NOTES
Some cool commercials for the Women’s World Cup which starts Thursday are coming here’s a few What’s it gonna take to stop the US, Frito Lays, The World Cup, The Wait is Over , Alyssa Naeher Saves the day, Messi Women’s World Cup Commercial. Lioness from England, Australia Lets Play, Austrailia/NZ. Great to see Pulisic off to AC Milan – Great story on how he will fit in at AC? How about seeing Messi at the Grocery Store? Some folks in Miami did and its breaking the internet.
US Men lose to Panama 2-1 in Semi-Finals (5-4 on PKs)
The US men couldn’t pull a rabbit out of the hat this time as Panama pulled off the 2-1 win on PKs over the US. Disappointing yes – we were dominated in the first half just like Canada – but BJ adjusted in the 2nd half and just like Canada – the US dominated the 2nd half of play outshooting Panama almost 2 to 1 down the stretch. I thought Turner made some great saves – but was not as good as he’s been and obviously to expect him to win every PK shootout is simply not realistic. He made his save – we could have won it in the first 5 shots. Overall – don’t panic US fans. This was a tired US C team off a hard fought ET win over Canada 72 hrs ago. I thought Miles Robinson, Neal, Sands, Busio, Cowell and even Ferriera and Vasquez had their moments this tourney. Disappointing sure, but this was our C team. BJ had some good coaching moments – some youngsters got some minutes. So overall things are fine. Robinson and Richards are our best center backs along with Tim Ream and the 19 year old Galaxy man Jalen Neal will be closing in by Copa next summer. Reynolds has now passed Yedlin on the right but is still behind Dest. Cowell passed Morris who is no longer needed. Bussio and Sands are both in the mix of a very crowded midfield. Ferriera’s 7 goals were impressive he’s gonna win the golden boot for most goals scored. He’s not a pure #9 but at just 22 years-old he’s in the mix. Remember we have the Olympics and Copa America to play in next summer. We have to field 2 full teams. The loss might be a blessing in disguise – Mexico has recovered with their new coach – and after pounding Jamaica last night – they were certainly going to beat us rather handily I think in the finals. This keeps our win streak over Mexico intact. Mexico will be Panama by at least 2 goals Sunday night at 7:30 pm on FS1. Now we can turn our attention to the Women’s World Cup starting Thurs next week and the USWNT’s run for 3 in a row.
Indy 11 Women Advance to W League Semi-Final at home Fri 7 pm at Grand Park
The Girls in Blue advance to the USL W League Semifinal and have earned the right to host the San Francisco Glens this Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. at the Grand Park Event Center. Tix are just $8 avail click here to order. Listen if you are a fan of local soccer – have a daughter playing travel soccer – or just a fan of the women’s game –this Friday night is a perfect time to get tickets and go! Take the kids – take the team. Concessions with hot dogs, sodas, popcorn and all the usual are available and there is a bar overalooking the field with adult beverages and wings and burgers and the lot. Its a good time – and a great way to root on our local players like Carmel High former stars Katie and Susie Sodestrom, Casidy Lindley, Alia Martin, and Quincy McMahon along with Noblesville High’s Maddie Fancher, Sara Kile, Nona Reason, and Jenna Chatterton and other local former high school stars like Annika Creel, Rachel & Sam Dewey and more now playing college ball in the fall and summers for the Indy 11. Full ladies Roster Pics
Preview Indy 11 W League Playoff Finals – Friday night #INDvSFG
Tix are just $8 avail click here to order Indy in the Semi’s Cue the Smoke
MLS Messi Reveal Sun 8:30 pm in Gold Cup Final half time, MLS All-Star Game vs Arsenal Wed July 19 Apple 7 pm MLS All-Star Team Roster
US Women Quest for 3 Straight Starts Fri 9 pm on Fox vs Vietnam
The US Ladies will start their quest for an unprecedented 3rd straight World Cup title down under next Friday night, July 21 at 9 pm vs Vietman. No other team men’s or women have ever won 3 in a row – the US ladies have won back-to-back twice. Tons of stories below about the team and the entire World Cup – next week I will have a full preview. The US will play Fri, Wed July 27 9 pm vs Netherlands and Tues Aug 1 vs Portugal as 3 am? Crystal Dunn on motherhood and USMNT, Meet the 23 is the Cool Series on USSoccer’s Twitter feed here’s (F)Alyssa Thompson, (D) Sofia Huerta, GK Aubrey Kingsbury, (D) Naomi Girma, (D) Alana Cook, (M) Ashley Sanchez, (D) Emily Fox. More next week.
