The United States women's national team defeated Costa Rica by a score of 3 to 0. The Americans secured a spot in the final of the W Championship after the result, a match they and nearly everyone assumed they would win from the beginning.
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The path there has been more laborious than dominant, but it was enough for the U.S. to qualify for the World Cup in 2023.
Emily Sonnett scored the first goal for the USWNT on Thursday. Our team is not very happy with that. A lot of things need to be focused on. I think we've competed and we've stuck to our plans. What are we going to do with it now?
The U.S. implemented high up the field at the right time in two of the goals. Sonnett's first goal in 69 appearances came from a corner kick, just like the one she scored in Monday's win over Mexico.
Important to the creation of that opportunity is something which will not show up on the stat sheet: an individual defensive effort from a player. One minute after Pugh nearly stripped Costa Rica goalkeeper Noelia Bermudez of the ball in her own box, the U.S. winger put Costa Rica's defense under pressure deep inside their own defensive third. Sonnett scored a goal.
It was Pugh on the finish line. Sophia Smith won the ball just outside of Costa Rica's penalty area and Rose Lavelle backheeled it into the path of Pugh who was running in behind. Lavelle's technical skill made the play, but Smith's pressure made the play happen.
After the match, Pugh said pressing is a great opportunity to attack. I think defense is part of our identity if you look at it that way. To be able to create ad just keep going is what we want to do. It's part of our identity that we want teams to feel that pressure.
The U.S.'s press has been more varied since Andonovski took charge. The World Cup-winning team played with a relentless, high-energy press which demanded significant defensive efforts from its forwards as well as a midfield which was asked to cover large swaths of ground. Part of the reason that area of the team is in transition is because of the absences of Julie Ertz and Sam Mewis.
The team's defensive pressure was going to be added to by Andonovski. He said at the time that he wanted to add sophistication to the process rather than completely change the system which had brought the team success. The Americans will sometimes try to challenge their opponent to play through them. Many opponents in the region can't do it.
The U.S. should be careful about when to press. Under the relentless sun, the game started at 6 p.m. The temperature at the start of the game was over 100. With the final against Canada looming, the U.S. staff had to allow themselves to look ahead.
"It comes down to reading the moments and when we want to press and when we want to drop off a little bit and allow them to connect a few passes."
The Canadians defeated the U.S. in the Olympic semifinals last year to win the gold medal and force the U.S. to settle for a bronze medal. Canada will be the toughest opponent for the U.S. In the semifinals in Tokyo, it struck on the counterattack and found transitional moments. The U.S. dominated most of the match but was beaten by a Canada goal.
The U.S.' roster has changed a lot since that game, but the dynamics will be the same on Monday. The Canadians will look to exploit the U.S. in wide areas as the Americans push forward. The U.S. will try to press their rivals to limit their exposure on the counter attack.
I think the way that Vlatko wants us to play is different every game. Alex Morgan made a statement. "If it's a four-back or a five-back, the way that they pressure -- whether inside or outside, the spaces that they give, or the high line or a low line." I think we've faced a lot of challenges.
Morgan said that the U.S. could have led by three goals by the half. The US missed several opportunities from close range after she hit the post. The sharpness needs to be on Monday for this version of the U.S. The loser of the final will have to wait a year to find out if they're going to the Olympics.
We know that they are technical, so I thought that we made too many technical errors. They can pass and settle the ball.
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