This morning’s Japan vs Sweden game broke my heart. After watching the USWNT lose against Sweden, Japan was my last favorite to fall.
I blame both coaches for blowing it. The US coach didn’t know how best to use his players, and the Japan coach was too slow to realize what Sweden was throwing at his gals until it was too late. To be honest, the latter should have expected it before it happened: the tallest team, against the shortest team, was going to use their physical advantage to wear down the Japanese and keep the pressure on with substitutions. The Japan coach failed to do the same to keep his own team fresh in the face of them constantly getting knocked down to the turf.
My wife could hear me frothing at the mouth from the bedroom.