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Where Vlatko Andonovski went wrong in USWNT-Netherlands draw

Vlatko Andonovski is coaching in his first World Cup with the USWNT. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

The USWNT drew the Netherlands 1-1 on Thursday in the second group-stage match of their World Cup campaign, a result that sets the team up to advance to the knockout rounds and also serves as something of a disappointment in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final.

The U.S. fell behind early and looked disjointed in the first half, needing a second-half equalizer from Lindsey Horan to salvage a point. The U.S. is still in a good position, leading Group E on goal differential, but they have work to do if they want to make a run to the World Cup final.

Here are three things that stood out from the USWNT’s comeback result.

Young USWNT has that storied grit

A frequent criticism of the new-look U.S. is that they don’t always show the never-say-die attitude of past generations. But if there’s an overarching theme to take away from Thursday’s draw, it’s that the U.S. might benefit from believing in themselves more.

The U.S. began the match on top, flying through passing and dribbling sequences in the Dutch penalty area with ease. But after the Netherlands’ first shot on goal — a low xG chance — ended in the back of the USWNT net, the team immediately seemed to lose confidence.

There are some natural explanations for the swing in momentum, but the team’s inability to turn the mental switch back on until the second half became overly physical is one to note for later rounds. The Netherlands’ first goal, as unlikely as it might have been, forced the U.S. into a mid-block that felt overly tentative.

Within that hesitation, the public saw newly-named captain Lindsey Horan work through the problem in real time. After taking a harsh challenge from club teammate Danielle van de Donk, Horan took over the game of her own volition for a brief moment, manifesting the equalizer with a towering header off a corner kick.

Horan’s success underscored the dichotomy of doubt in a young, inexperienced USWNT. They have the ability to turn a game on its head at any moment, but if they don’t believe in that possibility, they can also give the game back to their opponent.

Andonovski: coach or general manager?

The USWNT’s inability at times to adjust to their opponent’s approach faced criticism long before the World Cup began, much of which rests with their manager. For many, Vlatko Andonovski plays the public-facing role of both general manager and coach, despite the former position actually being held by former U.S. national team player Kate Markgraf.

Andonovski answers for decisions when a roster is named, including the changes between the 2019 World Cup-winning team and the squad that has started the first two World Cup games in 2023. But he was also hired to be a tactical manager based on his success as a championship-winning coach in the NWSL, overseeing the X’s and O’s to set the U.S. talent pool up to compete with the rest of the world.

That tactical flexibility was missing at the Tokyo Olympics, with the team over-relying on rotation and individual talent to gut out a bronze-medal performance. In 2023, under circumstances far friendlier than the pandemic hanging over the last major tournament, the U.S. still doesn’t look like a team guided by someone prepared to adjust tactics in high-pressure situations.

Against the Netherlands, the U.S. struggled to exploit obvious gaps. The Dutch play with a narrow three-back defense, and the U.S. still could not target wide areas to isolate Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman at angles that put them in good positions to take shots on goal. They similarly looked unprepared for numerical overloads in the midfield, despite extensive scouting that indicated the way the Netherlands wanted to progress the ball.

One of the requirements of the USWNT coaching job is the years-long process of determining a World Cup-ready starting XI, but it’s not the whole job. The U.S. still looks like a program unwilling to trust its players with a basic game plan, which places extra emphasis on coaching.

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Lynn Williams has yet to play for the USWNT at the 2023 World Cup. (Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Where is Lynn Williams?

Beyond the USWNT’s 4-3-3 formation appearing somewhat naive in the face of the way the Netherlands packed numbers into the midfield, the U.S. looked rigid when they needed to make necessary adjustments.

Andonovski used only one substitute out of an available five on Wednesday, bringing on veteran attacking midfielder Rose Lavelle after halftime to take over set-piece delivery and aid in the midfield’s creativity. That substitute paid off, as Lavelle provided the service that ended in Horan’s equalizer.

Andonovski forwent any other changes intentionally.

“The players played well. We were around the goal the whole time, and I just didn’t want to disrupt the rhythm at that point,” he told the media after the match.

Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams, despite possessing the qualities a game against the Netherlands begs for, has yet to see the field. Other substitutions, like that of Alyssa Thompson or Megan Rapinoe, might have also been the difference between settling for the draw and going for the win.

