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SBI USWNT Woman of the Match: Alyssa Naeher

The U.S. Women’s National Team are heading back to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final after a 2-1 win over England on Tuesday.

Alyssa Naeher saved a 84th-minute penalty kick for the USWNT, while making three additional saves in the match. Naeher’s performance earned her SBI Woman of the Match honors.

Naeher’s first bit of action came in the 34th-minute, as she scrambled across the goalline to claw Keira Walsh’s effort wide. After halftime, the USWNT keeper came up big again, this time on Ellen White as she held on to the striker’s poked effort.

With the match on the line, Naeher guessed the correction direction to save Stephanie Houghton’s penalty kick. The shot could’ve been hit with more power, but Naeher came up clutch when her team needed it most.

Naeher beat out Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, and Lindsey Horan for the Woman of the Match honors.

What did you think of Naeher’s performance? Where would you rank her amongst the top goalkeepers in the World? Has this been her best performance of the World Cup?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. That save may very well end up being the most important PK save that Alyssa ever makes.
    its obvious that she has been well-schooled in PK Comprehension. Not only do you have less than a second to determine which direction the kick will be, but you need to determine whether the kicker will be kicking it with the hard-part of her foot or side-footing it in. That typically will tell you the elevation level of the ball. In this case, Alyssa had it down so precisely, that she didn’t even give up a rebound, on what was a powerful kick. Unlike PK shoot-outs in OT, rebounds can be as dangerous as the PK itself if given up.

    In Summary, if you were to make a video tutorial of how to defend against PKs, Alyssa’s read and positioning on this one would be a textbook example.

    While I see her now as among the top GKs in the World, if not for the shaky first half against Spain, I might have very well rated her as #1. Right now, I would rate the GK for Chile as #1.

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  2. I’m not going to disagree with anyone choosing Naeher as MOTM—she came up big when it mattered most—but I’d like to point out how lights out Crystal Dunn was tonight. Nothing came down England’s right flank all evening that she didn’t snuff out. I had misgivings about her earlier performances and wondered if we wouldn’t be better off with a “true defender” at left back, but she’s really grown into the role and shut down some truly world class attackers.

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    • Dunn made a fantastic tackle at the end of the game that sealed the win, it was brilliant.

      Not going to lie, she was making me nervous with two or three slide tackles. One in box that she had to get perfect.

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  3. WoM- Naeher in the clutch! US GK lore! Ladies are 1 win away!

    ….back 2 Brasil vs Messi & the gang!

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    • Sticking to soccer talk, Alfred, me too. Press was a refresh and spark. Rapinoes play has been alright, with her clutch goals covering up her OK play. Was time for others to step up and they did.

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  4. Hated the pk call but glad it was called and she came up the hero.

    If it wasnt called, england would be whining nonstop.

    Reply

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