Solid defence anchors U. S. women
Just like Canada, Americans have struggled getting the ball in goal
Through four World Cup matches over two weeks, there are few suggestions that the U. S. women’s national soccer team will wake from its Canadian slumber and begin blitzing opponents with a profusion of goals. Scoring will have to continue coming from industry in the run of play and set pieces.
Germany, France and Japan are the entertainers here. The Americans are the backstage labourers.
But here’s the thing about a team with a sputtering attack backed by an unyielding resistance: It only takes one goal to win.
“You can call them deficiencies. We’ve gotten the result we’ve needed to get in every single game,” left back Meghan Klingenberg said of the offensively challenged squad. “And if we keep teams to zero goals and only score one per game, I wouldn’t say that’s a deficiency; I’d say that’s winning.”
While fans, analysts and former players stew about the tepid performances, the Americans have advanced to the quarter- finals with three consecutive shutouts and a 333- minute scoreless streak. China is next on Friday in Ottawa.
Anchored by goalkeeper Hope Solo, the United States has not conceded a goal since midway through the first half of the Group D opener against Australia. Of the eight survivors, only Canada, which also labours in the attack, has allowed as few goals.
Solo was sensational against the Aussies and, thanks to Klingenberg’s late goal- line clearance, she blanked the Swedes. She was largely undisturbed in victories over Nigeria and Colombia. In all, U. S. opponents have generated 11 shots on goal ( five in the past three games).
While coach Jill Ellis has tried several combinations on the frontline and swapped outside midfielders, she has remained consistent with her other assignments: Carli Lloyd and Lauren Holiday in deep central midfield positions and Klingenberg, Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn and Julie Johnston protecting Solo.
Ellis will have to make changes today: Holiday, as well as left wing Megan Rapinoe, is out with a yellow card suspension. Ellis said Morgan Brian will probably fill in for Holiday. Christen Press is the primary candidate to replace Rapinoe, the team’s most influential attacker.
The strain of a second game on three days’ rest and a long flight from Edmonton might prompt adjustments in the back, as well.
Regardless of personnel, the Americans say the defensive system remains intact and allows the team to position itself for taut, lowscoring victories.
“We all know we’re not playing our best football and we’re still finding ways to win,” Lloyd said. “That’s the history of this team: No matter whether it’s good, bad, we still find a way to get it done.”
Entering the tournament, one of the primary questions concerning the U. S. championship capacity was backline experience; only Krieger had started regularly in the World Cup or Olympics.
While she and Klingenberg have handled the corners, mixing defensive shrewdness with overlapping attacking forays, Johnston, 23, and Sauerbrunn, 30, have forged an unassailable central partnership. Johnston, a former attacker at Santa Clara University who plays for the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars, did not begin gaining regular U. S. assignments until last year. Sauerbrunn, who played at the University of Virginia and is now with FC Kansas City, cracked the starting lineup for good in 2013.
The backline proved its mettle in the first round in the so- called Group of Death, a quartet of teams capable of beating one another.
“There’s not a backline in the world that wouldn’t be tested in this group, with the pace and transition of these teams,” Ellis said after the U. S. finished first in round- robin play with a 2- 0- 1 record. Australia also advanced from that group to the quarter- finals, upsetting Brazil in the round of 16.
“We just talked about how battletested we are coming out of that,” Ellis said, “and how confident we should feel in our backline.”
Nonetheless, the Americans recognize the need to improve the attack, not just to score an elusive goal but to alleviate pressure on the backline. While the defensive unit has stood firm, the midfielders and forwards have laboured to find a rhythm.
They did manufacture quality chances Monday against Colombia in the round of 16, but fine goalkeeping and wayward shooting kept the outcome in the balance until the second half. Those improvements, though, were more a product of perseverance against a novice opponent than flowing, graceful play.
“There is another level in us, but we can take some pride in the fact we found a way even not playing our best,” reserve defender Lori Chalupny said. “We are exactly where we want to be. We know we can play better. We’re not stressed about it. We’re not concerned about it. It will come.”