--- title: World Cup: USA Meets China In Quarterfinal description: It's not enough for the Americans to just beat China in Friday's quarterfinal canonical: https://time.com/3936982/world-cup-us-expectations/ author: Sean Gregory article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-26T01:41:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:46.463Z article:section: Sports og:title: U.S. Feels Weight of Expectations in Women's World Cup og:description: It's not enough for the Americans to just beat China in Friday's quarterfinal og:url: https://time.com/3936982/world-cup-us-expectations/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96d1ab8046ece063/69885873e53aba4b684de5be/china-womens-soccer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4556 og:image:height: 2563 og:image:alt: Members of China's national team take part in a training session at Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa on June 25, 2015 on the eve of their 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal match against the US. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: U.S. Feels Weight of Expectations in Women's World Cup twitter:description: It's not enough for the Americans to just beat China in Friday's quarterfinal twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96d1ab8046ece063/69885873e53aba4b684de5be/china-womens-soccer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # In Women's World Cup, U.S. Feels Weight of Expectations > Sponsored content. 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No match for Richard Corliss's picks from Hollywood's best baseball films_  by [Sean Gregory](https://time.com/author/sean-gregory/)  ## Sean Gregory Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2015 1:41 AM UTC  Members of China's national team take part in a training session at Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa on June 25, 2015 on the eve of their 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal match against the US. Members of China's national team take part in a training session at Lansdowne Stadium in Ottawa on June 25, 2015 on the eve of their 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal match against the US. Nicholas Kamm—AFP/Getty Images  by [Sean Gregory](https://time.com/author/sean-gregory/)  ## Sean Gregory Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2015 1:41 AM UTC They haven’t lost a single game in this World Cup. They haven’t given up a goal since the opener, stringing together a remarkable 333-minute shutout streak. On Friday night, they face China—a team that hasn’t beaten them in 24 matches, dating back to 2003—in the World Cup quarterfinals. They’re three games away from a championship. So why all this anxiety about the U.S. women’s soccer team? Despite the wins—and a scoreless draw with Sweden in group play—the team has drawn more critics than cheers. Eric Wynalda, the former men’s national team player and commentator for Fox, went so far as to call the team’s performance against Colombia, a 2-0 U.S. win in the round of 16, “pathetic.” Wynalda, and other pundits, have pointed fingers at the coach, Jill Ellis, for the team’s lack of offensive dynamism. She’s employed a defensive-minded game plan—which has clearly worked. So far. If the team couldn’t rack up more goals against early-round competition, the U.S. will be in trouble against a Germany, France, or Japan. “There’s been a lack of offensive flow and rhythm,” said former U.S. star Julie Foudy, a member of the last American team to win a World Cup, in 1999\. “They’re not creating a lot of chances, they’re not taking players on, it’s really been four stagnant games.” OK, but what about all that winning? Does it count for anything? According to Foudy, an ESPN analyst, the complaining has a bright side: we gripe because we care. “It really speaks to the growth of the game here, that we’re all debating it, we’re talking about it, we’re not content with just winning anymore,” said Foudy. “Sure, you can win on good defense. And sure you can grind it out. But really, with more support, more funding, more kids playing in the United States, why are we relying on grinding it out anymore?” For the Americans, the beautiful game needs to be more beautiful. To that end, Foudy’s hoping that Ellis will deploy three scoring forwards—perhaps a combo of Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach and Sydney LeRoux—against China, instead of the usual two. Such a formation would ease the burden on the veteran Wambach, 35, who has had to cover more ground in the two-forward set. “For her to be chasing balls down on into the corner flag is crazy to me,” Foudy said. “That’s not her game.” Bottom line, Foudy wants Ellis to shake up the game plan now, before trying it out against Germany or France in the semis. Not that the U.S. can look past China. They’ve got strong goalkeeping, and can cause trouble off set pieces. China faced the U.S. in the epic ’99 final, but women’s soccer has declined in that country since that time: as the New York _Time_s reports, [only](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/sports/soccer/china-sees-a-chance-to-climb-back-into-the-games-top-tier.html) some 6,000 or 7,000 female players above the age of 12 are registered to play. Parents are more likely to stress school over soccer, which offers few opportunities beyond the national team. But China’s president, Xi Jinping, likes soccer, and is backing a plan to revive the game. Heading into Friday night’s game, the U.S. is also missing midfielders Megan Rapinoe, who along with goaltender Hope Solo has probably been America’s MVP this tournament, and Lauren Holiday, who’ve been issued two yellow cards in the tournament, and thus have to sit out a game. Still, said Foudy, “the U.S. should be absolutely fine” against China. Fine, however, is no longer fine. The Americans need to win big to temper all this stress. Until the next game at least. ## Transcript >> Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to TIME Magazine's roster of All- Star Baseball movies. This is the week when major league baseball honors its best where all the other best or at least the most famous of baseball movies too, and