If one didn’t want to kick dirt on Vlatko Andonovski as he recedes from the USWNT manager job, and kicking dirt is kind of what we do around here, it would be wise to point out the size of the task he was faced with. He took over a team that had won two World Cups on the spin, so there was really nowhere to go but down, and also had to start turning the team over to the next crop of players. That’s tricky for anyone and any team, not to mention squads that are having to move on and progress from all-time greats as the USWNT was. Injuries and other absences only hastened the process, and maybe the players that were replacing the older ones just weren’t as good. Andi Sullivan is not what Julie Ertz was. Trinity Rodman is full of promise, but is she Tobin Heath or Christen Press? Alex Morgan is not…Alex Morgan of four years ago, as it worked out. Sophia Smith may win a Ballon d’Or one day, but Megan Rapinoe won one the same year the US won the last World Cup. Not there yet. Naomi Girma was ready to take the torch, but there was no one next to her ready to do so with no Becky Sauerbrunn around. So yeah, that’s a pretty shitty hand to be dealt. That doesn’t mean Vlatko played it well. What was so striking about Andonovski’s tenure as USWNT coach is just how turd-rific the actual soccer was. It’s not like the US played scintillating stuff under Jill Ellis, but they had a roster full of the best players in the world at their positions to make it OK. It wouldn’t have been that hard to improve on it. Encourage players to express themselves, take advantage of Lindsey Horan and the mobility of the front line. Add some dynamism. The US didn’t need to be Spain but it could have added new gears. Instead, the team went the other way. There’s being direct, and then there’s being one-dimensional. The Olympics should have been a wake-up call, where Sweden, the Dutch, and eventually the US’s executioners Canada found it so easy to cancel out the Americans. Press them, don’t be afraid, and they’ll cough up the ball as the front five waited for a direct pass or long ball that was just never coming as Ertz was stranded 40 yards from them. There was little cohesion, few links or triangles, and a lot of hit-and-hope. There was still time to remake how the US played after that mishegas in Tokyo. And yet it felt like Andonovski just doubled down. Once Mallory Swanson got on a hot streak, the only plan seemed to be, “Give Mal the ball and she’ll figure it out.” Same kind of thing went for Sophia Smith. Just long balls over the top that either could try to chase down. Or the ball humped up the sideline so they could take on one or two defenders all by themselves. It’s hard to build a cohesive passing unit with an international team, given the limited practice time, but other teams figure out a way. The US just never felt like they had anything more than the most basic plan. Perhaps Swanson’s injury was the real death knell, but it also should have been a signal to try something else. Andonovski just moved Smith into the role and kept hacking away with limited tactics and ideas. Andonovski was also far too loyal. Megan Rapinoe was always the first sub off the bench in New Zealand, and yet she continually proved she just wasn’t at this level anymore. The use of Lynn Williams or Alyssa Thompson was bewildering. He took only two actual centerbacks to the tournament, and only played one while stuffing Ertz into the other slot. Sophia Smith was never tried as the central striker even though that’s where she plays a lot for Portland as Morgan looked more and more off the boil. The player pool was short on holding midfielders for sure, but moving the only one he chose (Ertz) into central defense left the team bereft. Where was Sam Coffey? Sullivan had spent two years proving she wasn’t up to the task, and yet Andonovski kept tossing her out there. The next manager will have the new generation all to themselves, and will benefit from the growth of Smith, Thompson, Swanson, Macario, Girma, and others. They’ll have the opposite task of Andonovski, as there isn’t much direction to go but up, and any kind of improvement in the style of play will be warmly welcomed. It can’t get worse. If the US completes four consecutive passes twice in a match it’ll be an upgrade. It was a tough task, but Andonovski failed it. The USWNT will get a clean break, and it’ll need it. Follow Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @Felsgate.bsky.social Relatedpayout betting calculatorparlay payoutmoneyline odds calculatornfl half point calculationskelly criterion bet calculatorhedge calculatorwhat does spread mean in bettingover under betting explainedsports betting parlaysround robin betswhat does ev mean in bettinghow to hedge in sports betting
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Market: Atalanta win
Odds: 4/11 @
Looking to extend on their European charge in midweek, Atalanta will welcome Spezia to the Gewiss Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Starting with the hosts, last seen over the weekend snatching a stunning last-gasp 2-1 victory away at Torino, Atalanta are enjoying an eye-catching end to the season. While Gian Piero Gasperini’s men might have suffered a shock 2-0 loss at the hands of Bologna on April 8th, La Dea have proven that was nothing more than a minor blip. Laying down a real Serie A marker earlier in the month as they stormed their way to a 3-1 romp at home against Roma, fans around the Gewiss Stadium are desperate to see their side clinch a Champions League return in 2023. Marking their return from March’s international …
Egypt entered the record books here on Sunday, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations with supersub Mohamed Gedo Nagy lifting the Pharaohs to their third straight title.
