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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 2 august 2023

The U.S. lacks that 2019 magic at this Women’s World Cup

By ANNE M. PETERSON liams. Still, the scoring issues
AP Sports Writer persisted.
The United States is clearly Lavelle picked up her sec-
not the dominant team ond yellow card in the
that won the 2019 Wom- match against Portugal,
en’s World Cup. meaning she won’t be
The Americans have ad- available to play on Sun-
vanced to the knockout day in Melbourne.
stage at this edition of the Portugal nearly scored in
tournament, but just barely stoppage time, but Ana
after a 0-0 draw with Por- Capeta’s blast hit the post.
tugal in their final group A loss to the Portuguese
match. After the final whis- would have sent the Amer-
tle on Tuesday night, Alex icans home after the group
Morgan stood expression- stage for the first time at a
less with her hands on her World Cup or an Olympics.
hips. Following the draw, former
It was a look of frustration. U.S. forward Carli Lloyd
If the Americans don’t pick blasted the team as “unin-
up their play, their run to spiring.”
a third straight World Cup “Disappointing. They don’t
title could soon be over. look fit. They’re playing as
With just one win and a U.S. players wait for a corner kick during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between individuals and the tactics
pair of draws, the United Portugal and the United States at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. are too predictable,” Lloyd
States fell to second in Associated Press said on the Fox Sports post-
Group E behind the Neth- game show.
erlands. The Americans Andonovski was asked
now head to Melbourne, in 2019. In each of their first games. But I’m not going The team has 14 players afterward about Lloyd’s
Australia, for a Round of 16 six matches four years ago to dwell on it. It is what it is,” who are making their first comments.
match against the top fin- in France, the Americans veteran Megan Rapinoe appearance in a World “One thing that I want to
isher from Group G, which scored within the opening said. “We need to play Cup, and for 12 of them, say is that this team want-
wraps up Wednesday. 12 minutes. better and we know that. it’s their first big interna- ed to win this game more
The United States scored “I think there’s things we We need to be a little bit tional tournament. Coach than anything else, and
just four goals in group play can do better for sure, more fluid and I think just Vlatko Andonovski focused they’ve put everything
a sharp contrast to the 18 things we could do bet- a little bit more connected on developing young tal- they could in preparation
they scored in the group ter from the last couple of offensively.” ent after the United States for this tournament and in
settled for a disappointing every game,” Andonovski
bronze medal at the Tokyo said. “To question the men-
Olympics. tality of this team, to ques-
Andonovski rolled out the tion the willingness to win,
same lineup for the first to compete, I think it’s in-
two matches of the group sane.”
stage against Vietnam The United States is also
and the Netherlands. The missing Mallory Swanson’s
starters had never played scoring punch and Becky
together before. Sauerbrunn’s veteran
Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle, leadership on the back-
who both scored in the 2-0 line. Swanson, the team’s
victory over the Nether- top scorer this year, tore
lands in the World Cup final her patella tendon in an
four years ago in France, exhibition match with Ire-
had picked up injuries in land in April. Then Sauerb-
the run-up to the tourna- runn, the team’s captain,
ment and their minutes announced in June that
were restricted. she was unable to get over
When Lavelle was subbed a foot injury in time for the
into the group match tournament.
against the Dutch last The Americans, who have
Thursday, she gave the won a record four World
team a second-half spark Cups, had not needed the
and served up the corner third and final group-stage
kick to Lindsey Horan for match to clinch a spot in
the goal that pulled the the knockout round since
U.S. into a 1-1 draw. 2007.
Hoping to boost the at- Going into the match
tack, Andonovski changed against Portugal, the Unit-
things up against Portugal, ed States sat atop Group
starting Lavelle for mid- E even on points with the
fielder Savannah DeMelo Netherlands but holding
and replacing forward Trin- an edge on goal differen-
ity Rodman with Lynn Wil- tial. q