Coach Shane Best “aka the Old Ballcoach” is Training GKs Wed/Thur nights
Wed 7/12, 7/19 & Thur 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27
U10-U13 6-7:15 pm U14-U16 7:15 – 8:30 pm
email shanebestsoccer@gmail.com or text 317-748-7174 for more info.
Carmel High School Boys Summer Schedule
Carmel High School Girls Summer Schedule
July 17-20: Carmel High School Middle School Soccer Camp for rising 5th through 8th grade girls, Murray Stadium 2-4:30 pm Cost $90 Register T-shirt Included – work out with the current Varsity Girls team and coaches. GKs you should be going – especially 7th and 8th graders to be.
Good luck to those Girls trying out for CHS at the Camp Next Week – I will be reffing Sat/Sun!
Carmel FC coaches Danny Philips, Nick Mason, Mark Stumpf, Shane Best, and former FC coach Jen C. enjoy Sun night’s US win over Canada in Cincy.
GAMES ON TV
Fri, July 13
7 pm Grand Park Indy 11 Ladies vs San Fran Playoff Semi-Finals
9 pm ESPN+ Colorado Springs vs San Diego Loyal USL
11 pm TUDN Tijuana vs Cruz Azul Mex
Sat, July 14
7:30 pm Apple Atlanta United vs Orlando
8:30 pm Apple Austin vs KC
8:30 pm Apple Chicago vs Toronto
9 pm Univision America vs Puebla – Mex
9:30 pm Apple Salt Lake City vs NY Red Bulls
10:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas
10:30 pm Apple Vancouver vs LA Galaxy
11 pm Univision Tigres vs Leon – Mex
Sun, July 16
7:30 pm FS1 Finals Gold Cup
8:30 pm FS1 Messi Presentation half time
Wed, July 19
7 pm ESPN2 Detroit City vs Louisville City USL
8 pm Apple TV MLS All Stars vs Arsenal
Thur, July 20 Women’s World Cup Starts
3 am Fox New Zealand vs Norway
6 am Fox Australia vs Ireland
10:30 pm Fox Nigeria vs Canada
Fri, July 21
1 am FS1 Phillipines vs Switzerland
3:30 am FS1 Spain vs Costa Rica
9 pm Fox USWNT vs Vietnam
Sat, July 22
3 am FS1 Zambia vs Japan
5:30 am Fox England vs Haiti
8 am Fox Denmark vs China
7 pm WRTV, ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Tampa Bay Rowdies
8 pm FS1, Univision Philly vs Tijuana Leagues Cup
Sun July 23
1 am FS1 Sweden vs South Africa
3:30 am FS1 Netherlands vs Portugal
6 am Fox France vs Jamaica
7 pm FS1, Univision NY City vs Atlas Leagues Cup
Mon July 24
2 am FS1 Italy vs Argentina
4:30 am FS1 Germany vs Morroco
7 am FS1 Brazil vs Panama
10 pm FS1 Colombia vs Korea
Tues, July 25
1:30 am FS1 New Zealand vs Phillipines
4 am FS1 Switzerland vs Norway
8 pm FS1, Univision Santos Laguna vs Houston Leagues Cup
10:30 pm FS1, Uni LA Galaxy vs Leon Leagues Cup
Wed, July 26
1 am FS1 Japan vs Costa Rica
3:30 am FS1 Spain vs Zambia
8 am FS1 Canada vs Ireland
9 pm Fox USWNT vs Netherlands
Thur, July 27
3:30 am FS1 Portugal vs Vietnam
6 am FS1 Australia vs Nigeria
8 pm FS1 Argentina vs South Africa
8 pm ?? Guadalajara vs Cincy Leagues Cup
10 pm FS1 America vs St Louis City
Fri, July 28
4:30 am FS1 England vs Denmark
7 am FS1 China vs Haiti
Sat, July 29
3 am FS1 Sweden vs Italy
6 am Fox France vs Brazil
8:30 am Fox Panama vs Jamaica
Sun, July 30
12:30 am Fox Korea vs Morocco
3 am Fox Switzerland vs New Zealand
3 am FS1 Norway vs Phillipines
5:30 am FS1 Germany vs Colombia
7 pm FS1 Pumas vs DC United Leagues Cup
9 pm FS1 Monterrey vs Seattle Sounders Leagues Cup
Mon, July 31
3 am Fox Japan vs Spain
3 am FS1 Costa Rica vs Zambia
6 am Fox Canada vs Australia
6 am FS1 Ireland vs Nigeria
8 pm ? ? America vs Columbus Crew
8 pm ESPN+ Louisville City vs Indy 11
Tues, Aug 1
3 am Fox United States Women vs Portugal
3 am FS1 Vietnam vs Netherlands
7 am Fox England vs China
7 am FS1 Haiti vs Denmark
Sat, Aug 5
7 pm TV 23 Indy 11 vs Memphis- Star Wars Night
Soccer Saturday’s are every Sat 9-10 am on 93.5 and 107.5 FM with Greg Rakestraw
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US Men & Gold Cup
Did any USMNT player truly make a big splash in Gold Cup exit? ESPNFC Kyle Bonagura
‘The first half is my fault’: Callaghan holds hand up after USMNT’s Gold Cup ends early
Panama stun USA on penalties to set up Gold Cup final with Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup: Panama eliminates USMNT in shootout to reach final
Post Mortem: What was learned as the USMNT bows out of the Gold Cup to Panama on penalties
