Well, well. Couldn't you just see this coming, on some level anyway? Those prone to "I told you so"s will be wallowing in their ability to predict the future. However, I think this result was inevitable. The luck the US would have needed to even compete with Brazil just wasn't there today.
To address a few important issues:
First-The goalkeeping. What can I say? I told you so. I guess that's an apt comment. Why on earth Ryan thought this gamble (sabotage move) would pay off I don't know. I mean, of all positions, the goalkeeper holds the defense together as one smooth operating unit. When you compare a team like the US with Brazil, the strength of the US lies in their organization. By swapping goalkeepers at the last minute, Ryan completely dismantled the US's best hope of victory, or even of competing. Secondly, the change also had to have disrupted the players' focus on preparing for the game. Enough about the controversy, what's done is done, now if US Soccer had a little more backbone, Ryan would be gone before the Olympics.
Second-What was up with man-marking Marta after the US was down 3-0? Ellertson is quick and can hardly be faulted for her inability to stick with that sick no look back heel self-pass that led to the fourth goal... but if the plan was to neutralize Marta, starting at the beginning of the game would have been the thing to do.
Third-If you're down by a few goals and need some offense, sub in offensive players. Isn't this simple? What was with the damage-control substitutions in the second half? It didn't work anyway...
Fourth-The Boxx red card. Worst call ever.
That's enough re-hash for a game that was never competitive.
Predictions:
Final: Brazil 3, Germany 2
Consolation: US 2, Norway 1
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