Emma Hayes’ first tournament final with the U.S. women’s national team — a gold medal clash against Brazil — was accompanied by much fanfare, but also controversy.
The American coach opted to make one change in midfield, inserting Korbin Albert at the base of the three-man structure, a seemingly sensible decision given the struggles the United States has had throughout the team during the Olympics. However, instead of replacing the faltering Lindsey Horan, whose struggles have drawn praise from the team’s masses of fans, Hayes moved Rose Lavelle to the bench.
It was a curious decision, especially considering Horan’s less-than-ideal performance against Germany. The American captain has earned a reputation for connecting defense with attack over the years, but in this tournament that fortune has changed, and Horan has offered little on the ball so far.
Lavelle, meanwhile, is one of the team’s smoothest dribblers, a player who, at her best, can make a defense tremble in her wake.
Here’s what you need to know about Hayes’ move.
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Why isn’t Rose Lavelle in the starting eleven against Brazil?
The Americans certainly needed a change in midfield, especially considering the fact that they were facing a Brazilian team that rotated more than most during the competition.
Albert, for all her controversy, has been arguably the best midfielder for the U.S., proving adept at ruining play in the middle third and also recording the U.S. women’s national team’s only goal by a non-forward in this tournament.
Admittedly, Lavelle hasn’t been overly effective. Her prowess as an attacking threat is well documented, but she’s been asked to play a less glamorous role in Hayes’ midfield setup, which tends to hide her creativity in the attacking third.
In that sense, the addition of Albert, a player known for being more of a do-the-dirty-worker on and off the ball, makes sense. There are also rumors, apparently confirmed by NBC’s Julie Foudy, that Lavelle has some sort of problem. She was substituted after an hour of play in the Americans’ semifinal match against Germany.
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The decision to replace Albert with Lavelle, rather than Horan, remains pisive, however. After all, it is the American captain, not Lavelle, who has seemed burdensome for much of the Americans’ Olympic campaign.
There are many paths to winning a gold medal, it’s true. For some fans of the U.S. women’s team, that path doesn’t include Horan, at least not during the gold medal match.
Whether or not they are right in that belief remains to be seen.