Dortmund boss Terzic provides Reyna injury update
USMNT transfer rater: Grading every player’s move this summer
CONCACAF Gold Cup: Mexico strikes early against Jamaica, advances to face Panama in final
US Women & World Cup
Is U.S. women’s soccer ready for its toughest test? Analyzing the World Cup roster
Julie Foudy celebrates sisterhood as U.S. women’s national team departs for World Cup
Meet all 23 USWNT players going to the World Cup: Fun facts, insightful stats and more
USWNT: 2023 Women’s World Cup roster by the numbers
GM Kate Markgraf is laying the groundwork for the USWNT to win the World Cup Jeff Carlisle ESPNFC
How Trinity Rodman made her name her own
How Alex Morgan has grown from soccer’s ‘it girl’ to an American hero chasing history
The community and carpools that propelled USWNT’s Naomi Girma to the World Cup
How the USWNT past and present blazed a trail for mothers in sports
World Cup scouting report: How Vietnam could beat the USWNT Emma HrubyJul 11, 2023
World Cup scouting report: How Portugal could beat the USWNT Emma Hruby July 12, 2023
World Cup scouting report: How the Netherlands could beat the USWNT Emma HrubyJul 10, 2023
Trinity Rodman: ‘Everyone expects success’ from USWNT at World Cup Emma HrubyJul 11, 2023
USWNT World Cup player preview: Get to know Ashley Sanchez
For Naomi Girma, big USWNT debut fulfills lifelong dream Emma HrubyJuly 12, 2023
USWNT World Cup player preview: Get to know Savannah DeMelo Emma Hruby July 12, 2023
How Emily Fox became one of the USWNT’s most reliable players Claire Watkins July 12, 2023
Megan Rapinoe: ‘I’m feeling all the feels’ heading into final World Cup Emma Hruby July 12, 2023
Alex Morgan: USWNT never discusses potential World Cup three-peat Emma Hruby July 12, 2023
World Cup: Why Germany and Spain are top contenders for the title
Women’s World Cup predictions: Trinity Rodman can be breakout star for defending champions
Should Canada’s Christine Sinclair get more respect as one of soccer’s GOATs?
Different name, bigger fields. How World Cup has changed since first tournament in 1991
Behind the scenes with the Lionesses: Whale watching, kangaroos and Denmark’s No 1 board game
World Cup glory the missing piece for Australian superstar Kerr
England’s squad for the 2023 Women’s Football World Cup
Co-hosts New Zealand win at last in timely World Cup boost
Indy 11
Preview Indy 11 W League Playoff Finals – Friday night #INDvSFG
Indy 11 will host Playoff Semi-Final at Grand Park Fri Night
Indy 11 Women Crowned USL Central Conference Champs
Reffing
Become a Licensed High School Ref
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13
MLS Red Card Rumble – You Make the Call
Goalkeeping
Goalie Wars at the MLS Allstar Game
Follow Live Live Stream
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: #INDvSFG MatchCenter at USLWLeague.com
USL W Regular Season Records
Indy Eleven: 8W-1L-1D (+37GD) San Francisco Glens SC: 10W-1L-1D (+32 GD)
Setting the Scene
Indy Eleven hosts San Francisco Glens SC for the USL W League Semifinal match. Indy Eleven was first to secure their spot in the semifinal after defeating Minnesota Aurora FC 1-0 in the Central Conference Final on Saturday. San Francisco Glens FC claimed their spot in the semifinal after defeating California Storm 2-1 in the Western Conference Final on Sunday.
Series vs. San Francisco Glens SC
Friday’s USL W League Semifinal match marks the first meeting between Indy and San Francisco.
Last Time Out
A 57th-minute goal from Sam Dewey proved to be the match winner as Indy Eleven defeated Minnesota Aurora FC 1-0 in the USL W League Central Conference Final on Saturday afternoon.Dewey’s team-leading ninth goal of 2023 came off an assist from a Grace Bahr set piece, giving her a second assist this season. In goal, Nona Reason earned her seventh clean sheet of the season and her second in 2023 playoff action.The Girls in Blue are the first team to advance to the USL W League Semifinal and have earned the right to host on Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. ET. The opponent for the match will be determined by Sunday’s Western Conference Final between San Francisco Glens SC and California Storm.