An approach that prioritizes consistency over dynamic changes might make sense for a squad given enough time to become the best version of themselves, but elimination tournaments don’t quite work that way. The Netherlands’ first goal resulted from an uncharacteristic slip by Crystal Dunn, which was almost the deciding factor between a draw and a loss. It’s always smart to adjust the margins in the long run, but Andonovski looked indecisive when given a chance to trust his bench.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Notre Dame Star Olivia Miles to Forgo 2025 WNBA Draft, Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

NCAA transfer portal entrant Olivia Miles #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dribbles the ball during game against TCU Horned Frogs in the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Miles will reportedly enter the transfer portal. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Notre Dame standout Olivia Miles will forgo the 2025 WNBA Draft, instead opting to stay in the NCAA for her final year of college eligibility. But she reportedly will not for the Fighting Irish.

Miles is set to enter the transfer portal, posted ESPN’s Shams Chariana on Monday, moving on from Notre Dame after back-to-back Sweet 16 exits.

"Notre Dame's Olivia Miles — the projected No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft this month — will forgo the draft and enter NCAA's transfer portal, sources tell ESPN," the journalist posted on X. "The 22-year-old top prospect makes unprecedented decision to use her one year remaining of college instead of the draft."

Miles shakes up the 2025 WNBA draft

Miles will certainly have her choice of top-ranked NCAA programs. But the projected No. 2 draft pick’s decision also has major implications on both the 2025 WNBA Draft and the 2026 draft lottery.

The junior started all 34 games this season for Notre Dame. She averaged a career-high 15.4 points per game while maintaining 48.3% effectiveness from the field.

"I love college. I think I've outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It's comfortable, a place where you have security," the star guard told ESPN after Saturday's loss.

With UConn’s Paige Bueckers sitting comfortably at No. 1, expected Top 5 pro recruits USC’s Kiki Iriafen, South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao, and fellow Irish Sonia Citron could all see a rankings boost.

Final Four Spotlight: Can South Carolina Win Another NCAA Championship?

Bree Hall #23 hugs Dawn Staley Head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks after defeating the Duke Blue Devils.
South Carolina has come back from two-straight second half deficits in the NCAA tournament. (Eliana Eichorn/NCAA Photos via Getty Image)

As South Carolina women's basketball returns to the Final Four, the 2024 NCAA champions’ March Madness journey hasn’t exactly mirrored last year’s dominance. But their resilience has kept them very much in contention.

The Gamecocks bounced back from third-quarter deficits in their last two tournament games, relying on tight defense and smart positional rotations to wear opponents down.

“It is that type of year, that for us, there’s not any blowouts,” head coach Dawn Staley said after her team’s Elite Eight win over Duke. “We have to grind for every single win that we can get.”

NCAA tournament player MiLaysia Fulwiley lays up a shot during South Carolina 2024/25 NCAA basketball regular-season finale win over Kentucky.
MiLaysia Fulwiley led South Carolina through this year's SEC tournament. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

South Carolina taps into depth after WNBA departures

After losing center Kamilla Cardoso to the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Gamecocks harnessed their depth, relying on strict minute restrictions to disrupt game flow and launch second-half runs.

Sophomore standout MiLaysia Fulwiley has popped off the bench, complementing leading scorer Joyce Edwards and inside show-runner Chloe Kitts.

One of the team’s key veteran leaders, senior Te-Hina PaoPao has been a grounding force as the only player averaging 25+ minutes per game.

March Madness star Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates a basket against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the fourth quarter during the quarterfinal round of the SEC women's basketball tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 07, 2025 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Forward Chloe Kitts has been instrumental for South Carolina under the rim. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Defense is key to Gamecocks victory

For the Gamecocks to become back-to-back champs, they’ll have to lean hard on their time-honored calling card: defense.

"Look, I mean, at this point it's not going to look pretty. Okay? It's not," Staley said after South Carolina narrowly escaped Sweet 16 opponent Duke. "There are stretches in each game that is not going to look pretty… Some of it's not going to look as smoothly as us coaches and players envision or how you practice, but you certainly have to get down and play the kind of game that's presented in front of you, and we'll do that."

