Commentary: The United States remains unbeaten, but its dominance is missing

Admit it. For about 62 minutes, this was scary. The kind of scary that would make even the most die-hard fans of the U.S. women’s national soccer team cover their eyes while watching the team’s second match in group-stage play, perhaps only peeking through the slits in their hands once the Netherlands players disappeared from the screen.

Who knew the color orange could look so terrifying? Because this match – a Thursday afternoon affair in Wellington, New Zealand, but because of the time difference, a Wednesday nightmare over here – reinforced the uncomfortable truth that this U.S. team still needs to grow and round into its once-dominant form.

In their final friendly before the World Cup, the Americans looked less physical against Wales. During the tournament opener, they scored just three goals against a Vietnam team they should have bulldozed. Then, in its toughest test in the group stage, the USWNT trailed the Dutch by a goal and needed an equalizer from captain Lindsey Horan to escape with a 1-1 draw.

The United States might have outplayed the ninth-ranked team in the world in the second half. But that first half? Its set pieces faltered. Its frustration escalated. And panic spread from Oceania to the States.

Inside Wellington Regional Stadium, a rowdy crowd filled with “American Outlaws” wore their fancy scarves and banged their drums, their fanaticism masking any doubt. But here on the other side of the globe, as we watched the Fox Sports broadcast, some of us might have imagined pulling retired star Carli Lloyd off the set, shuttling her to Wellington and pumping youth-rejuvenating substances into her veins, then playing her for the entire second half. The Americans were in that much trouble.

Out of the starting 11, six players were making just their second starts in a World Cup match. Against Vietnam, a first-timer on this stage, the inexperience, all the missed chances and the uninspiring 3-0 victory could be easily masked and glossed over. A win’s a win, right? Against the experienced Dutch, however, America’s youth got exposed.

Someone, please, alert the New Zealand authorities for a missing American midfielder by the name of Andi Sullivan. Subject last seen getting smoked by Dutch women.

While we’re at it, let’s remind defender Naomi Girma that it’s OK, and actually preferred, to … you know, have played some defense against wide-open Dutch midfielder Jill Roord.

But at least we can always count on and locate Savannah DeMelo. Just look for the frustrated midfielder constantly rolling her eyes while picking herself up after being knocked over, pushed around and downright disrespected – who pulls a ponytail, seriously?

By the end of the first half, DeMelo had had enough, so she decided to turn herself into a human bowling ball, running over anyone in orange she could find. DeMelo received a warning for her last maneuver that would’ve earned a UFC fighter’s respect. The takedown, however, didn’t count on the scoreboard, and after a half in which the Dutch narrowly missed a second goal while the Americans’ second looks resulted in feeble, wayward headers, the team in red, white and blue found itself in unfamiliar territory.

For the first time since the 2011 World Cup, which also included its one and only loss in group stage play, the U.S. trailed at the half. By this point, any fan would’ve have been forgiven for spending halftime weepily singing “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” into their pillow. Or smiling through the pain while replaying highlights of Megan Rapinoe doing her Wonder Woman pose during the 2019 tournament.

But in the second half, veteran Rose Lavelle, recovering from a knee injury, replaced DeMelo. Lavelle joined old-timers Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz, who have played in about 84 World Cups, give or take. As well as the new Captain America, the one whose super powers come out once provoked.

“Peeved” would be the G-rated word to describe Horan after she absorbed hard contact from Dutch player Daniëlle van de Donk in the 59th minute. The two are teammates on the French club Olympique Lyonnais, but when the referee tried to work an intervention shortly after the contact, Horan still wasn’t ready to make nice with her old buddy. She was good and mad, and on the following corner – a set piece that finally worked – Horan turned her frustration into fire and headed the ball into a sweet caress of the net.

“Coming back from being a goal down is huge,” Ertz told Fox Sports after the match. ” … And I think that just speaks volumes to the players and the energy that we can bring in, the game-changers that came in. I thought Rose elevated it when she came in as well. But that’s what the tournament is about. You just roll up your sleeves. You find your grit, and then you find your goals.”

After the captain answered, the fear was gone. The U.S. resembled the deepest squad in the tournament we thought they’d be. In the 67th minute, Trinity Rodman, another one of the newcomers, delivered a sweet pass to Morgan, but Morgan was offsides and her would-be go-ahead goal didn’t count. Later, Rodman had the step on a Dutch defender but not the angle, and her best shot of the day veered wide of the net. She looked up to the sky after just missing the game-winner, and the USWNT settled for a tie.

So in their two World Cup matches, the Americans remain undefeated. They have shown flashes of their speed and strength. They outshot the Netherlands, 18 to 4, and earned 11 corner kicks to one for the Netherlands. They still sit atop the Group E standings, thanks to a superior goal differential, although the Netherlands could claim the top seed with a blowout of Vietnam.

However, something’s not quite right about this team. Its dominance is missing. Its opponents aren’t afraid. And that should scare the living confidence out of America.