OTTAWA, Canada — The U.S. progressed to the Women’s World Cup semifinals with a 1-0 triumph against China on Friday, with Carli Lloyd scoring ahead of schedule in the second half in her 200th national group appearance. The U.S. will meet Germany on Tuesday in Montreal after the Germans disposed of France in a punishment shootout on Friday.
The U.S. has never neglected to achieve the elimination rounds of the Women’s World Cup in the seven versions of the competition.
This was an alternate U.S. group from various perspectives than we’ve found in the World Cup. Lauren Holiday and Megan Rapinoe were out on yellow-card suspensions and replaced by Morgan Brian and Kelley O’Hara, individually, while Amy Rodriguez got to the starting lineup to replace Abby Wambach.
Coming back to the foundations of what made the U.S. group incredible in the 1990s, coach Jill Ellis sent a high-squeezing defensive strategy that won balls in China’s own end and made risky move opportunities near to China’s goal.. That is the sort of thing you can do if Wambach doesn’t play, and it mirrored a general increment in dynamism by the U.S. on and off the ball.
With Holiday out, Carli Lloyd was moved higher in the central midfield in a diamond formation with Brian playing at the base. Brian was powerful in her situating and choices (she has a spectacular soccer IQ), and Lloyd was dangerous than she had been in any game in this competition. She’s known as Big Game Carli for a reason, as well, and her header in the second half (off a Julie Johnston ball ) gave the U.S. the lead it merited.
Ellis gets criticized habitually for her strategies, yet they were right on target in this game.
The U.S’s. best player in this World Cup did it again at both finishes of the field on Friday. Johnston’s circulation is the thing that you need in a middle back, and she’s fit for stopping attackers in the box as well. Her assist to Lloyd demonstrated a player who’s playing with certainty nowadays.
She’s likewise the sort of accomplice you’d need in a road battle. At the point when Johnston crashed into Chinese forward Lou Jiahui in the first half, it was Lou who needed to leave the diversion appearing as though she’d collided with a cargo train, while Johnston shook it off and continued doing Julie Johnston things. Yes, this is the same Johnston who was the reinforcement to the reinforcement at center back for the U.S. as of late as February before wounds gave her achievement chance at the Algarve Cup.
What is Ellis strategy for the Germany lineup?
The level of trouble will go up exponentially for the U.S. team when the adversary is Germany on Tuesday, and that will oblige some profound thought from Ellis about her lineup alternative.
Given the amount France troubled Germany with its speed and movement, its positively conceivable that Wambach would not start against Germany either. Rapinoe appears a lock to come back to the original lineup, and you’d think Holiday would be as well, yet Brian was great against China (an as a matter of fact simpler enemy). Keeping in mind Germany got away from an epic quarterfinal against France, the Germans demonstrated they’re not really strong and were even dominated by the French during the game.
While none of these U.S. matches has been simple, there ought to be some more trust in the U.S. camp heading into Tuesday’s noteworthy matchup.