The loss was the first for Aurora FC after an undefeated 12-0-0 regular season, and avenged a 2-1 playoff loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.
USMNT falls to Panama in Gold Cup semifinals, Mexico advances: What it means for the U.S. and El Tri
By Paul Tenorio and Felipe Cardenas Jul 12, 2023
Panama dashed the U.S. men’s national team’s hopes of advancing to its 13th CONCACAF Gold Cup final, defeating the U.S. 1(5)-1(4) in a penalty shootout Wednesday at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Here’s what you need to know:
- Panama opened the scoring in extra time with a goal by Iván Anderson in the 99th minute, but the USMNT’s Jesús Ferreira scored in the 105th minute to tie it up 1-1.
- The match was sent to penalties, where the U.S. was unable to repeat the shootout victory it secured against Canada on Sunday.
- In the later semifinal game Wednesday night between Mexico and Jamaica, goals by Henry Martín, Luis Chávez and Roberto Alvarado helped secure a 3-0 win for Mexico.
- Mexico and Panama will face off in the Gold Cup final on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Mexico is making its 11th appearance in the Gold Cup final, while Panama is making its third appearance.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How the U.S. fell flat
It was a stunning result for the U.S., which lost at home to a CONCACAF opponent for the first time since September 2019. It is the first time since 2015 the USMNT has not played in the Gold Cup final. Realistically, it was a deserved result.Panama looked in control for the majority of the game against a U.S. team that needed 120 minutes and penalties to get through Canada in the quarterfinals just three days ago.This U.S. team was missing all of its highest-profile and best players, except for goalkeeper Matt Turner, whose two saves in the penalties against Canada saw the U.S. through to Wednesday’s semifinal. Turner had another save in penalties this time around, but it wasn’t enough.Even playing with its ‘B’ team, the U.S. will be extremely disappointed not to have advanced out of the semifinals. In reality, the U.S. seemed to lack some of the aggressiveness and bite in midfield and struggled to generate chances in the knockout rounds. — Tenorio
Where does this leave the U.S. roster?
Outside of James Sands, who made a good claim to back up Tyler Adams as the USMNT No. 6, it is difficult to point to performers who clearly pushed into the ‘A’ team depth chart coming out of this tournament. Jalen Neal is a young center back who played a lot of minutes and continues to show his potential and Ferreira’s seven goals in the tournament will keep him in the conversation behind Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, but overall the majority of the top U.S. roster will be made up of European-based players who did not take part in this tournament. — Tenorio
What’s next for the USMNT?
The U.S. will return to the field for friendlies against Uzbekistan on Sept. 9 in St. Louis and against Oman on Sept. 12 in St. Paul, Minn. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter will be back on the sidelines for the first time since the U.S. was eliminated in the World Cup by the Netherlands in the knockout stages. Interim manager B.J. Callaghan served as coach for the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup, while Anthony Hudson was interim manager for previous games in 2022. — Tenorio
Was this the best Mexico performance under coach Jaime Lozano?
It was, but that doesn’t mean that the interim tag will be removed from Lozano’s title. It’s true that Mexico outclassed a Jamaica side that never got off the bus. It’s also true that Mexico players showed a desire and work ethic that bodes well moving forward. But the Mexico Football Federation is still considering a big-name hire to replace Lozano. — Cardenas
What has stood out for El Tri under Lozano?
The soccer hasn’t always been great. Mexico’s loss to Qatar in the group stage was further proof that El Tri is still a work in progress and a national team in crisis. Yet, Lozano has been able to right the ship ever so slightly. Mexico is in the Gold Cup final. It’s the favorite to win. If Mexico does, that’s mission accomplished for Lozano. — Cardenas
Backstory
Panama secured wins over Costa Rica (2-1) and Martinique (2-1), as well as a 2-2 draw against El Salvador in the group stage to advance to the quarterfinals, where they defeated Qatar 4-0. Panama lost both prior Gold Cup appearances to the U.S. in 2005 and 2013.The U.S. defeated Canada 3-2 in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals Sunday following a 2-2 draw in extra time. Turner’s two saves in the shootout made him the first U.S. goalie to make multiple saves in a penalty shootout since Kasey Keller in the 2002 Gold Cup semis against Canada.The U.S. posted respective 6-0 wins over Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Kitts and Nevis in the group stage to advance to the semis. With three goals in each of those contests, Ferreira became the first USMNT player to score hat tricks in consecutive matches. The U.S. faced Jamaica in its first group-stage match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.Mexico, the betting favorite to win the tournament heading into Wednesday, defeated Costa Rica 2-0 in the quarterfinals following group-stage wins over Qatar (1-0), Haiti (3-1) and Honduras (4-0). Mexico holds the most Gold Cup wins with eight titles, but finished second to the U.S. in last year’s tournament. Mexico defeated Panama 1-0 last month for third place in CONCACAF Nations League, which was won by the U.S. over Canada.
