Wrestling with takedown

If there’s a golden lining to the United States women’s soccer team’s silver medal at the World Cup it’s that whenever the Americans have lost at the global tournament - in 1995, 2003, and 2007 - they’ve won the Olympic title the following year.

That said, the shootout loss to Japan, the miracle victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals, and the loss to Sweden in the prelims made it clear that the two-time defending champions could struggle even to make the podium at next summer’s Games in London, for which they still have to qualify next winter in Vancouver.

Usually that wouldn’t be a problem, but after losing to Mexico for the first time ever in Cup qualifying last year the Americans can’t take anything for granted. They’d never lost to Japan until Sunday’s final and they’d never lost a Cup match in which they’d had the lead.