Lloyd and Lalas rip performance
After the US women’s national soccer team advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup with a 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday, Fox analysts held nothing back, with Alexi Lalas calling the performance “abysmal” and former national team member Carli Lloyd calling players out for an uninspiring performance, as well as their post-match behavior.
“You never want to take anything for granted,” Lloyd said. “You put on that jersey and you want to give it everything you have, for the people who came before you, for the people who come after you. I’m just not seeing that passion. I’m just seeing a lackluster, uninspiring, taking it for granted [attitude], where winning and training and doing all that you can to be the best possible individual player is not happening.”
The United States outshot Portugal, 17-6, but was almost eliminated in second-half stoppage time when a shot from Portugal substitute Ana Capeta hit the right post.
After the draw, Fox briefly showed US players dancing and posing for selfies with fans, which drew the ire of Lloyd.
“I’m all for positivity — they have advanced out of the group,” Lloyd, who retired in 2021 and was a member of the US team that won World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, said during Fox’s postgame show. “But at the same time, the cheering, the dancing — I’ve got a problem with that because I wouldn’t be happy. I know several of their players, former players, ’99ers [champions] — they wouldn’t be happy with that tie. It hasn’t been good overall in these first three games. I understand the players doing interviews, I was in that position before. You don’t want to speak negatively, you don’t want to actually say what is going on, I understand that.
“But it’s the body language, it’s the facial expressions I’m seeing where I really don’t know if they’re upset with how they played and the results.”
Lalas called the performance “rudderless” and “confused.”
Netherlands top group
The Netherlands scored four times in a torrid 15-minute firsthalf stretch, overwhelming Vietnam, 7-0, and sealing first place in Group E.
The Dutch went into the match in second place on goal differential behind the United States. But the blowout win combined with the Americans’ 0-0 draw with Portugal made Netherlands the group winner.
Netherlands dominated almost from the start. Lieke Martens chipped a shot into the net in the eighth minute over 5-foot-4-inch Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh to get the scoring started. Then the rout was on, as goals from three other Dutch players quickly followed.
Esmee Brugts scored one in the flurry on a curling ball from outside the penalty area in the 18th minute, then got another from nearly the same spot in the second half. Jill Roord also scored twice.
The Vietnamese switched goalkeepers, to no avail.
James, England romp
With two goals and three assists, Lauren James made a big impact as England advanced to the knockout stage with a 6-1 rout of China.
The Chelsea forward scored her second and third goals of the tournament with two wonderful strikes as the European champions finished atop Group D with three straight wins.
Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, substitute Chloe Kelly, and Rachel Daly also added goals at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium, and China’s Wang Shuang pulled one back from the penalty spot.
China’s worst-ever loss at the tournament means it failed to advance from the group stage for the first time at a Women’s World Cup.
Denmark finished second to England in the group, advancing after a 2-0 win over Haiti.
Denmark’s goals came courtesy of a penalty kick by Pernille Harder in the 21st minute and a calm finish by Sanne Troelsgaard in stoppage time.