What’s on USWNT’s to-do list for World Cup send-off game?

Ninety minutes. That’s all that stands between the U.S. girls’s nationwide crew and its first match on the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Before you whip out your calculators, sure, there are technically greater than 90 minutes between now and kickoff of the United States’ group stage opener towards Vietnam on July 21. For the crew’s on-field preparation forward of this summer season’s motion, although, Sunday’s send-off match towards Wales (4 p.m. ET) is the final step.

This near a World Cup, you do not need to make modifications that can drastically alter your crew’s course. We should not anticipate U.S. supervisor Vlatko Andonovski to make any sweeping alterations to the event favourite towards Wales. However, the USWNT’s remaining World Cup squad encompasses a stunning lack of depth at each ends of the sphere and a few potential pitfalls within the center. Those issues create actual questions that want answering earlier than this crew heads to Australia and New Zealand.

So, to make sure the U.S. is absolutely ready earlier than the present begins, here is what needs to be on Andonovski’s to-do list for Sunday’s recreation.

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Find your third heart again — and play them

With veteran Becky Sauerbrunn lacking this World Cup due to a foot damage, Andonovski opted to put simply two true heart backs on the U.S. roster. San Diego Wave FC’s Naomi Girma and OL Reign’s Alana Cook are projected to play the lion’s share of the minutes in the midst of the crew’s again 4. Girma, even at simply 23, is among the most well-rounded heart backs on the planet, and Cook is an outstanding athlete, even with just a few inconsistencies.

After Girma and Cook, although, who’s able to step into motion?

There are two main reserve choices for the United States: Emily Sonnett and Julie Ertz.

Sonnett, 29, has performed most of her NWSL minutes this yr as a defensive midfielder for the Reign. The similar goes for Ertz, 31, with Angel City FC. Still, each gamers have performed heart again up to now and may carry at the very least a baseline degree of competence to that place.

Sonnett does not excel in anybody particular space of the sport. She’s not particularly clear on the ball and is not a robust defender, both. She does, nonetheless, carry a little bit of every part. She can string just a few passes collectively, she will be able to observe down a runner within the open discipline and she will be able to deputize anyplace throughout the backline. Despite her restricted ceiling, Sonnett could also be the most suitable choice to play after Girma and Cook. Unlike with Ertz, who must vacate her function because the crew’s possible beginning defensive midfielder to drop into the again line, Andonovski would not straight weaken one other a part of his crew through the use of Sonnett at heart again.

Regardless of whom Andonovski chooses as his third central defender, this weekend is the final low-stress probability to get them a late-game rep.

Test Ertz’s sharpness

One of the largest questions dealing with the USWNT because it marches to the World Cup is that this: How shut is Ertz to her greatest?

After being away from the skilled recreation for almost two years, wherein the U.S. handled loads of sluggish, uninspired midfield play, the 31-year-old shined in her return to motion towards Ireland in April. Since then, she signed with Angel City within the NWSL and squeezed in eight membership matches earlier than rejoining the nationwide crew for its World Cup preparation.

All advised, although, she has spent much more day without work the sphere than on it since stepping away after the Olympics in 2021. Ertz has performed solely 10 video games and 652 minutes this yr.

At, and even close to, her greatest, Ertz is a generational athlete. Her defensive vary, energy, aerial capability and imaginative and prescient make it almost inconceivable for opposing groups to play via her within the open discipline. While she is an possibility at heart again for Andonovski, her main job this summer season would be the similar because it was earlier than her hiatus: anchoring the midfield.

What Ertz lacks on the ball as a No. 6, she makes up for along with her ball-winning — she’ll lose possession however win it again 10 instances over, establishing her attacking teammates for success within the course of. The United States wants that fast, forceful model of Ertz to provide it the very best probability of profitable a 3rd straight World Cup trophy.

Given how she will be able to elevate the crew’s ceiling, Andonovski ought to let Ertz check her sharpness Sunday. How does she transfer in midfield? How are her reads in transition? Can she elevate her attacking teammates? There’s no time like the current to have the No. 6 play her first full 90-minute match for the USWNT in nearly two years.

