Sinclair Verses Seger: A Battle of Legends

Catherine Paquette previews tomorrow’s Olympic Games Gold Medal match between Sweden and Canada by examining it through the lens of each nation’s most experienced players before looking at each side’s biggest threats and summarising what they need to do in order to win.

Above: Canada celebrate their semi-final win over the USA. Will they be celebrating again tomorrow? Photo: Getty Images

The Olympics women’s football tournament has only ever had three different champions.  The US have won four golds in 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012, Norway won one in 2000 and Germany won the latest one in 2016.  

This upcoming gold medal match will crown a new Olympic champion in either Canada or Sweden.  Both are previous medallists, albeit of another colour.  Canada are playing for their third consecutive medal, having won back-to-back bronzes in the previous two Olympics.  This is the second gold medal match in a row for the Swedes, having taken silver in Rio.  

Moreover, when the new Olympic champion is crowned on Friday in Tokyo, it will also mean that one of two football legends will finally have won a major tournament. 

Sweden’s captain Caroline Seger first played for her nation in 2005.  She has since made 220 appearances for her national team and become the most capped European player of all time, man or woman. The 36-year-old has participated in every World Cup and Olympics since first making her debut, and finished a high of third and second respectively in both competitions.  

Above: Canada’s Christine Sinclair (12) and Sweden’s Caroline Seger (15) battle against each other at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photo: Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images.

Canada’s captain Christine Sinclair made her senior debut aged 16 in 2000.  The 38-year-old has been a mainstay of the Canadian squad for 21 years and has amassed 303 caps.  At 187 goals, she is the highest international goal scorer ever, man or woman.  The highest she has ever finished at the World Cup or Olympics is fourth and third respectively.  

Despite their ages, neither player has ended up on the fringes of their national team.  Seger was integral to the semi-final win against Australia. Sinclair scored the first goal of the tournament for Canada.  On top of their individual performances, it is their leadership skills that both nations will turn to this Friday when trying to finally obtain gold. 

Sweden will enter the match as favourites to win.  The team impressed in the group stage, winning every match in the “group of death”.  They did this through solid defending, good tactical play and brilliantly creative offence.   

Their smart tactical play is arguably what originally caught the attention of most viewers.  Sweden’s first game against the United States was won 3-0, in what was the Americans’ worst defeat in 14 years.   The Swedes were able to hit the US defence with numbers and speed and find a lot of space to finish attacks.  Their possessive play and pressure left the Americans looking disjointed and with few ideas of what to do with or without the ball.  On the other side of the pitch, the Swedish defence was good at cutting down attacks and minimizing American chances. 

Above: Sofia Jakobsson has been hugely influential for Sweden during the Olympics. Photo: Getty Images.

It is these three strengths that Sweden kept displaying throughout the tournament.  While they had no blow out games, they were consistent in their tactics, smart and lethal in their offence and solid in their defence.  They enter this gold medal match with 13 goals scored in the tournament, from seven different players, and only 3 goals conceded.

That is tied with Canada for the least amount of goals conceded for any of the semi-final teams. By far the Canadian strength this tournament has been their defence.  The ability of Canada to minimize chances on goal has been what has brought them to this final match.  

Offensively though, Canada has struggled.  They are able to clear the ball with smart clean defensive plays and then to progress forward in what can be very dangerous and effective transitions.  However when they get to the final third, especially the ability to penetrate the box, they have continuously struggled. In total they have nine accurate shots on goal this whole tournament. That is four shots less than the total amount of goals that Sweden have scored.  

The upcoming match can therefore be expected to be a competition between the Canadian defensive capabilities versus Sweden’s offensive powers.  Canada have lined up in a 4-3-1-2, with a diamond midfield, for nearly the entirety of the tournament.  One would expect that they keep this shape for the final game.  

Above: Vanessa Gilles – a big shift needed again. Photo: Daniela Porcelli.

The central pairing of Vanessa Gilles and Kadeisha Buchanan will have to continue to be as effective at working together and at providing smart clean defensive decisions alongside fullbacks Ashley Lawrence and Allysha Chapman.  The same goes for defensive midfielder Desiree Scott, who has been brilliant for Canada for years now in the number six position.  When the ball is cleared, it will be essential that the transition does not give it up, and properly builds into the Swedish half.  Alongside Scott, the two outside parts of the diamond midfield are Jessie Fleming and Quinn with Sinclair up top.  They are capable of quick transitions or slower build-ups to the forward pairing of Janine Beckie and Nichelle Prince.

Canada will most likely face a Swedish team that play in a 4-2-3-1 formation.  With their two double pivot sixes of Seger and Filippa Angeldal in front of centre-backs Nathalie Bjorn and Amanda Ilestedt, Sweden have proven dangerous in the transition and able to pass the ball through opposition lines to their attacking force. The midfield attacking trio of Fridolina Rolfö, Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson have been deadly in their creative offensive play, capable of creating space to penetrate behind defences, and also in their individual ability to score.  Whether they are paired up with Stina Blackstenius or Lina Hurting as the lone striker position has not mattered much as both have been effective in converting chances to goals. 

Canada will have to properly track the Swedish attackers who can be fluid and interchangeable in their positions.  Both teams have shown they can mount attacks through the centre of midfield and off on their flanks.  The Canadian diamond midfield has made it difficult for teams to penetrate through the middle, especially due to Canada’s constant direct pressure on any player trying to progress centrally.  During Swedish attacks on the sides, the Canadian defence will have to ensure they do not allow themselves to be pulled too wide by the Swedish midfield trio, leaving space for the other opponents to penetrate the final line.  

Sweden will likewise have to watch out for this, especially on the Canadian right hand side with fullback Lawrence proving not only to be Canada’s best player this tournament, but a fullback that can venture deep into the opposition’s side and provide accurate service.  Canada’s attack tends to be direct.  However, if Lawrence can better create with Fleming and Beckie, as has been seen at times in this tournament but not consistently, this could be the best and most creative avenue of attack for Canada’s offence. 

Above: Fridolina Rolfö, who has had an outstanding Olympics. Photo: Getty Images.

Compressing the Canadian transition, as other teams have done, will restrict their ability in the final third and make it easier for Sweden to defend.  Being bolder in the box and completing the chances they get will be imperative for the Canadians in order to get gold, especially when facing a Swedish back line which has proved especially competent at aerial battles.

Whatever defensive shape, offensive capabilities, or final score on Friday though, it should be an exciting match.  While finals do tend to be more conservative, the Swedes will have the memory of the 2016 loss at the back of their mind while the Canadians will be fighting in their first gold medal match.  It should turn out to be an exciting game.

For fans of Christine Sinclair and Caroline Seger, there will be tears at the end.  Whether those are tears of joy or tears of pain will be dependent on whom you support.

Olympic Games Women’s Football Gold Medal Match: Kick-Off moved to 1:00pm BST/2:00pm CET/8am ET/9pm Local Time. In the UK, the game will be shown live on Eurosport Player. Check local listings for overseas viewers.

The #ImpetusFamily Previews The Olympic Final

Impetus presently sponsor seven players and have a further four content partner clubs at grassroots level. Here, for the first time, each of the players, clubs and our editorial team come together to each predict who will win the Gold medal and who they thought was the best player in Tokyo.

Above: Olympic Medals are up for grabs tomorrow. Photo: Olympic Games

Ashley Cheatley, Ashford Town, Middx (London & SE Regional Premier, Tier 5) – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Canada will win Gold because they’ve looked really good defensively. Despite them not being overly impressive from an attacking perspective, Jessie Fleming the Chelsea player, at the age of 23 has looked really strong and has 89 caps already which is incredible.”

Above: Jessie Fleming, Canada’s young starlet has impressed Impetus sponsored Ashley Cheatley. Photo: Getty Images.

Danny Clarke, International Surrey Women’s Football – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Canada will win gold because as back to back bronze medalists, they are consistent Olympic performers. They have already come through a number of hard-fought games, coming back against Team GB, beating Brazil on penalties and that all-important win against the USA as revenge for their 2012 loss.

