Vlatko Andonovski failed to get the most out of USWNT players in the World Cup – here’s why
The United States women’s national team is out of the World Cup, and head coach Vlatko Andonovski is taking his fair share of criticism.
Throughout the tournament, the U.S. manager made questionable decisions regarding squad selection, substitutions (or lack thereof) and the team’s tactical approach to games. Those decisions will be magnified now that the U.S. is out of the tournament, dispatched by the thinnest of margins on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw with Sweden in the round of 16. It was the earliest-ever exit for the U.S. at a Women’s World Cup.
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The Athletic’s Jeff Rueter and Kim McCauley have analyzed Andonovski’s approach throughout the World Cup cycle. Here, they discuss what the manager got wrong, where the blame should lie and what comes next.
Rueter: Well, I’ve had something like two hours of sleep. I fed the pigeons, looked over the plains and worked through my entire “lo-fi hip-hop beats to process goal-line software” playlist. That’s enough preparation to look back on four years of an international coaching tenure, right?
McCauley: I don’t think a week of sleep and meditation could prepare me for this, but I’ll do my best.
Rueter: On Sunday the United States clearly had the advantage over Sweden in several zones. The center back partnership between Naomi Girma and Julie Ertz was exceptional, as it has been all tournament. Even as they worked to keep up with Sweden’s movement on the break, they seemed to be operating in sync well enough to avoid creating truly dangerous open terrain. Seeing Emily Sonnett in the lineup surprised almost everyone, but her presence alongside Andi Sullivan deeper in midfield helped unlock more of Lindsey Horan’s progressive instincts — which, in turn, helped find an
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