While I like the fact that we are using subs pretty well but I really tink in any tournament you should, if at all possible, hold the last sub for after the 75th minute because a GK injury or red card could, more than any field player, make a huge difference even in a 3-0 match. At the 75th minute or so it makes less difference. Even Mia Hamm once was forced into goal because of a late red card to Skurry.
I wonder what the collective number of caps of the field players is right now. When Horan went off, Lavelle wore the captain armband. I guess Naeher must have it now because I don't see anyone else wearing it.
That last shot reminded me of one by Akers in Chattanooga many years ago. But Akers scored and hit the ball MUCH harder and it was 10-12 yards further out. She hit that ball so hard that when it hit the net just under the crossbar it was still rising and without the net it could have ended up in Alabama or, with a slight deflection, in low Earth orbit.
Kristie Mewis scores the penalty. Thought it was interesting that Mewis took it over Pugh, but that was well taken.
Young players got some experience and some goals. Young backline got a clean sheet. Not a bad game. Definitely felt less sluggish than the last game although I think Jamaica also looked tired.
Although I do not think they explicitly said so I believe Jamaica considered this as a mostly throw away game. They got three points from Mexico and now three against a truly bad Haiti will give them sis points and that should be enough as the US will beat Mexico pretty easily so the best Mexico can do is three total points and Haiti, even if they beat Mexico, which is unlikely, only makes the last match meaningful for them. but they only catch Jamaica if they also beat Jamaica so, even with a Haiti win over Mexico it is Jamaica that is really in control. To put it simply Jamaica has the easiest road to getting out of the group of the three teams that are not the US. All they need to do is beat Haiti.
Disappointing game in that Jamaica was either tired or the game didn't matter much to them. As mentioned above, why not save yourself for a game you can win, i.e. Jamaica's next game with Haiti. With everyone on the U.S. roster looking pretty good, what is going to happen when Dunn, S. Mewis, and Macario come back from injury? Will S. Mewis push K. Mewis off the WC roster? What happens to Fox when Dunn reclaims her left back spot? And Macario? Who loses out when she come back. Hatch? Purce?
I get Jamaica going for the games that they can win, but I don't think their coach was happy with what he saw in this one: Jamaica head coach Lorne Donaldson on the 5-0 loss to #USWNT: "We were very shitty. We didn't play well. You're not gonna play the world champs and play that bad and expect anything coming out of the game. We weren't good."— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) July 8, 2022