“Without a doubt, a true veteran of women’s football, Christine Sinclar deserves that gold medal before she retires. The highest-scoring footballer ever and reaching 300 caps this Olympics is deserving of that medal she may never win otherwise and will carry a lot of the experience that Canada will need on Friday in one of the biggest games they’ve ever played.

“Sweden have been here before and lost, Canada have never reached the final before and will not want to waste their chance.”

Ted McCarter, Bure Valley Youth (Norfolk) – Impetus Partner Club:

“I think Sweden is going to win Olympic Gold. A long unbeaten run, huge tournament experience, an in form squad including the influential Fridolina Rolfö will make them hard to beat.Never write off the underdog but this is Sweden’s time to shine.”

Carla McManus, DLR Waves (FAI WNL – top flight) & Republic of Ireland U19 – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think that Sweden are going to win because their attacking prowess is undeniably more of a threat than that of Canada – goals win games! Fridolina Rolfö who scored in their win over Australia in the semi-finals has had a great Olympics.”

Harriet Meers, Wroxham (Eastern Region Women’s Football League Premier, Tier 5) – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Sweden will take home gold because they have continued to impress throughout the Olympics so far. In particular, Magda Eriksson has been a solid player controlling the defence and I think she will look to maintain this against the Canadian attack.

“In the tournament overall, the player to impress me has to be Ellen White. Despite GB crashing out at the quarter finals it could be argued that Ellen carried GB through with a total of six goals. She is dynamic and executes her strikes excellently. The header she scored against Australia shows she always knows where the goal is. I firmly believe that if the rest of GB and their defence were stronger, we wouldn’t need to rely on Ellen White for the goals. Sweden for gold.”

Above: Fridolina Rolfö jumps for joy after scoring against Australia. She has impressed many of the Impetus team. Photo: Getty Images.

Hannah Roberts, Pride Park FC (Derbyshire Ladies League, Tier 7) – Impetus Partner Club:

“I think Sweden will win the gold because they’ve been so defensively sound in every game, and in Fridolina Rolfö and Stina Blackstenius they’ve got two strikers in top form! The Canadians won’t go down easy though, so I reckon it will be a close match.”

Smara Sparkes-Bond, Helston Athletic (South-West Regional Women’s Football League Division One West, Tier 6) – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Sweden will take the Gold because they have been consistent throughout the tournament and shocked everyone by beating the USA so early on. Sweden are solid across the park and look threatening going forward.”

“I think the player of the tournament has been Ellen White as she was a contributor to all of Team GB’s goals and always looked a threat when the ball was at her feet. Ellen, at times, has multiple defenders marking her due to her ability to score, but she still succeeded.”

Michael Taylor, Euxton Girls FC (Lancashire) – Impetus Partner Club:

“I think Sweden are going to win because they have just been consistently solid. Fridolina Rolfö has had a great Olympics, causing all sorts of problems for opposing defenders as she’s so quick playing down the wing. Additionally, when she drifts into the middle you just can’t get the ball off her as well. To that you can add the screamers she’s scored plus as a couple of assists thrown in. Definitely a shout for player of the tournament and one to keep an eye on.”

Lisa Topping, Chorley (FA Women’s National League Division One North, Tier 4) – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Canada will win the gold medal as they’ve put in some tough shifts and battled in physical games against tough opposition. In line with that, Christine Sinclair has had a great Olympics and been a fantastic leader to the team.”

Above: Great Britain’s Ellen White – deadly finishing at the highest level once more. Photo: Reuters.

Paige Walder, Saltdean United (London & SE Regional Premier, Tier 5) – Sponsored by Impetus:

“I think Sweden will win because they’ve had a great tournament. Beating the USA, who were arguably the favourites going into the competition, 3-0 in the opening game was a real statement! Ellen White really stood out for me as a player in the tournament purely because of her goal to game ratio.”

IMPETUS EDITORIAL TEAM:

Ben Gilby, Impetus Editor:

“I think it is going to be Sweden’s Gold medal. This is a team who are reaching the end of a journey together that has seen them achieve the silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics and third place in the World Cup in France three years later.

“They have been impressive from the start – solid defensively and able to covert territory and possession into goals when they most needed to throughout the competition.

“Canada’s achievement has been fantastic, but have found it hard to be clinical up front, and given the strength and organisation that the Swedes have at the back, it will be a major challenge for them to break through.

“In terms of great players this competition, the Barbra Banda story was wonderful, Vivianne Miedema’s ten goals in four games is staggering and massive credit to Jessie Fleming, but Fridolina Rolfö has caught the eye from start to finish.”

Above: Zambia’s Barbra Banda set the competition alight in the group stages. Photo: Getty Images

Kris Goman, Impetus Australian Correspondent:

I think Sweden will win the gold medal because they are the only team to have won every game so far. They are strong both attacking and in defence, have significant depth in the team and also haven’t had to play extra time so should be better rested.

Hedvig Lindahl has been outstanding. She’s only conceded three goals the whole tournament. She’s got solid defence in front of her but has come up big stopping shots all tournament. 

I backed Australia to win the Bronze medal match because of the belief they have. They haven’t been this deep in a major tournament before but have competed beyond expectations. Depth and fatigue are a worry but I expected adrenalin to get them through.

I think Hayley Raso has been outstanding – she never gives up. She had Lauren Hemp’s measure against Great Britain and I’ve never seen that before. She’s all over the field and personifies the never say die attitude. 

Above: Sweden’s goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, who has impressed Impetus‘ Australian correspondent Kris Goman. Photo: Getty Images.

Jean-Pierre Thiesset, Impetus French Editor:

I think Canada will win because they have a great defence and Kadeisha Buchanan has been so solid. Quite simply, she will not let any ball go in their goal.

Abi Ticehurst, Impetus Irish Women’s Football/FA Women’s National League Correspondent:

“Despite the fact they’ve made the final, Canada feels like the underdog in this final outing of the tournament and I love an underdog.

“In reality, they’ve got the legend that is Christine Sinclair leading the side and the decisive penalty from Jessie Fleming, against the USA, to secure them the spot is proof they’ve got the balance of experience and youth in the squad. As a Reading fan, I’m keeping a close eye on Deanne Rose’s performance for the Reds as she played smart in the semis, I’ll be keen to see more of that. One last thing, how can you not love Bev Priestman? She’s only been in the job nine months having previously been England assistant and now she’s lead the side to defeating the USA and a Gold medal chance.

“Overall, the squad has played some simple, no nonsense football and gone quietly and cohesively about their business. They showed just what’s wrong with the English defence so I’m hoping Sarina Wiegman has taken copious notes this tournament! And finally, if this isn’t reason enough for Canada to introduce a professional league, I don’t know what is!

“Despite Zambia being ranked 104th in the World and suffering an early exit to the proceedings, my ‘Player of the Tournament’ goes to Barbra Banda. The nation’s first ever Olympics and she opened proceedings for the side in fashion with a hat-trick against the Netherlands and if that wasn’t impressive enough, she can also lay claim to being the first woman to ever score two hat-tricks in one Olympics. She looked clinical in front of goal and whilst she currently plays in China, she’s still only 21 so I expect there’ll have been plenty of eyes on her from Europe and across the pond. A bright future ahead no doubt.” 

Kate Tigchelaar, Impetus Canadian Correspondent:

“I believe that Canada will win this gold medal match despite a majority of women’s football supporters and journalists believing it will be Sweden.

“While Sweden has had a terrific tournament, dispatching the likes of the US quite handily in a 3-0 win, there’s something about this Canadian team that feels special. They are more cohesive than they’ve ever been and when they play, you can really see that they are playing for each other.

“After beating the Americans, which was their first win against their neighbours to the south in over twenty years, belief will be at an all-time high for them that they can get Gold. 

Above: Vivianne Miedema celebrates after scoring one of her staggering tally of ten goals in four games. Photo: Getty Images.

“I also believe the possibility for penalty kicks will be high but have faith that keeper Stephanie Labbé is more than up for the task. She made some outstanding saves against Brazil when it went to a penalty shoot-out and is more than capable of doing it again.