Post Mortem: What was learned as the USMNT bows out of the Gold Cup to Panama on penalties
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta looks at the 2023 Gold Cup for the USMNT after the team bowed out after a shootout loss to Panama. What was learned? What’s next?
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTEDJULY 13, 20238:45 AM USMNT analysis American Soccer Now
THE UNITED STATES bowed out of the 2023 Gold Cup following a 5-4 shootout loss to Panama after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. The game was even at 1-1 after the first half of injury time following a 99th minute goal from Panama’s Ivan Anderson and then a 105th minute equalizer from Jesus Ferreira. But in the end, Panama prevailed on penalties. U.S. national team head coach B.J. Callaghan went with a very aggressive starting XI which included both Brandon Vazquez and Ferreira along with Cade Cowell on the wing. The midfield also included attack minded Gianluca Busio and Djordje Mihailovic. Then there was Bryan Reynolds and DeJuan Jones as aggressive and attack-minded fullbacks.It was a risk by Callaghan as five of the team’s 10 field players played at least 110 minutes 72 hours. But he was also limited by Jordan Morris not being 100% and with Aidan Morris away on “personal reasons.”But it was clear that the U.S. needed to try to put the game away early, take advantage of whatever opportunities came their way, and then shut it down on defense. Unfortunately for Callaghan and the U.S. team, that did not happen.
Panama was, not surprisingly, far fresher having an extra day rest and a much easier time in the quarterfinal in a 4-0 pounding of Qatar. The U.S., meanwhile, needed 120 stressful minutes plus penalties to get by Canada.Still, the U.S. team had their chances. Cowell hit the post in the first minutes, Ferreira sent a golden chance wide in the 55th minute (on a play that originated from solid pressing) and Vazquez skied a great opportunity from 10 yards in the second half. Converting any of those would have changed the game.
But it arguably would have come against the run of play as Panama had the bulk of possession with some great chances. Matt Turner had to make big saves in both halves and Panama had two goals rightfully called back for offside.
The breakthrough came in the 99th minute when Anderson beat Turner to a ball outside the box. He moved past him and sent it into an open net for a 1-0 lead.But the U.S. team responded well in the 105th minute when Matt Miazga sent a long ball into the box, Jordan Morris headed it to Ferreira for a classy volley finish.But in the shootout, Panama was superior after converting 5/6 opportunities. The U.S. team fell in the sixth round when Cristian Roldan failed to make his attempt.The U.S. team is now done for the summer and will next return to action in September with friendlies against Uzbekistan and Oman. Those games will mark the return of Gregg Berhalter who will rejoin the team as the head coach.Here are some thoughts on the tournament and the loss.
WHY THE U.S. TEAM LOST?
First, Panama is on the upswing right now. It comes at a time in CONCACAF when Honduras and Costa Rica are not as strong as they have been for most of the past two decades. They are a good team under head coach Thomas Christiansen and have a very good chance this cycle in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying that will be without the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The U.S. was tired and needed to win this game and came up empty. Crossing and finishing was especially poor against Panama. When the U.S. team got to extra time, their chances of winning the tournament were slim. Even if they prevailed against Panama in the shootout, playing 240 minutes within days of each other would not have put them in a position to seriously compete in the final.The team needed to create more and finish with more precision, but it came up short against a well-coached Panama team that smelled blood. It’s a thin line, and the U.S. team was on the short ended.
GOLD CUP LESSONS
It wasn’t a bad experience for the U.S. team. For many, it was their first chance to gain international tournament experience. Promising players like Brandon Vazquez, Bryan Reynolds, Alejandro Zendejas, John Tolkin, Aidan Morris, Cade Cowell, Jalen Neal, and DeJuan Jones were playing extensive minutes for the first time in such an environment.For many who had experience, it was their first time being back after an extended absence. James Sands won the 2021 Gold Cup but he is now shifting to the midfield with the U.S. team. Gianluca Busio also had been away for awhile amid a tough season at Venezia. Matt Miazga as well hasn’t been a regular fixture in a few years.
