USWNT: 2015 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS

“Carli Lloyd who scored both goals and was named Woman of the Match was an absolute beast on Wednesday. She’s a special player. ….She’s a key piece for this team to be successful at the Women’s World Cup. They’ll need her to be on top of her game and on the pitch as much as possible this summer so hopefully she’ll be up for the challenge. With a mentality like Carli’s though, I have no doubt she will.”
-Me from a blog post dated 3/11/15

Four years ago, I sat in my basement on July 17, 2011 and watched the USWNT lose to Japan on penalty kicks. After that match as I watched players walk around the pitch in devastation and disbelief, I proclaimed that this team would win the next World Cup for sure. Almost four years later on July 5, 2015, I sat in basement with a USWNT jersey on my back and watched the USWNT beat Japan 5-2 to win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (it feels so good to be right!). Yes, I’ve been hyping this team since I started this blog. I’ve been following them so closely for the last 2 1/2-3 years and now…WORLD CHAMPS! THREE STARS ABOVE THE CREST! THEY DID IT!

I could not be more happy and proud of these women. They’re incredible humans on and off the pitch. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their inspiration. True story. It’s difficult to really recap the game and try to analyze it like I always do because I don’t feel like talking about stats or what they did well or could’ve done better. They didn’t need to do anything better. They got it done. They won the World Cup. Since I was so amped every time they put the ball in the net though, I guess I should at least recap the goals.

Last night was the Carli Lloyd show. She comes up in big games as I stated back on March 11th. She scored the goals in the last two Olympic gold medal matches but, last night she was on another level. For a team that was all about defense and not conceding goals, only allowing 1 in their first 6 matches, they could have fooled me. The offense came alive last night early in a large part due to the absolute beast that is Carli Lloyd. On a beautiful set piece corner in the 3rd minute, Megan Rapinoe sent a low ball into the box that made its way through defenders and to Lloyd’s foot as she put the ball into the back netting. Two minutes later Lloyd struck again. It was off a set piece free kick taken by Lauren Holiday. Lloyd found herself in the right place at the right time as she tapped in a ball that was headed forward by Julie Johnston off the Holiday cross. Holiday, herself, found the back of the net in the 14th minute. She volleyed in a shot from an attempted Japanese clear. Then Lloyd recorded the first ever Women’s World Cup Final hat trick two minutes later from just beyond the midline when she chipped Japanese goalkeeper, Ayumi Kaihori, who was off her line. 16 minutes into the game and the U.S. were up 4-0. They were going to win. There was no doubt in my mind at the start of the match, but after the first 16 minutes, it was certain. I think the goals caused the team to let off a bit on the defensive end. In a way, they kind of lost focus as the emotion from going up by so many goals so early took hold. Japan broke their shutout streak in the 28th minute. Before the Japanese goal, the defense went 540 minutes without conceding a goal. They were seconds away from breaking Germany’s 2007 shutout streak record, which also stands at 540 minutes.

In the second half, Japan recorded another goal. It was an own goal by Julie Johnston when she tried to clear a Japanese free kick. The ball found its way to the net to make the score 4-2. There wasn’t anything to worry about though. Two minutes later Tobin Heath one-timed a Morgan Brian pass into the net to put the U.S. up by three once again, which is how the score stayed until the final whistle blew after 90 minutes plus 3 minutes of stoppage time.

After the U.S. beat Germany Tuesday night, it was pretty much written in the cards that they would win last night. As fate would have it, nothing stopped them. They won the World Cup. There’s a new legacy. 1999 was great, but now it’s all about 2015. The 15ers earned that third star that will be above the USWNT crest forever. It was incredible to follow this journey that began almost four years ago. Women’s soccer truly changed my life.

It feels like a new chapter begins today. Even though the Olympics is next summer, a new World Cup cycle begins. Players will retire. The team will change. I will change. A lot can happen in four years and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. But until then, it’s time to celebrate a championship four years in the making. To perfectly quote the band Queen, “WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!”

