USA-Germany Women's World Cup Player Ratings
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Jul 1, 2015
USA-GERMANY EXPRESS:
June 30 in Montreal
USA 2 Germany 0. Goals: Lloyd pen. 69, O'Hara 84.
Att.: 51,176.
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The USA reached the Women's World Cup final with a 2-0 win over Germany on second-half goals by Carli Lloyd, from the
penalty spot, and Kelley O'Hara, who finished off the best sequence of soccer the Americans have offered this tournament.
USA Player
Ratings
Starters
RATING PLAYER (TEAM) GP/G
5 Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) 176/0
Tipped long-range Alexandra Popp shot
over the bar in 8th minute. Otherwise, the only danger German shots posed were to fans in the high seats.
6 Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit) 72/1
Right back won her
battles with Popp and Melanie Leupolz on the wing.
6 Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars) 18/3
Would have been the USA’s lowest rated player if ref gave her the red
card for fouling Popp on an obvious scoring opportunity and Celia Sasic converted the penalty kick. Otherwise, she did her usual impressive job of marshaling the backline.
6 Becky
Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City) 87/0
Besides her poised central defense play, hit an excellent pass to release Alex Morgan for 43rd-minute chance.
8 Meghan Klingenberg
(Houston Dash) 40/2
Left back shut down winger Simone Laudehr and brought ball forward quickly and effectively. Delivered the pass to Lloyd when she set up the second goal.
5 Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC) 97/11
Did lots of defensive work. Not effective as a wide attacker, but her pass set up Morgan's 14th-minute chance.
7
Morgan Brian (Houston Dash) 34/4
Survived a head clash with the brutish Popp in the 28th minute. Broke up several German attacks by winning balls in midfield.
8 Carli
Lloyd (Houston Dash) 201/66
Converted the penalty kick for the 1-0 and wonderfully juked past Annike Krahn to set up the 2-0.
6 Lauren Holiday (FC Kansas City)
129/23
Part of the midfield that helped the USA control most of the play and make life relatively easy for U.S. central defenders.
6 Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
107/31
Attacks down the left wing helped keep Germans, who fouled her crudely, in their own half for much of the first half.
6 Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC)
90/52
Squandered two one-on-one chances against keeper Nadine Angerer in first half -- the first a foot save, the second a total miss. Should have passed when she missed with a bad
angle in the second half. But she kept troubling the German backline and drew the penalty kick that put the USA ahead.
Substitutes
7 Kelley
O'Hara (Sky Blue FC) 63/1
Provided a spark when she replaced Heath in the 75th minute and scored the second goal.
6 Abby Wambach (unattached) 246/183
Didn’t come in until the 80th minute, for Rapinoe, but helped USA keep possession and was part of the sequence that led to the 2-0.
NR Sydney Leroux (Western NY Flash)
74/35
Entered in second-half stoppage time.
(1=low; 5=average; 10=high)
June 30 in Montreal
USA 2 Germany
0. Goals: Lloyd pen. 69, O'Hara 84.
USA -- Solo; Krieger, Johnston, Sauerbrunn, Klingenberg; Heath (O'Hara, 75), Brian, Rapinoe (Wambach, 80), Lloyd, Holiday; Morgan
(Leroux, 90+).
Germany -- Angerer; Maier, Krahn, Bartusiak, Kemme; Goessling, Leupolz, Laudehr; Mittag (Marozsan, 77), Popp, Sasic.
Yellow Cards: USA --
Sauerbrunn 38, Johnston, 59; Germany -- Maier 34, Krahn 67. Referee: Teodora Albon (Romania).
Att.: 51,176
TRIVIA: After each of the three previous USA-Germany Women’s World Cup encounters, the winner has gone on to lift the title.
Near fatal error by Julie Johnston. I don't know why she chose to not head the ball out of play rather than risk controlling with her chest toward her own goal! Solo complicated the issue by being well off her line which limited Johnstons options. Awkward moment in an otherwise strong USA performance that was that was without precedent for them in this WC. I think they are peaking at the right time. Germany really did not threaten and rushed their efforts in the final third when they might have created better chances by being more patient. Credit should go to the relentless defensive pressure they were under that put them off their game. Can we repeat the formula against Japan?
