USA vs. Brazil: The better team won
by Paul O'Donnell
While all the pundits have their panties in a bunch over coach Greg Ryan's switch to Briana Scurry in goal replacing Hope Solo as the real clinker in Team USA's loss, the truth is there was much more to it than that. Team USA reverted to their sloppy play all over the pitch, giving the ball away far too easily with aimless passes and searching and every bit as aimless long balls. The overwhelming dependence on one player, Abby Wambach, to produce offense throughout this tournament has become a burden on the team instead of a benefit.
But, that wasn't the heart of the horrendous first half that saw them leave the pitch thoroughly beaten and down 2-0 as well as down to 10 players. Two absolutely awful calls by the on field officials really put them in a hole. Their poor overall play surely didn't help, but those calls sealed their fate in this one.
The first went nearly uncommented by ESPN's broadcast team but it led directly to Brazil's first goal. Off a corner kick the ball sailed well beyond the back post untouched by any player from either side and out over the endline, yet, Brazil was awarded another corner from the opposite side. On that undeserved corner kick the ball was played well short of the near post but a diving header attempt to clear it over the endline by Leslie Osborne ended up squeezed between the post and Scurry and in the back of the net. Either Scurry never made the call or Osborne didn't hear it if she did. 1-0 Brazil.
Their second came from the all time leading goal scorer in Women's World Cup history, Marta, off a hard left footed drive that deflected and went off the hands of the diving Scurry just inside the near post. 2-0 Brazil.
Then, in stoppage time perhaps one of the worst calls you would ever see in World Cup, men or women, resulted in the USA going down to 10. Shannon Boxx was whistled, shown her 2nd yellow. The replay clearly showed the Brazilian player had run up her back knocking Boxx down and the Brazilian then tumbled over her. There was no foul as the Brazilian had run her over, not the other way around.
Despite that, now down to 10 and down 2-0, the USA was still ineffective despite producing possibilities to generate some chances in the offensive third. The aimless passes and giving the ball away too cheaply continued. The result was a haphazard and very ineffective, start-stop effort. The inability to hold the ball under the pressure from Brazil and build out of the back controlling the flow of the game made the 2-0 score too big a mountain for this team to climb. Brazil wanted to make this game a race while the USA wanted a more settled, determined game like that they produced against England but they couldn't hold the ball to deliver that kind of match. Brazil was off to the races and just kept pouring it on. Team USA was run off the pitch and suffered their worst ever defeat in World Cup play and it wasn't because of Ryan's keeper move.
The pundits will all try to sell you on the idea that it was while the real truth is they were simply soundly beaten all over the pitch. Too slow, the aimless passes and near total dependence on one player is what really made the difference not Ryan's change in goal to Scurry. By the way Scurry's record against Brazil going into this match probably had a great deal of influence on Ryan; she was 12-0 against them before this match. A good reason to put her between the pipes? I'd say so. It just didn't work out this time and that’s not because of what Ryan did. It’s because the team weren't up to the challenge. Not today.
In the opening minutes of the 2nd half Brazil threatened a blowout producing chance after chance from the USA's inability to hold the ball. In the 56th that loose play resulted in a break and goal for Brazil for a 3-0 scoreline. The break came from a US throw in the offensive 3rd with the US putting two defenders up. The throw by Whitehill created nothing and the keeper's deep clearance caught two defenders up the pitch and resulted in the 2 on 1 breakaway and easy goal.
In the 63rd, Kristine Lilly missed the best and last chance the USA would produce in this game as they went down to defeat for the first time in 51 games and only their 2nd loss ever to Brazil.
Marta produced the highlight reel goal of the World Cup in the 79th for the final 4-0 score. A disaster for the USA but an overwhelmingly positive and dominant performance by Brazil sets up what should be a tremendous final against Germany.
The USA simply didn't compete in this game from the off and it wasn't all because of Greg Ryan's switch to Scurry in goal. They were simply outclassed and thoroughly beaten by a more athletic and skillful side. The switch may well have had them on the edge before the ball was kicked but that’s not why they got trounced. Brazil was too fast and too good on the ball. Yes, they got a few breaks and they probably had more to do with the result than what you will be told was 'Ryan's folly'. The pundits will put it all on the coach and his 'debacle'. That wasn't it at all.
The better team won the game. Simple as that.