The USWNT lifts the World Cup trophy after defeating Japan 5-2 to win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final at BC Place.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. GER

Before the game last night, I knew I would be feeling some kind of emotion when it was over. It would either be pure elation or some sort of numbness. Honestly, a part of me felt like if any team in this tournament could beat the USWNT, it would be Germany. Germany had been playing awesome. The U.S.A. had been average with glimpses of awesome. For the first time during this tournament, I was unsure of the outcome. Needless to say, I shouldn’t have been so worried because last night when the USWNT played the number one team in the world, Germany, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, they won 2-0. The win secured their spot in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final on Sunday at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hell yes. They made it. One more win to go for World Cup glory.

The game last night was a roller coaster of sorts, but the USWNT was on top of the hills most often. The match started out in Germany’s favor for about the first few minutes or so. Germany controlled the play and attempted to create scoring opportunities. The unstoppable defense of the USWNT was able to thwart away any chances though. After that short spurt of German momentum, the red, white, and blue took over the possession and got chances in their attacking third. The chances they had were some of their best of the entire tournament too. Julie Johnston almost headed home a Megan Rapinoe corner kick in the 7th minute. Alex Morgan split two defenders and had a chance at the first goal in the 15th minute, but Germany’s goalkeeper Nadine Angerer came up with a huge stop on her shot. For the entire first half, the USWNT disallowed Germany to do what they’ve been so good at doing since their opening match, dictating the game through their skilled play and scoring ability. Again, however, the U.S. was unable to convert their chances and went to the locker rooms tied 0-0.

The break seemed to disrupt the flow of the game for the USWNT. After the teams took the field for the second half, Germany controlled early again. This time it seemed they had control for longer than they had in the first half. In fact, it seemed they were on the verge of breaking through the defensive wall, also known as the USWNT back line, but just when they had it cracked, momentum swung the other way. In the 59th minute, German forward Alexandra Popp broke through the back line and U.S. defender Julie Johnston hauled her down inside the 18 yard box, which drew a yellow card and a Germany penalty kick. Celia Sasic attempted the kick for Germany against U.S.A. goalkeeper, Hope Solo. Sasic missed the net. Had she not, Germany would have taken the lead because Solo dove to her left in the opposite direction of Sasic’s shot. Ten minutes later, a Germany defender was called for taking down Alex Morgan inside the penalty area and a PK was awarded to the USWNT. Carli Lloyd, who converted a penalty in the Round of 16, took the kick for the U.S. She scored. 1-0 U.S.A. They then took control for the last 20 minutes of the match. In the 75th minute, Kelley O’Hara, who started the quarterfinal in place of Rapinoe, came on for Tobin Heath. The switch was an important one because 9 minutes later O’Hara put up the insurance goal when she tapped in a Carli Lloyd pass from the endline. It was O’Hara’s first ever international goal (what a time to put up your first goal right?!). With only 6 minutes plus stoppage time left after the goal, the World Cup final was in their grasp. They closed out the game and earned the right to play for the trophy.

In an interesting strategic decision for this #1 versus #2 showdown, the USWNT came out in a 4-3-3 formation in favor of the standard 4-4-2 they had played in their other 5 matches. It proved to be a great tactical move. It opened up the midfield for the U.S., which allowed space for the midfielders to create opportunities going forward. The game also saw Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday back in the lineup after missing the quarterfinal for yellow card accumulation. Rapinoe played on the left side of Alex Morgan at the top of the 4-3-3. Holiday played the midfield along with Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd.

The USWNT back line of Ali Krieger, Julie Johnston, Hope Solo, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg continued their shutout streak, which is currently at 513 minutes. Hope Solo received her 5th consecutive shutout, 10th in World Cup play, and 89th overall in her career. The back line has proved time and time again to be the biggest difference maker for the USWNT in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. If the U.S.A. is destined to win Sunday night, the defense will be a guaranteed factor.

As I sit here, now, writing this, I can’t help but feel overjoyed for this team. I can’t believe how far they’ve come since Germany in 2011. I can’t believe how far the women’s game has come since then as well. If they win the World Cup, more progress will be made for soccer in America and for women’s soccer in America. We can only hope that the progress will impact women’s soccer in a more permanent way than in the past. This World Cup journey four years in the making is quickly coming to a close. One game remains for the USWNT. It’s the biggest one of all. It’s the Women’s World Cup final. See you Sunday night in Vancouver. It’s time. Let’s get it!

