November 14, (THEWILL) – The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) halted a losing streak by beating Germany 2-1 to ease increasing pressure on manager Vlatko Andonovski, as they ended the year on a positive note.
In the comeback victory over Germany at Red Bull Arena, the Americans displayed some of the grit and tenacity they have recently been accused of lacking.
Sophia Smith tied the game in stunning fashion in the 54th minute, a smash, following a give-and-go with Andi Sullivan and slalom through five German players, after Jule Brand had scored for Germany in the first half.
Mallory Pugh took advantage of a rare switch-off by Germany’s defence line two minutes later to take the ball while high-pressing and finish on the break, so that the comeback was complete in a space of two fast-paced drives into the German danger area in a way that the USWNT team had not been doing recently.
Both the large crowd of 26,317 and the American bench cheered enthusiastically. German forays in the following minutes demonstrated that not all had been rectified. But having the advantage definitely improved the atmosphere, and Alyssa Naeher made a few key stops to keep the Americans ahead for the remainder of the evening. However, there are still improvements to be made.
With the ball, but more importantly, without it, the midfield trio of Rose Lavelle, Sullivan, and Lindsey Horan has not had enough of an impact. And, while Julie Ertz can be trusted to deliver, there is no guarantee that if she does not, the midfield will be covered as it should against tough opponents, something that Andonovski will have to deal with.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
