USWNT defeats Ireland 1-0 in a game that doesn't tell much about their World Cup chances

ST. LOUIS — Don't read too much into this from the U.S. women.

The Americans defeated fellow World Cup team Ireland, 1-0, on Tuesday night, getting the only goal they needed from Alana Cook in the oddest of fashions. But they also often looked disjointed, failing to finish chances, turning the ball over and struggling at times to contain Ireland.

With the World Cup beginning in 100 days, it would be tempting to see all of that as troublesome.

It's not.

"The things that were missing is not something that worries me," coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the game. "It wasn’t about the team concept. It was more about the individual players and, obviously, getting minutes to certain players."

This is a team still coming to terms with the sudden loss of leading scorer Mallory Swanson, who ruptured her patellar tendon against Ireland on Saturday, and the impact her absence will have on the style the USWNT plays. They're also working several players back from lengthy injuries and trying to figure out who fits, and where.

And with only six or seven spots left on the 23-player roster, and 10 to 12 players in the mix for them, Andonovski wanted to get another look at players on the bubble. This was the last game, and the last camp, before the roster is named.

"I feel comfortable where we’re at as a team," Andonovski said.

That's not to say there aren't things to take away from this game.

Alyssa Thompson, the 18-year-old phenom who was brought in after Swanson was injured, looked like the real deal. Making just her third appearance with the USWNT, and first start, she played all 90 minutes and showed flashes of why she was the first high schooler ever drafted by the NWSL.

She and Sophia Smith paired nicely in the first half to put pressure on Ireland's defensive backs, creating chances for Alex Morgan. Thompson also made two dangerous runs in the second half. One time a pair of defenders had to sandwich her to get her off the ball. The second time, Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan had to smother the ball to stop Thompson.

"She came in with confidence and did everything she knows how to do," said Smith, whose roster spot is effectively locked up. "I think our connection can be really good. And I'm excited to continue playing with her and building that connection."

Julie Ertz, who is back with the USWNT for the first time since 2021 after having her first child last summer, is still working on her timing. But she showed flashes of the dominating midfield presence that made her so critical to the 2015 and 2019 World Cup titles, and it was impossible not to notice the team responding to her directions.

"When I'm talking, I'm more comfortable playing. Being able to do that allowed me to, hopefully, as seamlessly as possible, come in after being out awhile," Ertz said. "To have the respect of the team to be able to do that right away, I think has helped me."

Ertz also said signing with an NWSL team is her "priority," and hopes to have an announcement soon. Consistent playing time should eliminate any remaining rust, and having her back would be a huge boost to the USWNT.

"She imposes herself on the game and (that) rubs off on (the players)," Andonovski said. "We could see that coming out a little bit more in this game and we're hoping to see that more."

Even Ireland getting chances late in the game and testing Casey Murphy wasn't the worst thing.

Alyssa Naeher is the USWNT's No. 1 goalkeeper, but the Americans learned the hard way at the Tokyo Olympics that not having someone game-ready is costly. Naeher got hurt in the first half of the semifinal, and the USWNT wound up losing to Canada on a penalty kick.

"She's young, she needs these minutes. She needs games in front of full stadiums under pressure," Andonovski said of Murphy. "To be quite honest, as much as I wanted to win this game, three-, four- or five-nothing, there's an element of development that went into the last 10 minutes, to see how Casey's going to perform under pressure."

So, no. This isn't what the Americans will look like on July 22, when they open the World Cup against Vietnam. Also, if you've followed the USWNT for any length of time, you know they don't round into form until the spotlights are on.

Andonovski is confident they will.

"We didn't know (after Tokyo) how good we were going to be and we didn't know if we're going to be ready with this team to win a World Cup," he said. "But now we feel comfortable saying that, yes, we are ready to win a World Cup."

Mallory Swanson has surgery

Swanson said on Instagram that she had surgery Tuesday morning to repair her torn patellar tendon. She did not give a timetable for her return, but the USWNT’s leading scorer this year is expected to miss the World Cup.

World Cup send-off match revealed

U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday the USWNT will play Wales on July 9 in San Jose, California, in its send-off game before the World Cup.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USWNT gets 1-0 win in last match before 2023 World Cup sendoff