While it's only a matter of time before the world catches up to the US's excellence in women's soccer - the shift in power won't be readily perceived until 2023 at the earliest, because as of this writing, the USWNT are back at the summit of the sport after edging the Netherlands 2-0 in the match that decided the 2019 Women's World Cup.
After a dormant first-half, the US team came to life in the 2nd half with goals by Megan Rapinoe and the mercurial Rose Lavelle proving decisive. After missing the last match with injury, Megan Rapinoe was relegated to the bench to start this afternoon's final. In sensing the team was in need of a jolt, USWNTmanager Jill Ellis drew her co-captain into the game, just in time for her to assume her responsibilities as the squad's go-to penalty-taker.
The insurance marker was scored by Rose Lavelle, a 24-year old talent that would likely slot in as a starter on 95% of the teams that participated in this year's World Cup. On the US, she's been utilized as a "super sub" behind Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, and Tobin Heath in the pecking order - FOR NOW!
While the final lacked the climactic feel of past tournaments, the Germany-USA rivalry, in particular, the USWNT's 4th ever World Cup victory should be regarded as the arguably the most skilled team the program has ever fielded since its origins in the 1980s.
