USWNT: A Rematch with France in The Algarve Cup Final

The US Bench Is Their Secret Weapon

A small bit of the criticism levied at Jill Ellis’ coaching decisions needs walking back in the aftermath of this France final. While the USWNT has been dealing with players (e.g. Rapinoe, Leroux) trying to return to form after untimely injuries, the team as a whole looked better as the Algarve Cup wore on. To me, a huge part of that has been players that usually rank so low on the depth chart that they rarely see much time on the field. I’ve already discussed Julie Johnston at some length, but the reemergence of Kelley O’Hara and Amy Rodriguez as veritable lineup options gives joy to fans who have bemoaned how both players seemed to fall out of favor under the Ellis regime.

Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Trinidad defender Khadisha Debessette (18) defends against USA forward Amy Rodriguez (8) in the second half during a women’s World Cup qualifier soccer match at Sporting Park. USA won the game 1-0. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

I really enjoyed that O’Hara substitution in the second half against France, where she flitted around in the midfield a bit and then went to work at left back when Kling was subbed off. She’s being deployed as a utility player, and perhaps this is the perk of having a player that talented on the roster, even if you struggle to find a single place where they are most effective. The work that O’Hara did throughout the tournament (though all we have to go from the match against Iceland is that firecracker shot on goal) is almost certainly a result of the confidence that comes from an increase in the minutes that she usually gets. Like Johnston, she’s thriving on the opportunities presented to her. So what I’m saying is, there’s simply no way KO isn’t on the roster for Canada. She might be as valuable of a player coming off of the bench as Krieger or Sauerbrunn, easily the two most dependable and consistent field players that we have.

Rodriguez was another bright spot for me, and the revenge win over France was still not as satisfying as watching ARod get her first goal in the Ellis era against Switzerland. That goal is probably a significant part of the reason that she ended up with the start against the French. While I suspect that the attack for the US still needs some tweaking (only three goals were scored by forwards, all in the match against the Swiss), the return of Rodriguez gives the US what they need: more legitimate threats to score.

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