“If we’re not scoring a whole lot of points, then we gotta up our defense,” she continued. “If we’re scoring a lot of points, we gotta up our defense.”

USWNT Adds Friendly Against Canada as Davidson Exits Camp with Injury

Crystal Dunn #19 of the USA kicks the ball in the first half against Canada in the final of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup.
The US last played Canada in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The USWNT announced their final match of the summer’s three-game international window yesterday, with the team set to take on northern neighbors Canada in Washington, DC on July 2nd.

The friendly rounds out a bill that also includes two previously announced clashes with the Republic of Ireland scheduled for June 26th (Commerce City, Colorado) and 29th (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Team Canada Coach Casey Stoney on the field ahead of summer friendly with USWNT.
Casey Stoney joined Team Canada in January 2025. (Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)

Canada coach Casey Stoney has an edge on the US

With much of Europe focused on the 2025 Euros, July’s bout with Canada will mark the North American nations’ 67th meet-up — but the first under Canada’s new boss.

Coach Casey Stoney arrived in Canada after parting ways with the San Diego Wave last June, her two years of NWSL experience providing extra familiarity with many USWNT stars.

Stoney previously led WSL side Manchester United for four seasons, giving her further insight into current USWNT manager — and ex-Chelsea head coach — Emma Hayes’s style.

USWNT faces Brazil without injured defender Tierna Davidson

Yesterday, the US posted a major roster change ahead of this month’s friendlies against Brazil, with Gotham center-back Tierna Davidson officially sidelined due to a knee injury suffered last weekend.

Davidson will be replaced by 19-year-old Angel City defender Gisele Thompson, who earned her first two senior caps during February’s SheBelieves Cup.

While Hayes’s USWNT is all about fierce competition and roster experimentation, mounting injuries could force the team into thinner lineups than expected — and up the competition across the board.

Texas, UConn Punch Tickets to the 2025 NCAA Final Four

Sarah Strong #21 of the UConn Huskies wins the tip off over Rayah Marshall #13 of the USC Trojans during the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament ahead of March Madness Final Four.
UConn advanced to the Final Four. (Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed UConn punched their tickets to Tampa last night, joining No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina in the Final Four after two tight matchups closed out the NCAA tournament’s fourth round.

Texas got the best of in-state foe TCU 58-47, behind a game-high 18-point performance from SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker.

UConn then handled USC 78-64, holding off the JuJu Watkins-less Trojans as superstar guard Paige Bueckers followed up her career-high 40-point Sweet 16 performance by dropping 31 points on the night.

"We're just so grateful, but we know like the journey isn't done," Bueckers said after the game. "We want our story to continue as long as possible, and we have business to finish."

Texas books first Final Four appearance since 2003

After four Elite Eight appearances in five years, the Longhorns finally punched their ticket to the Final Four — their first time back since 2003 — behind a tenacious defense that forced 21 TCU turnovers.

“Anybody that watched that game today, when they turned the TV off, they had to go, ‘Wow, that freaking team plays their ass off,’” Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said after the game.

"I'm having fun with it now," Booker told reporters. "March Madness — you’re supposed to have fun."

"I’m so proud of myself and proud of my team to get to this moment," Harmon said after registering 13 points against TCU.

"Rori Harmon is still that girl," echoed Booker.

March Madness star Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts to a play under the basket against the USC Trojans during the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament ahead of the Final Four.
UConn superstar Paige Bueckers dropped 31 points to secure the Huskies' Final Four berth. (Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Bueckers leads UConn to the NCAA Final Four

The Huskies are headed to their fourth Final Four in the last five years. They advanced on a balanced scoring strategy that saw three different players put double-digit points on the board.

In addition to Bueckers’s 30-piece, freshman phenom Sarah Strong ran the frontcourt. Strong paired 22 points with 17 rebounds and four assists for her fifth postseason double-double. Additionally, Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen bolstered the backcourt with 15 points of her own.

"There's Disneyland, there's Disney World and then there's UConn World," Auriemma said. "These are fantasy numbers that make no sense. You couldn't predict this and you couldn't script this at all."

All four remaining teams have the potential to win a national championship. Now it’s a matter of who can deliver when the going gets tough.

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