Analyzing the Games: Saturday’s highlights, Tuesday’s previews

By Graham Hays | Special to fans.womensprosoccer.com

Even as the smoke from the previous day's opening ceremonies cleared and the rest of the competitors in the Olympics prepared to get on with things, the field of 12 in women's soccer spent Saturday sorting out which teams will soon be heading home.

Looking back at Saturday's top games

United States 1, Japan 0
A striker swap aided the U.S. in producing a more cohesive, finished product that earned three points against the Japanese.

As naturally gifted as Natasha Kai is, she's not predictable at this point in her career. Playing next to Abby Wambach, who will always be the focus of an American attack, Kai's unpredictability makes her a quality complement who chases down balls and roams in search of open spaces behind distracted defenders. Amy Rodriguez, who started today in Kai’s place, brings a different skill set than the injured Wambach, but she offers the same sort of consistency – her teammates know where to play her the ball and where to make their runs off of her. Watching Kai develop her immense talents within a bigger picture will be one of the story lines to follow in WPS. But for now, Sundhage appears to have hit on something with Rodriguez starting games to help the United States find an offensive rhythm and Kai coming in as a jolt of energy in the second half.

The switch also benefited Angela Hucles. A player with as much midfield experience, especially in relation to her time with the National Team, as at the top of the attack, Hucles looked far more assertive paired with Rodriguez than she had in the first game next to Kai. Hucles' finishing ability is part of what makes her versatile enough to play either role, but her playmaking instincts are another part of that equation. Lining up next to Rodriguez highlights the latter.

Still, none of the American forwards played a role in the lone American goal and one goal does not a juggernaut make, no matter how nice a pop it was off Carli Lloyd's foot. No matter the lineup, the United States is going to have to work for every goal it scores this tournament. This lineup just helped reduce wasted effort.

Norway 1, New Zealand 0
With all due respect to Marta and Cristiane after the Brazilian duo's production against North Korea, Norwegian forwards Leni Larsen Kaurin and Melissa Wiik have been the tournament's best tandem across the entirety of the first two match days. The recently dreadlocked Larsen Kaurin's pitch-perfect cross that Wiik headed past Jenny Bindon for Norway's goal was the most obvious highlight, but it wasn't the only one. As was the case against the United States three days earlier, Larsen Kaurin put down property lines on the right side of the attacking half. Whether or not there are faster players in a dead sprint, Larsen Kaurin maintains top speed with the ball at her foot as efficiently as almost any player in the world. She could have done better with a few of the crosses at the end of those runs against New Zealand, but the sheer volume of examples from which to nitpick is a statement in its own right. Wiik, who played somewhat sparingly in last fall's World Cup, works well opposite Larsen Kaurin and on Solveig Gulbandsen's left side. The 23-year-old has already demonstrated a knack for finishing touches in this tournament, whether on a perfectly struck ball past Hope Solo or the header past Bindon.

Canada 1, China 1
For the fourth game in a row between the two sides, Canada and China couldn't produce a winner, but it wasn't for a lack of effort on the part of Even Pellerud's team. Canada dominated the stat sheet against a Chinese team playing without star Han Duan.

The only goal for the Canadians came from a predictable one-two combination, with Kara Lang's deft flick over a defender landing at the feet of onrushing Christine Sinclair in time for the star to put it away. But more so than in its opening win against Argentina, Canada held possession and dictated much of the game's flow because of the collective pressure it was able to maintain. Sophie Schmidt, such a success as a fill-in striker for the University of Portland last fall, continually made her presence felt from a midfield position just behind Sinclair and Lang. Inserting veteran Randee Hermus into the starting 11 coincided with a strong effort from the back line that aided the high pressure, and 21-year-old Emily Zurrer continued to look like an emerging factor at outside back.

That Canada couldn't come up with a second goal despite maintaining its pressure, and despite not having to account for Duan at the other end, made for an imperfect result. But the point from this game offered more comfort for what's ahead than the three points earned in the opener.

Looking ahead to Tuesday's games

United States vs. New Zealand (7:45am EST/4:45am PST on MSNBC)
Against both Norway and Japan, especially in the early minutes of each game, the United States looked vulnerable up the middle in its own half. Against Norway's more direct attack, the soft spot drifted deep toward the back line and offered up too much room to operate in the corners and in front of goal. Against Japan, a lack of pressure farther out on the field allowed Homare Sawa and others ample room to maneuver. In both cases, an opponent got early touches in dangerous territory doing what it does best. At least against Japan, Pia Sundhage's team soon recovered and traded punches on equal footing until it was able to get a goal. But part of the reason Japan rarely threatened to equalize in the second half, at least until the final frantic minutes, was because of how effectively Shannon Boxx shut down the center alley in the middle third of the field.