“Labbé has been a standout player for the team this tournament, surprising then as not too long ago she was talking about retirement. The plan had initially been that once the Olympic Games were done she’d retire but then they were pushed back a year and those plans were put on hold. It would be hard to imagine where the team would be without her.

“Whatever happens, this Canada team can hold their heads high having accomplished their goal of changing the colour of the medal and medalling in back to back to back Olympics. A truly phenomenal feat for a country that has no professional women’s league or even a professional team. Hopefully with this team continuing to prove just how good they are, that is something that will change in the near future.”

Kieran Yap, Impetus Australian Correspondent:

“My head tells me that Sweden will win. They have been the best side for not only this tournament but are almost unmatched in the Euro 2022 qualifiers.

“They have too many weapons and can bring Hanna Bennison off the bench if their big guns are not firing.

“I think Fridolina Rolfö has been a standout player. She is incredibly skilled and creative with a deadly left foot.”

For Impetus‘ North American Correspondent Catherine Paquette’s in-depth preview of the Gold Medal match, click on this link: https://impetus885775742.wordpress.com/2021/08/05/sinclair-verses-seger-a-battle-of-legends/

Ruthless USWNT Hold Off Never Say Die Matildas

Australia 3-4 United States of America

By Ben Gilby

Above: America’s goal scorers Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe celebrate. Photo: Getty Images

The USA claimed the Bronze Medal with a stereotypical merciless punishment of Australian errors in a hugely entertaining game in Kashima.

This was the most USWNT like performance of the competition by Vlatko Andonovski’s team, but they were still seriously tested by a Matildas side who showed their trademark ‘Never Say Die’ spirit to come from 4-1 down to trail by a single goal going into stoppage time.

Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson named a starting line-up showing just one change from the semi-final loss to Sweden, reflecting Ellie Carpenter’s suspension after receiving a late red card. Clare Polkinghorne came in to start, with her own place on the bench from the semi-final taken by 19 year-old Western Sydney Wanderers defender Courtney Nevin.

For the US, Megan Rapinoe was recalled to the starting line-up against fellow American women’s football icon Carli Lloyd, and the consequences of that decision were clear for all to see as the game progressed.

The Matildas began on the front foot, and in the first minute, Kyah Simon found Emily Van Egmond who lifted a shot just over the bar.

Tameka Yallop continued from where she left off against Sweden with a hugely influential opening to the game.

America fashioned their opening opportunity when former Manchester United player Christen Press hit an effort which Teagan Micah did well to save.

Above: Megan Rapinoe pictured after putting the USA ahead straight from a corner kick. Photo: Getty Images

Just seconds later though, Micah was beaten. Megan Rapinoe stood over the ball for a corner on the left hand side and viciously curled it straight into the far right hand corner of the net. Australia were punished for not putting a defender on the back post.

There will be some who will claim that Lloyd may have slightly obstructed Micah as the ball came in, but regardless it was a phenomenal effort by a great player.

The USA consolidated their lead by continuing to press. The Matildas were missing the outlet provided by Carpenter’s pace on the right but also her presence defensively.

Yet, regardless, Australia were level within nine minutes of Rapinoe’s strike. Caitlin Foord came through the centre and played an intelligent ball outside to Sam Kerr who hit a first time shot across US keeper Adrianna Franch and into the far corner of the net.

In the process Kerr became The Matildas all-time leading goal scorer, overtaking Lisa De Vanna with 47 goals in 97 games. The Chelsea star is now only three goals from drawing level with Tim Cahill in the all-time Australian National Team goal scoring record chart.

Two minutes later the pair combined again with Kerr’s header saved by Franch.

The USWNT took advantage of this let off and went on to punish Australia for another defensive miscue. Alanna Kennedy could only slice her clearance of Press’ ball into the box into the path of Rapinoe who hit a spectacular first time volley into the net to restore America’s lead.

Above: Sam Kerr is denied by Adrianna Franch in the air. Photo: Getty Images

Australia rallied around the half-hour mark winning corners as a result of the hard work of Foord, Catley and Yallop, but they couldn’t quite manufacture an equaliser.

Ahead of the break, Micah was called into action once more as Yallop lost possession to Press. She in turn found Lloyd but the Australian keeper was equal to it.

There was an anxious moment three minutes before half-time when VAR was called in to check on a potential penalty for the USWNT. Kennedy swung at the ball and looked to make contact with Rapinoe marginally before the ball, but claims of a spot kick were swept away.

Yet, the USA still went into the break ahead after taking advantage of another miscue at the back by The Matildas. Simon lost possession and the ball came through to Lloyd who shot across Miach to put her country 3-1 ahead at the break.

Six minutes into the second period it was 4-1 and, again it was the result of disappointing defending. A long ball was played through and Kennedy, standing around 25 yards from goal headed back towards Micah, but failed to put enough power on the ball which allowed Lloyd to step in and pounce to score her second of the game.

Australian spirit was in evidence as they reduced the deficit to two goals just three minutes later as Simon’s ball over to Foord was nodded across Franch and in for 4-2.

Shortly afterwards things almost got even better for The Matildas when Simon found Raso on the right. The Everton star’s cross was met by the head of Kerr, but the ball agonisingly rebounded back off of the left hand post, rolled behind Franch and deflected off of the US keeper’s boot for a corner.

Above: Two goal Carli Lloyd celebrating after putting the USA clear on the scoreboard. Photo: Getty Images

Press had two opportunities to end the game as a contest but on both occasions shot for goal when the better option was to lay off a pass to team mates who were in space.

Tony Gustavsson shuffled his pack, bringing on four substitutes in two spells with 17 minutes to go. It was the usual introduction of Mary Fowler, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Emily Gielnik plus the additional Olympics debut for Nevin. Two nineteen year-olds and an eighteen year-old emphasising just how bright the future is for The Matildas.

The substitutions necessitated a reshuffled formation for Australia with Nevin going in a centre-back, Yallop at right back and Catley on the left as Fowler would go to partner Kerr up front.

Once more the changes spurred a recovery for the Matildas. With a quarter of an hour left, Catley found Kerr who was expertly held off by Tierna Davidson at the expense of a corner. Once more Catley curled the set piece in and Kerr’s header was well saved by Franch who was under pressure from Van Egmond.

Fowler showed her immense skill with a wonderful turn and then inch perfect ball down the right for Gielnik.

Into the last ten minutes, Australia continued to push for a goal. Tobin Heath fouled Cooney-Cross on the left, just inside the American half. Catley’s high free kick was flicked on by Kerr and Yallop followed up with an effort off of the outside of her boot which was saved.

With 87 minutes on the clock, USA’s Rose Lavelle pulled a low ball across the box which her fellow sub Alex Morgan couldn’t quite reach.

Above: It was another impressive game for Steph Catley. Photo: Getty Images

Laura Brock was then introduced for her final Matildas appearance in place of Yallop.

As the game moved into stoppage time, Australia’s inability to know when they were beaten showed once more. The Americans lost possession and Foord released Gielnik who galloped through the midfield and unleashed a power driver from outside of the box which flew into the far corner to reduce the deficit at 4-3.

Into the sixth minute of stoppage time, Kennedy won a throw. Cooney-Cross’ ball in was punched by Franch for Fowler who went in for a shot which deflected off of Emily Sonnett. Rather than award a corner or a free kick for what appeared to be a foul on Catley by Kelley O’Hara in the build-up, referee Laura Fortunato blew the final whistle.

Whilst the USWNT will go home with the bronze medal despite only winning two of their six games in the Olympics (the success over the Netherlands in the Quarter-Finals came via penalties after a 2-2 score line after extra time), conversely Australia will leave the Games medal less but with huge pride.

They are at the beginning of a very exciting journey ahead of next year’s AFC Asian Women’s Cup, 2023’s World Cup (on home soil) and the following year’s Paris Olympics. This Matildas team are only going to get better.

Above: Emily Gielnik celebrates her late goal for The Matildas with Laura Brock, who played her final international for Australia. Photo: Getty Images.

Teams: AUSTRALIA: Micah, Polkinghorne, Kennedy, Catley, Raso, Van Egmond, Logarzo, Yallop, Simon, Kerr, Foord. Subs: Williams (GK), Cooney-Cross (for Logarzo 67), Luik, Fowler (for Simon 67), Gielnik (for Polkinghorne 73), Nevin (for Raso 67), Brock (for Yallop 87).

