USWNT vs. Sweden ROUND OF 16 PREVIEW 🇺🇸🇸🇪

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It’s Friday, August 4th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

“Yes, the performance was crap. We all know that”

Vlatko Andonovski weighs in on recent USWNT showings.

I. Can the USWNT beat Sweden? 🇺🇸 🇸🇪

The lingering concern trailing the USA’s group stage stutter is whether or not they can actually win a game, save Vietnam.

The certain and simple answer to “can they?”, is absolutely. But a geyser of caveats bursts forth from there.

A shift in formation is likely needed, rotation in personnel (given Rose Lavelle’s yellow card suspension) required, and they are crying out for a tactical shift. Undoubtedly, they could use a bit of luck too. But will they find it?

They’ll need to answer that question, and care for those caveats, this Sunday against a formidable Sweden side. And Sweden’s technically gifted and physically aggressive game has halted a USWNT world championship journey before.

In a meeting that feels more fated than the moon and stars arriving by night, the fourth match of the Round of 16 provides the world a familiar sight. In fact, USA vs Sweden is the most common match-up the Women’s World Cup has ever known. This will be the seventh meeting between the two across FIFA’s nine Women’s World Cups, though this marks the first they’ve clashed in the knockouts.

Beyond the World Cup, or even the Olympics, Sweden is the team the US has met fourth-most, all-time. They’ve only played Canada, China and Norway more frequently.

And while the US holds the advantage in that lifelong, ongoing matchup (23W-12D-7L), the momentum swings closer toward the Swedes as time goes on.

They’ll need to be careful on corners (Amanda Ilestedt has scored no less than three goals heading the ball in from a corner so far this tournament), calm and deft handling of the assertive Swedish press, and find a way to convert the chances they get.

Should the US indeed prove capable of defeating Sweden, then the journey forward for having done so will likely taste all the sweeter, having thus proved their snuff against an old, familiar foe.

II. The USA is officially in Melbourne 🇺🇸 🇸🇪

Friday morning, the USWNT flew out of Auckland, leaving New Zealand in the rearview for the first time since they landed last month.

They’ll call Australia home for the next few days, where they’re scheduled to clash with Sweden Sunday night at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. It’s the very stadium that sent both Brazil and Canada packing. The US will hope their journey carves on.

Sunday’s meeting also marks the sole match the US will play in Australia as they pursue a deeper run. Victory over their longtime Nordic rivals would send them back to New Zealand in the days just after, where they’d play their next match(es) in Auckland once again.

Should fate prove kind, however, they could return at the end of the month, when the final takes place August 20th in Sydney.

III. The Round of 16 begins Saturday 🏆 🌏

The group stage ended Thursday in Australia, capping off two weeks rife with high octane tournament football. Nobody was safe from upset. Nobody was incapable of a victorious surprise.

Now, a historic tournament of expanded size is whittled down to just 16 nations. And over the course of four days Saturday, they clash at close range to determine the final eight.

A brief look at what’s coming:

Australia vs Denmark (Monday, 630 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Universo) 🇦🇺 🇩🇰

The Matildas head to Sydney riding on a wave of post-Canada-trouncing momentum, still hoping to utilize their recovering striker extraordinaire Sam Kerr. Denmark will be a good test for them. But while the Danes have some real quality in their ranks, this win feels eminently attainable for the Tillies. Fingers crossed for the appearance of Sam in Sydney.

England vs Nigeria (Monday, 330 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Universo) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇳🇬

Underestimate Nigeria at your own peril. They’ll be tough to play against as they meet the Lionesses, but England seem poised to ride newfound momentum further along. With Lauren James now leading from the starting lineup, an injury-beleaguered side led by the ever-astute Sarina Weigman may be where the Super Falcons end a laudable run.

Japan vs Norway (Saturday, 4 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo) 🇯🇵 🇳🇴

Japan are one of just three teams to win all of their group stage matches (England and Sweden join the claim). And coming off a 4-0 demolition of Spain, they’re clearly among the more formidable forces in this year’s event. Norway, on the other hand, are just finding their footing, after stumbling through their early tests. The test should be a good one, but momentum smiles favorably on the Japanese.

France vs Morocco (Tuesday, 7 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Telemundo) 🇫🇷 🇲🇦

We saw this match-up playout in Qatar, when a remarkable underdog journey for the Moroccan men’s side fell in the semi-final to France in Doha. Can the Atlas Lionesses rectify that loss, throwing another wrench into a European juggernaut, achieving what their men’s team could not? Anything feels possible. But France is rounding into form, and riding into this test with some exceptional and experienced talent that will be hard to blow past.

Netherlands vs South Africa (Saturday, 10 a.m. EST, FOX, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo) 🇳🇱 🇿🇦

Banyana Banyana meet their toughest test yet, at the furthest point they’ve ever reached in a World Cup. They’ve scored in every match so far, regardless of result. And with various players capable it seems likely they get one here. But the Dutch-- coming off a 7-0 victory over Vietnam– are likely to run away with this victory too.

Colombia vs Jamaica (Tuesday, 4 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Universo) 🇨🇴 🇯🇲

The contest between these two vastly underestimated sides from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL may be among the more interesting in this round. The Reggae Girlz will look to continue their string of clean sheets, but Colombia’s Linda Caicedo may be what breaks them down.

Spain vs Switzerland (Saturday, 1 a.m. EST, FS1, Peacock, Unvierso) 🇪🇸 🇨🇭

Spain impressed early. But they shocked spectators with a 4-0 fall to Japan in their third match, revealing clear defensive troubles in their squad. Still, they’ll be heavy favorites over a Swiss side that contains some elite talent, but is overall mediocre as a collective force.

IV. News and Notes

1. Zambia’s manager, Bruce Mwape, is being investigated for sexual abuse of his players. A report from The Guardian now alleges he “rubbed player’s chest” at World Cup.

2. The 16 teams remaining are now owed 60,000 USD from FIFA. From Jeff Kassouf at The Guardian, a look at what that means.

3. World Cup attendance is up nearly 30% from the 2019 edition.

V. Parting Shots

“If we can do what I think we’re going to do which is to calm down, value the ball, open up the space and start possessing a little bit more in that first phase, we can get the players behind Sweden…”

Brandi Chastain chats with Rog about the USA’s looming test with the Swedes on DIRECT FROM DOWN UNDER Presented by Bud Light. LISTEN HERE.