U.S.A. women’s Olympic preview
DiCicco shuffles lineup and rethinks tactics after disappointment of Sweden ’95
There won’t be any excuses this time.
Last summer in Sweden the United States faltered in its attempt to stay atop the international women’s soccer scene as it suffered its first real bout of adversity, from injuries to poor form.
This summer, the U.S. has a chance to redeem itself on its home soil during the Summer Olympic Games.
“That’s something you never forget,” said U.S. midfielder Julie Foudy of the semifinal loss to Norway in the Women’s World Championship. “It’s etched in your brain everyday.”
That memory could be replaced by a happier one if the U.S. takes the gold medal in Athens, Ga., in the debut of women’s soccer in the Olympics.
Unlike the U.S. men, who would be happy to get to the second round of their tournament, the U.S. women are favored to take the gold.
The excitement of playing in the first Olympic women’s soccer tournament and the lure of being the first Olympic gold medalist spur the U.S. on.
“It’s history when you’re the first in anything,” said Mary Harvey, the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. when it won the first Women’s World Championship in 1991. “We want very badly to be the first again.”
Outwardly, at least, the U.S. players say the Olympics is not a stage to exact vengeance for its World Cup defeat. They want to win no matter whom they have to beat.
“You’ve got to beat all of them to be the best,” said Foudy. “If you concentrate just on Norway, someone else is going to beat you.”
To avoid that, U.S. coach Tony DiCicco has assembled what should be a better squad than he had last year. The improvement in the U.S. is due in part to the ridiculously small 16-player rosters the women’s teams will have to cope with at the Olympics. There is no dead weight in the U.S. lineup. Everyone the U.S. brings, as DiCicco often says, has to be a starter.
Three new starters in the lineup
Key additions are striker Tiffeny Milbrett, converted forward Shannon MacMillan in midfield and converted forward Brandi Chastain in the back.
Another factor in the improvement is that DiCicco has changed a few things. Not everything is done or played as it was under former coach Anson Dorrance. True, Dorrance produced a team that won a World Championship in 1991. But adhering to his style — a 3-4-3 formation with man-marking and constant high pressure — while the rest of the world figured out how to combat it contributed to the downfall of the U.S. in 1995.
Now the U.S. is less predictable. Changes in the attacking strategy, formation — at times employing a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 — and the defense — using a zonal, flat back three or four and not playing high pressure all the time — makes the U.S. more difficult to prepare for than in the past.
With all this going for them, what could hold the U.S. women back?
It’s own group could, for a start. The U.S. has the tougher of the two. Norway was the lucky one, meeting international underdogs Brazil and Japan along with World Cup runner-up Germany in Group F.
China, Sweden and Denmark round out the U.S. group. China, in 1995, and Sweden, in 1991, have each advanced to the semifinals of a World Cup, while Denmark beat the U.S. 2-0 in the 1995 Algarve Cup.
Denmark is a darkhorse to advance to the semifinals. It’s not as good or as experienced a team as China or Sweden. But the Danes, led by star midfielder Helle Jensen, could pose the biggest threat in the group when they meet the U.S. July 21.
“They are dangerous on the counterattack and they know how to bunker in,” said DiCicco. “That’s one of the reasons why we wanted to play against Australia, because Australia does some of the same things Denmark does.”
Sweden, which the U.S. plays July 23, is usually among the world’s elite. It took third in the 1991 World Championship by beating Germany 4-0 and then downed Norway in the 1995 European Championship semifinals before bowing to Germany 3-2 in the final. Unlike Denmark, this is a team that comes out and attacks.
But Sweden, which lost to the U.S. in two February friendlies, has yet to win a major international trophy and shouldn’t bother the U.S.
China match should decide group winner
The final group match July 25 Miami against China will likely decide who wins the group. China lost to the U.S. 1-0 in the U.S. Women’s Cup May 18, but exposed the weaknesses of man-to-man marking in a 3-3 tie with the U.S. in the last World Cup.
“It’s one of those teams that matches up athletically to us better than probably any other team,” said DiCicco. “Certainly in the area of speed they do.”
Despite how difficult the group is, DiCicco likes his team’s chances.
“I’m confident we can beat those teams and get to the medal round,” he said. “You would think six points would get you into the medal round. But it’s possible three teams could end up with six points and it would come down to goal difference. We’re looking to win all three of those games, quite honestly.”
To advance, the U.S. women will have to avoid the injuries that rendered two of its biggest stars — Michelle Akers and Carin Gabarra — to little more than bystanders in the World Cup.
Akers and Gabarra are two of the oldest players on the team and may need more rest than the one-day turnaround between group games will afford. The small rosters won’t give coaches the chance to rest too many players.
That’s where the few reserves the U.S. does have will come in.
If Akers stays healthy entering the Olympics, she’ll start at center forward. Either Gabarra or Cindy Parlow would replace her if need be. Each of the three is versatile enough to also play in midfield, or as a withdrawn striker, while Gabarra and Parlow can play out on the wings up front.
Tiffany Roberts can come in at flank midfield or in the back. Staci Wilson can fill in at outside back or stopper or start as a fourth back.
Harvey, who has impressed in limited playing time behind starting goalie Briana Scurry, is a solid backup who has started in a World Cup final before a crowd of 60,000.
Norwegians give U.S. nod in the heat
If all goes according to plan, the U.S. should get to another final, after probably facing Germany in the semifinals. Germany has some of the best players in the world and plays a very organized, technically sound game. But Germany has lost six of eight matches to the U.S., including two last March, and shouldn’t win here.
Norway should be on hand in the gold-medal match. The two have split their last four games. Norway was also the victim of a late Akers goal that won the ’91 World Cup for the U.S.
The Norwegians know that they should have a more difficult time playing in the sweltering summer climate of the South and were respectful when assessing their rival.
“There are four teams that can win the gold,” said Norway coach Even Pellerud. “The U.S., Germany, China and Norway. Maybe the U.S. is ahead of everyone else because they are the home team.”
“It will be very difficult to beat the U.S. in their home country,” agreed midfielder Hege Riise. “The USA is a very strong team, and when they have their day they can beat everyone.”
Dean Caparaz is an associate editor at Soccer America.