The ogre is not so much anymore. It seems that the liner has water leaks. The United States, champions of the last two World Cups and big favorites in the one being played in Australia and New Zealand, yesterday suffered its first major setback in 12 years after drawing against debutant Portugal (0-0) and to be about to be left out. For the first time the American women do not convey the feeling of having the pan by the handle and their football looks cracked. They no longer feel invincible. They arrived in the southern hemisphere with a record 13 wins in their last 14 matches at a World Cup, something never seen before, but the group stage has revealed a reality they did not expect and from the outset they have been about to be eliminated by an inferior rival.
A draw against Portugal yesterday was to blame, which combined with the other against the Netherlands (1-1) and the victory against Vietnam (3-0), has left them second in the group for the first time in 12 years . What’s more, they experienced dramatic moments against the Portuguese when the Portuguese striker Ana Capeta sent a ball on the post in a hand to hand in added time. A goal would have meant the elimination of the United States and one of the biggest surprises of the championships.
The immediate consequences of this result favor Spain. Plunged into a negative atmosphere after the voluminous and worrying defeat against Japan, Vilda’s team now finds itself in a situation that would surely have signed with blood before the start of the World Cup. The draw of the almighty United States would allow them to avoid them until the hypothetical semi-finals.
Four years ago, Spain already tested in the round of 16 the medicine administered by the American women in this type of championships. That is why, even at its lowest point, it is not too much to avoid a crossing of this kind. The Vilda team’s path, although not simple, seems much cleaner. In the round of 16, they will face Switzerland, number 20 in the world, against whom they should be favourites, despite Japan’s stumble. Then, in some hypothetical quarter-finals, they could face the Netherlands (9th), one of the candidates for the final triumph, Italy (16th), Argentina (28th) or South Africa (54th). A more benevolent scenario than expected.
It is also not clear that the American women will reach the semi-finals, since to all the footballing doubts they showed against Portugal is added that in the round of 16 they will face Sweden, third in the last championship. The confrontation between these teams is the great classic of the World Cup. It is the most repeated match, six times in eight editions, and no one has brought as many problems to the American women as the Nordic women. In fact, they are the last team to have managed to defeat them in a World Cup, now 12 years ago, even if their overall record is negative: four defeats, a draw and a win. Despite this, if anyone can stop this transatlantic, which seems to have lost its way, it is the team led by the Barça player Fridolina Rolfö.
