The USWNT’s keys to victory within the Paris 2024 Olympics gold medal match put the strain on Emma Hayes’ world-class gamers to ship one final stellar efficiency in France.
Ever since Emma Hayes arrived in america two months in the past, the U.S. Ladies’s Nationwide Workforce has skilled a much-needed resurgence. After just a few lackluster years, stuffed with performances unworthy of a gold medal or World Cup, the Stars and Stripes have reintroduced themselves as one of many powerhouses in ladies’s soccer on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The USWNT has received all 5 of their fixtures this summer time in France, together with a tricky semi-finals match in opposition to Germany, and can now play Brazil within the gold medal match on Saturday, Aug. 10. If Hayes’ squad needs to go away Paris with the final word prize, then they should defeat the Selecao, one thing France and Spain did not do within the knockout stage.
Here is a breakdown of 4 keys to victory for the USWNT forward of their gold medal conflict.
4. Give Rose Lavelle extra freedom within the midfield
The USWNT are at their finest when Rose Lavelle is linking up with Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson up prime. The midfielder’s creativity and imaginative and prescient units up a few of the USA’s finest goalscoring possibilities, and retains the four-time gold medalists on the assault by controlling the tempo of the sport.
Sadly, Lavelle has needed to drop again and choose up the slack of her fellow midfielders within the Stars and Stripes’ matches in opposition to Japan and Germany within the knockout levels. Poor giveaways and backward passes have stalled the USA’s assault, leaving the 29-year-old with out a lot freedom to push ahead.
Even when Lavelle can’t play a full 90 once more, she will be able to nonetheless depart her mark on the pitch, so long as she has the inexperienced mild in her opposition’s half.
3. Decrease sloppy giveaways
No group has been higher at capitalizing on their opponents’ errors than Brazil, and the Selecao will look to pounce on the USA’s giveaways within the gold medal match. The Stars and Stripes have to be tidy in possession, particularly on the again, in the event that they need to management the sport.
Lindsey Horan struggled within the semi-finals, and if the midfielder delivers one other poor efficiency, she may give Brazil the openings they should strike.
2. Stay stable on the again
It goes with out saying that nice protection wins matches, and the USWNT has the most effective backline on the Paris 2024 Olympics. Emma Hayes’ aspect has conceded simply two objectives of their final 5 matches, and held each Japan and Germany scoreless for a mixed 240 minutes.
So long as Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, and Crystal Dunn proceed to carry out at a excessive degree, Brazil could have a tricky time breaking by means of the backline. In the event that they do, then they nonetheless should get previous Alyssa Naeher, who has saved three clear sheets in France this summer time.
1. Goal Brazil’s weakened backline
Talking of protection, Brazil’s backline shouldn’t be at its full energy. A number of of the Selecao’s defenders, together with Tamires, Rafaelle, and Antonia, have suffered accidents that may possible preserve them off the pitch within the gold medal match.
In the meantime, the USWNT’s trident of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson have appeared unstoppable all match, scoring 9 of the USA’s 11 objectives. The forwards ought to get loads of alternatives within the remaining third to check Brazil’s makeshift backline.
If the Stars and Stripes’ final two matches are any indication, it solely takes one second of brilliance from Rodman, Smith, or Swanson to win a sport.
