USA 0, Brazil 4 - what happened?

There is bound to be a lot of handwringing and second-guessing after the U.S. Women were soundly defeated by Brazil, 4-0 in this morning’s World Cup semifinal. The U.S. women looked like they were trudging in mud compared to the liveliness and flair exhibited by their Brazilian counterparts. And this was before the U.S. was forced to play with a player down for the second half of the match.

You might not know manager Greg Ryan’s name before this game, but you will probably now. After a 51-game undefeated streak came to an end today, many will question his decision to put Briana Scurry in goal over Hope Solo. Solo had started every game this World Cup except for this morning’s loss. Ryan’s decision apparently had to do with Scurry’s record against Brazil in the past. He also cited her quick reflexes, which apparently not enough to stop the Brazilians from scoring 3 times during the run of play.

Should Ryan have kept Hope Solo in goal instead? Let the second-guessing begin. But one thing’s for sure. The U.S. had no answer for Brazil’s technical skill and speed today, nor could they mount much of an offensive threat. These questions will dog the U.S. until next year’s Olympics, at least.