06-24-2019, 11:55 AM
The second penalty was a bit soft, to be sure, but it was still a foul--cleats on Lavelle's calf. I don't think it affected Lavelle much, and I wouldn't have been outraged had it gone uncalled, but when you make high challenges like that, you're running the risk that you make studs-up contact and force the referee's hand.
O'Hara played very well, I thought. Not a lot of action, as Spain preferred to attack down their right side (which looked like the correct call, as Dunn was inconsistent), and on attack, the ball kept getting funneled to our left flank, where Rapinoe lost the ball far too much, but when Spain's attack came Kelley's way, she snuffed it out. (And she put one on a tee for Ertz, too, but Ertz sent it well over the bar.) To round out the Stanford report, Press came on with just a few minutes to go and didn't get a chance to do much, while Davidson stayed on the bench (after Dunn kept getting beaten, I wondered whether we might see Davidson come in and shore things up, especially after the US went up 2-1, but it was not to be).
After a brutal decision by Naeher led to the Spanish goal, I thought Naeher settled down nicely. Oddly enough, she seems better at the difficult stuff (clearing the ball on corners and dangerous crosses) than the easy stuff (deciding where to distribute the ball). But Rapinoe wasn't sharp (the fact that she converted both penalties shouldn't cloud the fact that she was very much off her game today), and neither was Dunn in defense on that left side. Morgan had a rough game, though I put much of that to how cynically Spain played. So many fouls that went uncalled, including some that really should have been yellows. Morgan was on the ground for much of that game. It sure seemed like Spain made a conscious effort to deny Heath as much possession as possible, seemingly leaving the left side a bit more open. Smart of them, if true, especially after it was Heath who earned the first penalty (which was less controversial than the second). Lavelle was great. Mewis played well, but we'll see Horan back in the lineup for the next match, I would think. (Horan has a yellow, so I'm guessing the thought was they didn't want to risk Horan picking up another yellow and being suspended for the France match.)
They'll have to be better on Friday against France, but I think they will be. I'm glad they got tested, and I'm glad Naeher got into the rhythm of the match after that early miscue. Survive and advance!
O'Hara played very well, I thought. Not a lot of action, as Spain preferred to attack down their right side (which looked like the correct call, as Dunn was inconsistent), and on attack, the ball kept getting funneled to our left flank, where Rapinoe lost the ball far too much, but when Spain's attack came Kelley's way, she snuffed it out. (And she put one on a tee for Ertz, too, but Ertz sent it well over the bar.) To round out the Stanford report, Press came on with just a few minutes to go and didn't get a chance to do much, while Davidson stayed on the bench (after Dunn kept getting beaten, I wondered whether we might see Davidson come in and shore things up, especially after the US went up 2-1, but it was not to be).
After a brutal decision by Naeher led to the Spanish goal, I thought Naeher settled down nicely. Oddly enough, she seems better at the difficult stuff (clearing the ball on corners and dangerous crosses) than the easy stuff (deciding where to distribute the ball). But Rapinoe wasn't sharp (the fact that she converted both penalties shouldn't cloud the fact that she was very much off her game today), and neither was Dunn in defense on that left side. Morgan had a rough game, though I put much of that to how cynically Spain played. So many fouls that went uncalled, including some that really should have been yellows. Morgan was on the ground for much of that game. It sure seemed like Spain made a conscious effort to deny Heath as much possession as possible, seemingly leaving the left side a bit more open. Smart of them, if true, especially after it was Heath who earned the first penalty (which was less controversial than the second). Lavelle was great. Mewis played well, but we'll see Horan back in the lineup for the next match, I would think. (Horan has a yellow, so I'm guessing the thought was they didn't want to risk Horan picking up another yellow and being suspended for the France match.)
They'll have to be better on Friday against France, but I think they will be. I'm glad they got tested, and I'm glad Naeher got into the rhythm of the match after that early miscue. Survive and advance!