For the first 58 minutes of Wednesday’s match between the Netherlands and the U.S. women’s national team, you’d be forgiven for thinking the former was the no. 1 team in the world, not the latter. The Dutch looked composed, unbothered, and generally superior as they regularly bypassed the Americans’ midfield on the counterattack.
But the energy of the game shifted in the 59th minute when Danielle van de Donk slammed into Lindsey Horan, prompting the American cocaptain to confront her Lyon teammate with a shove. Horan must’ve taken the hard tackle personally, because moments later she scored off the ensuing corner to bring the USWNT level, ultimately securing a 1-1 draw.
The tie was just enough to keep the USWNT at the top of Group E, but it’ll need to show a lot more if it hopes to go deep into this tournament.
The U.S. started brightly in the first 10 minutes, with the front three of Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, and Trinity Rodman using their pace and smart interplay to put pressure on the Dutch defense. But the Netherlands was able to regain its composure and started to control the game, keeping possession away from the Americans and forcing them to make sloppy passes when they did have the ball. When Lieke Martens broke through the U.S. midfield in the 17th minute and confidently strode toward the box, you could almost predict what was going to happen.
Left back Crystal Dunn had stepped up from her position to try to halt the attack but slipped when trying to defend Martens’s ball into the box, leaving the right flank wide open for two Dutch attackers to race into. Dunn was able to get back into position to stop Victoria Pelova’s first attempt at a cross, but the Arsenal midfielder got the ball back and fed it to Jill Roord, who slid it into the back of the net to open the scoring.
The goal emboldened the Netherlands, as it continued to dominate the ball and keep the Americans at arm’s length for the remainder of the half. The introduction of Rose Lavelle at halftime gave the USWNT a bit more attacking bite, but it didn’t change much for the Dutch, who continued to pass the ball around with ease.
Of course, that all changed after Van de Donk’s challenge on Horan, who could be seen swearing and getting visibly angry on the sideline after the foul. If opposing teams have learned anything from playing the USWNT over the years, it’s that you should never poke the bear.
As tensions flared between the Lyon teammates, Lavelle waited patiently by the corner flag. When play resumed, she floated in a delicious ball that Horan dutifully headed into the back of the net, securing her revenge and putting the USWNT back in the driver’s seat.
The goal seemed to spark something in Horan’s teammates, as the USWNT players looked much more like their dominant selves after the goal. The last 20 minutes or so saw Morgan smash the ball past Dutch keeper Daphne van Domselaar, only to see the offside flag raised; Rodman break through the Dutch defense and get 1v1 with Van Domselaar before putting her shot wide; and Smith unleash a wicked volley from just inside the box that would have found the goal if Martens hadn’t headed it wide.
It also saw Julie Ertz have to make a game-saving block inside her own box to keep things level in the 79th minute. A walk in the park this was not.
A lot went wrong for the USWNT in this game, but it’s hard not to focus on manager Vlatko Andonovski’s decision to leave his lineup completely unchanged—the first time this has happened in a World Cup group stage match since 1999!—from the side that beat Vietnam 3-0.
While the scoreline was admittedly lopsided in that first game, Vietnam still raised plenty of questions about the USWNT’s chemistry and its failure to capitalize on many of its scoring chances. The Dutch truly brought those concerns to the forefront, as they regularly made the U.S. midfield look dysfunctional and mostly held the Americans to a flurry of half chances.
Sharing the points isn’t the worst outcome for the U.S., but it does put the team under quite a bit of pressure ahead of Tuesday’s final group game against Portugal. The Americans sit atop Group E on goal difference but could easily finish second in the group if they struggle to break down a stubborn Portugal side while the Netherlands defeat Vietnam. The USWNT could even exit the tournament altogether if it falls to the Portuguese and the Dutch earn at least a draw—which would mark the first time in Women’s World Cup history that the Americans have failed to advance to the knockout stage.
Any hopes that Andonovski would switch up his lineup in the Portugal game took a blow when the Netherlands game ended and Lavelle was the sole USWNT sub used in the match. This suggests that the head coach is reluctant to alter his preferred starting 11, a risky strategy as fatigue begins to set in.
Things could change in the five days between now and the final group game, but putting out the same lineup against a Portuguese side that is likely to sit back and play on the counterattack would be a mistake. It was surprising to see Ertz retain her spot at center back for the Netherlands game, and it would be stunning to see it happen for a third time in a row. That role should go to Alana Cook, who developed a brilliant partnership with fellow USWNT starter Naomi Girma at Stanford, while Ertz should be allowed to shore up the midfield so that Dunn and Emily Fox have more license to go forward.
In addition to those changes, Lavelle, who is still building fitness after an April knee injury, could start in place of Savannah DeMelo. Being removed from the starting lineup would be a tough blow for DeMelo, who has just three caps with the team, but she’s been thrust into her role as a starter ahead of more experienced players like Kristie Mewis and Ashley Sanchez. Why Andonovski didn’t give her a proper chance to get acclimated before the biggest tournament in the world is anyone’s guess.
It would also be wise to bring in another forward to start, as both Smith and Rodman looked a bit gassed by the end of Wednesday’s match. It would be a no-brainer to give Lynn Williams, who has been in scintillating form for Gotham FC in the NWSL this year, a chance to test Portugal’s defense.
Suffice it to say, a first-half showing like the one in the Netherlands game will get the USWNT punished in the coming weeks. It can’t rely on someone making Horan angry every game, and Portugal will have watched that match and taken plenty of pointers from the Dutch. If Andonovski insists on using the same lineup, or if the Americans come out sluggish again, they could find themselves with a much harder ride through the knockout rounds, with every team licking their lips at the prospect of taking down the back-to-back world champions.
