Mainly, age contributed to the 3-0 loss to Sweden. Remember that Sweden is very good. They were the runners up in the last World Cup. They bounced the U.S. out of the last Olympics. They played the U.S. to a draw earlier this year. If Olympic or World Cup soccer was played NBANHLMLB style, best of seven, the U.S. would probably beat Sweden 4-2, but on any given day Sweden is perfectly capable of winning.
The issue with this U.S. team is age. The core group of players has been together for more than ten years. They have been a great group of players. They’ve won back to back World Cups (something which Germany also accomplished with a similarly dominant cohort of players).
But the team has fallen into the trap of sitting too long on a pat hand, and this group has now aged together. It’s starting to show. The U.S. will still dominate most opponents, but peer group teams — and there are only about half a dozen teams that can hope to play them evenly — are now poised to overtake them. Sweden made it look easy. That was probably an off-game for the U.S. but still, Sweden was finding space that wouldn’t have existed just a couple of years ago. Age hits the legs first. There will be wholesale changes in this U.S. team after this Olympics. They’ve been the oldest team in the field in every major tournament since 2015, and it’s now caught up with them.
Interesting insights - thanks.
The other point that should be made is they beat NZ 6-1. So I guess the karma thing isn’t quite there. Watch what you say before foot-in-mouth disease sets in.
Women’s team sports is for dykes.
I think your explanations about the USWNT are interesting...I agree indeed that US players are getting too old...
About President Trump...I understand that he is still unhappy about disrespect displayed towards him from some USWNT members...He invited them to visit the White House...But, the visit never took place...Coach Jill Ellis stated that nobody from Trump White House called her about a visit...
It is possible that USWNT may end up winning Gold after all...Some team members could try to motivate others by mentioning that fact that President Trump mentioned the team during his speech...Let's win Gold and prove that Trump is wrong about the team being weak...I could imagine Megan Rapinoe try to motivate her teammates by stating that...
I was driving around on Sunday...ABC radio news mentioned that Mr. Trump mentioned USWNT in his speech...He mentioned the team and it received the publicity...
Maybe President Trump should have ignored USWNT? I do not think that he wants USWNT to do well...But, he might motivate the team to win Gold by mocking them...
About Megan Rapinoe...Many FR members really dislike her...I am not her fan although I have to state that she is a good player...However, I do not dislike her as much as other people do on FR...I think that we should all remember that she is a just soccer player...Not some elected official like Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden...Megan Rapinoe cannot pass or implement a law making Americans worse off...Unlike Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden...