Read off what the U.S. national team accomplished Tuesday and it's hard to find much wrong with that group stage finale.
Win the group. Get Megan Rapinoe some minutes. Rest key players. Escape injury-free.
But the 2-2 draw with Colombia in Manaus, Brazil, also brought up some concerns as the U.S. prepares for the Olympic knockout round. While it's tough to read too much into a match featuring a reserve-heavy U.S. squad, it's worth noting the Americans defeated that same Colombia team by a 10-0 margin over two matches in April. And there's no ignoring that uncharacteristically sloppy performance from Hope Solo.
That in mind, here are three key takeaways as the Americans prepare for their quarterfinal against Sweden on Friday in Brasilia:
HOPE SOLO CAN'T HAVE ANOTHER GAME LIKE THAT
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Oh, how the narrative can shift. Solo was hailed Saturday for shrugging off those pesky "Zika" chants and making several impressive stops in a 1-0 win over France. But after the goalkeeper conceded a pair of stoppable goals against Colombia, the question is being asked: Could the Brazilian fans actually be getting in her head?
Typically so steady, Solo experienced a considerable lack in concentration when she allowed Catalina Usme's first-half free kick slip through her arms and legs — handing the U.S. its first deficit in a major tournament since the 2012 Olympic semifinals. She also could have done better on Usme's late equalizer, going up without conviction and allowing the tight-angled set piece to find the back of the net.
Considering Solo's track record, this match is more likely to be an aberration than a warning sign. That said, any seed in doubt doesn't bode well entering the Olympic knockout round.
CRYSTAL DUNN AND MALLORY PUGH SHOWED WELL
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As rising stars who missed out on the Women's World Cup, Dunn and Pugh entered these Olympics primed for a breakout tournament. Through two games, however, they had largely been contained: Pugh was limited by an ankle injury suffered during the opener against New Zealand, while Dunn wasn't overly influential in a starting assignment versus France.
With Heath set to return to the lineup Friday, U.S. coach Jill Ellis will have to choose between Dunn or Pugh in the quarterfinals. Whoever starts, the hole in the lineup that surfaced when Megan Rapinoe went down in December sure hasn't been the handicap that many would have expected.
MEGAN RAPINOE TOOK AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD
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Taking Rapinoe to the Olympics was a roll of the dice by Ellis, and even getting 33 minutes out of the midfielder Tuesday provided a degree of vindication after many fans and media questioned the decision. As the quarterfinals loom, this low-pressure situation was an ideal opportunity for Rapinoe to shake the rust and make her first appearance since tearing the ACL in her right knee.
So how did Rapinoe fare? It was a mixed bag. She hit a couple crosses that were vintage Rapinoe, and there were some clever touches here and there. Yet her set-piece delivery — a skill set specifically cited by Ellis when justifying the pick — was off the mark. Rapinoe also mistimed a couple sequence, notably committing the foul that led to Colombia's opener.
And all of that is to be expected from a player who just spent eight months on the sidelines. But is Rapinoe sharp enough to be called upon if the U.S. needs a late goal in a knockout round game? Ellis' bench presumably will feature Christen Press, Lindsey Horan and either Dunn or Pugh, so throwing Rapinoe into the fire over any of those fully fit options could represent Ellis doubling down on her gamble.
..... - Goal******