Fotoalbum » It’s going to be down to the players’ creativity to defend

Atlanta United FC (14-9-3 Carli Lloyd Jersey , first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando City SC (9-11-7, eighth in the Eastern Conference)Orlando, Florida; Friday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Orlando City SC takes on Eastern Conference-leader Atlanta United FC.Orlando City SC is 5-8-5 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando City SC ranks sixth in the league giving up only 35 goals.Atlanta United FC is 7-5-3 in Eastern Conference games. Atlanta United FC ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference with 126 shots on goal, averaging 4.8 per game. Atlanta United FC is also fourth in MLS play with 45 goals.The teams square off Friday for the second time this season. Atlanta United FC won the last meeting 1-0.TOP PERFORMERS: Ruan leads Orlando City SC with four assists. Tesho Akindele has three goals over the last 10 games for Orlando City SC.Josef Martinez has 21 goals and two assists for Atlanta United FC. Justin Meram has three goals over the last 10 games for Atlanta United FC.LAST 10 GAMES: Orlando City SC: 3-3-4, averaging 1.1 goals, 0.7 assists, 3.2 shots on goal and 3.9 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.3 goals per game.Atlanta United FC: 6-3-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 1.3 assists, 4.8 shots on goal and 5.7 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.6 goals per game.NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Orlando City SC: Ruan (injured), Cristian Higuita (injured), Joao Moutinho (injured).Atlanta United FC: Franco Escobar (injured), Eric Remedi (injured) https://www.thetopsoccer.com/uswnt/tobin-heath-jersey , Brandon Vazquez (injured), Brek Shea (injured). LYON, France (AP) — Here’s some bad news for Sweden’s defense ahead of its World Cup semifinal Wednesday against the Netherlands: Vivianne Miedema gets even better in the big games.After scoring in every knockout match at the European Championship two years ago, helping the Netherlands win the title, the prolific Dutch striker is vying to do the same here.Miedema’s superb glancing header in a tough round of 16 match against Italy took her tournament tally to three goals in five games — two behind Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan of the United States, and England’s Ellen White.Article continues below ...Don’t bet against Miedema overtaking them; she’s a knockout-round big hitter. After not scoring in the group stage at Euro 2017, she then scored in the quarters and semis before netting twice in the final against Denmark.She, like her teammates, is under serious pressure to deliver from the demanding Dutch fans descending on Lyon.“At the Euros nobody expected a lot from us and once we started winning our country stood behind us,” Miedema said. “(Coming) here, everybody in Holland said, ‘Oh, they are going to be world champions’ and that gave us a lot of pressure.”On Wednesday, thousands upon thousands of Dutch fans will turn much of the stadium a dazzling orange.“We get so much energy from it Alex Morgan Jersey , we hope it’s a Dutch party again,” Miedema said. “My first (international) game was six years ago, in front of 500 people. The Euros have helped us a lot — it’s been growing a lot over the past couple of years.”With the growth of the national team comes increased media coverage — good and bad.At the start of this tournament, it was bad. The Dutch labored past New Zealand courtesy of an injury-time goal. Forward Shanice Van De Sanden, who has not scored so far, has received a lot of criticism.But coach Sarina Wiegman also sees criticism as a reflection of the growing stature of the women’s game.The men’s team has often been criticized by its fans and media for having never won a World Cup — losing three finals — and only winning one Euro. This despite wonderful players like Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie.Why should the women be treated differently? As long as the criticism does not become “personal,” Wiegman welcomes it.“Many people have an opinion and that’s fine. It means we’re more visible,” she said through a translator at a pre-match news conference. “The entire squad has faced criticism. At the beginning the players were heavily criticized, but we were able to win.”Sweden’s Peter Gerhardsson might find the criticism bemusing, since he is a self-confessed fan of Dutch soccer.“Historically, they are a machine Julie Ertz Jersey ,” he said. “It’s always the individuals who characterize the side in terms of organization.”Gerhardsson will have admired Miedema’s header against Italy: the huge leap, the timing, the accuracy, the bullet-like trajectory into the net. Now he must stop her adding to 61 goals in 80 internationals — achieved at just 22 years old.Then there’s defender Stefanie van der Gragt, whose towering header against the Italians was equally impressive.The first goal against Italy: a free kick expertly delivered from the left.The second: an equally good one from the right.Sweden has been warned.“We are going to manage their set-piece plays. We have a team working on all these aspects, looking into everything,” Gerhardsson said. “We are happy with how our team of analysts … how they attack, how they defend. You can have all the information possible.”The analytical breakdown of Dutch free kicks and corners is something Gerhardsson and his backroom staff do well — as proven in the 2-1 win against two-time world champion Germany in the previous round.“We will have a plan as always,” Gerhardsson said. “All we need to do is execute it.”This also encompasses players using intuition.“In set-piece plays you have to have flexibility and players have to be on their toes,” he said. “I don’t believe they (the Dutch) are going to do the same thing every time. It’s going to be down to the players’ creativity to defend against that.”Veteran defender Nilla Fischer thinks she knows how to stop the supply line to Miedema.“Push them to one side and keep them there, so they won’t be able to turn and get a cross in,” Fischer said. “It’s important that we keep our defensive shape.”