Team USA: No goals? No problem
Americans shrug off criticism of goal-challenged offence, point to stellar defence
OTTAWA — 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, tonight 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 front line 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.
Regardless of personnel, the Americans say the defensive system remains intact and allows the team to position itself for taut, low-scoring 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.
Nonetheless, the Americans recognize the need to improve the attack.
“We are exactly where we want to be,” said reserve defender Lori Chalupny. “We know we can play better. We’re not stressed about it. We’re not concerned about it. It will come.”