1. Congratulations to Coach Jill Ellis (10), She got the Tactics Correct…She got the Starting Players Correct…She got the Subs Correct… We can’t ask for anything more than that… And NO, it was not a 4-3-3 like you were all calling for… It was as I Predicted it needed to be…***Santiago 1314 commented on: June 30, 2015 at 3:44 p.m…But, we CAN have a SECRET Line-up that will Throw them Off…(It’s not really that different than what we have been playing.) … Clog the Midfield WoMan-To-WoMan…(Being Politically Correct) We should counter with THE SAME;….HOPE-GK…2-3-1-3-1… Johnston, Sauerbrunn /// Klingenberg, Boxx, Krieger /// M.Brian /// Rapinoe, Lloyd, Heath /// Rodriguez
The US women demonstrated how to transform from playing direct, route 1 football to a team that valued possession, played out of the back, circulated the ball all over the pitch, used combination passing in tight spaces, and stayed composed under pressure for all of the 1st half! Hope that is a permanent transformation!!!
As for the Players... (10) for Everyone...You just won a World Cup Semi-Final...This is what we Expected from You, This is what we DEMAND of You...Now we will need an (11) to beat Japan...You Can do it... WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WIN !!! "American Exceptionalism"... Worth ONE Goal, Every Game
@Carl Hudson,... In case you forgot!!!...*** Santiago 1314 commented on: June 27, 2015 at 11 a.m...Let Rodriguez run the Piss out of #5... She is the Weakest, Slowest, Clumsiest Defender I have ever seen at this level...Then bring Abby in(65) to Over Power her... ***I told you the Weakness of Krahn would be the Difference in the game..Hey..Remember this one?? ***Carl Hudson commented on: June 27, 2015 at 7:39 p.m..."Santiago, you blab too much, without a clue as to what you are blabbing about. If you are talking about defensive back Number 5 for Germany, Krahn, she was just about their best player, a superb header, and outstanding at getting the ball downfield. She was player of the game."... Santiago 1314 commented on: June 27, 2015 at 10:56 p.m.@Carl,... If she was so fantastic, why did the French set a Trap for her... They Funneled all the German attacks to start through her... That was why Germany had Such a tough time... She can't create.. got striped of the ball or turned it over under pressure...Rodriquez will have her for lunch. .Go back and watch the Tape.. then Blah, blah, blah Santiago 1314 commented on: June 27, 2015 at 11:07 p.m.p.s...@Carl.. Your Germany Sucked... They Should have lost to France...Big Questions and Doubts being raised about Der Panzerinas.??? Santiago 1314 commented on: June 28, 2015 at 8:34 a.m.@Carl Hudson...PLAYER OF THE MATCH...According to the Official FIFA Match Report??? GOALKEEPER..ANGERER...Now WHO, Doesnt know what their Talking about??? YOU MAYBE!!! So get your facts straight before you Blah, Blah, Blah !!!.." *** TOMA YA!!! Just had to Rub it in...Jajaja...
Interesting that no one is giving the English a chance of winning against Japan. We will see
I'm afraid MIKE WOITALLA always undervalues the vital contributions of Tobin Heath and gives her the lowest rating. Not only did she play one of the two or three best balls of the tournament, and not only is she rock solid on defense, but it is her playing that allows us to play from the back to the midfielders. Yes, her pace is weak, but her ability on the ball is second to none on the team, and she manages to allow us to keep possession. Also, twice Morgan had Heath open far post. All she had to do was cut the ball back, but both times she shot. Heath made exactly the right runs. Some may call for O'Hara to start over her in the finals, but I'm certain Ellis will start her again.
@Stuart..Correcta Mundo... But, Boy!!! That one time she Dribbled Out of bounds for a Corner was Scary!!!
Right on with klingenberg.
She is taken WC by storm.
@Terry,... I wonder Who Jill Ellis will be Cheering for.??? Hummm??? I Noticed She Lost her British Accent in the Post Game Interviews...
@Stewart,...It will have to be even TIGHTER Coverage... Because the Japanese have shown the Crispist and Cleanist Passing game of all Temas...They Could Tiki-Taka us to Sleep and Win in PKs again...
@Uffe,... Yes, Klingenberg really pushed the Outside Defensive line upfield...And she also had the 2 Killer Passes to set up the Goals... 1st to Alex Morgan, and 2nd to Carli Lloyd...
Nice effort all around. Ellis starts the best 11, there is no lineup in football just players! Solo just does her job, not challenged much - Johnston plays the game of her life, then messes up big time on one play, actually a real tough play to make running at speed toward your goal and the ball bouncing over just above your head, she may want to practice that clearance - nice defensive game by the backline - midfielder Lloyd was the star again, Morgan and Holiday played well and Heath makes plays and then seems lost at times - Morgan and Rapinoe caused some German angst but didn't put the ball in the net - O'Hara makes the best of her time out there, but no mistake, Lloyd created the 2nd goal. Johnston was lucky not to be redcarded, Morgan's PK call was just outside the box, could obstruction have been called instead, not likely. This should have been the final. Japan/England will be playing bunker style against the USA.
