The United States women’s national team and Mexico will clash in group-stage action at the CONCACAF W Championship on Monday. While the United States has already secured a place in the semi-finals (and a place in the 2023 World Cup), there is little hope of starting the tournament after two defeats in Monterey, Mexico.
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Some of the luster of this much-awaited showdown is now gone, but it’s hard to discount any of the competition. Before the conflict in Estadio BBVA, here are three key questions to keep an eye on:
Huerta’s case will be in the World Cup squad
The CONCACAF W Championship is a subtle world of delicate balancing action that Vlatko Andonovsky took on as head coach of the United States in October 2019: Recognize and develop the core of the next generation without sacrificing results.
This is often the job of a national team manager, but it is even more intense for two-time World Cup winners and perennial top-ranked teams. Andonowski has made it clear that he needs to see new players in the tournament in a pressure-filled environment like the World Cup qualifiers. Importantly, they are allowed to make mistakes without realizing that they will lose their role.
The 5-0 win in the group stage against Jamaica last week provided a great opportunity for many players who wanted to prove that they can handle the moment. Sophia Smith was flashing lightning on the right edge, she scored twice, it had a pleasant opener on the outside of her foot.
However, real fullback Sophia Hurta would have improved her stock as much as possible. While Smith is already part of Andonovsky’s favorite XI, Huerta is trying to make more appearances and the role of fullback has improved rapidly and she could be the team’s best crosser with time on the ball.
Officially, Huerta counted just one assist against Jamaica, but most of the team’s best play came to the right and in the 27th minute Huerta passed the Mallory pug – a goal but a pug offside. Yes – that was the right picture.
Given America’s constant need for a fullback, it’s hard not to see her if Hurta continues this form on the 23-man World Cup roster. – Jeff Kasoufi
Is there a starting XI for Andonovsky?
The reality of these compact tournaments, and the way the US usually works in them – now, of course, under the leadership of Andonovsky, but sometimes also under the leadership of Jill Ellis – is that the lineup of each group-stage match is determined before the competition begins.
With so much talent in the program, the US has had trouble getting the most points in the group stage. The rotation is partly about revisiting the player and partly about saving the foot for the knockout round.
This is especially true in this tournament in the relentless Monterey heat, and is the approach that Ellis has taken to the 2019 World Cup, which changed drastically in the second match against Chile. So Monday’s lineup is likely to be scheduled at least a week in advance, excluding fitness or injury concerns.
Asked after Thursday’s match, Andonovsky was undecided on who would be his opening goalkeeper, but he had previously indicated that the opening XI against Haiti would be the most used in the 1-0 opener. That XI had less experienced Casey Murphy scoring goals and he saved at least one game change in the first half.
One area to look at is whether Naomi Girma gets a center-forward assessment. Girma, as a first-year professional with San Diego Waves FC, is America’s best attack-mind center currently in the pool, a player who is comfortable dribbling under pressure even as a final defender and who is able to break the pressure. From accurate long ball. He did so when he scored Smith’s first goal on Thursday.
In these final group matches the push-up occurs when the semi-final qualifiers (and in this case, the World Cup berth) have already been reached. Earnings remain an important Olympic venue and only the winner is guaranteed to go to Paris (second and third place will go to the playoffs in 2023). Rest could also be helpful for starters who could play against Jamaica but they need to keep the starting group sharp. Expect a near-full-power XI on Monday. – Kasofi
Mexico needs a miracle. Will you get it
Mexico’s ideal start for the W Championship has not been. In the first two games of the group stage – from Haiti and Jamaica – two devastating defeats meant that El Troy feminine In order to keep their hopes alive for the invitation to the preliminary playoffs of the 2023 World Cup, the chances now have to be ruled out and the overwhelming favorite America has to be defeated.
Can they pull against an undefeated and challenging opponent?
For Mexico manager Monica Vergara, her problems so far in the competition have been caused by a lack of a defined best XI rather than a real lack of talented options. That’s what we’ve seen in the two recent defeats El Troy feminine Changed XI and Alicia faced suspicious spots on the bench for marquee names like Cervantes and Lisbeth Oval.
After listening to the class talk about the goal of learning from the mistakes of recent days, getting a place in the XI for the best performing attackers like Servants and Oval will be a quick fix. In the net, Verzara should consider selling Emily Alvarado, who has scored four goals in her last two games and brought former Sevilla goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez into the Sticks.
Perhaps more important than any roster fine-tuning is the atmosphere at Estadio University on Monday. Along with the Citywide Fellowship Championship venue Estadio BBVA Bancomer, both stadiums look deserted in group stages with little advertising or promotions for local fans who regularly pack both venues for Liga MX and Liga MX feminine matches.
That said, the official match between Mexico and the United States is not overlooked, especially when you think about what’s on the line. El Troy feminineAn upbeat and tumultuous atmosphere, at least once in the competition, could be the turn of fate that leads Mexico to the much-needed miracle.
When was the last time the United States faced their southern neighbors in a World Cup qualifier in Mexico? It ended in a 2-1 victory. El Troy feminine In 2010. – Cesar Hernandez