The U.S. has plenty to improve if they are to ultimately win a third straight World Cup
The U.S. women’s national team is officially off to a slow start at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
After an opening win against Vietnam that was far from dazzling, the USWNT sputtered to a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in a much-anticipated rematch of the 2019 final.
A series of mistakes led to a 17th-minute opener from Jill Roord, giving the Dutch a deserved lead in a first half they mostly controlled.
The USWNT fought back in the second half, which was personified by Lindsey Horan heading home a 62nd-minute equalizer minutes after taking a heavy challenge that clearly riled her up.
Though the second half was improved, this was far from a vintage performance and will leave head coach Vlatko Andonovski with plenty to ponder — and plenty of questions to answer himself about his lineup choices and decision to only use one of his five subs.
After a spirited opening, the USWNT was punched in the mouth with a Netherlands opener that started when Andi Sullivan was bypassed far too easily in the midfield. That was compounded by a slip from Crystal Dunn, with Roord eventually scoring with the first shot on target against the USWNT at the World Cup.
It was the first time the USWNT had trailed at a World Cup since the 2011 quarterfinal against Brazil — a game they ultimately won.
At halftime Andonovski made the change many thought he’d make before the game, putting Rose Lavelle in for Savannah DeMelo. The change seemed to spark the U.S. into life, but the moment Andonovski’s team really needed came from a foul on Horan from her teammate at Lyon, Daniëlle van de Donk.
Clearly fuming at the challenge, Horan answered in the best way possible.
As the game entered its final stages the USWNT piled on the pressure in a way that it hadn’t for most of the game.
With his attackers starting to click, Andonovski decided to keep his subs in his pocket, with the likes of Lynn Williams, Alyssa Thompson, Megan Rapinoe and Ashley Sanchez not seeing the field.
Asked by Fox Sports after the game why he opted against using second-half subs, Andonovski responded: “We were in a good rhythm, we were dominating the game, we controlled the game.”
But the USWNT ultimately fell short of the win it needed to take control of Group E, which could now very well come down to goal difference. The USWNT has a two-goal advantage on the Netherlands, who can potentially surpass the U.S. if they run up the score against Vietnam in their final game.
A place in the knockout round is nearly secured, but the U.S. has plenty to improve if they are to ultimately win a third straight World Cup.
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