The United States, after their 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, needs to regain their rhythm, according to midfielder Andi Sullivan. Their final match of the Women’s World Cup group stage against Portugal is crucial, as they must win or draw to avoid the embarrassment of missing the knockout stage for the first time. This is not the position the Americans had hoped to be in as they aim for an unprecedented third consecutive title.
Sullivan acknowledged that Portugal is a strong team and the upcoming game will be tough. She emphasized the importance of being in sync and stringing all the pieces together. The U.S. team narrowly avoided calamity in their match against the Netherlands, with co-captain Lindsey Horan scoring a second-half goal to secure a 1-1 draw. However, the performance revealed that the team has not fully clicked yet, leaving some fans confused by the coach’s decision to make only one second-half substitution.
Sullivan admitted that the team was not in sync during the match against the Netherlands but was able to adjust and respond. She expressed the hope that they can address these issues earlier in future games. Even if the U.S. team defeats Portugal, it may not be enough to secure the top spot in Group E. The Netherlands, who also have one win, will face Vietnam on Tuesday. In the event that both the U.S. team and the Netherlands win their next matches, the winner of Group E could be determined by goal differential.
Sullivan emphasized the need for the team to play fast and score a lot of goals against Portugal. She also stated that they want to perform at their best regardless of the game situation because they believe they have more to give.
