USWNT vs. Germany defeated by Sophia Smith, Mallory Pugh 2-1
Harrison, N.J. (Balkanpress) — The United States women’s national team defeated Germany 2-1 in front of 26,317 at Red Bull Arena on Sunday. The match concluded the 2022 calendar year for the team, giving them momentum ahead of a World Cup year. The win ended a three-game losing skid, their first since 1993, after losing to England, Spain and Germany. An early goal by the Germans in the first half resulted in urgency for the USWNT in the second half, as Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith recorded goals in a three-minute span to get revenge on the Europeans after losing to them last Thursday.
More in-game adjustments against opponents will only help the team prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
.@MalPugh called game 😤 pic.twitter.com/EvQwTqOvZN
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 14, 2022
Five shots a piece and only one shot on target between the two teams at halftime was hardly an indicator of a match gone awry for the USWNT. But the narrow lead belonged to Germany, and the possibility of a new record losing streak felt all the heavier than the previous three losses.
The urgency out of the locker room into the second half led by a strong high press from the front line combined with a strong game from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher helped changed the game in the second half. Two goals in three minutes by Smith and Pugh were just added reminders that the team is more dangerous when given the freedom to apply pressure.
The high press worked, but Germany also lost standout midfielder Lena Oberdorf to injury during the game, which also opened things up in the middle for the USWNT. With eight months remaining before the World Cup, the coaching staff still needs to provide adjustments for the players who are seeking solutions in game.
A losing slump at the end of the year has not changed that for head coach Vlatko Andonovski and his coaching staff. Another solid performance at center back for Naomi Girma alongside Becky Sauerbrunn, and the one-two punch of goals by Smith and Pugh only further confirmed their place among the pool of players. Andonovski has repeatedly taken questions from the media about the timeline for various players in the expectation that they will return to the player pool.
Expect familiar faces to return and for chemistry to take time to develop. While players like Tierna Davidson, Catarina Macario, and Lynn Williams have excelled in Andonovski’s system, it may take some time for players to get readjusted to match minutes.
The USWNT will head to New Zealand — co-hosts of the 2023 World Cup — for January camp. They will train in the host country for six days before facing New Zealand in a two-game series to close out the month. The friendlies are already a shift from the 2022 January camps which were ultimately an expanded camp with no matches.
The travel could be an essential experience for the team after being drawn into Group E with the Netherlands, Vietnam, and either Portugal, Thailand, or Cameroon — pending an inter-confederation playoff. Group E is set to play the entire group stage in New Zealand and the added games will be a trial run of the tournament schedule in New Zealand for the USWNT.