Scorers: Kerr 17, Foord 54, Gielnik 90

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Franch, Dunn, Davidson, Sauerbrunn, O’Hara, Horan, Ertz, S. Mewis, Rapinoe, Lloyd, Press. Subs: K. Mewis, Heath (for Rapinoe 61), Morgan (for Lloyd 81), Sonnett (for Press 85), Lavelle (for S. Mewis 61), Dahlkamper, Campbell.

Scorers: Rapinoe 8, 21. Lloyd 45+1, 51.

USWNT and the X-Factor

The United States’ showing at this Olympic Games has been one of the hot discussion points, but Kris Goman has picked up on something else. A fractured fanbase leading to online hate directed at the team due to misconceptions over the way the players faced during the National Anthem and over the Black Lives Matter Movement could well be having an impact too (4/8/21).

Above: The reaction to the loss to Canada in the Olympic Semi-Final. Photo: Getty Images.

USWNT. Number one team in the world. Performing dismally at the Olympics. No one has ever backed up from a World Cup to take Olympic Gold, but something else is going on here. Out of five games they’ve had one clear win. Two losses and two draws, one of which they went on to win on penalty kicks. And this is coming off a 43 match unbeaten streak.

It’s mostly the same players from the World Cup, certainly the ones that are starting anyway. Julie Foudy, in her daily instagram videos, says the team lacks joy, has no chemistry or cohesion. Fans are screaming for Vlatko’s head.

Fans. The twelfth man. Let’s look at that. This team thrives on the support from their fans. Anyone who went to the World Cup knows what a difference it made. They were there in their tens of thousands being very vocal and some would say obnoxious. But the support was tangible and electric and the team was idolised. This support was their X-Factor.

Above: Some of the social media messages. Photo: Kris Goman via Twitter

X-Factor is defined as a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome. Times have changed.Covid-19 has meant no fans so all teams are playing to virtually empty stadiums. FAWSL players are used to this. NWSL players, a little less so with limited fans allowed to most matches this season. So that’s one factor.

But there’s something bigger at play here. The USWNT are no longer the darlings of the USA. There’s been a massive change in support since the BLM movement started. It’s arguable that the USWNT have taken the biggest hit here in terms of teams publicly supporting BLM.

Megan Rapinoe was kneeling during the anthem way back in 2016 in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick to protest racial injustice. It ruffled a few feathers but was nothing compared to the commotion caused by Rapinoe saying she wasn’t going to the White House, prior to the World Cup. This got Trump supporters offside and it got international coverage. However, the vitriol was only directed at Rapinoe, despite Ali Krieger and Alex Morgan also saying they wouldn’t go to the White House. They went on to win the World Cup and the team was a popular as ever. Possibly more so as the success garnered them a new large international fan base.

Things chugged along quietly with only Rapinoe getting the hate, driven by Trump supporters mostly but tinged with homophobia. But it was mostly background and Rapinoe seemed well equipped to deal with it. The pandemic started, sport stopped, people had time on their hands.

Then George Floyd was murdered in May and the police violence protests kicked off under the BLM banner. The NWSL 2020 Challenge Cup started in late June and players started kneeling during the national anthem to support the BLM movement and protest police violence. And then things got interesting.

Some players kneeled. Some didn’t. Some teams kneeled. Some players kneeled once or twice and then stopped. Some didn’t sing. Some didn’t put their hands on their hearts. Every anthem was scrutinised to see who was doing what. Fan reaction was immediate and very divided.

Above: A divided fanbase. Photo: Kris Goman via Twitter.

Some saw it as anti American. Some saw the ones standing as patriots. Some said it was disrespectful to the military and veterans. Some saw the ones kneeling as virtue signalling, others saw them as heroes and social justice warriors. Attention was very much on USWNT members. The fan base was splitting and people were saying they’d never support the team again and would no longer watch. They did however stick around on social media to mention this at every opportunity.

As the year ended and friendlies were arranged and the USWNT got back into camps, it was clearly a hot topic of conversation. Becky Sauerbrunn is quoted as saying, “I think, as a team, it was the first time we’ve talked about racial injustice and attempted to have some open conversation about it. And I think our team struggled, we really struggled with it.”

Rapinoe has said, “I mean, I don’t need to spell it out. I think you all know what the conflicts are. But then, it’s like, we have a job to do. And we have to be able to coexist and have hard conversations, and maybe those conversations don’t go great and then you’ve got to go practice and show up for that person.”

Clearly this wasn’t a united team. The team was still able to go out and win, however the tides were turning on social media. Fans were split and leaving in droves. One could argue they weren’t the core fans but they certainly were vocal.

What really tipped the balance was the send off match against Mexico in early July 21. 98 Year old veteran, Pete DuPré, a long time fan, played the national anthem on a harmonica. During this, half of the team turned to face the flag. Half remained facing forward.

Above: A Tweet showing the different directions players faced during the national anthem ahead of the friendly with Mexico. Photo: Kris Goman via Twiiter

The right wing social media ecosystem swung into gear claiming they turned their back on the veteran during the anthem. Both Trump and a former acting director of national intelligence jumped on the bandwagon adding weight to the fake news. What’s clear is that those spreading this fake news had no idea what they were talking about as the players supposedly disrespecting the veteran are the very ones that hadn’t kneeled. But the damage was done and the twitterverse exploded. So much so, US Soccer Comms actually stepped in to try to clear up the misunderstanding. Photos of the flags at the end of the field were tweeted as well as videos of the players signing a ball for DuPré after the match. Unfortunately, Trump followers aren’t known for getting their facts straight and the USWNT became public enemy number one, immediately before the Olympics.

Above: The real reason the players were facing different directions for the national anthem. Photo: Kris Goman via Twitter.

Social media can be a horrible place and any post on any platform by the USWNT social media was met with hate. Every match the “fans” wanted the opposition to win and “Hope they lose” was some of the kinder responses. At times, these sorts of posts were about 80% of the replies. From so called patriots. The hypocrisy was breathtaking.

This had to take a toll on the team. There’s absolutely no doubt that it has affected their mental health and the cohesion of the team but it hasn’t really been mentioned. It’s quite likely the team has tried to stay off social media but they all would have seen it prior to the tournament starting. It was impossible to ignore.

Above: The fall out over misconceptions caused by the direction the USWNT players faced during the national anthem begins. Photo: Kris Goman via Twitter.

Claire Watkins has written an article for Just Women’s Sports yesterday entitled, “What went wrong for the USWNT at the Tokyo Olympics”. She lists many reasons and it’s worth reading but only touches on “divisions within the team about issues of social justice” and she later tweets that three players said the final camp in Houston “kinda sucked” and was “Very tense, very hot, very tiring”.

I think they’ve lost their X-Factor. The Matildas have found theirs and the Bronze medal is theirs for the taking.

Above: Social media tonight showing backing for Australia by people claiming to previously having been supporters of the USWNT – simply because of how they perceive the American team to be conducting themselves. Photo: Kris Goman via Twitter.

Notes From North America

Impetus’ North American Women’s Football expert Catherine Paquette brings us up to date with all the action from the NWSL.

While the previous weekend has been overshadowed by Olympic football, the National Women’s Soccer League continued play in the United States.  After a bye-weekend, Racing Louisville and KC NWSL returned to the field and five matches were played on Saturday and Sunday.

They were important to nearly all teams.  Entering the weekend, just six points separated the top and seventh positioned teams.  It also represented the halfway point of the 24-match regular season for most involved.  

The first match of the weekend was between the fifth ranked North Carolina Courage and the seventh ranked Orlando Pride.  Both teams were looking for a win after not having had one in the previous three for the Courage and previous five for the Pride. The Pride were also in their first game under new interim manager Becky Burleigh.

The first half was largely a story of two teams trying to build up attacks but unsuccessful in converting in the final third.  The deadlock was broken in the second half by Orlando.  Fullback Ali Krieger stole the ball off a Carolina attacker and then made an incredible half field run before supplying a perfectly weighted ball to Sydney Leroux who scored.

