Olympic Soccer Live: U.S. Women’s Team vs. Netherlands
The United States, as it has in every match, has made a few changes to its starting lineup against the Netherlands. But look closely and you can see some purpose in a few of them.
Up front, an attack of Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd and Lynn Williams suggests the Americans might be looking to press the Dutch a bit. Williams, not a fixture in the team lately, is very good at that, and very quick. Lloyd might be the fittest woman in Yokohama today, or anyplace else for that matter. Her work rate and ability and willingness to challenge a goalkeeper taking a punt and then track back to harass the place it lands is legendary, and has been evident at the Games.
That midfield — Sam Mewis, Julie Ertz and Lindsey Horan — is about as sturdy as the team can send out: tough on the ground, strong in the air. And the back line is Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s preferred setup.
But the lineup is also a reflection of what will be coming at it: a front line of Lieke Martens, Vivianne Miedema and Shanice van de Sanden, supported by Danielle van de Donk and Jackie Groenen in midfield.
There isn’t a coach in the world who wouldn’t love to run out either of these teams. But let’s see how they start and play before anyone jumps to conclusions about the instructions they’ve been given.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/30/sports/us-netherlands-soccer-olympics/