Photograph: Sven Beyrich /SPP/Sportfrauen.
After defeats away to England and Spain in October, the U.S. girls’s nationwide workforce continues its preparation for the 2023 World Cup with two friendlies towards Germany on eleventh and thirteenth November. We break down what the USWNT can count on, analyzing the opposition’s techniques, their strengths and weaknesses, and participant profiles.
Germany: a re-established superpower
Head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has progressively overhauled the German nationwide workforce. After a disappointing quarterfinal exit on the 2019 FIFA World Cup, she launched new expertise and constructed a a lot steadier, stronger power for the EUROs in England. Germany received their EURO group with out conceding a purpose, beating Spain, Denmark and Finland. They then knocked out Austria and France to succeed in the ultimate, the place they misplaced a hard-fought contest to the hosts in additional time.
Though their event ended with out a trophy, these performances helped to re-establish Germany’s status as a superpower of the ladies’s sport, and they’ll go into subsequent yr’s World Cup as one of many favorites. They accomplished their qualification course of with comfy wins over Turkey and Bulgaria, earlier than beating France 2-1 in an October pleasant, each targets coming from a resurgent Alexandra Popp.
Urgent and physicality
Germany’s traditional beginning formation is a 4-3-3, with actual bodily presence in midfield. Lena Oberdorf is a assured starter on the base, masking the whole width of the sphere to close down threats with tackles, stress and — if crucial — fouls. Within the absence of Sara Däbritz, she might be partnered by Wolfsburg teammate Lena Lattwein, one other highly effective all-rounder who operates successfully from field to field.
Entry the most effective girls’s soccer protection all yr lengthy
Begin your FREE, 7-day trial of The Equalizer Additional for industry-leading reporting and perception on the USWNT, NWSL and past.
