Starting XI: Alyssa Naeher, Crystal Dunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan, Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle, Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Lynn Williams
Subs: Casey Krueger, Jaelin Howell, Kelley O’Hara, Carli Lloyd, Catarina Macario, Tierna Davidson, Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, Jane Campbell, Margaret Purce, Casey Murphy, Kristie Mewis
USA vs. Brazil’s first half couldn’t have been more different than USA vs. Canada. Where Canada stayed penned up mostly in their defensive half, Brazil made it a fast-flowing, open game with end-to-end action as the US pitted their 4-3-3 against Pia Sundhage’s flexible 4-4-2.
A big part of this was once again the lack of execution from the US, but the other part was Brazil having more personnel to take advantage of it, particularly with their speed, ballwinning, and distribution in midfield.