Analyzing Megan Rapinoe's Impact on the USWNT Attack

When the United States women's national team takes to the field for its 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup opener against Australia on Monday, it will look to drive its attack through one vital player.

Megan Rapinoe will be tasked with breaking down the back line of the Matildas in Winnipeg on Monday, as well as searching for openings against Sweden and Nigeria in the following Group D matches. 

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The Yanks were without Rapinoe for their final sendoff friendly at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, and her absence allowed a few players to show how the USWNT will operate through the wings if the dangerous left winger is either shut down by a defender or unable to go 90 minutes. 

Both of those situations are the worst-case ones for the Yanks, as they start their quest to win the World Cup for the first time since 1999. 

Rapinoe was held out of the South Korea clash as a precaution, and with the player expected to be fit for the World Cup opener, she should start out on the left wing in manager Jill Ellis' 4-4-2 formation. 

While the formation Rapinoe plays in may seem a bit bland, her play on the pitch is anything but that. Whether she is making darting runs, cutting inside or attracting attention to open up space for her teammates, Rapinoe is always making an impact in some facet of the game. 

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The scorer of 29 international goals—who recently made her 100th appearance in red, white and blue—commands a ton of respect from her opponents, which is why the Yanks need her dearly over the next month.

This was apparent in the 75th minute of the USWNT's April 2 match with New Zealand. Instead of committing a defender to the incoming Lori Chalupny on the left side of the box, New Zealand surrounded Rapinoe with a pair of players.

The decision turned out to be the wrong one, as Rapinoe fed Chalupny with an assist on the Yanks' second goal of the match. However, that particular strategy may work out for sides of a higher quality at the World Cup. 

Chalupny and starting left back Meghan Klingenberg are skilled players, but they are not expected to score with every shot they take in the final third. With that in mind, the likes of Australia, Sweden and Nigeria may double team Rapinoe on the wing in order to disrupt her progress. 

Rapinoe is also not afraid to drift inside and open up space for a central midfielder or an overlapping full back. In the 45th minute of the USWNT's May 10 win over the Republic of Ireland, Rapinoe made a run into the middle of the box with Carli Lloyd on the left edge of the penalty area. 

Instead of committing a second defender to Lloyd, the Republic of Ireland opted to shadow Rapinoe with someone. Those marking decisions resulted in Lloyd firing a cross to head of Abby Wambach at the far post for the USWNT's second goal. 

On that specific play, Lloyd was the beneficiary of Rapinoe's inside run. But in Canada, Klingenberg is expected to fill that role, especially if the Yanks need to deliver more pressure down the left flank. 

Klingenberg will not surge forward on every attacking move, but if she chooses her spots wisely, the Yanks have the potential to overwhelm whatever opponent they are taking on. 

Since there will be plenty of focus on Rapinoe at the World Cup, the Yanks will also receive plenty of opportunities to switch play and get someone like Christen Press involved on the right wing. In Rapinoe, Lloyd and Lauren Holiday, the Yanks have three quality midfielders who can switch the pace of an attacking move in an instant. 

As for when Rapinoe is not on the field, which is something USWNT fans hope to not see, her ideal replacement is Tobin Heath, who linked up well with Sydney Leroux in the second half of the 0-0 draw with South Korea. 

Heath caught plenty of attention with her ridiculous bit of skill on the left side of the penalty area in the buildup to Wambach's second strike against Mexico on May 17. 

The 27-year-old winger may not be in the same class as Rapinoe, but she does provide a solid option off the bench for Ellis if she opts to use Press on the right wing at the start of the tournament. If Heath earns a spot in the starting 11, Press will be tasked with opening up defenses off the bench in the latter stages of matches. 

Rapinoe isn't the only player who makes the USWNT thrive when at its best, but she is a vital part to the 23-woman squad. If she is able to create a few attacking masterpieces on the left wing in Canada, the Yanks will be in good hands throughout the tournament. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.