Gedo, who has scored from the bench in Egypt s last four games in Angola, came on in the 63rd minute and produced his magic with five minutes left on the clock to cement Egypt s standing as the kings of Africa.
The win also gave veteran coach Hassan Shehata a history-making third championship after Cairo in 2006 and Accra in 2008 and extended Egypt s unbeaten record in the competition to an astonishing 19 games.
Shehata s assistant, Shawky Garib, said: I d like to congratulate Ghana for what they did today (Sunday).
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Chairman Huw Jenkins has revealed Swansea City are in ongoing discussions with Neil Taylor over a new contract.
The Wales left-back has been a regular fixture in Garry Monk s side this season following the departure of Ben Davies to Tottenham.
Taylor s current deal expires at the end of next term and Jenkins told the South Wales Evening Post: That needs to be looked at between now and the summer; it s an obvious one for us to sort out.
Jenkins added: With Neil, this is the first time for a long time that he has had a good run of games [after injury disrupted his 2012-13 season], and it always takes players time to get up to speed.
As the season has gone on and Neil has played more games, I think we have seen that he is getting back to his best.
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Las Palmas striker Sergio Araujo has been sentenced to nine months in prison for refusing to take a breathalyser test, but he may not have to serve any time behind bars.
Araujo was also banned from driving for two years following an incident that occurred in the town of Ingenio on September 26, two days after he scored a late equaliser in a 2-2 home LaLiga draw with Real Madrid.
Reports in Spain say Araujo s defence attorney has appealed the sentence.
Back in September, Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez told Onda Cero the club would stand by the Argentine even if he was convicted.
Sergio s issue is non-sporting related and it will be the courts to determine if he has been negligent and the severity of the offense, Ramirez said.
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Winning Margin is a type of single sports betting market that focuses on the final goal difference. It has a lot of similarities to due to the many possible outcomes and wagering options. Like Correct Score, though, it’s notoriously hard to get right – even more so if you want to be consistent. As a relatively niche high-risk bet, though, it can contain surprising for the perceptive punter.
In this Winning Margin betting guide, we’ll take a close look at this often-overlooked market and consider if it’s worth your time.
What Is a Winning Margin Bet?
A Winning Margin bet is a type of wager that attempts to predict the exact difference in goals between the winning team and the losing team. ‘Exact’ is the keyword here because the possible options can be anyw…
Real Betis are interested in signing Christian Eriksen from Inter Milan in the summer of 2021, according to . It has been reported that a transfer fee of €15 million could be enough for the Spanish club to secure the services of the former Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder.
Eriksen joined Inter from Tottenham in January 2020 and struggled in the second half of last season and the first half of the 2020-21 campaign. There were strong suggestions that the 29-year-old could go back to the Premier League in the January transfer window, but nothing materialised.
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Metalist Kharkiv are set to sign Argentine winger Alejandro Gomez from Catania, .
The Ukrainians have reportedly had a €7 million bid for the player accepted by the Serie A side, with the 25-year-old also striking personal terms with the club.
Inter Milan, Napoli, AC Milan and Genoa were all keen on the Argentine footballer, but Catania chiefs ultimately decided to sell their star player to the highest bidder.
Gomez becomes Metalist s third major signing this summer, following the captures of Rodrigo Moledo and Diego Souza.
Alejandro Gomez played for Arsenal de Sarandi and San Lorenzo before joining the Elephants in the summer of 2010, and he proved to be an instant hit at Stadio Angelo Massimino.
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Manchester City youngster Marcos Lopes hopes to use Saturday s FA Cup tie with Watford as a chance to shine in front of Manuel Pellegrini.
The 18-year-old became City s youngest ever goalscorer when he scored against Watford in the same competition last season and, after a handful of League Cup outings recently, he hopes to take advantage of a rare start.
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Michael Tarnat believes Leroy Sane can become a star of the German national team if he maintains his fine form for Manchester City.
Sane moved to the Premier League club from Schalke, having featured in Joachim Low s squad at Euro 2016, for a fee understood to be worth in the region of £37million.
The 21-year-old winger initially struggled to adapt to life in Manchester, grasping for form and fitness, before scoring his first goal in City colours during December s 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal.
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According to El Desmarque, Sebastien Corchia is on the verge of completing a loan move to Benfica. The 27-year-old defender is unlikely to get much game time with Sevilla this season, despite only arriving at the club back in 2017. He made the jump over to Spanish football from Lille, where he made over 100 appearances for the French side.
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