USA vs. Sweden
For the first time in over twelve years, a new nation will be crowned the champion of the Women’s Footballing World. The USWNT’s string of eight consecutive victories in the FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout stages came to an end when the two-time defending champions and Sweden could not be separated in a 0-0 draw. The match went all the way down to the roulette-wheel of a penalty shootout. Peter Gerhardsson’s Scandinavians prevailed after seven intense rounds.
The four-times-crowned world champions unquestionably played the better game, yet could not find their way past Swedish keeper Zećira Mušović. American keeper Alyssa Naeher made a crucial stop in the penalty shootout and even converted from the spot herself. Misses from U.S. players Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, and Kelley O’Hara nevertheless left Naeher under pressure in the final round. In a ultra-dramatic climax, Naeher got a glove on Lina Hurtig’s effort, yet couldn’t scramble back to her line in time to prevent the ball from crossing by mere millimeters.
The USWNT remained tactically and optically superior throughout most of the encounter. Although the result likely spells the end of Vlatko Andonovski’s coaching regime, the favorites did execute their match-plan well and delivered by far their best performance of the tournament. There shall still be no further chance to witness this particular squad in action. The United States join Germany and Norway as previous title winners no longer eligible to contest the current title. The Japanese now stand as the only nation to win a World Cup still alive.
Tactical Analysis: USA
Andonovski genuinely didn’t have any surprises in store for tactics-watchers in the final group stage match against Portugal. The 4-3-3 double-pivot remained in place. The two personnel changes and slight tactical re-ordering proved easy enough to forecast. If a tactics-writer can see precisely what’s coming, the opponent obviously has an easy time of it as well. A brief opening flurry of offensive activity quickly gave way to multiple losses in the midfield build up play.
Francisco Neto’s Portuguese side quickly adjusted to the U.S. game. Neto’s rigid diamond on the back-four axes proved increasingly difficult for the Americans to break down. Those responsible for reporting on the U.S. women in their third tournament fixture surely had a piece leaning toward an elimination story prepared. It genuinely felt as if this crew were on the precipice of crashing out. They very nearly did. Only the goalpost saved them at 90+1. Another close call at 90+5 came close to sending them home.
Substitute Megan Rapinoe aptly described the encounter as “extremely stressful”. The overall performance was widely regarded as one of the most listless of the past decade. Almost no ideas heading forward. The two-time-defending World Champions have their fair share of female footballing legends now working the punditry circuit. Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath were unsparing in their criticism from their place in the studios. Few USWNT enthusiasts entered this tie with positive thoughts.
Andonovski’s response? Logical enough. At times in the goalless draw with Portugal, the American 4-3-3 more closely resembled a 4-2-3-1. Whether or not this was intentional or spontaneous remained unclear. It did seem as if Lindsey Horan was supposed to function as a ten, especially when she started well-timed (and clearly practiced) runs into the box. When this evenings team sheets were released, questions as to the placement of both Horan and Julie Ertz arose. The two main queries concerned how far up Horan would play and whether Ertz would move into midfield.
Answers came rapidly.
Lineup—USA—Match Four (4-2-3-1)
Quick confirmation of the positional assignments arrived. This 4-2-3-1 crystalized immediately. More importantly, it began to work right away. Smith signaled some early intent with a pair of cross-field carries out of the back. Horan, Alex Morgan, and Trinity Rodman were clicking within minutes. We witnessed the first effort from the U.S. side via Andi Sulllivan in the 7th. Nothing truly negative to report from the USWNT in the opening 45. Everyone took to their task well. Horan and Sullivan won their midfield duels. Morgan worked well on deep drops. Rodman was amazing on the right.
Though there were times in which the American short-passing game proved a tick slower than the ideas, Andonovski’s girls had established dominance by the time the half-hour-mark approached. Rodman recorded two quality efforts by the time we reached that time mark. Horan put a well-designed corner off the crossbar in the 34th. American influence over the match literally pinned the Swedes back in fear. The defending champs really furnished some fine combos despite the fact that their opponents stood very deep.
Horan and Morgan came close to snatching the opener before it was time to head into the tunnel. A superbly played first-half featuring 62 percent possession and a 6:2 chance creation ratio. Kudos to “Sam’s Angels” for carrying the momentum forward after the change-of-ends. Only keeper Zećira Mušović prevented Horan from opening the scoring with a fantastic save on a tracer-bullet effort in the 53rd. Lyn Williams checked in for the spectacular Rodman in the 66th. The new right-slanted forward didn’t miss a beat.
The Americans continued to torch the Swedes on the right, blazing past an extremely tired looking Jonna Anderson. Andonovski’s side slowed up a tad as the end of normal time approached, surviving a brief scare from the subbed-on Sofia Jakobsson in the 85th. Naeher made a strong save on both the Jakobsson effort and a corner shortly thereafter. Naeher’s counterpart Mušović shined the rest of the way, halting Morgan in the 89th and 96th. The Swedish net-minder again stood tall against Williams in 101st and Smith in the 107th.
Phrew. A heroic performance from Sweden’s #1. Also of importance, the Swedes defended nine corners and 16 free-kicks well. The set-piece variants drawn up by Andonovski and staff exhibited plenty of creative flair. Sometimes, it simply isn’t one’s day. A 22:9 shot ratio, midfield dominance, and a deep dead-ball playbook ordinarily does the trick. This match could have very well unfolded as the third group stage game did in 2019, with Horan netting an early winner. It simply wasn’t to be.
