The job is finished on the other hand.The United States women's national team lost its first round match against Sweden 30. It couldn't have hoped for a better result. They were unable to secure its place in the knockout stages by placing second in their group. The team managed to draw a mediocre match against Australia on Tuesday. The team won and advanced. Friday's new tournament begins with the U.S. taking on the Netherlands in an Olympic quarterfinal.AdvertisementBut I am here to condemn the USWNT and not to praise them. The team looked sluggish and lethargic for 180 of the 270 Olympic minutes. They were unwilling or unable take the initiative against Australia and Sweden. Even New Zealand's 61 defeat was deceitful. The kind of game that, despite the scoreline, gets added with: But they will have to do better against stronger opposition.AdvertisementAdvertisementThey didn't. They didn't. The final 15 minutes were not scored by either team. Twitter was filled with the Simpsons gag, in which teams passed aimlessly back-and-forth ad infinitum. This was all brakes and no gas soccer.AdvertisementOne thing that I was surprised by was their passiveness in pressing. They are used to being very aggressive. Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said after the game that this surprised him. This was a good thing for Australia. Australia will be facing Great Britain in the quarters because of the forgiving tournament format. Eight of the 12 teams from the three groups advanced.It is difficult to blame the tournament's grind when the U.S. has been looking down since the first game.Anyone who watched America's first three games will know that this particular U.S. team is unlikely to win a medal in the Tokyo Olympics. It will be a rematch from the 2019 World Cup final against the Netherlands, so it is possible that the result could be so close that fans will fondly recall the glory days of losing to Sweden 30 years ago. The Netherlands scored 21 goals during the group stages. They had 10 goals against Zambia, 8 against China, and battled Brazil to a draw. Vivianne Miedema forward, perhaps the best player in the world, has scored eight goals over three games. That's one goal for every 22 minutes she's been on the field.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf the U.S. does not advance, Canada or Brazil, longtime rivals, will be waiting for them in the semifinals. If the USWNT makes it to the final, they will most likely face a rematch against Sweden and a match against Great Britain. These teams will all look at the games against Australia and Sweden and see blood in the water.Vlatko Andonovski now has to decide if there is a version of his squad that could have a better chance at the knockout rounds. His two-year COVID-constrained tenure has not seen Andonovskis Plan B as necessary. The U.S. had a successful 4-3-3 formation before the Olympics, similar to the one that won the 2019 World Cup under Andonovskis predecessor coach Jill Ellis. The squad in Tokyo featured a similar rotation of players, with roughly the same roles. The U.S. had not lost in over two years under Ellis and Andonovski44 consecutive matches unbeaten. It was not broken, so why fix it?AdvertisementAdvertisementIt is now clear that the engine of the team's car has burst into flames at 70 mph on the interstate. This suggests that the team might have neglected to perform preventative maintenance. It is too late to understand why all-rounders and powerhouse Sam Mewis have been so ineffective this tournament. How can the offense be adjusted so that forwards don't get lost in their own blind alleys? Is there a team that can relax and play less in the heat? How would that look?AdvertisementIt was a similar strategy that the team tried against Australia. The Americans were happy with a draw and spent most of the game trying to draw Australia forward. This had the added benefit that it reduced the American leg burden in the Olympic tournament. However, if this was necessary then Andonovski had additional options for squad rotation.The USWNT was uncomfortable with this position and did not find the urgency to play dangerously on the counter. With half of its roster being over 30 (and two under 26), the teams are built to dominate teams with control and constant offensive pressure. However, it lacks the energy and precision necessary to do that in Japan. The grind of the tournament is hard to blame when the U.S. has been beaten down since the first game.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe USWNT would not allow themselves to be gentle in that good night. What extent will Andonovski be willing to adjust, particularly with a veteran core that is used to doing things their own way? What was the last time that the U.S. used a hammer? The manager will replace one or two pieces or will he just smush them all together in a large Play-Doh ball to start over. He could alter the formation, shift everyone's roles and give more time to forward Lynn Williams or Catarina Mcario, 21 years old, who is a promising talent but has only played six minutes at the Olympics. Crystal Dunn, who was once the NWSL's top scorer as both a forward and a left back for her nation, could be unleashed by him on the opposite pitch. He is more interested in tweaking the balance rather than changing the status quo.Andonovski may still believe that his team can flip the switch before the game against the Netherlands. His secondary goal during the group stage was to create a false sense security in his opponents. Mission accomplished. If not, the U.S. women's job will be completed Friday when their Olympic journeyand perhaps their reign as world superpower will end.