It did not take long for Carolina to respond though.  New acquisition Amy Rodriguez crossed the ball into the 18 yard box.  It found Meredith Speck who then smartly passed to an open Brittany Ratcliffe who beat her defender and put it home.  The game finished a 1-1 draw.

The second match of the day was between the OL Reign and Racing Louisville FC.  After a difficult period midway through the beginning of the season, the Reign had started to find its winning ways again.  Racing was hoping the boost from newly arrived striker Nadia Nadim would bring life to their scoring, having found the back of the net once in the previous three winless matches. 

However, this game became all about Reign’s foreign striking import.  Eugénie Le Sommer, the prolific Lyon attacker on loan to the Reign for the season, had yet to score in her first six NWSL appearances.  This game was the one she would change that, with incredible form.  Her first goal came in the 28th minute when she beat her defender, literally making her slip, before shooting the ball into the top of net.  She then doubled the score in the 43rd minute after burying a ball received off a wonderful Jess Fishlock delivery.  The game would conclude 2-0 for the Reign.

The first match of the Sunday was between the Portland Thorns and KC NWSL.  KC remained bottom of the table while they were still trying to find their first franchise win.  Conversely, Portland who were top of the table wanted to remain number one.  

KC were lifted by their three newly acquired former North Carolina players, Kristen Hamilton, Hailey Mace and goalkeeper Katelyn Rowlands.  All were in the starting lineup.  While their introduction has helped KC up front and in goal, the new franchise still struggles and can be very disjointed between the lines.  They are able to create chances, but more often than not those are missed.

The Portland test, in their stadium, was never going to be easy for KC.  The Thorns opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Meghan Klingenberg’s shot on goal deflected off Kristen Edmonds and went in for an own goal.  They then doubled their account when Sophia Smith put in a cross that was deflected in by teammate Marissa Everett.  The score finished 2-0 with Portland retaining their dominance halfway through the season and KC remaining winless.

The second match on Sunday was between the Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit.  The Spirit overall controlled the match, having more of the ball, a greater pass accuracy and more shots than the Red Stars.  Their coach’s insistence on possession once again appeared.  However, it was the Red Stars who came out on top with a greater conversion of chances created. 

The home team went ahead in the 19th minute with a goal from Mallory Pugh.  The striker picked up the ball just after the halfway line and ran the remainder of the pitch, shaking off four attackers, before putting a perfectly placed ball in the bottom corner of the net. After being left out of the USA’s Olympic squad Pugh is once again showing why she first appeared for the USWNT aged 17.

Her teammate Rachel Hill doubled the Red Stars’ lead just before half time when she was able to deflect a loose ball that had come off a corner into the net.  The Spirit would not give up though.  New prolific Spirit rookie Trinity Rodman decided to show that Pugh was not the only striker on the field who could make half field runs and finishes, scoring an equally impressive goal in the 72nd minute.

The Spirit tried to equalize in the minutes after Rodman’s goal, with a great strike by Ashley Sanchez which needed an intervention by Red Stars keeper Cassie Miller.  However, in the 80th minute, Washington were penalized for a handball in their box.  Chicago’s Morgan Gautrat was able to put it in for what became a final score of 3-1 for the Red Stars.

The last match of the weekend was between the Houston Dash versus NJNY Gotham FC.  Despite taking place at 6pm local time, the temperature on the field were close to 100F/38C. The scorcher did not stop either team from playing an intense game with both creating a number of chances on goal.   The first half saw a particularly productive Veronica Latsko and Ifeoma Onumonu, who made several dangerous runs and strikes on goal for both the Dash and Gotham respectively.  

The opening of the scoring though had to wait until the second half.  Gabby Seiler found the back of the net in the 52nd minute after a ball which came from a corner was deflected off a header towards her.  The introduction of teammate Bri Visalli five minutes later greatly increased Houston’s offensive drives, particularly on the right hand side where Visalli was operating.

However, it was Gotham’s offence who would convert next, with Onumonu finally finding the back of the net after a game of close but missed chances. The goal was a great team goal, built up through a series of passes which culminated in a Delani Sheehan pass to Onumonu just outside the box, who then right footed it home from a difficult angle.  

After this previous weekend’s play, a number of teams rose and a number fell.  New franchises KC and Racing are now bottom of the table.  Only nine points separate first and eight placed though with Portland remaining top of the table.  This upcoming weekend will see another five game match schedule spread over the Saturday-Sunday.

 

Reds Announce Contract Extensions And A Departure

Above: Matilda McNamara in action for Adelaide United last season. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United

Adelaide United have announced the retention of head coach Adrian Stenta and South Australian born players Emily Hodgson and Matilda McNamara all on two year contracts. The news is tempered by the news that Head of Women’s Football, Ivan Karlović, has made the decision to end his tenure with the Club.  

Stenta guided the Reds to their most successful season to date in his first year in the role last campaign, having previously served as Assistant Coach for two seasons.

In the 2020/21 season, the Reds registered seven wins and collected 22 points to secure a fifth place finish, missing out on a maiden finals appearance on goal difference.

Speaking on agreeing to a new two-year deal, Stenta said: “I’m extremely happy to commit my future to the Club for the next two seasons.

“The Club has shown great faith in me and hopefully we can continue moving in the right direction and build on what we achieved last season.

“We have a great group of girls and we’re all motivated to improve and try and make finals especially after coming so close.”

Above: Adrian Stenta’s new contract at Adelaide United is a hugely positive step. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

Meanwhile, Head of Women’s Football, Ivan Karlović, has made the decision to end his tenure with the Club.  

Karlović joined Adelaide United in 2016 as the Youth Team Assistant Coach.

In 2017 Karlović was appointed the Club’s W-League Head Coach, a role which he held for three seasons prior to stepping into an administrative role in August 2020.

In June 2021 Karlović was awarded the prestigious Remo Paris Club Person of the Year for his dedication and service to the Club.

Speaking on his decision to leave, Karlović, said: “After five-and-a-half really enjoyable years with the Club, four of which have been with the W League, my increased business commitments mean it is the right time to step away.”

“My time at Adelaide United has been a fantastic experience and I am really proud of the improvements we have made within the program.

“I would really like to thank Nathan Kosmina, in particular, for his belief and support of our vision.

Above: Ivan Karlović has been a major part of Adelaide United’s continual growth in the W-League. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

“With Adrian, who is a fantastic young coach and great friend along with the dedicated staff, I really believe we will have success in the future.

“I also would like to acknowledge all the players for their superb dedication, commitment, and belief in the Club and wish them all the best in their careers.”

Adelaide United Chief Executive Officer, Nathan Kosmina, said: “We’re thrilled to have signed Adrian for the next two years.  

“Last year Adrian led our W-League side to its most successful season in the Club’s history and we look forward to the ongoing growth of the program over the next two years.

“Adrian is not only a fantastic coach, but he has also continued to foster a team culture of success, which is of paramount importance as we continue to focus to providing a pathway for   South Australia’s best young footballers.

“And, on the other hand, it is with a degree of sadness that we farewell Ivan Karlović after five-and-a-half years with United.  

“It is fair to say that Ivan revolutionised our W-League program in his three seasons as Head Coach and more recently in his off-field role as Head of Women’s Football.

“His dedication to the playing group and focus on setting professional standards is the reason why our W-League program is now one of the best in the country.

“We wish Ivan all the best in his future endeavours and he will always remain a friend of Adelaide United.”

Above: Emily Hodgson applauding the record stand alone W-League crowd that gathered at Coopers Stadium this year. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

Meanwhile, the retention of Emily Hodgson and Matilda McNamara are key indicators of the club’s desire to keep the best young South Australian talent at the club.

Hodgson enters her sixth season with the Reds where she has gone on to accumulate 51 appearances while scoring one goal.

The 21-year-old right-back is also capable of featuring on the wing and has spent the off-season with West Adelaide in the local Women’s National Premier League (WNPL). 

Speaking on reaching a two-year agreement, Hodgson, said: “I’m really happy to be continuing at Adelaide United for my sixth season.

