AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The USWNT is no place for someone with thin skin.
The two-time defending World Cup champions are well aware they haven’t played close to their best in the first two games. They know they’ve left goals on the field and, as a result, put themselves in a potentially precarious position ahead of Tuesday’s group-stage finale against Portugal.
They don’t need to hear this from anyone else, because they’ve already said it to each other.
“We’re very direct when something’s not going the way that we want it to go,” Andi Sullivan said Saturday. “You have to be direct and clear and honest and loud.”
Take that to mean what you will. But if you think the U.S. women are going to passively accept these sub-par performances or tiptoe around someone’s ego, you haven’t watched them much over the last 30 years. There’s a reason Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz used the word “ruthless” and Crystal Dunn said “relentless” when asked to describe the USWNT, and it wasn’t because of their record.
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They’ll do whatever it takes to win, and if that means raising their voices or blunt talk to another teammate, so be it.
“I don’t take it in any certain way because I know it comes from a good place and I know it comes from a place of we all want to win. I know that’s the standard and I like being pushed to the highest standard,” said Savannah DeMelo, who has started the first two World Cup games despite only making her USWNT debut in the July 9 send-off game.
“The directness is nice and I think it leaves no room for questions,” DeMelo added. “Since we haven’t been playing for a long time together, we can’t leave room for questions. So it has to be as direct as possible.”
And everything would suggest it was at halftime of the USWNT’s game against the Netherlands.
The Americans looked deflated and disorganized after giving up a goal in the 17th minute, the first time since the 2011 quarterfinals they have trailed in a World Cup game. But the USWNT was a completely different team in the second half, especially after Lindsey Horan scored off a corner kick in the 60th minute following a dust-up with Lyon teammate Danielle van de Donk.
The USWNT didn’t get the game-winning goal they needed. But they had multiple chances, and looked as crisp and in sync — as dangerous — as they have in a long time. Maybe even since 2019, if we’re talking major international tournaments.
The USWNT leads Group E on goal differential, and advances with a win or a tie. A loss to Portugal, however, and the Americans would likely get knocked out in the group stage for the first time ever at the World Cup or the Olympics.
”Like I said, it was very direct. Knowing we could do better and sorting out what the issues were,” Sullivan said of the USWNT’s halftime discussion during the Netherlands game. “This is what we didn’t do well, this is what we need to do better, this is what went well, let’s execute.”
This doesn’t come from the coaches, either. Not initially, at least.
The team does its own self-evaluation before hearing from the coaches. Sometimes it’s one player addressing the entire locker room. Sometimes it’s several. Sometimes it’s bench players sharing what they’re seeing from the sidelines. Sometimes it’s someone who plays your same position pulling you aside.
DeMelo said she’s gotten feedback from both Horan and Rose Lavelle, who is all but certain to start ahead of DeMelo once her minutes restriction is lifted.
“That’s what’s been most helpful to me,” DeMelo said. “It’s been open, honest and direct, and I think that’s how it’s always going to be.”
And if someone can’t handle it, too bad. This is the USWNT, the most dominant and successful team in the world, and you adapt to its way of doing business rather than the other way around.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.
