USWNT Vs Chile: Highlights and takeaways

The United States took on Chile for their second match of the group stage in Paris at the 2019 World Cup. Here’s a look at the match highlights and takeaways.

Jill Ellis made seven changes to her U.S. Women’s National Team selection against Chile after the 13-0 routing of Thailand last week. Ellis’ decision proved to be the right one, her team winning their second match of the tournament 3-0.

Carli Llyod who got the start and scored two goals to put her team on top. With her killer instinct on full display, she is now the first player in history to score in six-straight World Cup games. Llyod has now scored a staggering 113 international goals.

Her first goal of the match came from a sweet left-footed volley just outside the box in the 11th minute. Midfielder Julie Ertz added a sublime no-look header from a corner kick to double her side’s tally. The captain then struck gold once again rising high to head home the third and final goal of the game.

20-year-old Tierna Davidson got her first World Cup start, making her the youngest player to start a World Cup for the United States since 1995. It was an incredible performance for Davidson who provided two assists from corner kicks. The left-back ran rampant showing off her ability to spray long balls into the stride of her teammates from anywhere on the pitch.

Coach Ellis made use of her all three of her substitutions. Jessica McDonald of the North Carolina Courage made her World Cup debut, coming in for Julie Ertz at the start of the second half, Lindsey Horan made way for Allie Long, while Abby Dahlkemper subbed out for Emily Sonnett, some key rest provided for some key players.

With the win, the US have booked their ticket to the Round of 16 for the eighth consecutive time in the World Cup. Here the main takeaways from the 3-0 victory.

Debut-makers contribute

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Playing your first game at the World Cup can be daunting. It is the biggest competition in world sport, the pinnacle of the game. But the USWNT stars have shown no fear, especially those making their debuts. Between the match against Thailand and Chile, several players have risen to the occasion.

Tierna Davidson, for example, slotted in at left-back ahead of Crystal Dunn and made a huge impact with two assists from corner kicks. Delivering the ball with the right height and pace is a skill that takes players years to perfect. Davidson, at just 20 years of age, did so twice on the world’s biggest stage.

Ali Krieger, who had her fair share of struggle in getting into this squad, showed why she was a piece that the US needed. Inserted at right-back, she passed through the seams of the Chilean players and tracked back quickly when her opponents countered.

Depth shines again

In the first two games of the World Cup, Jill Ellis has managed to use every player from her squad, bar the keepers of course. Being able to make seven changes to a starting lineup is no small feat.

Being able to do so indicates that there is great cohesion amongst the players. It is now evident that Ellis has experimented with several combinations. This is crucial in ensuring starters can stay fresh to be used later in the competition while doubling down as a contingency plan in case of injuries.

This will prove to be an upper hand as the USWNT gets deeper into the competition. While other teams will have their stars playing every minute stars like Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe will be at an advantage both physically and mentally. The USWNT squad is strong throughout. Ellis can count on anybody to deliver.