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015: USA v. COL

Last evening at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, AB the first match of the Knockout Stage for the USWNT in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup took place. The U.S.A. came away with a 2-0 victory against Colombia allowing them to move on to the quarterfinals on Friday night in Ottawa, ON. As heavy favorites to hoist the trophy at the end of the tournament, it was expected that the #2 FIFA ranked American women would have a dominant all-around performance against the #28 ranked Colombian women, just as fellow favorites (#1 ranked) Germany and (#4 ranked) France did against their opponents the previous day. Although the team did manage to keep a clean slate and put up two goals of their own, their performance was less than convincing compared to the other international powerhouses.

Head coach Jill Ellis stuck with the same lineup as featured in the Nigeria match, opting to switch sides for midfielders Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe (Heath switched from left to right and Rapinoe from right to left). In the first half, the U.S. attack started a bit stronger than in previous matches as they managed to get a few scoring opportunities early. In the 4th minute Heath sent in a shot from about 8 yards out that was tipped away by Colombia’s goalkeeper, Catalina Perez. The rebound was knocked in the net by Abby Wambach, who was called offside shortly after which disallowed the apparent U.S. goal. As the half went on, frustration set in for the Americans. Colombia seemed to take charge at times possessing the ball to try to gain opportunities. Also, the U.S. attack seemed to dwindle. At half time, the teams entered the locker rooms in 0-0 deadlock with an energy that seemed to favor Colombia.

The momentum switched shortly after the second half began though. In the 47th minute a through ball made it’s way to the feet of a sprinting Alex Morgan who was in the clear for a sure goal scoring opportunity. As she reached the top of the 18, Colombia’s Perez made a tackle that took Morgan down causing the referee to hand out a red card to the keeper and award the U.S. with a penalty kick for the take down in the box. Although the U.S. failed to score on the penalty (Wambach’s shot went wide), the red card which caused Perez to be removed from play took a toll on the game. Six minutes later the USWNT made their first dent on the scoreboard when Ali Krieger found Morgan just outside the right of the box. Morgan made a few touches to get inside and took a shot that deflected in off new goalkeeper, Stefany Castaño, near post. Later, in the 66th minute, Rapinoe was fouled inside the box and another penalty kick was awarded to the U.S. This time Carli Lloyd took the shot and converted putting the USWNT up 2-0. From there the game was controlled by the U.S.A. Colombia seemed to lose their flow that they had during the first half and the Americans came away with the win.

Of note, Rapinoe and center midfielder Lauren Holiday will be unavailable for the USWNT’s next match on Friday as both received their second yellow cards in the tournament thus far. It’s funny how that worked out considering Rapinoe and Holiday were the only two players on the team to receive yellow cards in previous matches. Also of note, the strong defensive effort by the U.S. back line continued through this match as they limited Colombia to only 2 shots on goal. The USWNT’s defense has consistently proved through four of the possible seven games in this tournament that it is the strongest aspect of their team’s play. The same cannot be said for the offense, which has been inconsistent since the beginning of this year.

Through the first four World Cup matches the USWNT has scored only 6 goals, the least amount ever to be scored through four games by a U.S. team in Women’s World Cup competition. Granted, the competition has gotten a lot tougher through the years, but the U.S. women’s soccer program is expected to be the best in the world. Their success at the international level has proved it. It’s time to stop making excuses and start providing the dangerous attack that we know so well from the USWNT. I have heard since the start of this World Cup year about how the U.S. needs to “peak at the right time”. I’ve talked about it on this blog. I’ve been expecting it each match. But right now, we’re three games from the World Cup Final and I have yet to see these talented soccer players reach or even be near that level they keep referencing. I guess frustration has set in for me. It’s because I believe in this team so much and I know what they’re capable of. I also think I just enjoy seeing them create opportunities and score goals. It makes matches so much more exciting to watch. I feel like that dominance hasn’t been a part of their games recently and I miss it. One thing is for sure though. Friday is a new opportunity. To win this tournament, each game needs to be taken one at a time. It’s win and move on. Lose and go home. So far, the USWNT has done the former. I guess that’s all that really matters and only time will tell what happens next on this World Cup journey.