Andonovski hits back at Lloyd’s criticism after USWNT draw

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — United States ladies’s nationwide workforce coach Vlatko Andonovski hit back at criticism from former participant Carli Lloyd, calling it “insane” to doubt the gamers’ drive to win after a listless 0-0 draw vs. Portugal within the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday.

The consequence was a disappointment for the No. 1-ranked U.S. workforce, the overwhelming favourite to beat No. 21-ranked Portugal, after having received the earlier two Women’s World Cups.

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The path for the Americans additionally hinged on the outcomes of the Netherlands match in opposition to Vietnam, performed concurrently in Dunedin. With a decisive 7-0 victory, the Netherlands received Group E, bumping the United States to second place.

Now the USWNT heads to a round-of-16 matchup in opposition to Sweden.

Asked about Lloyd’s postgame remarks that the U.S. lacked “passion,” Andonovski mentioned it did not match what he noticed.

“The one thing I want to say is that this team wanted to win this game more than anything else,” Andonovski mentioned. “They’ve put everything they could in preparation for this tournament and every game that they go into, so to question the mentality of this team, to question the willingness to win, to compete, I think it’s insane.

“I’ve by no means seen this workforce step on the sector and never strive arduous or not compete. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, they will say no matter they need, however I simply understand how this workforce feels.

“It’s not like we played well by any means. We owned it. We know it’s not good enough. We’re not happy with our performance, but we qualified for the next round. We’re moving on.”

The U.S. received just one sport in group play for the primary time in event historical past, and scored simply 4 objectives over the three video games.

“It’s not the result we wanted, but we move forward,” ahead Alex Morgan mentioned.

The Americans, essentially the most profitable workforce ever at the World Cup with 4 titles, have by no means been eradicated within the group stage at the World Cup.

Lloyd, who retired at the top of 2021 after 16 years on the nationwide workforce, is now a commentator for Fox Sports, the English-language broadcaster of the Women’s World Cup within the United States.

She has been a frequent critic of the workforce since retiring, rallying in opposition to a tradition of the workforce that she mentioned had moved away from specializing in profitable. She provided related criticism after the match, which a journalist relayed to Andonovski.

“You never want to take anything for granted,” Lloyd mentioned. “You put on that jersey and you want to give it everything you have, for the people that came before you and the people that are gonna come after you, and I’m just not seeing that passion.

“I’m simply seeing a really lackluster, uninspiring, taking-it-for-granted, the place profitable and coaching and doing all you could to be the very best particular person participant just isn’t occurring.”

Ana Capeta nearly scored for Portugal about two minutes into stoppage time, but her shot hit the left post. The Portuguese players sobbed on the field after the final whistle after having come so close to the upset. Capeta’s shot in stoppage time looked so good that her coaches started celebrating and the players on the bench jumped to their feet.

“I really believed that the purpose can be in that second and I used to be beginning to suppose, ‘What can I do to assist my gamers if we’re profitable 1-0?'” Portugal coach Francisco Neto said. “What I mentioned to the women, I used to be very proud. Of course, they’re very unhappy as a result of now we have enormous expectations of ourselves.”

Lynn Williams, who started for the U.S. for the first time in the tournament, had a chance on a header in the 14th minute, but Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira smothered it. While the U.S. controlled possession and had the better chances, the team could not finish.

Rose Lavelle picked up a yellow card in the 38th minute, her second of the group stage, and she won’t be available for the team’s round-of-16 match.

In a postgame huddle, defender Kelley O’Hara, one of the U.S. team’s veterans, shouted at her teammates.

“I simply advised the workforce, ‘Listen, we did what we needed to do, we’re shifting on, the group stage is completed, that is over, it is within the rearview, now we have our subsequent sport in entrance of us and that is the one one which issues,'” O’Hara said. “Maybe we did not do it the way in which we needed to, or deliberate on doing it, however we’re advancing and that is the World Cup and that is all that issues.”

The United States final misplaced within the group stage to Sweden at the 2011 World Cup, however the Americans nonetheless superior to the ultimate earlier than shedding on penalties to Japan.

The Americans haven’t wanted the ultimate group-stage match to be taught their event destiny since 2007, when there was solely a slim likelihood for elimination.

Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.