Top Performers, USA
1) Trinity Rodman
The attacker Andonovski opted to bench in the previous match clearly got the message. The NWSL star showed precisely why she’s been awarded a record contract by her club team. the 21-year-old tormented the Swedes with repeated breakthroughs on the right. Slick tricks on the ball preceded all three of her efforts on goal. Six magnificent dribbles from the park-plug of the U.S. attack. Nearly 50 touches, most of the highest quality, as well. She’s arrived on the grandest stage. One looks forward to watching her for many years to come.
2) Lindsey Horan
A profound statement from the captain risks being lost in the final result. The skipper silenced her critics by setting an early tone with some monumentally impressive wins ball wins. She came the oh-so-close to netting a goal on three separate occasions. A total of four efforts on goal and an assisted shot amid 94 recored touches for the team’s leader. Sixty percent duels rates on the ground and in the air. She did most everything right, including sinking her penalty. Such a sad sight to see her tournament ended.
3) Andi Sullivan
Another player who did everything to deserve being anointed the hero of this match. The Washington spirit midfielder was, simply stated, wicked good for the full 120 minutes. The author honestly couldn’t wait to credit her for leading the U.S. to victory. It genuinely seemed as if Sullivan sprung every other American attack with telegraphed balls over the Swedish back line and glittering switches to keep the approach fresh. After winning all her aerial duels and coming close to being undefeated on the ground, she sunk the first penalty in the shootout. Such a shame. The script had been written.
4) Julie Ertz
On the rare occasions when the Swedes were able to create some danger at the other end, the dynamic 31-year-old was always there with a well-timed tackle. The team sheet didn’t reveal whether she would move into midfield or remain alongside Naomi Girma in central defense. Andonovic opted for the latter choice and it was absolutely spot on. Four blocks, two goal-saving tackles, and an 81 percent passing rate out of the back for the legend. She and Girma worked very well together in this tournament. A success makeshift partnership that we’ll always wish we’d seen more of.
5) Alyssa Naeher
USWNT enthusiasts have always appreciated the Penn State product. The quiet, respectful, and “team-first” backstop always organized her ranks with the vigor of a naturally effective and classy leader. Her 2019 tournament won’t soon be forgotten. Three clean sheets in the group phase. All those amazing stops in quarterfinals against France. Holding Steph Houghton’s penalty in the semis. The 35-year-old did everything right here and might have been labelled the hero of this match as well. Sad to think that her World Cup career may end here.
Tactical Analysis: Sweden
Swedish trainer Gerhardsson – predictably enough – rested most of his team in the final group stage fixture against Argentina. Only the center back duo of Amana Ilestadt and Magdalena Eriksson retained their places. A Swedish XI with the likes of veterans Caroline Seger and Sofia Jakobsson in the starting blocks naturally remains a strong side. Lightly-capped players such as Anna Sandberg, Stina Lennartsson, and Jennifer Falk had little trouble executing. So it came to pass that the Swedes neatly and professionally declassed the Argentines 2-0; depriving many of us of the sensation we were hoping for.
In any event, Gerhardsson rotated everyone back in. The personnel choices stood exactly as they did in the first two rounds. Also returning, we have the obvious 3-4-3 that the writer honestly cannot understand why so many other footballing sites are reading as a 4-2-3-1. The only discernible alteration from the previous arrangement appears to be an inverted-pivot positioning for on-fire tournament star Illestedt. Sure. Why not? The former FrauenBundesliga live-wire can work wherever she wants.
Lineup—Sweden—Match Four (3-4-3)
The counter-potential of this constellation manifested itself on a couple of occasions during the first half. The U.S. defense nevertheless had the primary focal point, Stina Blackstenius, covered on both occasions. Blackstenius saw two efforts blocked. One can fairly criticize the Swedish counter for slowing up noticeably when the last link-up moment arrived. In all candor, while there were some cases in which the Blaugults threatened from open play, this arrangement largely stalled for a full 120 minutes.
Nothing but like-for-like substitutions from Gerhardsson throughout this match. Both Gerhardsson and Andonovski altered their off-the-ball press tactics frequently to make it appear if constellations might permanently shift. They never really did once attack charges got rolling again. To Gerhardsson’s credit, the Jakobsson-Hurtig (for Asllani and Rytting Kaneryd) double-sub in the 81st returned quality dividends; surprising all of us left shaking their heads. Hurtig and Hanna Bennison also converted their penalties, though Rebecka Blomqvist didn’t.
Top Performers, Sweden
1) Zećira Mušović
Well then. We all know the name now. Some of us have to seriously strain to recall when Hedvig Lindahl wasn’t tending to the sticks for this country. The author himself can’t recall who preceded Lindahl and admittedly had only cursory knowledge of the player who broke through for Chelsea in the WSL a couple of seasons ago. The 27-year-old is perhaps the sole reason why Sweden are headed further. Eleven saves. Two claimed crosses. Nine successful counter starts. Insane.
2) Elin Rubensson
Probably the only Swedish midfielder who really proved herself capable of consistently standing toe-to-toe with the U.S. press. The 30-year-old’s touches had an artful and creative flair about them. She also remained undefeated in the air and connected with 65 percent of her passes. The über-talented Swedes possess a surfeit of artists on the pitch. Most all of them weren’t supplying their best this evening. A great deal didn’t work. Rubensson did. She was impressive.
3) Sofia Jakobsson
Nice to see one of the game’s legends come on and positively affect play. She mostly settled into Kaneryd’s position, but pushed up high frequently. This enabled Hurtig to float over to the left at times and give the Blaugult charges some unpredictability to them. One might tap the San Diego Wave professional for a start next round. The 33-year-old appears spry, full of ideas, and fully committed to helping this team make a run at the title.