MELBOURNE, Australia — Fresh off their worst group stage in Women’s World Cup history, the U.S. women’s national team enters the knockout stage looking like an imposter of the team that won the World Cup four years ago.
The problems for this USWNT have been well-documented, and they are myriad. They fail to put shots on target or score goals. They struggle to pass the ball or maintain possession for any sustained amount of time. They lack creativity and are too predictable. The players look tight and joyless. And so on.
But here’s the caveat: this is still the U.S. women’s national team, and they can still beat Sweden to advance through this tournament — and maybe win the whole darn thing.
“There’s no secret that their group games didn’t go exactly like…
