Plakorus: "I think we're the favorites"
7/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
July 13, 2011
No, first-year Montana soccer coach Mark Plakorus isn't going against the coaches' handbook and publically prognosticating a Big Sky Conference championship for his Grizzlies this fall. Not yet anyway.
Rather he likes the U.S.'s hopes in today's Women's World Cup semifinal match against France at Borussia-Park, Germany.
Plakorus sat down Tuesday and provided his thoughts on the World Cup, from its impact on soccer in the U.S. to the connection between a country's culture and how it plays soccer to Abby Wambach's dramatic, extra-time goal Sunday that lifted the U.S. to a victory over Brazil in the Cup quarterfinals.
Plakorus on the importance of U.S. success at major international events to the growth of soccer back home:
Whenever your national teams play in a major international event, whether it be the Olympics or World Cup, it's a chance when soccer is put at the forefront in our country. The more successful those teams are, the more notoriety and publicity it brings to the sport, which always helps.
Any attention you get is good.
When our men played last summer in the World Cup, they weren't as successful going deep into the tournament, but the excitement of their games and the attention it brought to the sport was just great for the game.
The big question is if there is any carryover. Do people then go out and watch a game or two locally to see what this soccer thing is really all about?
On the difference between the U.S. and Brazil, who met in Sunday's quarterfinals:
For most teams around the world, and definitely Brazil, their soccer is their culture. The way they are gets displayed in how they play the game.
If you watch the Brazilians play, they are very creative. They like flair, and they like to be in a rhythm as they play and just enjoy the game in that fashion.
Their style is very unique and flamboyant, and it gives you a glimpse into how Brazilians are.
You look at the American team, and they are very hard-working, determined, athletic, powerful and strong. It kind of mirrors what our country has been formed and based on.
That's what soccer does. National teams tend to reflect who you are as a country.
On the second half, overtime and extra time of Sunday's match, a game the U.S. won on penalty kicks after Abby Wambach's dramatic game-tying goal in the 122nd minute off a left-footed cross by Megan Rapinoe:
I think we went into halftime (leading 1-0 on an early Brazilian own goal) feeling pretty good, like we were in control of where we wanted to be.
I also knew Brazil would come out hard in the second half and that Marta was going to do something special, because she always does. Would we be able to handle that situation?
The penalty kick she earned (in the 66th minute), it was brilliant what she did to get free. The move she made and the skill she displayed were fantastic.
Whether or not it was truly a PK, I don't know, but that changed the dynamic of the game even before the penalty kick was taken, because (Rachel) Buehler got the red card (and ejection), so no matter what, we were going to be down a player, and that changes everything in the game.
(U.S. keeper) Hope (Solo) makes the initial save, and you're excited. Then they get the re-kick because of an encroachment call and they tie it. There are just so many emotions that go into that turn of events.
(With the score even at 1-1) it was a matter of holding on being a player down. I thought we did a good job of containing Brazil, and Hope came up big.
Once we got to overtime, it was just a matter of making it through and getting to the penalty kicks, because I wasn't sure we'd be able to create something a player down. We were exhausted and had used all our substitutions.
I thought if we could get it to a shootout we'd have a great chance because Hope Solo is so good.
The goal Marta scored (in the second minute of overtime) to put them up was brilliant. There is no other way to describe it. She showed once again why she's considered the best player in the world.
Things were looking pretty bleak at that point, but one thing that our women's team has is the resolve to keep going and keep fighting as long as the whistle hasn't blown.
The ball that Rapinoe put in was as perfect as perfect can be, and if you're going to have somebody on the other end finishing with their head, you can't have a better player than Abby Wambach.
I was watching the game with a bunch of young kids at an Olympic Development Program (in Texas), and they just erupted. We had a whole cafeteria filled with probably 200 kids, and they went crazy and the cafeteria workers went nuts. It was such a cool experience.
Once we got to the shootout, I knew Hope was going to stop at least one (of Brazil's penalty kicks). It was just a matter of making all ours.
On the semifinals (U.S. vs. France, Sweden vs. Japan):
It's great, first of all, to see these four teams, because three of them have never gotten this far. France, Sweden and Japan have never been to the semifinals of the World Cup, so to have different teams than are usually there - the U.S., Norway, Brazil, Germany - really shows how the game has grown for the women across the world.
On Japan:
Japan is probably the most technical of the group. Their skill and their discipline are pretty amazing, and that represents the Japanese culture. They focus on the fundamentals and are extremely disciplined.
They are a very determined team, because everybody always makes such a big deal about them being the smallest team in the tournament.
The teams they've played are much bigger than they are, but I don't think they have the heart the Japanese women have. They make up for their size with how hard they work and their determination to do things the right way.
They are a hard team to play against because they keep the ball so long. You're chasing the ball a lot, and you get tired as it goes along.
On Sweden (which beat the U.S. 2-1 in group play):
Sweden is a very powerful team. It's another team that is very good at keeping the ball and taking their opportunities when they get them.
They showed when they played the U.S. in group play that they are very tough to break down defensively because they are so big and strong and athletic and organized.
On Japan vs. Sweden:
It's going to be a very unique and interesting clash of styles.
The Swedish team plays a bit more direct and a more powerful type of game, whereas the Japanese are going to be more probing and more possession-oriented and focused on short-passing.
On the U.S. vs. France:
France has a forward, Marie-Laure Delie, who has played for her national team 23 times and scored 23 goals. That's pretty impressive. She's a fantastic player who is going to be very difficult to deal with.
I think she could cause some problems for us.
It's going to be a challenge for our back line, especially with Rachel Buehler getting a red card (against Brazil and having to sit out Wednesday's game). We're going to have a different center-back.
It's going to be interesting to see who (U.S. coach) Pia (Sundhage) puts in there and how everyone works together.
It's a game I think we're the favorites and should be able to win. Our level of play and experience are higher than the French.
I don't think they can handle the speed that we have or the weapons we have up front with Abby and Amy Rodriguez and the players who come off the bench who are just as fast as Amy.
I think we'll be able to control most of the game, but it's also the type of game that if we allow Delie to get free and jump ahead of us, it might be a pretty tough battle for us to come back.
On the U.S.'s hopes of winning Wednesday against France and Sunday's championship match against either Japan or Sweden:
Once Germany got knocked out (in the quarterfinals against Japan, 1-0), I figured whoever won the Brazil-U.S. game would be the favorite to win the tournament.
I have no reason to believe we can't win. With Germany and Brazil out, the only other team that poses somewhat of a problem is Sweden. They've beaten us twice now in the last five or six months, including last week in group play.
When we've played the French before, we've had no problems. They've made some huge leaps just in this tournament, but we should definitely get to the final.
