Analysis: A decision must be made on Coach Vlatko Andonovski, and the Paris Olympics are just a year away, Steven Goff writes.
When he needed an attacking boost, Andonovski turned not to teenager Alyssa Thompson but to the 38-year-old Rapinoe. He seemed to think, when the winger starred at the World Cup in France. Rapinoe’s first two outings here should have dissuaded him from using her again. Against Sweden, though, he called her number in extra time. The decision felt sentimental, not tactical.
Throughout the tournament, Andonovski was also reluctant to use Ashley Sanchez, a 24-year-old midfielder who had received regular call-ups over the past year. She was the natural replacement for the injured — and then suspended — Rose Lavelle. Sanchez never left the bench. Savannah DeMelo, an NWSL revelation who until last month had never played for the U.S. team, started the first two matches in place of Lavelle and didn’t add much.To his credit, Andonovski reinforced the struggling midfield before the Sweden match by adding a second defensive-minded player, Emily Sonnett. With improved structure and shape, the U.S. team turned the corner and generated a bounty of scoring chances. Musovic, though, was unbreakable.
Always reluctant to talk about himself, Andonovski did not want to speculate about his future. His contract expires this year. He has faltered at each of his two major tournaments; two years ago, his team lost in the Olympic semifinals. “As we always do after a major tournament, we will conduct a review to identify areas of improvement and determine our next steps,” the U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement Monday. “As we look ahead, we embrace the hard work necessary to become champions again.”
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