Give Smith 45 minutes up prime towards Wales

Of the 23 gamers on the U.S.’s World Cup squad, just one frequently performs up prime for each membership and nation: Alex Morgan.

Morgan, even within the midst of a down yr for San Diego within the NWSL, is anticipated to begin at striker for the United States. Similar to the crew’s center-back scenario, we do not know Andonovski’s most well-liked deputy for Morgan. That stated, we are able to make an informed guess that Sophia Smith, who performs as a No. 9 for the Portland Thorns and at the moment leads the NWSL in targets (10), will shift from winger to striker to spell Morgan this summer season.

Because she’s principally been used on the wing for the United States up to now, we do not have a variety of knowledge on Smith, The Striker for the USWNT. We’ve seen her play centrally on event, together with final fall in a 2-1 loss to England, however a sustained runout for Smith within the No. 9 place will assist set the tone for the World Cup.

With how dominant she’s been enjoying via the center for Portland, there’s an opportunity this World Cup ends with Smith beginning over Morgan, who’s targets per 90 fee has dropped from 0.94 final yr to 0.47 this yr within the NWSL. Let’s stroll earlier than we run, although, and see how Smith performs in, say, 45 minutes up prime towards Wales.

Get DeMelo her USWNT debut

Every participant on the United States’ World Cup roster has performed at the very least as soon as for the nationwide crew — each participant, that’s, besides Savannah DeMelo. The 25-year-old Racing Louisville FC attacking midfielder has been in USWNT camps up to now, however is but to make her U.S. senior crew debut.

That ought to change this weekend.

DeMelo has been incredible within the NWSL this yr. She has tallied 5 targets and a pair of assists and has proven a particular mixture of effectivity, creativity and laborious operating. That mixture helps her conduct counterattacks, create possibilities in possession and press opponents into oblivion.

Sure, DeMelo lacks the worldwide expertise of the remainder of the midfield group, however that does not take away from the truth that she’s prepared to assist the U.S. compete for a trophy this summer season. She has performed aggressive video games extra just lately than each Rose Lavelle, who has been out since April with a knee damage, and Lindsey Horan, who completed the French league season in May. She has additionally outperformed each Kristie Mewis and Ashley Sanchez within the NWSL this yr, averaging extra targets, non-penalty anticipated targets and anticipated assists than these two, in accordance with FBref.com.

Andonovski already has a good suggestion of what his 4 more-established superior midfielders carry to the USWNT. Why not see what DeMelo can do? Even a cameo might calm some nerves and supply a chunk of helpful data forward of the World Cup.

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Continue making ready to face low blocks

That’s what groups do towards the United States, is not it? They defend in low blocks.

Because opponents are (understandably) terrified to go away house behind their defenders for gamers like Smith to use, groups arrange store in a low block when dealing with the USWNT. In a World Cup group with Vietnam, the Netherlands and Portugal, the U.S. will face groups that may throw just a few totally different defensive schemes at them. However, it is secure to anticipate compact defending at the beginning.

This recreation towards Wales, then, provides the United States a much-needed probability to refine its play within the remaining third when dealing with a low block. In its most up-to-date match, a 1-0 win over Ireland on April 11, the U.S. generated simply 0.61 anticipated targets whereas averaging 53% possession. That recreation was a reminder of a troubling theme underneath Andonovski: The U.S. typically lacks attacking concepts towards a set protection.

The crew has sufficient expertise to pressure its option to victory — you attempt hanging with Smith or Trinity Rodman or Lynn Williams for a complete recreation — however what occurs when the USWNT’s expertise benefit narrows towards higher opposition? That’s when the U.S. has to fall again on just a few patterns and coordinated plans in its assault.

For the USWNT’s gamers and coaches, focusing on these sequences within the remaining third on Sunday will likely be like consuming greens as a child: It will repay in the long term.