The US was quicker and more energetic, and it could have won 3- or 4-0 if it finished half of its chances.
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The second-ranked Americans remain a work in progress.
“It was just great, the more pressure we put China under the more they coughed up the ball up”.
She will have another opportunity to go at some player against Germany on Tuesday. We came out right from the gate. Would they witness another glum performance or a long-awaited breakout display?
Throughout this World Cup, United States coach Jill Ellis has preached the value of improving performances over the course of the tournament. We took care of the ball.
The first surprise was inserting Rodriguez for Amy Wambach up top.
Substitute Christen Press clanged a curling blast off the crossbar in the 73rd minute, but the USWNT failed to find the second goal that would’ve sealed the victory sooner. “These girls did their best”.
OTTAWA, Ontario >> Carli Lloyd sprinted toward the right sideline, her face contorted in joy, before she aimed a flying kick at the corner flag. For Lloyd, who was also responsible for setting up what should have been a goal on that blown opening chance by Rodriguez, it was her second score in as many games and the most important one of the tournament so far for the Americans.
The Americans made it this year because of Carli Lloyd, who scored the lone goal against China.
“I think it’s a really good step heading into the semis to have this feeling”, Ellis said. That s my game.
[MORE: Lloyd’s goal lifts U.S. past China, into World Cup semifinals]. The United States is structured around an unbreakable mentality still heralded by competitors as the best in the world. The switch interfered with Lloyd’s comfort level and, even after being moved back to the center alongside Holiday, Lloyd felt off kilter. It should come as no surprise that she got the assist. The Chinese keeper beat Morgan in the air and punched the ball away. She parked Morgan Brian back in Lloyd’s old spot.
This is what a breakout star looks like.
The United States team celebrates a 1-0 win over China in a… Johnston and her fellow lockdown defenders starred again Friday. “They need to learn what will allow them to win games in the future”.
China are a renown for their strong defence and ability to frustrate the opposition when attacking and that is exactly what was shown in the first-half.
The Americans will hope the goal was a turning point in their tournament as well.
In the fourth minute, O’Hara played a high ball into the box toward Santa Clara’s Julie Johnston, who was in the penalty area following a free kick. Ellis replaced her when the bleeding wouldn t stop. As USA men’s national team forward Jozy Altidore put it, Johnston was “beast mode”.
But the fullback is like Johnston in her versatility. Now, neither team has any players that were on those teams 16 years ago, but I’m sure it will be discussed.
That s the United States strength this summer.
Soccer is so often a game of momentum, not just within a specific match but across several.
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The Americans maintained their record of having reached every semi-final of the tournament, despite going into their quarter-final in Ottawa missing two key players through suspension.
