US soccer has been the usual bearer for Girls’s soccer lengthy earlier than it reached the extent of recognition it has as we speak.
The US are essentially the most profitable nation of all time, with 4 World Cups to their title, and on Saturday they journey to the house of soccer, a sold-out Wembley, to face European champions England.
The Lionesses have been on their very own journey over the previous few years to shut the hole to the world’s elite. Sarina Wiegman took over in 2021 and introduced the successful mentality England wanted. They have been topped European champions in 2022 after which completed as runners-up in final 12 months’s World Cup.
The USWNT have been via a interval of transition since Jill Ellis left after main them to their fourth World Cup. This ended a dynasty of eight years, when the US had been on prime of the world, successful back-to-back tournaments in 2015 and 2019.
Enter Vlatko Andonovski, who changed Ellis. He was solely capable of lead this iconic group, with the likes of Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, to Olympic bronze in 2021. USA then went on in 2023 to have their worst-ever efficiency in a World Cup, knocked out within the spherical of 16 by Sweden in a penalty shoot-out.
That led to the appointment of Emma Hayes, and a brand new period.
Hayes gained Olympic gold in her first event in cost, and the previous Chelsea boss – a serial winner with seven Girls’s Tremendous League titles to her title – is now again house in London, aiming to get one over on her house nation.
The 48-year-old has introduced the monster mentality she instilled at Chelsea, and Wiegman’s Lionesses should be at their best possible.
As soon as a winner, at all times a winner
The Hayes revolution might hardly have began any higher.
USA have gained 12 of their 13 matches in all competitions beneath Hayes (D1); the one managers to win as many as 13 of their first 14 video games in control of the USWNT are Andonovski (14 in 2021) and Pia Sundhage (13 in 2008).
With 4 warm-up video games forward of the Paris Olympics, Hayes didn’t have lengthy to seek out her ft. Making big part selections similar to dropping Morgan (with 123 targets and 53 assists on the worldwide stage), she opted for youthful expertise who might rotate in a number of positions, and her daring selections paid off.
Coined “the Triple Espresso”, USA’s attacking trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson introduced themselves as the following superstars of the nationwide group.
The trio began all six of USA’s Olympic matches, scoring 10 targets between them – Swanson led the best way with 4, whereas Rodman and Swanson completed with three apiece.
Swanson has been instantly concerned in additional targets for the USA since Hayes’ first recreation in cost in June (10), whereas she can be the main assister (4) and joint-top scorer in that interval (six – degree with Smith).
Chicago Crimson Stars ahead Swanson completed with the best xG (3.8) of any participant on the Olympics, although she completed behind Marie-Antoinette Katoto within the scoring charts.
Of the event’s main six goalscorers, Swanson shared the second-best shot conversion price (23.5%), together with Zambia’s Barbra Banda, who netted 4 targets from simply 0.8 xG, behind Katoto (41.7%).
Smith, in the meantime, had a tournament-leading 27 photographs, six greater than second-best Spain’s Salma Paralluelo (21), whereas Rodman ranked third on 19, and Swanson joint-fifth on 17. Smith created 10 probabilities, however her 1.96 xA was the best on the Paris Video games.
Whereas Hayes appears to have discovered the recipe for achievement, the “Triple Espresso” menace is not going to face England this week.
Hayes has determined to relaxation her dynamic trio in an effort to guarantee they aren’t prone to damage after a gruelling season each internationally and domestically.
Alyssa Thompson shall be ready within the wings, nevertheless, to indicate she has what it takes to be a menace.
In October, Thompson discovered the online in opposition to Iceland in a 3-1 victory. The 19-year-old has recorded 5 targets and 7 assists for Angel Metropolis this season, so is in fantastic type.
Hayes’ group gained all six of their Olympic matches en path to clinching gold. They have been the event’s prime scorers (12 targets), although Spain (14) recorded a barely greater xG than USA’s 13.9.
USA ranked second for photographs (104) – a median of 17.3 per match – although that was a way behind Spain’s 141 (23.5 per recreation). They weren’t overly centered on possession, with Hayes’ group having 63.9% of the ball, which ranked beneath France (64%) and Spain (75.9%).
They conceded simply twice, with solely Canada – who performed two video games fewer – matching that.
The tip of a shot-stopping period
Whereas within the outfield positions, Hayes went with youth, she relied on expertise in aim. Alyssa Naeher conceded simply twice on the Olympics, holding a competition-leading 4 clear sheets.
The American shot stopper made 22 saves and recorded a 91.7 save proportion, the best of any goalkeeper to play no less than 90 minutes on the Video games. Her 3.18 targets prevented determine was the third highest on the event.
On the 2023 World Cup, she saved three clear sheets, which trailed solely Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold (4), whereas no goalkeeper conceded fewer targets than Naeher (one), although she did solely face two photographs on the right track throughout her 4 appearances on the competitors.
Naeher has made 11 World Cup appearances in whole. She has the most effective save proportion (76.5) of any United States goalkeeper on file within the event. She has conceded solely 4 World Cup targets.
This week, Naeher introduced she could be retiring after greater than a decade of representing her nation. She is the one US goalkeeper to earn a clear sheet in each a World Cup and an Olympic ultimate.
This leaves Hayes with a giant determination as to who to exchange her with, though the selection might not be so tough.
Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce has been making her mark after England primary Mary Earps left for pastures new in Paris.
Tullis-Joyce has greater than stepped on top of things. She has conceded solely three targets and has 5 clear sheets to date this time period within the WSL.
Certainly, her Tullis-Joyce’s 87.5% save ratio from photographs contained in the field is second solely to Manchester Metropolis’s Hannah Hampton (93.3%), whereas she has stopped all six photographs which have come her approach from outdoors of the world. She has the best overperformance within the league in relation to targets prevented (5.9).
All in all, the 28-year-old would appear the best pure successor, however for now, Naeher will take pleasure in her farewell lap.
Wiegman struggling to make Lionesses roar
England have performed 10 matches in all competitions (friendlies included) in 2024. Their 12 months began with a 7-2 thrashing of Austria, adopted up by a 5-1 defeat of Italy in February.
However the Lionesses have did not win their first recreation of a global break in three of the final 4 makes an attempt (W1 D1 L2), having misplaced none and gained 13 of their first 16 such matches beneath Wiegman (D3).
The Lionesses have notably come unstuck in opposition to elite opponents. They have been held to a 1-1 draw by Sweden in Euros qualifying earlier than they misplaced 2-1 to France. England did bounce again to beat the French aspect by the identical scoreline, although.
England have misplaced two of their final 4 house video games, extra defeats than they suffered throughout their earlier 22 matches on house soil.
All about Saturday. pic.twitter.com/kbaQ0gJm5i
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) November 27, 2024
It has been a combined bag throughout their final three video games – they drew 0-0 with Sweden, misplaced 4-3 to Germany after which beat South Africa 2-1. In that defeat to Germany, England managed 2.4 anticipated targets (xG) – the identical whole as Germany gathered.
England solely had 9 photographs, which means every of their makes an attempt averaged out at 0.26 xG. Nonetheless, they allowed Germany to have eight makes an attempt on the right track, whereas 9 of their 12 photographs got here from contained in the Lionesses’ field.
And people defensive points have been additionally current within the victory over South Africa, who registered 1.2 xG, from solely 9 photographs. England, alternatively, have been hardly free-flowing in assault both, accumulating 0.8 xG, although they did have 74 final-third entries in comparison with South Africa’s 26.
Creating probabilities and holding groups out have been a problem, and Wiegman will want her squad to dig deep if she is to get the higher of Hayes, who is aware of so most of the England squad and their strengths and weaknesses.
Leaders from the pack?
With the likes of Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone absent, Wiegman shall be seeking to a few of her younger stars to step ahead. Hemp shall be an enormous loss, and has been in sensational type this season.
Hemp has averaged 1.1 aim contributions per 90 for Man Metropolis this time period within the WSL. She has scored twice, offering 5 assists – no participant has supplied as many assists within the competitors.
Nonetheless, Man United’s Grace Clinton is without doubt one of the potential gamers who might step on top of things. She has scored in two of her 4 England appearances, together with final day trip in opposition to South Africa. Ought to she rating in back-to-back outings, she could be the youngest to take action (21 years, 244 days) for the Lionesses since Jordan Nobbs in October 2013 (20y 327d).
Laura Blindkilde Brown has obtained her maiden call-up. She has solely began one WSL recreation for Manchester Metropolis this season, making three appearances in whole. Nonetheless, she has accomplished sufficient to impress Wiegman and per 90, she has contested 7.8 duels, successful 2.8 per recreation, whereas averaging 4.3 passes into the ultimate third.
Alongside the newer ladies, Wiegman wants her established stars to indicate up, which has not at all times been the case in latest matches. Throughout England’s final two video games, Georgia Stanway has created only one probability, whereas Keira Walsh has been unable to supply any goalscoring alternatives for her team-mates.
There’s a query who could possibly be primary, with Earps and Hampton the candidates.
Since Wiegman’s first recreation in control of England in September 2021, Earps has a save proportion of 74% for the Lionesses and has conceded 0.6 targets per recreation (43 apps), in comparison with Hampton’s charges of 67% and 1.1 targets conceded per recreation (9 appearances).
The Dutchwoman has a troublesome determination to make as to who shall be between the sticks, however maybe Earps is the chief that England will want in opposition to USA.
The Opta supercomputer says…
A matchup between the European champions and Olympic gold medallists was at all times more likely to be a detailed one to name, and the Opta supercomputer is forecasting a decent encounter.
Each groups will see this as an opportunity to say a press release victory. England are given a 35.4% win likelihood, whereas USA’s likelihood is ranked at 38.6%. The probability of a draw is 26%.
Because the begin of 2015, England and USA have met eight occasions in all competitions (together with friendlies). USA have gained 5 of these matches, with England successful simply twice and the opposite recreation leading to a draw.
Throughout these eight fixtures, USA have scored 10 occasions, holding 4 clear sheets, whereas England have discovered the online on six events. Nonetheless, England’s victory did come within the final encounter between these groups, with Hemp and Stanway scoring in a 2-1 pleasant win in 2022.
USA are unbeaten in every of their final 19 pleasant matches (W17 D2), in the meantime, holding a clear sheet in 15 of these. They’ve, nevertheless, misplaced their final two friendlies in Europe: vs England and Spain.
It might be a pleasant, however there may be lots on the road on Saturday, in what guarantees to be a captivating encounter.
