October 26, 2014 (Chester, PA) – At PPL Park, on a beautiful fall evening, the US women faced Costa Rica side for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship. Coming into this match, both teams had already earned a berth into next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The US didn’t waste any time in their attack, riding goals by Abby Wambach, and one Carli Lloyd after only 12 minutes. Then Costa Rica showed why they were able to best Mexico in group play. Repeatedly, Costa Rica was able to get numbers forward, pushing the US defense. One particular play stood out, with a Costa Rica forward speeding down the sideline, defender Ali Kreiger turned on her jets to make a beautiful recovery run to harmlessly put the ball out of danger. It sounds like a meaningless play, but this US defense had rarely been tested in this tournament, with each team they faced content to simply park the bus and absorb whatever pressure they could agaiinst an American side that bristles with offensive power.
Costa Rica would pay for their attempts at spreading the field, as Abby Wambach netted two more goals, both off of tremendous crosses by Carli Lloyd, to complete a first half hat trick. The goals were a direct result of the US women simply raising their play to the level of their opponent and then overwhelming them where they were vulnerable. They used the speed and possession game to play a creative game in the box, building from the flanks.
Abby Wambach herself showed off why she is one of the most dangerous players in the air. Her control, timing, and athleticism has earned her a place in the annals of US soccer lore as one of the most dominant attackers this country has ever produced, and with Caril Lloyd’s crosses, she will continue to be one of the most dangerous tools US manager Jill Ellis has at her disposal going into WWC 2015.
Despite looking menacing at times, Costa Rica did not manage one shot on goal in the first half. Full credit for that should go to the ball management and skill of Kreiger and the US defense, including Hope Solo, who started the match over Ashlyn Harris. Solo went long stretches of this tournament without seeing much action in her end, and sometimes her ball management made things a touch more interesting than they should have been, but in the first half of this match, she was focused and effective when called upon.
As the second half reached the 55′, Ellis decided to use all three subs at once, inserting Sydney Leroux, Heather O’Reilly, and Tobin Heath into the match to give some life to the US, who started the half a bit lackluster. It paqid dividends as the US women instantly became more creative, returning to the play that gave them the 4-0 lead in the first place. Costa Rica’s back four had all it could handle in build up after build up. The best chance of which came 10 minutes after the substitutions, off the foot of Sydney Leroux. In the semi-final match here on Friday night, she put a pair of balls off the woodwork to continue a frustrating tournament, and tonight’s match was no different. Abby Wambach would net an absolute golazo before Sydney Leroux finally broke the drought with a header.
Whereas the Leroux goal marked the end of a drought, the Wambach goal posted yet another record for this team. The rising hook represented the 18th tally Wambach has scored in World Cup Qualifying, and the most in US history. This continued a tournament that has been full of milestones, as the most dominant national team the United States has produced in any sport marches on. In the end, the US women finished the tournament adding another piece of hardware on the road to Canada 2015.
After a less than dominant start, these US women may have returned to the dominant team American soccer culture expects them to be. The only people who seem to be able to get in the way of them winning their first World Cup in 15 years may be themselves. Keep in mind, as you read this, their dominance in this tournament largely occured without the help of star forward Alex Morgan, who reinjured her ankle early in the tournament, and was forced out of the competition. Reportedly the injury will keep her from play for 4-6 weeks, but if her track record is any indication, the injury could linger well into the new year.
Even with the question of Morgan’s injury, the US women seem more than capable of dominating any opponent, but it will fall on Ellis to keep her squad focused on the bigger prize at stake. With plenty of off pitch drama regarding their keeper Hope Solo, it could prove difficult. But, if the CWC has proven anything, the worst enemy the US will face is the one within.
photo credit: Marc Fiorilli
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