The United States (ranked No. 1 in FIFA),먹튀검증 seeking a third consecutive Women’s World Cup title for the first time, reached the round of 16 at the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand, but a lackluster performance throughout the group stage has cast doubt on their chances of reaching the quarterfinals.
Fox Sports commentator Carly Lloyd, who was part of the team that won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019, reviewed the final Group E match against Portugal two days earlier and criticized the underperformance of the younger players, saying, “The goal was the star of the show.” “They played as individuals, and the tactics were very predictable,” he said, adding that they lacked organization.
The U.S. qualified for the round of 16 as the second-ranked team in the group after a 0-0 draw the previous day against 21st-ranked Portugal, which qualified for the Women’s World Cup for the first time at the tournament. However, there were some dangerous moments, such as when the U.S. allowed substitute Ana Capeta a shot that hit the post in second-half stoppage time. Had the shot gone in, it could have sent the U.S. home in the round of 16. The U.S. has one win and one draw in its two previous group games, leaving it with four points.
That’s a disappointing record for a team that was considered a strong favorite to win the tournament. With one win and two draws, the U.S. has earned five points, the fewest points in a Women’s World Cup group stage in U.S. women’s soccer history. The U.S. qualified for the Women’s World Cup for the first time and only beat Vietnam (32nd in the FIFA rankings).
The U.S. wasn’t happy with their performance. Most notably, a lack of finishing. The U.S. took 17 shots against Portugal, including six on goal, but couldn’t find the back of the net. It was the first scoreless match for the U.S. since a 0-0 draw against Sweden at the 2015 tournament.
“It’s ridiculous to question the mentality of this team and their will to win,” USMNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in his post-match press conference, “I know we’re not happy with the performance, but we’ll move forward.”
However, the team will face a tough test in the round of 16 as they will be up against powerhouse Sweden (ranked third). The Swedes have a physical advantage over the Americans, having won both of their previous group games to advance early in the tournament. The United States, on the other hand, used their best eleven in their first two group games and only made two changes against Portugal, so their starters will be at a premium. It’s also unfortunate for the U.S. that central midfielder Rose Lavelle, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2019 tournament, will miss the Sweden game due to accumulating cautions.