AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The task for U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski seemed simple: start the best possible line-up and begin the Women’s World Cup with a strong statement of intent.
But once the squad to take on Vietnam in their tournament opener was announced, it became clear Andonovski was not playing it safe or simple.
The question, which will be answered once this World Cup is said and done: is Andonovski overthinking it, or just being shrewd? The answer certainly didn’t come Saturday at Eden Park Stadium against Vietnam (a Friday night start for fans in the U.S.), nor was it expected to. The talent differential between the two sides is large enough that a fully second-choice U.S. squad would still have been expected to win.
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