Was the team disjointed? Sure. But that was also to be expected given the lack of familiarity among the pool.I don’t like the use of the “A-team” or “B-team” terminology because there is one player pool. Sure, we know many of the established players, but predicting a 26-player roster for a tournament three years away is a fool’s errand. A chance to improve the whole player pool is a good choice.The point is to get as many players experience as possible so that they’re more prepared and not learning the ropes in the future. The USMNT played well in the Nations League. But that was with a core that had been together for years. That team was wildly disjointed at one point too (the loss in Toronto to Canada in the Nations League in 2020 was a low point). What you will see from this group of players is that some will fade out of the picture. Some might go away for a while but could return for additional looks if they surge with their clubs. Some will get looks in the fall with the core from the Nations League. Others will shift to the U-23 Olympic team, which historically has been a great springboard for young players to transition to the full national team afterward.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE PLAYERS?
For this Gold Cup roster, it’s not the end of the road for many players. Some are easy to figure out.Matt Turner and Miles Robinson will likely be back with the team in the fall. Jordan Morris still remains a backup winger when fully healthy, which he wasn’t at this tournament.One of the big winners on this roster was James Sands who looked vastly improved at defensive midfield after his best moments for the national team had come in central defense. DeJuan Jones likewise helped his case as a backup left back.
Brandon Vazquez and Jesus Ferreira are in the mix, but competition is not much tighter with the addition of Folarin Balogun to the striker player pool. Matt Miazga is tough to read, but he has struggled in the past under Gregg Berhalter.
Alejandro Zendejas had a rough tournament, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him need a strong run at Club America to get back into the mix. Julian Gressel also had a tough tournament but he doesn’t have the benefit of youth. DeAndre Yedlin has benefited getting callups based on a wealth of experience that now includes two World Cups, 110 Premier League games, experience in the Championship, the CONCACAF Champions League, MLS, and Turkey. But as the player pool matures, that gap of experience doesn’t mean as much.Bryan Reynolds, Gianluca Busio, Cade Cowell, Jalen Neal, John Tolkin, and Aidan Morris were all up and down but also with some impressive high points. Gaga Slonina remained on the bench. These players are all eligible for the U.S. U-23 team for the 2024 Olympics and should be considered good options for that team. This tournament could give them a good springboard into that team as it gets underway, probably later this year. But their inclusion with this team was certainly beneficial in that regard.
Plenty of USMNT players failed to impress as Gold Cup run ends
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff WriterJul 13, 2023, 02:39 AM ET
SAN DIEGO — Ever since he was named the interim United States men’s national soccer team coach, replacing another interim coach, B.J. Callaghan has been consistent.The team’s objective at the Gold Cup was to capture a fourth straight Concacaf trophy while providing opportunities to a roster made up predominantly of young and fringe players.
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It’s not exactly a complimentary combination. But with the squad’s European-based stars needing an extended break after a long club season that sandwiched the unusual winter World Cup, it was a logical way to try to salvage what in the past has been an important competition.
However, this tournament, with this team, was hardly that. That’s why when the U.S. crashed out in penalties to Panama in the semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday, many U.S. fans could have simply shrugged and moved on. Nothing that took place over the five games at the Gold Cup will have much, if any, impact on the future success of the program.For Callaghan and the players involved, though, failing to advance to Sunday’s final against Mexico in Los Angeles still stings.”We’re disappointed that we weren’t able to achieve that,” said Callaghan, who was quick to point out the silver lining. “We had moments of adversity, we saw the group respond to it and I think there was a lot of learning lessons that we’re all going to take away as we continue our preparation to 2026.”Just three days after playing 120 minutes and needing penalties to advance past Canada in Cincinnati during the quarterfinals, the U.S. again slogged its way through regular time — this time under the hot Southern California sun — only for the game to remain goalless. And again the U.S. went down early in extra time when its defense was opened up, leaving goalkeeper Matt Turner on an island, unable to rescue the team.It was an own goal that bailed the U.S. out against Canada. This time, it came from a brilliant game-tying strike from Jesus Ferreira — who tied Clint Dempsey’s U.S. record for the most goals in a single Gold Cup with seven — that sent the contest to penalties.
That’s where the magic ran out.
Ferreira, the Americans’ first penalty taker, had his shot saved, and Panama would prevail 6-5, with both teams taking seven shots. It was a sour ending for both Ferreira and Turner; one more big moment from either of them could have sent the team through.”Obviously, we fought so hard. We did everything we could in our power to get ourselves ready for this game, and we hung in there,” Turner said. “We made some bad plays, we made some good plays, but at the end of the day, it came down to a penalty shootout — and going through 120 [minutes] and penalties twice in four days is just emotional. It’s been a lot.”But the tournament experience for this group of players — and perhaps more for Turner than anyone else — proved valuable.”There’s a lot of guys here that have developed a lot throughout it, and it’s only a good thing for the player pool to have experiences like this to instill hunger in the younger players, instill hunger in myself,” Turner added. “It was great to get to play with some new faces and some younger guys. I got that childish joy of playing back, which was really nice.”As good as the added experience is in theory, from a practical standpoint, there weren’t any U.S. players who emphatically made a statement that they are ready for a larger role when the full pool is available.
