Table of Contents
USWNT Coach Vlatko Andonovski Resigns After Early World Cup Exit
Vlatko Andonovski, the coach of the US women’s national team, resigned on Wednesday. The move occurred after the United States was eliminated from the Women’s World Cup sooner than ever before. Because the move had not yet been publicly revealed, a person familiar with the decision talked to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
An announcement was scheduled on Thursday. The four-time World Cup champions battled throughout the competition. They won their first encounter against Vietnam but then drew the following two against the Netherlands and Portugal. It was barely enough to get them into the knockout round.
The Americans performed admirably in the round of 16 against Sweden but were defeated on penalties following a scoreless game. Throughout the competition, the United States scored only four goals.
USWNT Begins Search for New Coach
The US has never finished worse than third in a World Cup. Andonovski, 46, was appointed coach of the United States in October 2019. He succeeded Jill Ellis, who led the US to consecutive World Cup victories.
Andonovski had a record of 51 wins, 5 losses, and 9 draws during his tenure with the squad. He has a record of 3 wins, 2 defeats, and 5 draws in major events.
Andonovski stated after the game against Sweden that he was focusing on his young players rather than his future with the club. Fourteen players on the US team were making their World Cup debuts, with 12 of them having never competed in a major event before.
USWNT coach quits after disappointing tournament
“We spent four years together. They got their first caps with me, they got their first national-team call-ups with me,” Andonovski told. “We spent tough times, good times. I don’t want to see them like that. That’s all I think about.”
The World Cup harmed Andonovski’s prospects of retaining his position not just, but also by the United States’ poor bronze medal showing at the Tokyo Olympics. Following the Olympics, Andonovski concentrated on training new players for the World Cup.
Sophia Smith, last year’s US Soccer Player of the Year, and Trinity Rodman were two of the promising talents. Injuries hampered the United States’ preparations for the tournament, as they lost two important players.
Mallory Swanson damaged her knee during an April friendly, and captain Becky Sauerbrunn couldn’t recover from a foot issue in time. Catarina Macario, a talented young attacker, tore her ACL last year while playing for her club side Lyon and could not compete in the World Cup.
Parity in Women’s Soccer Grows as Elite Teams Struggle at World Cup
Because of the growing parity in the women’s game, several elite teams found the World Cup tough. Germany, Brazil, and Canada were also ousted early after winning in Tokyo. The final of the competition, between England and Spain, will be won for the first time.
Andonovski was the head coach of Seattle’s OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League at the time of his hiring. During his seven-year NWSL career, from 2013 (when the league began) to 2017, he guided the now-defunct FC Kansas City to two league titles.
Andonovski, who is originally from Skopje, Macedonia, played for many European clubs before moving to the United States to pursue a professional indoor soccer career.
The USWNT’s Next Chapter: A New Coach and a New Era
Ellis, his predecessor on the US squad, took over as coach in 2014. She led the United States to eight tournament victories, including the World Cup in 2015 and 2019. During her tenure as coach, the US only lost seven games.
The process of seeking a replacement will now begin, and the timescale is rather short. The United States has already qualified for the 2024 Olympics in France. Before that, the squad will play two exhibition matches against South Africa on September 21 in Cincinnati and September 24 in Chicago.
My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
Discover more from SPORTS DRIBBLE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
