The US women's national team are set to match wits and skills with the top-ranked side in the world in Montreal on Tuesday, when they meet Germany in a long-anticipated Women's World Cup semifinal at Stade Olympique (7 pm ET, FOX, NBC Universo).
This battle of perennial trophy contenders often signals a tournament's eventual winner. The US defeated Germany 5-2 in the 1991 semifinals en route to their first World Cup title and won 3-2 in a 1999 quarterfinal rematch at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, on their way to that year's trophy.
The Germans struck back in 2003, dropping the host Americans 3-0 in a semifinal clash in Portland before beating Sweden in the final for their first of two consecutive championships. Over the current World Cup cycle, they have also displaced the USWNT from the top spot in the FIFA Women's World Rankings (which, like the men's version, is admittedly generally taken with a grain of salt).
Measure it by any factor you like: This is an enormous game and a fearsome test for the US on a different scale than the other opponents they've encountered in Canada this month.
“This is what this tournament is all about, and I really am so happy that we are playing against the No. 1 team in the world,” US defender and former German league (Frauen-Bundesliga) star Ali Krieger told reporters on Sunday. “I think this is what makes it so fun. This is why we’re here. We want to beat the best team in the world. To win the trophy, that’s what you have to do.”
Germany's women tend to be every bit as well-drilled and well-rounded as their counterparts on the men's side – it's the only nation to win both World Cup trophies – with an effective blend of steel and dynamism, usually built on a 4-2-3-1 formation paced by forward Celia Sasic (pictured at right) and midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan. (An ankle injury makes Marozsan a doubt for Tuesday.)
In the back, veteran goalkeeper Nadine Angerer plays her club soccer for the Portland Thorns and is widely regarded as the world's best shotstopper not named Hope Solo. Meanwhile, US men's national team fans familiar with that team's “Germerican” contingent may see similarities in Sasic's multinational story: Born to a French mother and Cameroonian father, married to a Croatian – but proudly representing the country of her birth.
Coach Silvia Neid's squad have scored 20 goals and allowed just three in their five games to this point and thumped Sweden – the team that earned a 0-0 draw with the USWNT in the group stage – 4-1 in the Round of 16.
Germany struggled to cope with France in Friday's gripping quarterfinal, however, and were fortunate to win a late penalty kick to send that affair to extra time, then triumph in a penalty-kick shootout that wasn't decided until the 10th and final spot kick.
That last labored performance contrasts with the slow start and growing momentum of the USWNT, who sputtered in the group stage but took a major step forward in their 1-0 quarterfinal win over China Friday night. The Yanks seized control of the tempo in that match, pressing the Chinese energetically and spending long periods in the attacking third despite the absence of suspended starters Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday.
After the win, one player after another spoke effusively of the confidence boost gained from what they clearly viewed, with good reason, as their strongest WWC display to date.
“It felt so good,” Kelley O'Hara, who marked her first appearance of the tournament with a solid hour's shift at right midfield, told ussoccer.com. “It felt like we had a very good attack and that we were consistent. And we just continued to keep pressure on. I think that was the game plan going into it, and I think it's really great that we were able to execute that.
“It felt free. It was fun.”
Striker Amy Rodriguez (pictured at right), another new entry to the starting lineup, gave US coach Jill Ellis some food for thought with 86 minutes of spirited work on both sides of the ball, offering a significantly different look from the one offered by Abby Wambach alongside Alex Morgan up top. Even with some clumsy finishing of clear chances that kept her off the scoresheet, Rodriguez's hard running inspired a more aggressive mentality across the team.
Those good vibes might give Ellis pause when considering how to bring Rapinoe and Holiday back into the side. Young Morgan Brian brought balance to the central midfield that was missing when Holiday and Carli Lloyd were paired together, while O'Hara and Tobin Heath were lively – but probably not outstanding enough to keep the creative Rapinoe out of the starting lineup.
“Today's game was so much fun,” said Rodriguez of the China match. “It was a complete team win. We went out there and fought really hard. We showed up today, and I'm really proud of the girls for doing that.”
Both teams must recover quickly given the short turnaround from Friday's exertions:
But there's a bit of rest for the winners: Tuesday's winners will advance to the tournament final, set for Sunday at Vancouver's BC Place, against the winner of Wednesday's Japan vs. England match in Edmonton (7 pm ET, FOX Sports 1).