“It’s my hometown team and to be able to represent them means the world to me and I wanted to keep wearing this jersey.

“I’m really determined to kick-on from last season and help this Club improve as we try to secure a finals spot.”

Meanwhile, McNamara was one of the revelations in last season’s record-breaking campaign, which culminated in her bestowed the W-League Rising Star for the Reds.

The 22-year-old central defender played every minute of every match, scoring one goal in the process, and was one of the team’s most consistent performers.

Above: Matilda McNamara taking to the pitch for Adelaide United followed by Charli Grant and Cote Rojas. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

McNamara had spent the off-season with Sydney Olympic but returned to Adelaide in the wake of the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus situation.

After signing her contract, McNamara, said: “It’s exciting to know my future will remain in Adelaide.

“I felt on a personal and team level we took great strides forward last season and hopefully we can build on that.

“It was really painful to miss out on reaching the finals for the first time on goal difference, so the motivation is extremely high to finally finish in the top four.”

Adelaide United’s W-League Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “Re-signing both Emily and Matilda for the next two campaigns is fantastic.

“They’re important players in our team and we’ll again be expecting strong contributions from each of them.

“Emily has been in the league for a long time now and I’m looking forward to seeing her take her game to the next level.

“Matilda is a fantastic defender and really demonstrated her quality and what she’s capable of last year, so I’m confident she will only improve.”

7,449 Days…

United States of America 0-1 Canada

By Catherine Paquette

Above: Jessie Fleming celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot. Photo: Getty Images

7,449 days.  Let me repeat, 7,449 days: more than 20 years. That is how long it had been since Canada had beaten the United States in women’s football. The last time they came close was nine years ago during the 2012 London Olympic semi-final match, a game that remains burned into Canadian memories for a controversial refereeing call which led to an American equalizer and ultimate win.  It should therefore come as no surprise that the Canadian women’s national team was underestimated entering this 2020 Tokyo Olympics semi-final, once again against its southern neighbours.

However, predicting the outcome of this match was not straightforward.  The United States team had a talent packed squad which had underperformed from the start of the tournament.  The assumption that they could finally find their well known American fighting spirit was not an outlandish one.  Canada for their part had produced solid defensive performances which resulted in only three goals conceded in the whole Olympic tournament. But the team has been blighted by issues in the final third.  Entering the match they had had seven shots on goal in their previous four matches, not a reassuring statistic.

If either team showed up, they could run away with the game.  If both teams continued with their tournament performance trends, then it would be a close one.  The latter of these occurred in the semi-final.  

Bev Priestman, the Canada women’s national team coach, chose the same starting eleven she had used for the quarter-final against Brazil.  The line-up used the usual 4-3-1-2 formation.  USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski made several changes from the previous Netherlands game.  Tierna Davidson got the start over Abby Dahlkemper in central defence, Rose Lavelle started instead of Sam Mewis in midfield and Alex Morgan replaced Carli Lloyd in the forward middle striker position.  The Americans went with a 4-3-3 formation.

This game was 90 minutes of relatively lacklustre offence from both teams.  While a penalty kick was the reason for the Canadians getting ahead, the true story of how Canada won this match is once again found in their defensive play.  

Canada’s back line continued to perform admirably and proved difficult to penetrate for the US. While the American Olympic campaign had been blighted by offside calls ranging from four versus Sweden to a high of seven versus New Zealand, with an average of 5.75 per match, the Canadians’ defensive actions cut down the ability of the Americans to play through balls and resulted in just one American offside for the entire game.  When danger did approach, Canada was able to deter it with clean smart defending. 

Two individuals in the Canadian back line really stood out.  Vanessa Gilles had an incredible game making 19 clearances during the match.  This represents 45% of all clearances by the Canadian team and six more than then entire USWNT.  Ashley Lawrence for her part continued to be Canada’s best performer this tournament.  She entered the USA match as the Olympic women’s football player with the most touches on the ball.  During this game she proved difficult to outmanoeuvre in defence and dangerous in her offensive moves.  

The first half progressed exactly as one could have predicted based on previous play by both teams.  They were evenly matched in possession, but unable to produce any viable chances on goal.  The Americans found the Canadian defence was extremely difficult to break down.  However, going forward Canada also encountered their own difficulties with their continued ineffectiveness in the final third.  

The Americans lacked fluidity in their play, were often sloppy in their passing and without ideas trying to enter Canada’s box.  The Canadians looked dangerous in transition but could not translate this into positive attacks, something that is turning into a long term problem.  Neither team was consistent, the Americans looking particularly disjointed.

The second half started with a more offensive USWNT than prior to this point in the match.  This did not change the first half’s general trends though.  An hour into the match and neither team had registered a shot on goal.  At this point both teams made several substitutions.  It was the introduction of Lloyd, Rapinoe and Press replacing Morgan, Heath and Williams for the US that really changed the game.  The USWNT immediately started looking more offensive and idea filled.  In the minutes after the trio came on, Canada suddenly faced a series of dangerous shots on its goal.  

Above: Jessie Fleming leads the Canadian celebrations after scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot with (left to right) Christine Sinclair, Vanessa Gilles and Janine Beckie in pursuit. Photo: Getty Images via @Sincy12

Canada did respond with some offensive action of their own.  After nearly ten minutes of continued American pressure, they were able to exit their own half and try to penetrate the USA’s final third.  Then, while both were trying to go for the ball, Davidson fouled Canadian forward Deanne Rose in the box.  After a VAR review the referee awarded a penalty to Canada.  

Not wanting to take a penalty kick against her Portland teammate Adriana Franch who had replaced an injured starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher in the 30th minute, Canadian captain Christine Sinclair gave the ball to 23-year old Jessie Fleming.  She produced a perfectly taken penalty shot into the corner that put the Canadians up 1-0.

The final twenty minutes of the match saw the Americans trying to attack Canada’s goal.  Their attacks continued to be uncertain around the 18 yard box and were increasingly desperate.  After 90 minutes of play the final whistle went which gave Canada a memorable win and a progression to the gold medal match.

Emotions were heavy after the game.  Speaking afterwards, Megan Rapinoe stated how difficult the loss was “… it’s a bitter one to swallow. Obviously we never want to lose to Canada. I don’t think I’ve ever lost to Canada.”  

However, she did try to put things in perspective: “So it’s a bitter one. Obviously there’s still a lot to compete for. That’s what I told the girls and what we talked about in the huddle. It’s not the colour we want, but there’s still a medal on the line. That’s a huge thing and we want to win that game, but yeah, this is … this sucks. It sucks.”

Above: The USA’s Gold medal hopes end in despair. Photo: Getty Images.

For the Canadians though it was a long awaited win, one that was redemptive for the 2012 London Olympic semi-final result.  Sinclair stated “Our goal heading here was to change the colour of the medal after back-to-back bronzes. What a fight.  I’m just so proud of our team.  One more to go!”

Match winner Fleming spoke about the impact the win could have back home: “Sport changed my life.  It teaches you so much… I know watching 2012 stuck with me and I hope we can have that same effect for young girls.” This game will influence young girls in Canada, just as the Matildas are influencing young girls in Australia and Sweden are influencing young girls back home.  

Moreover, this tournament, culminating in this semi-final performance has confirmed several things.  The first is that US women’s national team’s dominance is no longer assured.  The second is that the world has caught up to the usual perennial finalists.  Arguably this is a good thing.  

Having a greater number of competitive nations who are capable of winning against anyone expands the game’s reach and its parity.  It makes it more universal, and for women, more sustainable.  No one team, no one nation, should dominate the game eternally, in any sport.  It just isn’t healthy competition.  

The best thing for all women and all fans going forward is that this recent increased competition and uncertainty continues.  This means more investment, more chances and more skill continue to permeate throughout women’s football. It will lead to a brighter and more exciting future for all girls, women and fans who participate.

For now though, we will have a new Olympic winner. It will be crowned on Friday in either a defensively gifted Canada or an offensively brilliant Sweden.

Teams: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Naeher, Dunn, Sauerbrunn, O’Hara, Davidson, Ertz, Horan, Lavelle, Heath, Morgan, Williams. Substitutes: S. Mewis, Lloyd, Press, Sonnett, Rapinoe, Franch, Short.

