Even after near-disaster, USWNT refusing to sound the alarm
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — In the 47th minute, alarm bells sounded.
Literal ones — the fire alarm was going off at Eden Park and an announcement blasted over the PA system of the 50,000-seat stadium. "Attention. Attention. The fire alarms are sounding. Evacuate to your nearest exit immediately."
While it was a false alarm — nobody left their seats, anyway — the end result for the United States was actually quite alarming: a 0-0 draw with World Cup debutant Portugal in a pivotal match Tuesday.
And yet, just like the crowd blocking out those fire alarms, the team doesn't seem worried.
"I'm not concerned at all," said co-captain Lindsey Horan, who was substituted out of the game in the 84th minute. Horan seldom does not play a full 90 minutes.
"This result wasn't good enough for us" — Lindsey Horan
"It does not concern me at all, actually," U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski added. "I'm very confident with the group that we have. We just have to find those moments, get on the same page and execute in the next game."
This is the message the team has been sticking to through three games. Nothing has changed.
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Technically, the USWNT did what it needed to do to advance — barely — to the round of 16. It only needed a win or a draw to move on and avoid getting ousted in the group stage for the first time ever.
The squad is now awaiting results of the last Group G matches, which take place Wednesday, but there's a high probability Americans' next opponent will be Sweden, ranked No. 3 in the world by FIFA.
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A more favorable path could have been awarded to the USWNT, had it won the group. But the squad looks disjointed, out of sync and has continued to make the same mistakes since this tournament began.
Portugal even nearly pulled off an unimaginable upset when Ana Capeta hit the left post in stoppage time.
Against Vietnam, the Netherlands and now Portugal, the U.S. failed to solve problems mid-game, couldn't combine through the midfield and often weren't first to the ball. The team lacked creativity — even with a game-changer like Rose Lavelle in the starting lineup against the Portuguese — and couldn't connect on the final pass. The Americans missed open chances in the run of play and on set pieces, and were vulnerable in transition.
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After the final whistle, players were taking selfies with family and fans. There was a lightness to many of them during post-match interviews, too. This is not to say they were laughing off tying an inferior opponent — Portugal is ranked No. 21 in the world. Players were certainly frustrated.
Alex Morgan's body language — hands on hips, eyes looking up at the sky — showed dissatisfaction and disappointment.
"Honestly, we expect so much of ourselves," Morgan said. "We hold a high standard, and we wanted to go through first in the group. But this World Cup is crazy. Every World Cup is crazy, but this one especially. Knowing that we're getting through to the round of 16, we're ready for it."
"We're not happy with the performance" - Alex Morgan
That remains to be seen. And there isn't much time to turn things around. The Americans are trying to make history and win three consecutive World Cups — no team in men's or women's soccer has ever accomplished such a feat. And they only have five days to prepare for a much stiffer opponent.
"I know this team, and I know what we're capable of," Morgan said. "Just because it hasn't clicked every moment on the field, and we're not putting the goals in the back of the net doesn't mean these aren't the right players for the job. The confidence is there. Now we just have to prove it out on the field."
Added Andonovski: "It's not like we haven't done this before against good opponents. We have to stick to our principles. We have to stick to our model and our philosophy."
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There seemed to be a shift in momentum within the squad after the Netherlands match. In the moment, Horan's scuffle with Dutch midfielder and Lyon teammate Danielle van de Donk was the spark the USWNT needed.
Maybe this result against Portugal is the new turning point. Whether it is or isn't, there's minimal concern for the two-time defending World Cup champions and winner of a record four titles.
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"We have to take every little positive out of it," Horan said. "Obviously, we're disappointed in the way that we played, but again, Portugal was a tough opponent and made it really difficult on us.
"They wanted it bad, and they have full belief. I think we need a little bit more belief when we're playing, and we need to be more calm. We need to be more poised. We need to play our style, and we learn our lessons, and we move forward to the next game."
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
