Just two nights later in a chilly Toyota Park, the US Women were determined to take advantage of a Guatemala team that has a significant winless streak in this competition, being outscored 28-0. The expectation was that the Stars and Stripes would score early and often.
Even though the US opened the scoring when Tobin Heath poked a ball passed the Guatemala keeper after Sydney Leroux had too light of a touch at the top of the 6 yard box, the US seemed to rely too much on the long ball, against a side that was playing a curious formation that looked like a 5-4-1 (that’s not a typo). As if there was a band playing “Same Ol Song and Dance,” the US women still seemed to be just little out of sync.
Guatemala seemed just happy to absorb pressure, often making safe clearances that resulted in many restarts in their own defnsive third. Even though they played with a high line from their defensive backs, they never had numbers forward through the 30th minute.
Once the US attack settled in, they used pure skill to out play Guatemala in the attacking third, often having players lose the ball only to recover their own dispossession through speed and skill. However, the Guatemalan backline stymied the US attack in a game of sheer numbers in the box.
Unfortunately, the speed of players like Leroux, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, to name a few, played against them. Often Gualtemalan defenders would reach in and catch the US attackers with their cleats, resulting in bruises and bumps. Morgan, who had just recovered from a serious ankle injury, sustained another serious ankle injury, and was taken off the field. With Morgan gone, Christen Press would have a chance to continue to impress. Press started last match over Leroux, and was one of the most dangerous players on the pitch against Trinidad and Tobago.
Moments after the curtain raised on the second half, Sydney Leroux made some magic happen. Leroux chased down a ball into the corner and put a gorgeous lilting cross right onto the forehead of Carli Lloyd, who finished as she should have. That goal was the exclamation point on a night that was marred by typically poor CONCACAF officiating. A perfect example was a yellow card given to Leroux moments after the goal.
Christen Press continued to make her case to be a key player if Morgan’s injury is a serious as it seemed. However, it was Tobin Hetah’s night. She scored her second goal of the match off a flick made possible by a brilliant bit of service from Carli Lloyd. After that, it became typical US dominance. Whitney Engen put the US up by 4 goals, off of a Megan Rapinoe cross, and finally Rapinoe got in on the action, with a long range strike to make it 5-0.
After the Rapinoe goal, manager Jill Ellis put out a tactical change, moving Tobin Heath back into a holding defensive mid position to protect the clean sheet. Guatemala never pressed, never were a danger. The amount of times Hope Solo touched the ball was in single digits. Even with Tobin Heath taking a backseat in the attack, it was hard for the US to not continue to pressure.
The rest of the match was simply more of the US women that came out in the second half – More clinical, more cold blooded, able to break down competition with ease. This is the US team we expected to see. Welcome to the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, Yanks, glad you could join us.
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