CANADA: Labbé, Chapman, Buchanan, Lawrence, Gilles, Quinn, Scott, Sinclair, Fleming, Prince, Beckie. Substitutes: Zadorsky, Rose, Grosso, Leon, Sheridan, Huitema, Carle.

Scorer: Fleming (pen) 75.

Referee: Laura Fortunato (ARG).

Rolfö Earns Sweden Deserved Final Place

Australia 0-1 Sweden

By Ben Gilby

Above: Fridolina Rolfö (18) jumps for joy after scoring the winning goal for Sweden. Photo: Getty Images

Sweden gained the place in the Olympic Final that they have so richly deserved for their performances across the Games with a 1-0 semi-final win over Australia in Yokohama.

Whilst the Matildas created plenty of chances, it was the supremely well-organised Swedes who were able to convert an opportunity just after the break to progress to the Gold Medal match against Canada on Friday. The influential Fridolina Rolfö was on target after Australian keeper Teagan Micah pushed a ball onto the bar which rebounded awkwardly for the Barcelona star to hook home.

The pick of the bunch for the Matildas was Tameka Yallop, who is consistently performing at the highest level under new head coach Tony Gustavsson. Not only was West Ham United’s new signing proving to be a menace from an attacking perspective and providing probing ball into the box, she was also getting back to put in a great defensive shift.

Sweden went into the game on an 11 game unbeaten run and had a record of scoring at least two goals in each game at these Olympics. Australia had only managed 18 shots on target in their four games in reaching this stage but scored 8 times from these efforts.

There were two landmark stats for The Matildas before kick-off as Kyah Simon became the first Indigenous Australian female to win a hundred caps for her country and Ellie Carpenter, at the age of just 21 earned her 50th cap – the second-youngest player in Australian women’s football history to do so.

The Scandinavians had plenty of early possession but once they settled, the Matildas resumed their careful, patient passing build-up that served them so well against Great Britain in the Quarter-Finals.

It was noticeable in the opening ten minutes that Carpenter was pushing forward from right-back with far more regularity than she did in her side’s previous match.

With 23 minutes gone, Sweden almost took the lead when Rolfö unleashed an absolute rocket from outside the box which came cannoning back off of the top of the crossbar.

This was a bright light in what was becoming an increasingly cagey affair. A player from either side required lengthy treatment in this spell with Matildas’ Hayley Raso going down on her hand and looking like potentially injuring several fingers and Amanda Ilestedt landing awkwardly after a challenge with Sam Kerr.

The longer the half wore on, the more the Australians grew. Extremely well organized at the back once more, they just needed to find that killer final ball to create a real chance at the other end.

Above: Alanna Kennedy fires in her free-kick. Photo: EPA.

With six minutes of the opening period remaining, Simon was fouled outside of the box, left of centre by Nathalie Björn. Alanna Kennedy stepped up and curled a free-kick towards goal which Hedvig Lindahl pushed over.

Three minutes later, The Matildas looked to have made the breakthrough when Catley curled another magnificent ball in which was met by Kerr with a superb first time volley, but referee Melissa Borjas blew her whistle. After the game it was revealed that two Australian players were adjudged to have blocked Swedish defenders further across the box from where Kerr made contact.

Above: Sam Kerr volleys home, only for referee Melissa Borjas to rule her strike out. Photo: Getty Images

Spurred on, Australia threatened again and Caitlin Foord started a move which later involved Simon, Raso, and Emily van Egmond who played in Yallop to cross for Kerr to flick a header narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Crucially, Sweden had survived an intense period of pressure unscathed. Half-time came at a good time for them to re-set.

And so it was that less than two minutes after the re-start, the Swedes found the net. Filippa Angeldahl’s shot deflected high into the air off of Chloe Logarzo with a large amount of spin put onto the ball which Micah did well to push onto the bar. As the ball came down, still with spin-on, it bounced high and Rolfö did well to lift it into the far corner of the net.

Australia responded well initially as a wonderful cross-field ball found Raso. The Everton midfielder played in for Carpenter. Her cross went towards Kerr in the centre, but Lindahl claimed.

Another cross-field ball created danger shortly afterward. This time towards Simon who found Yallop via Foord wide on the left. Lindahl saved again.

Yallop was having an outstanding performance popping up all over the park and putting in a superb shift wherever she was.

After this initial flurry, it appeared as though a degree of fatigue was settling in over Australia – not surprising given the short turnaround between games, extra time in the Quarter-Finals, and the high humidity levels.

Sweden were now on top with 65% of possession and clearly, it was time for Tony Gustavsson to make some changes to inject some more pace into the team.

Above: Mary Fowler put in another impressive performance for Australia. Photo: Getty Images.

On came teenagers Kyra Cooney-Cross (for Logarzo) and Mary Fowler (for Simon) and the wise head of Clare Polkinghorne (for Yallop).

Suddenly there was more energy in the Matildas ranks with Fowler a menace from the off. She had her first chance within four minutes of coming on when she was found by Raso and got an instant shot away.

Sweden still threatened though and Angeldahl took possession from Cooney-Cross and fed Rolfö but Carpenter tidied up at the back magnificently.

Catley created the Matildas next chance when she held off Sofia Jakobsson well and got a shot away which Lindahl pushed away for a corner.

Shortly afterwards it was another Australian corner when Hana Glas was forced to put the ball behind. Catley bent in another great set-piece but Kerr could only head over.

Fowler was offering herself all across the front line and becoming a thorn in Swedish sides, but the final ball was never quite on point.

With seven minutes to go, the Cairns-born teenager was brought down by Caroline Seger around 25 yards from goal in a central position, but the resulting free-kick was well over.

Four minutes later, Cooney-Cross played a dangerous high angled ball into the box towards Kerr who couldn’t quite reach it. Substitute Emily Gielnik raced in to follow up, but the Swedes tidied up.

Into stoppage time, Sweden looked increasingly assured of the win and had several chances to increase their lead.

First, Stina Blackstenius was ruled offside when she pulled a ball across for Kosovare Asllani to tap home. Rolfö was involved shortly afterwards when she managed to put in a cross despite at one point looking to have pushed the ball too far ahead of herself but, under pressure from sub Laura Brock, Blackstenius put her chance wide.

Right at the death, Lina Hurtig broke clean through and was in on goal with Carpenter chasing back. The Lyon defender pulled the Swede back and received a red card.

Shortly afterwards, the final whistle went, and with it, Australia’s hopes of a Gold medal.

Above: The winning goal – Fridolina Rolfö’s effort flies in with Stina Blackstenius (11) looking on. Photo: Getty Images

They will though be exceptionally proud of their efforts in Tokyo as very few people predicted they would have gone this far. They will now rally together to face the USA on Thursday for the bronze medal, but they will have to do it without Ellie Carpenter who will be suspended.

The influence of head coach Tony Gustavsson has become clearer as the tournament progressed, and it is an influence that the whole squad clearly enjoy.

Steph Catley remarked: “I couldn’t speak more highly of Tony. Obviously, when he first came in, we really started from scratch and we didn’t have long,

“During those times where we were conceding a lot and losing games, he just kept saying we’re not peaking for now, we’re peaking for the Olympics and he really instils a belief in every single player that the preparation that we’ve done, is focused on bigger things.

“We were never worried, even though there was a lot of outside noise because we always knew that the focus was the Olympics and to be peaking right now and we truly feel that way,” she continued.

“All credit has to go to Tony and to the staff for instilling the motivation and the belief within this squad, that the process was happening and there were going to be speed bumps and blocks along the way, but the ultimate goal was to be where we are right now in a position to win a medal at the Olympics.”

Matildas star Sam Kerr agreed with the Arsenal defender: “I think you can see his personality is very upbeat, but the biggest thing is belief.

Above: Joy for Sweden upon reaching the Olympics Final. Photo: Getty Images

“We’ve always got to this point and fallen at the last hurdle and when he first joined, that’s what a lot of us said, that we just want to get there and get through and give ourselves an opportunity to win a medal because we really believe that we can, but we’ve just not been able to get over that hurdle.

