United States Vs Japan
Starting with the US Womens National Team (USWNT), who got the full nine points in the group stage, they love flicks from the area before the near post in many different ways.
In the photo below, the opponent defends with six zonal defenders inside the six-yard line, three player-to-player markers, and a rebound defender while the USWNT targets the highlighted player, who uses her mate as a screen going around her to get rid of her marker.
Note: In basketball, a screen is the use of a mate to block the targeted players marker to free her.
In the photo below, the screens effect is clear, while the other two runners have a next role to go to the near post to get the ball if it is overhit, framing the balls bath.
The second benefit of the targeted players starting position is that she comes from the first zonal defenders blind side, meaning that she will have trouble getting her attention while tracking the ball in the air.
