USWNT wins World Cup with two young midfielders who once missed out on the World Cup

The U.S. women’s national team defeated Brazil in the W Gold Cup final on Sunday. Captain Lindsey Horan scores a header..

But the stars of the program, the linchpins that held the volatile USWNT together were two young midfielders who represented the program’s post-World Cup transformation.

Corbin Albert, 20, had never even put on a USWNT jersey when the team departed for New Zealand last summer.

So was Sam Coffey, but in 2023 he was mysteriously ignored, watching from home as America suffered.

Both have been brought into the team after their seniors struggled Down Under. And in the USWNT’s biggest moment since the World Cup, interim coach Twila Kilgore turned to her young players as pressure mounted after last month’s 2-0 loss to Mexico.

Kilgore, who has been in regular contact with incoming coach Emma Hayes, left Rose Lavelle, once a force to be reckoned with, out of the starting lineup for the quarterfinals against Columbia. She brought in Albert, who had played for France’s PSG, and she never looked back.

Albert and Coffey’s double pivot led to a 3-0 win over Colombia, followed by a sloppy and “unplayable” semi-final against Canada. However, their most influential performance took place on the grandest stage, in front of his 31,528 fans at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Then, just before halftime, Coffey, who was named in the NWSL Best Eleven for the Portland Thorns, helped put the game in motion.

She charged into the challenge in midfield. She won the duel and threw Trinity Rodman to her right side.

Rodman’s first touch was wayward, but her patience was crucial. She double-teamed and passed to Emily Fox, who lofted a cross to the far post. Horan stepped up in response and slotted home what ended up being the only goal of the game.

Horan was something of an enigma for the USWNT at his position. She handles the ball cleanly as a deep-riding playmaker. She also acts like a second striker in the box and is especially deadly in the air. However, she is not mobile enough to impact the game in both areas.

Previous U.S. coaches have tried to give Horan the freedom to do both anyway. She played nominally as a “number 8”, in front of a traditional defensive midfielder and behind Lavelle. But it never worked. The U.S. midfield felt isolated. It became clear that other solutions needed to be considered.

Kilgore’s solution was to push Horan to the No. 10 spot. The pairing of Coffey and Albert gave Horan even more attacking freedom. On Sunday, Horan took advantage of her freedom and the relative newcomer took care of everything behind her back.

They, and the entire USWNT, continued to struggle with possession. Brazil had more possession and attempted more shots. Although there are no notable players, Selecao They were dominant for most of the first half.

But America’s best play was driven by high pressure from Coffey and Albert. After the game, Kilgore raved, “What an impact they made.” They also contributed to the stabilization of the United States in the second half. Albert was the second-youngest USWNT player to start in the finals and achieved a perfect score of 90, especially strong in the individual competition.

The back four, Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson, a combination of center backs representing the future and the present, also provided solid support behind them.

And the United States won this first regional tournament, making it an overall success.

It was an important preparation for the Olympics, which start in July.

For the USWNT, it was far from perfect. But it was energizing and boosted my confidence. This was the necessary proof that a program known for winning streaks hadn’t completely lost its way.

“We’ve all made the World Cup experience our own,” Kilgore said. “We’ve reunited. We’ve set new goals. We’ve set a new style of play. We’re working towards something together.”