Today's 2-0 win over Italy wasn't as "pretty" as the 4-0 trouncing of China earlier in the week, but it was more exciting.
It was nice to see the team knocking the ball around so well and it's good for the ego to score a bunch of goals, but when a team rolls over like China did, there's no drama.
Italy didn't roll over, not for a moment. They pressured the U.S. from the opening kickoff to the final whistle and though it wasn't always "pretty", it made for an lively match.
“It was really a battle. The Italian team was definitely inspired and motivated for this game for the whole 90 minutes," said Heather O'Reilly whose second half goal was a beauty. "It’s not like they lost their desire at any point. It was a very intense game, so it was really a battle for us to calm it down, ping it around, and keep possession, and I don’t think we did that quite as much as we would have liked, but we won 2-0, it’s a great win and we’re moving on towards Norway.”
The midfield shined against China, but it was the back line, led by Christie Rampone, that stood out against Italy. They were tested by the Italians, especially number eight, Melania Gabbiadini, who was consistently dangerous. They came out unscathed, but had some help from the Italians who were frequently caught offsides.
“It was a great match for us because it challenges us. We seemed a little stressed at times…but we just have to stay composed," said Rampone. "We’re a good team. We’re good on the ball and we just have to believe that and I think these games test us, which is good going into qualifying because at times like that we have to compose ourselves and settle down.”
It is imperative to the development of this team to be put in uncomfortable situations before they get to the Olympics. It's easy to possess the ball when there is no pressure, but this was an opportunity to test themselves against some consistent pressure. It wasn't perfect, but it was an important step towards being able to handle the heat the next time they face down a Brazil or North Korea.
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