Consider those who had entered the tournament with plenty to prove:
- Striker Brandon Vazquez scored three goals off the bench — two coming in key moments against Jamaica and Canada — but was ineffective in his lone start against Panama. With Folarin Balogun now in the mix and Ricardo Pepi on the ascent, the depth chart doesn’t set up well for Vazquez, who is, at best, No. 5 on the list and likely even lower.
- Ferreira is in a similar spot. He performed well, but it wasn’t the two hat tricks that made the biggest impression; it was his positional versatility and effort. Those qualities, in addition to the goals, make him a nice depth player to keep around.
- Center back Jalen Neal might have improved his stock more than anyone. The 19-year-old LA Galaxy player was unavailable in the semifinal due to injury, but he looked mostly comfortable during his minutes in the tournament. But again, he still has a way to go before being considered an option with the first-choice roster.
- Right back Bryan Reynolds did enough to warrant consideration to get called in by Gregg Berhalter in September, but with Sergino Dest and Joe Scalley ahead of him, it’s not an easy path.
- In the midfield, Gianluca Busio, James Sands and Djordje Mihailovic were all solid. But it’s easy for anyone who watched the U.S. midfield in the Nations League — especially with Giovanni Reyna, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah together — to see how large of a gap there is.
- There are moments when Cade Cowell looks like a superstar in the making, but the end product isn’t there. It’s the same with San Jose in MLS. Until that changes, he’ll be far from the first-choice team.
- Based on his inclusion on the Nations League roster, Alejandro Zendejas seemed like the player on this roster closest to a possible breakthrough. That didn’t happen. He was disappointing in four starts before sitting the semifinal with an injury.
The next U.S. game will be against Uzbekistan in St. Louis on Sept. 9 in what will mark Berhalter’s return. A handful of the players who saw action at this Gold Cup will likely be on the roster, but only Turner, a lock, and center back Miles Robinson seem like candidates to start.
Christian Pulisic has a point to prove in Milan on the latest stage of his European tour
By Greg O’Keeffe and James Horncastle jul 12, 2023
From vivid flashes of promise in the Ruhr to hype and stagnation in West London — Christian Pulisic’s vacillating European tour will aim for revival in Lombardy, northern Italy.Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, now AC Milan. The 24-year-old’s CV remains superficially impressive, albeit with growing question marks over whether he can recapture the magic which persuaded the Premier League club to pay £58million ($74.8m) for him back in 2019.He had already struggled for form and minutes in his final season at Dortmund, having previously shone, and — on the whole — that pattern continued in the Premier League.As the USMNT player jetted into Italy to undertake a medical on Wednesday, the forward’s immediate objective could not have been clearer: he has to make a success of this move to Milan.
Pulisic is tasked with creating a consistent body of work to rebuff the doubts which surfaced in England, when patchy performances and niggling injuries saw last season yield his fewest league minutes since his debut campaign in the Bundesliga.
With next year’s Copa America looming and the 2026 World Cup on home turf, it will be a lift for club and country if the attacker can take things to the next level on a domestic setting, establish a rhythm and go into those tournaments as a matured, reliable performer.For Milan, who won Serie A for the 19th time in 2022 but finished only fourth last time round, his acquisition is part of an attempt to get back on track, too. Theirs is a shared aim, then. But what other factors fuelled their desire to bring Pulisic to San Siro?For starters, he is linking up with a manager, Stefano Pioli, who really wants him; something he has arguably lacked since being persuaded by Pioli’s compatriot, Maurizio Sarri, to join Chelsea over four years ago.
Pioli instructs Pulisic’s former Chelsea team-mate, Fikayo Tomori (Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)The feeling in Milan — seven-time winners of the Champions League and semi-finalists last season — is that, at his best, they are signing a very good player; a well-rounded winger, more technical than athletic, but also a creator and goalscorer who can dribble with the ball in tight spaces.Pioli knows his side needs to be less reliant on Portugal international Rafael Leao for breaking down opponents who defend deep against them. The Rossoneri had an average of 60 per cent possession against teams in the bottom half of Serie A last season, and the hope is Pulisic can help make that dominance of the ball more effective.