New Zealand doesn't have the weapons up top or the depth of attack in the midfield to pose as much of a threat on either front, which makes it all the more imperative that Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf control their turf from the outset. Deny the Football Ferns an easy path to goal and a way to hang around in the game and the Americans should be able to spend 90 minutes probing and attacking instead of reacting and defending. Building on what worked with Rodriguez against Japan, that task should involve getting Heather O'Reilly more involved from her position on the flank when the balls to Rodriguez aren't there.

Norway vs. Japan (7:45am EST/4:45am PST on NBCOlympics.com)
In some ways, this game promises much of what we thought we might see in the game between the United States and Norway, before two early defensive breakdowns by the United States gave Norway the opportunity to change the story line. Even with a host of new faces in its lineup, Norway remains big, strong and skilled at playing aerial long balls. For its part, Japan is still a technically adept team that plays eye-pleasing, one-touch soccer that builds on the ground through the midfield.

That the Norwegians have already qualified for the knockout round tempers slightly the intrigue inherent in a showdown between contrasting styles, but the necessity of earning three points makes watching Sawa a must. One of the rare players who both starred in the WUSA and should be at her peak if she chooses to play in WPS, by dint of her extraordinarily early start on the world stage, Sawa should have room to operate in this one.

Sweden vs. Canada
There will be no shortage of individual talent on display in a key group finale for both sides, starting with headliners Christine Sinclair and Lotta Schelin, but both Canada and Sweden are still looking to prove that the whole is at least equal to the sum of the parts. Canada did a better job of that than Sweden against common foe China, although it also had the benefit of playing the host nation when that side wasn't at full strength, and thus needs only a draw out of Tuesday's game to secure passage to the next round. That won't necessarily tempt Canadian coach Even Pellerud to put 11 players behind the ball, but it does mean Sweden has to get more out of what's likely to be fewer opportunities than it had in a frustrating 1-0 win Argentina. That makes midfielder Therese Sjogran a key figure. She should be the best midfielder on the field in a game where quality scoring chances are at a premium.

China vs. Argentina (7:45am EST/4:45am PST on NBCOlympics.com)
It's sort of the movable object against the resistible force when Argentina, a team which was effective at ceding possession and bunkering down in respectable losses against Canada and Sweden meets China, a team which was at its best making quick, decisive counterattacks against those same two sides. It's going to be difficult for China to get many balls through Argentina's compact ranks, especially if the hosts are again without Han Duan, but as was the case for Canada and Sweden, it should eventually come away with something. Just 17 years old, Lou Jiahui turned in a strong overall effort in place of Duan against Canada. She's someone to watch in this game and well beyond.

Germany vs. North Korea (5am EST/2am PST on NBCOlympics.com)
If the second round of games in the "Group of Death" are any indication, the referee could be the biggest name to watch in this match. North Korea was very physical with Brazil (to the extent that the Brazilians at times appeared frustrated that they weren't getting a chance to accentuate lighter contact and artfully draw the fouls). If not for a couple of defensive breakdowns and typical brilliance from Marta and Cristiane, the game might have played out differently based on that strategy. North Korea has the pace and conditioning to give Germany problems over 90 minutes in hot and humid conditions, but if it repeats its physical approach and starts handing out set piece after set piece, it could be the cure for Germany's recent scoring lull.

Brazil vs. Nigeria (7:45am EST/4:45am PST on NBCOlympics.com)
It might be a strange thing to say about a team that didn't allow its first goal of the tournament until the third minute of extra time in its second game, but Brazil's defense merits close observation against a Nigerian team that has yet to score a goal in the Olympics. For the second game in a row (and some would say many more, going beyond this competition), Tania, Erika and Simone had more shaky moments than stellar ones. Nigeria may try to play with Brazil, and while that's likely not going to produce a positive result on the scoreboard, it should offer further evidence on just what the South American power's back line really has to offer.

Graham Hays is an ESPN columnist and a contributor to womensprosoccer.com. He can be reached at moonlighthays@gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or womensprosoccer.com.