we are proud to present a starting lineup of some of the most memorable films to stick in your mind, your heart or your craft. Let's see if your favorite is among them. Leading off and playing second base, Jackie Robinson as Jackie Robinson in The Jackie Robinson Story, the first African- American player in the major leagues into the modern era. Robinson came to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and became immediate sensation, controversy and star. In the winter between the 1949 and 50's seasons, he took a few weeks off to make this low budget film. Nothing is special about it except the glamour of watching one of history's great figures play himself. Batting second, your designated hitter, Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs in The Natural. >> Let's play ball. >> A lifelong minor leaguer who got his big chance leaving his career and who managed to turn the town upside down with his ladening heroics. So, the movie spat tobacco juice at the plot and the spirit of Bernard Malamud's novel. This is Hollywood baby or should I say its Hobbsywood. Just look at that homerun go over the fence. Why, he " hobbliterated" that ball. He's the hammering Hobbsian. Batting third and playing right field, Tab Hunter as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees. >> I'd sold my soul for one long ball hitter. >> The 1958 musicale about a paunchy middle- aged man who would do anything to help his beloved cellar- dwelling Washington senators beat the feared and hated Yankees. So, he makes a pact with the devil to be transferred into a young slugger. Batting cleanup and playing first base, Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig in the Pride of the Yankees. Gehrig and Babe Ruth where the greatest sluggers of their time. Gehrig was also a wonderful family man, but then was struck down by Lou Gehrig's disease. I mean what are the odds? And then at Yankee stadium, when he retired, he gave the most famous speech in baseball history. -" Today I considered myself the luckiest man in the face of the earth ." >> Just between us, The real Gehrig gave that speech much better and unlike Cooper, he didn't hit like a girl. Speaking of which, batting fifth and playing centerfield, Madonna as Mae Mordabito in A League of their Own. >> There's a shot. It's a light shot. >> This is the partially true story of a women's baseball league that flourished during the 40's when the man and many baseball players were off to war. This is the movie where Madonna proved she could really play the field and she is famous for hitting triples. Ask any Yankee fan if she can't make it to third base. >> No wonder they call her " All The Way" Mae. >> Batting sixth, your shortstop, Chris Barnes as Tanner Boyle in The Bad News Bears. >> I'll drink to that. >> This was the inspiring story about a bunch of rotten, foul- mouth kids who were whipped into shape by rotten, foul- mouth coach Walter Mathau, but their rottiness that follows their mouth was Tanner who said words that cannot be spoken over a baseball park public address system. Let's listen, shall we?- Hey Yankees, you can take your apology and your trophy and shove it right up your ass. >> Batting seventh and playing third base, John Cusack as Buck Weaver in Eight Men Out. It's John Sayles' film of 1919 Chicago White Sox, the most infamous team in baseball history. Some of the men on the team reputedly including their top star, Shoeless Joe Jackson took money from gamblers and threw the World Series. Buck Weaver was one of the players not involved in the throwing of the games, but he was involved in the scandal. A scandal that would lead to the changing of baseball. >> I haven't taken a nickel. I don't owe anybody a damn thing. >> We let you in on the meetings. >> Look, you just play your ballgame and I'll play mine and we'll see how it comes out. >> Batting eight and playing left field, Ray Liotta as Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. This is the revision of story that means to rescue Shoeless Joe from ignominy and make him a saint who comes out of a cornfield. >> Yeah. >> Corn being the operative word. >> I built this for you. >> Kevin Costner is the man who believes that if you build it, they will come. >> There are others you know. There were eight of us. It really means a lot to them. >> Yeah, anytime. They're all welcome here. >> Batting ninth and catching, Kevin Costner as Crash Davis in Bull Durham. >> What? >> The critics [ unk ] said that there are two kinds of baseball movies, the woozy inspirational kind and Bull Durham. It's a smart, cynical hot movie with Kevin Costner as the fading catcher who's trying to handle both the wildness of a goofy pitcher named Nuke LaLoosh, Tim Robbins and the sexual attention of a baseball Annie, Susan Sarandon. Really fans, which would you choose? >> And I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that lasted three days. Goodnight. >> Oh my. Crash. >> Hey Annie what's all these molecules stuff? >> Crash. >> You're starting pitcher, Billy Dee Williams as Bingo Long in the Bingo Long Traveling All- Stars and Motor Kings. This is the story about the Negro League team, who barnstorm through the South playing the white teams and beating them. Billy Dee is Bingo Long who is both the pitcher and the owner and playing with him are such stalwarts as James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor. And finally, your relief pitcher, Charlie Sheen as Rick " Wild Thing" Vaughn in Major League. This is the story about the Cleveland Indians, a fictitious team, who are bought by a woman determined to run them out of town, so of course, perverse guys that they are, they decided finally to play baseball like champions. There are really three kinds of baseball movies, the woozy inspirational, Bull Durham, and a hell- raising- who- gives- a- hit comedy like Major League that wants to do nothing but make you spill your popcorn and spit up your beer. >> Vaughn into the wind up at his fresh offering. Just a bit outside. >> And so the TIME Magazine All- Star Baseball Team celebrates another victory and fans, just by listening, you've been All Stars too. 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