Is Rapinoe rated 6 based on her usual play or 6 in relation to all of the players in the tournament? If 5 is average and she is just slightly above average, I'm certain I could win this thing time and again with 11 slightly above average players on the field.
Great performance and a great win, but questions must be asked of Jill Ellis. First, how is it that more than a year into her tenure, and five games into this WC, she has just now seen that she should play with three CMs? The team should’ve been playing this formation and training on this formation MONTHS AGO. Second, did anyone else notice how inane the Wambach substitution was? One, we were up 1-0, so why was she bringing on a forward for a midfielder (Rapinoe)? Two, even worse, why did Ellis not send someone to play on the far left after subbing Rapinoe? We had NO WIDE LEFT PLAYER, for like ten minutes. It all worked out, of course, but it was a bit daft. Granted, the team's defense and defensive shape has been excellent, so I will give Ellis credit for that, but I still think her weaknesses are glaring.
Oh, and Morgan Brian was excellent --- again. Probably deserved an 8.
Completely agree with you John. I know that Lloyd scored a goal and had an assist but for me Morgan Brian was the best player on the pitch. Finally playing in a role she is comfortable with, she was calm on the ball and dictated the pace of the game. She slowed it down and kept possession when we needed to catch our breath yet drove forward when it was called for also. She just reads the game on a different level than most players. She constantly found herself in the right spots and contributed defensively as well.
You gave a 5 to Hope Solo, a 5 and said she didn't do much. Are you kidding? Why do you think Sasic missed her penalty shot? Give Hope an 8 for the greatest psych job I've ever seen in soccer.
John--Actually Wambach took over Lloyd's spot and Lloyd took over left mid. When Ellis made the sub I too thought it was daft, but then Wambach played several good balls as a holding player that I thought redeemed Ellis' choice.
Santiago--when Heath dribbled over the end line I too thought, "girl, what are you doing." But I also thought that it should she had confidence she could escape a tight space and we need that quality, since only Heath and Morgan Brian are able to to that for us on a consistent basis. Heath knows how to play simple soccer, and sometimes that can give the impression that she's lost out there, but three or four times she played a simple cut out ball sending Krieger down the line, which always stretched Germany and gave us a deep throw in or corner every time. These little plays turn out to be wearing on the other team's defense.
If we play England in the final, we will try to play the same way we did against Germany. Japan provides a complete different set of problems. My worry here is that Ellis will start Wambach because of the size difference. That would prove to be a mistake, as we will go back to playing at a Neanderthal pace.
Come on...You gave ratings like it was a regular game! It was one of the best games ever against a #1 ranked team and we looked leaps and bounds better than Germany. I'm all for making sure a "10" is rare - but you just made your whole rating system meaningless if you gave an average of a 6-7 rating for this match.
Best match of the tournament. It would have been a shame if Cesic had been able to turn a well-deserved loss into a Germany win with JJ's one major flub. I can understand everything Ellis did except putting in Wambot instead of Press for the beat up and tiring Rapinoe. Even the compromise she made with Heath worked out---good D and intelligent passing despite lack of pace and inability to cross.
Actually sort of simple. Ellis put our best ball-handlers together in the midfield - Rapinoe, Heath/O'Hara, Bryan with Holliday and Lloyd to provide the muscle, and we were able to move the ball through the midfield. With good soccer players across the back line, and Alex Morgan up front, we actually play like a real soccer team. Viva la beautiful game.
Ellis deserves a very high mark. She is demonstrating that she knows the players and where/when they should play. Still think it unfair to rate Solo low because she had few opportunities (A GOOD THING) to show her abilities.
Alex Morgan 9. She opens the game with her speed and skill. You don't have to be a soccer expert to see that.
Hey Charles, some clarification needs to be made. Even if a foul is initiated outside of the PA, but the foul contact continues over or into the area, a Penalty Kick is still awarded. Contact was still continuing in the PA by my viewing, and impeding is only usually called when there is no to very little in the way of contact involved. (impeding the progress of...) The contact involved in this case was more a tackle/charge variety regardless of the defender turning her back at the last split-second. You're spot on about Johnson being lucky though. ; )
late to post... @Santiago 1314 - you called it. It looks like the "we are the USA" element got in the head of Sasic who appeared overwhelmed by the thought of taking the lead on the USA and Hope Solo in a World Cup semi-final - there's the 1 goal per game you predicted (sort of) ;). The momentum and level of play for the US picked up from there. Should be interesting final against Japan.