“He’s really instilled that belief that we can do it and we can beat any team and play the way we want to play and I think you’ve seen that we’ve played every game, how we play, we haven’t changed for anyone and that gives us massive belief when we beat teams like Great Britain.”

Kyah Simon echoed her team mates’ opinions: “Passionate is definitely a word that springs to mind, first and foremost (when describing Gustavsson).

“Also his energy, his charisma and just his passion for his job and for our team.

“He hasn’t tried to force too much of his tactics and his style of play. He’s really formed his tactics, his philosophy and style of play to suit the players that we have and his understanding of our culture as well, it’s been really nice that we’ve gelled together.”

Whilst Australia have a lot to look forward to over the coming few years, it is the present that Sweden can enjoy.

They fully deserve to be in the final. They have been the most consistent top-performing team in the competition. Their next hurdle is the Canadians, who will be all out to make the most of their win over the USA in the battle for Gold.

Teams: AUSTRALIA: Micah, Carpenter, Kennedy, Catley, Raso, Van Egmond, Logarzo, Yallop, Simon, Kerr, Foord. Subs: Williams (GK), Cooney-Cross, Polkinghorne, Luik, Fowler, Gielnik, Brock.

SWEDEN: Lindahl, Glas, Ilestedt, Björn, Eriksson, Angeldahl, Seger, Jakobsson, Asllani, Rolfö, Blackstenius. Subs: Andersson, Kullberg, Bennison, Janogy, Hurtig, Falk, Schough.

Scorers: Rolfö 47

Referee: Melissa Borjas (HON)

Olympic Semi Preview: Australia v Sweden

By Kieran Yap

Above: Kyra Cooney Cross and Madelen Janogy battle it out when the two nations met in the group stage last week. Photo: Getty Images

Focus on Australia:

Australia played the long game. They used the pre-tournament matches to experiment with new systems and tactics and altered their game to fit each group stage opponent.

An opening win against New Zealand and a cautious, tactical draw against the USA was enough to get them into a quarter final where they defeated Team GB in one of the games of the tournament.

The Matildas tactical flexibility has been a key reason why they have reached the semi finals. They played their familiar 4-3-3 formation and attacking game plan against New Zealand to secure an early win, but changed to a counter-attacking more careful style against Sweden.

Against the USA, they showed they are willing to temper their instincts and play for the result they needed and take fewer risks with less to gain.

In terms a key player for Australia in the Games, it is hard to go past Sam Kerr. The Matildas captain has scored five goals so far and would have had six had her penalty kick been an inch to the left.

Above: If Sam Kerr celebrates another goal for the Australia tomorrow, she will become the Matildas’ all time leading scorer. Photo: Getty Images.

She has been a threat in every game and used the attention given to her to open up spaces for her teammates. A flick on to Tameka Yallop set Australia on their way against New Zealand and her presence allowed Alanna Kennedy a clear header to score against Team GB.

This is not a player that opposition defenders ignore yet she still finds a way to impact the game when it matters.

Focus on Sweden:

Sweden are many people’s justifiable tip to win Gold. They have barely missed a beat since the tournament began and at times look unbeatable.

Australia’s 4-2 loss to them in the group stages showed that they can be scored against. Scoring enough times while stopping them is the big challenge and nobody so far has been able to.

Sweden need to stop crosses coming in. They can prevent passes to Kerr and Foord by dominating the midfield but it only took two good balls into the box to concede twice in the group game.

Kerr can beat most defenders in the air and managed to do so against the highly regarded Magdalena Eriksson, her Chelsea team mate to score her first last week.

Above: Stina Blackstenius (11) and Fridolina Rolfö (18) two of Sweden’s most dangerous players so far. Photo: Getty Images.

If Australia gets Catley, Simon and Foord on the ball in wide areas it could spell trouble for Sweden.

The tactical battle:

To win the game, Australia need to defend deeper than they did in the group game against the Swedes. Sofia Jakobsson was allowed to get into too much space and time behind the Australian defence. This is inviting scoring chances and The Matildas will need to balance attack and defense much more carefully than they did in the group stages.

Fridolina Rolfö has to be marshalled closer attention than before. She was another that was very damaging and cannot be given the opportunity again.

Tony Gustavsson will have learned from the previous loss, but much of this game will depend on player fitness. Sweden has a deeper squad than Australia and The Matildas are coming off a gruelling, exhausting 120 minute game.

Olympic Semi Preview: Canada v USA

By Catherine Paquette

Above: Canadian football icon Christine Sinclair. Photo: Canada Soccer.

The first of the two matches tomorrow will be an all-CONCACAF affair.  The confederation’s two strongest women’s programs will meet again for their second semi-final confrontation in the last three Olympics. 

The last one was a contentious one. Canada led 3-2 in the 72nd minute of the 2012 London Olympics semi-finals.  It had been a wonderful display from the Canadian captain Christine Sinclair who put her team ahead with a hat trick.  However, a controversial referee call several minutes later opened the way to an American equalizer.  The USA won the match in the 122nd minute after Alex Morgan headed the ball in for the 4-3 win.

The memory of 2012 is still vivid.  There are players from both squads who participated in that end-to-end 120 plus minute match.  However, the current teams are very different from those that played nine years ago.  Both squads are now almost completely made up of professional players, whose full time job is now football both internationally and at club level.  Both teams have very different composition of players, as would be expected with nearly a decade of time elapsed.  Entering the semi-final team they can also be described as two very difficult teams to beat, who have also been underperforming for most of this Tokyo Olympic tournament. 

While the US had a very positive buildup entering this women’s football tournament, their Olympic performances have seen the USA contending with a football world that has caught up to them.  Overall it is a team that is just not playing well in nearly every area of the pitch. They were outplayed by Sweden, won against New Zealand but with questions remaining, and finished their group stage with a stagnant display against Australia.  They did not show the dominance they had two years ago in the most recent match against the Netherlands, winning the game on penalties.

The Canadians for their part have had issues in the final third.  They have suffered from disjointed play in the final attacking phase, which has also lacked ruthlessness at times and shots on goal in general.  They enter this semi-final with seven accurate shots on goal for the entirety of the tournament. They drew two of their group stage matches, against Japan and Great Britain, late in the game after being in the lead.  The Chilean group stage game was a better performance but one where we would have expected more offensive Canadian threats.  The quarter-final match against Brazil continued this lack of final third lethality, with Canada also proceeding to the semi-final on penalties.

Above: Canada’s Jessie Fleming takes on Alex Morgan (right). Photo: Getty Images.

Overall both teams have strengths and weaknesses.  The Americans have a team packed with talent that can individually lift the squad during disjointed team performances.  Canada have a very strong defensive back grouping that can minimize the opponent’s chances and lethality.  However, as a whole unit neither team has fully clicked this tournament.

Both have had players who have stood out individually.  Goalkeeper Steph Labbé kept her team from losing in two matches for Canada.  The Canadian backline has been quite solid with Ashley Lawrence really standing out as an offensive threat throughout the tournament.  American keeper Alyssa Naeher’s two incredible saves in the quarter-finals put the Americans through to the semis.  

Both teams also have players that have either been inconsistent or quite silent at times but who can be game changers.  Canada’s Janine Beckie was the game changer in their second match, despite her missed penalty.  The US’s Christen Press also had a good second match against New Zealand.  Desiree Scott and Julie Ertz both performed well in the defensive midfield positions when they started, but without solid offensive performances in front of them their potential has been minimized.

Canada’s Jessie Fleming, Quinn and Nichelle Prince have had moments in the tournament but never together.  The same goes for the US’s Sam Mewis, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan. Of course no conversation of either team can occur without mentioning Christine Sinclair, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan or Carli Lloyd.  None have been able to be the game changers we know them to be so far in this tournament, but they are also not players you can ever count out.  

The reality of the upcoming game is you will have two talented teams, who have demonstrated disjointed play in this tournament and who are not living up to their potential.  If both show up for the upcoming match then we could see an incredible game like the 2012 London Olympics semi-final.  If only one team shows up and is finally able to click, then they will likely win.