Alex Morgan: Starlet Shows Why She's Key to U.S. Success in Win over France

The United States women's team are a difficult side to face. They're physical, deadly on set pieces, energetic when pressing for the ball and devoid of major weakness.

Oh, and at any moment, they can also find Alex Morgan streaking forward on a long run or finding space in the box—all before gracefully pushing the ball into the back of the net, as she so often does.

Morgan was up to her usual tricks in the United States' 4-2 win over France on Wednesday, scoring two goals and often finding herself in the perfect position.

While neither goal came off of a spectacular individual effort—the first a clever chip over the goalkeeper after a big bounce from a set piece found her in the box, the second as a wide trailer on a cross that she finished with an easy tap into the goal—Morgan always seemed to find herself in a position to score.

That innate feel for the game and habit of being in exactly the right place to strike is what separates the special forwards from the merely good ones, and Morgan showed it again on Wednesday.

But she also created chances and gave the French defenders fits while she was on the ball. Morgan absolutely flies in the open field, and she arguably should have earned the U.S. a penalty kick when she was tackled in the box on a brilliant run down the left side.

She also knew when to pull back and wait on her teammates, keeping possession and allowing the attack to build slowly.

Morgan isn't the only game-changer on the U.S. side—Abby Wambach is devastating in the air, and Megan Rapinoe's control and vision make her a brilliant playmaker on the right wing—but no one on the U.S. team has the ability to open up a game quite like Morgan can.

The United States isn't without some questions marks, namely on the back line, which looked porous and hectic early against France, giving the French attackers too much space to create.

That makes Morgan all the more important. She can make teams hesitant to press forward without reservation, as they'll fear her streaking down the field on the counter-attack.

The United States looked shaky at times against France—an excellent France team fully capable of finding the medal stand, for what it's worth—but Morgan is in fine form. If the United States are to avenge a World Cup final loss and earn gold, they'll need Morgan to be dominant.

I'm not betting against her.

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