ Semifinal), Feb. 19, 2016, pre/pbp/post

US subs

Pugh out for Press
Horan out for Mewis

 

Glad to see Press in, sad to see Pugh out.

 

Pugh and Horan have been doing great!

 

Good to see the US wasn't Dunn with subs.

Lloyd out

 

Time to get Dunn to business!

 

Horan lacks speed, that's her only downside. Brian is should be the one to stay back all the time against better teams IMO.

 

Shross or crot?

 

Morgan got a goal after the 17th rebound from a free kick.

I can't get all of the Washington Sprit tweets from the other night out of my head.

 

US players take too much time on the ball, and it drives me crazy. Quick passing please... otherwise defenders have to much time to shut down the gaps.

 

Morgan hat trick!?

5-0

 

Morgan is on fire tonight.

 

The only thing left to cheer for is full health.

 

ALEX!!! HAT TRICK! We're Going to the Olympics!

 

71' 4-0 USA right ck, inswing to 8m 1/4 left. Johnston outjumps 1, heads down to 1/4 right low, Ki.Forbes dives and blocks it up off the bounce. Ball drops softly to Morgan's head at 6m right post, she jumps backward and heads softly to crossbar 1/6 right -- near-post defender jumps and heads it straight up off crossbar. Ball pops out to 6m, Morgan still leaning backward and soft left instep volley lobs Ki.Forbes, drops into back left low.

74' 5-0 USA pressure at box top, T&T quack a clearance to arc top mid-right. Brian(?) one-touch chip to 9m left post, Morgan lurks on the backline with lateral separation and times her pounce perfectly, in alone. Easy waist-high left instep volley across mouth, wrong-foots Ki.Forbes into back right edge. T&T are starting to break down in marking -- lack of funding really holds back their training.

 

Is it time to say that Alex Morgan has returned to form, or should we wait for the Sheeba Leaves?

 

Johnston played MF in college, I wonder how she would do as a holding/defending MF paired with Brian?

 

She was really high up on Morgan's Hat Trick, and I had the same thought.

 

She's wasn't the only one holding onto the ball too long.
What I love about Brian is she never holds onto the ball she always knows where she wants to go and passes quickly and accurately. You never/rarely see her lose the ball.

 

Johnston made the lay-off pass on Morgan's 3rd. I'm not a big fan of JJ's direct and longer passes, but I've always thought she was just fine at the short stuff.

 

Gotta feel for T&T - virtually no support from their federation really stinks.
Another great match doing the color commentating by Markgraf.
Is it me or does JP sound like he's saying, "Trinidad and Tobagle" every time?