It shouldn’t matter which crew completes Group E of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Anything lower than a first-place end within the quartet for the United States girls’s nationwide crew can be an incredible disappointment. It doesn’t matter that fellow international energy the Netherlands can be within the group. Vietnam is locked in as a assured World Cup opponent for the Americans. The third opponent must be a walkover whether or not it’s Cameroon, Portugal, or Thailand. That trio of video games is all to type out the shakiness the USWNT confirmed of their pair of October friendlies.
Losses to England and Spain and the shortage of true midfielders give this model of the U.S. girls a transparent crimson flag heading into the quadrennial showcase the place something lower than including a star to their crest is considered as a disappointment. George W. was within the White House the final time a Women’s World Cup closing didn’t have the United States in it. A penalty-kick loss to Japan and two straight match victories have transpired over the previous 11 years. Extending that streak to 4 can be an uphill battle with the USWNT as uncovered as in current reminiscence. Yet, these challenges shouldn’t derail the USA till the knockout rounds.
It’s the primary WWC to function 32 groups, like the lads’s counterpart at the moment does. The change, up from 24 groups on the showcase, doesn’t actually have an effect on the USWNT as a result of some third-place groups within the group stage advancing. Now it’s solely the highest two in each pod. The current for successful Group E? Avoiding Sweden. The extremely doubtless comfort for the Dutch or Americans? A brutal Round of 16 matchup in opposition to the exporters of ABBA. Mamma Mia!
Saturday morning’s draw was extra about figuring out how a lot resistance the USWNT will face early within the match, barring an absolute catastrophe. Even with the shakiness of current performances from the squad, all that issues is how they’ll play in Australia and New Zealand. The 2015 squad appeared shaky early within the match and gained the World Cup. The 2019 crew by no means appeared vulnerable to defeat and repeated as Earth’s champions. Next summer season’s occasion is as broad open as there’s been at a Women’s World Cup in a very long time. I might see as many as 10 groups realistically successful, a staggering quantity contemplating solely 4 international locations have ever gained the tourney. Of course, each of these teams embrace the USA.