During this summer’s World Cup, Backheeled is joined by guest writer Brianna Pinto. Pinto is a current U.S. U-23 youth international and plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL. Throughout the tournament, Pinto will offer her thoughts on key moments and trends for the U.S. women’s national team.
Surrounded by a group of rabid women’s soccer fans decorated in red, white, and blue, I was enthralled by the intent gazes of those gathered for a North Carolina Courage x USA watch party at a local brewery. The noise reached a fever pitch as the United States kicked off their World Cup group stage match against the Netherlands.
For more than a moment, it felt like we were finally in the golden age of women’s soccer – and there’s no doubt that the U.S. have the world watching their pursuit of a third consecutive World Cup title.
Though the game ended in a 1-1 draw, we learned more than a few things about the USWNT from their latest match. Let’s dive into some of the key factors behind the result, with a special focus on their mentality, tactics, and Angry Lindsey Horan Set Pieces.