Their expected goals (xG) created versus bottom-half teams (1.34) lagged behind eight of their domestic rivals: Inter (1.66 xG), Atalanta (1.62), Napoli (1.56), Roma (1.46), Juventus (1.45), Torino (1.42), Lazio (1.38) and Fiorentina (1.36).Milan also believe they are signing a multi-functional player; one who has played a lot of minutes on the right wing, particularly at Borussia Dortmund, and is comfortable on the left as well. The Italian club’s manager, though, sees Pulisic as a natural No 10, which the player himself has found encouraging.So, while Milan view him as an upgrade to Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers on the right, they know he can shine across the final third.Then there is the EU passport — Pulisic moved to Germany before the age of 16 and qualified through his Croatian grandfather, Mate — which made his move to Italy smoother, and the fact he made it clear he favoured Milan strongly over the only other concrete offer on the table, from the French club Lyon.
Milan know his injury record is not ideal and that becoming one of their high earners means there is an element of risk to this transfer, although they will pay him far less than his salary at Stamford Bridge.They will also pay less tax on their new attacker’s wages, thanks to a government relief scheme that allows Italian clubs to pay less duty for players arriving from abroad. That will potentially boost Serie A by attracting bigger, box-office stars. The first season of Pulisic’s career in Italy will now be broadcast back home in the United States on the streaming service Paramount+, with CBS Sports having acquired the league’s broadcast rights from ESPN in 2021 in a reported three-year deal worth $75 million per season.Securing their man has been relatively straightforward.They had initially tried their luck with a lower bid to test Chelsea’s resolve over their valuation of Pulisic. Although the English club and Milan have forged a good relationship in the past few years — Olivier Giroud, Fikayo Tomori, Tiemoue Bakayoko (on loan) and, most recently, Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all joined the Italian club — they sensed the leverage was weighted more in their favour in negotiations over Pulisic.They initially tabled a €14million (£12m; $15.3m) offer for the USMNT forward, raising it slightly when that was dismissed, and then only pushed to what would be their accepted offer, for an initial €20million plus €2million in add-ons with a meaningful sell-on clause in the event of a future transfer, after Lyon shook the dynamic with a bid worth €25million (£21.5m, $27.3m) plus their own sell-on clause.Pulisic never had any interest in moving to Ligue 1, so Chelsea were unable to force the auction Lyon had generated too hard; especially when they had already effectively devalued the player by offering him as a makeweight in their failed bid for Leao last summer. Their reluctance to offer Pulisic much game time since then, while supplementing their squad with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Christopher Nkunku, who operate in the American’s position, meant his value was undermined even further.
Pulisic played his part in Chelsea’s European Cup success of 2021 (Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)
In that context, the London club might feel they did well to reach an agreement in a package worth up to €22million ($24.2m, £18.8m) overall.The numbers will not matter much to Pulisic as he plans for life in another new country. This is another chance to flourish. His focus will be proving he can be a major player in a European league, especially in light of former USMNT hero Landon Donovan claiming he should have returned home to Major League Soccer rather than Italy. MLS’s rise continues in his absence, but Pulisic seems determined to show his brave teenage decision to move to Germany will culminate in everything he had dreamed of back then — playing a significant role in a successful, powerhouse of a team; playing a significant role in a team that wins trophies.Achieve that and he will feel fully comfortable in his skin when cast as the USMNT’s leading star.
Lionel Messi unveiling by Inter Miami could be broadcast at half-time of Gold Cup final
By Paul Tenorio and Felipe Cardenas The Athletic Jul 10, 2023
Lionel Messi’s presentation as an Inter Miami player could be broadcast at half-time of the Gold Cup final on Sunday.Major League Soccer is in discussions with CONCACAF, Fox and Univision to air a portion of the presentation, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships.Inter Miami announced an event, The Unveil, will begin at 8pm ET on Sunday (1am BST on Monday) at DRV Pink Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Gold Cup final is scheduled to kick off at the same time at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Inter Miami’s statement, which does not name Messi, billed the full event as including “exciting entertainment, speeches on the pitch and more”.The entire program will air on the MLS Season Pass app on Apple, one source said.Executives with MLS and CONCACAF were in touch about the overlapping events, the sources said, and while details have not yet been finalized with Fox and Univision, the hope is to leverage two major regional soccer events and maximize the audience and impact.The U.S. men’s national team face Panama while Mexico take on Jamaica in the Gold Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.Messi is expected to arrive in the United States on Tuesday before an official announcement from the club this week, one source confirmed. He is currently on vacation in the Bahamas.
Messi announced on June 7 that he would continue his career in Miami, choosing to play in MLS over options with Barcelona and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal. The World Cup winner’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired at the end of June. MLS has a 10-year, $2.5billion television deal with Apple, but it also has a four-year agreement to simulcast games on Fox. Univision is a long-time partner that currently has an agreement to broadcast some Leagues Cup games, the new competition between MLS and the Mexican league, Liga MX, that launches this summer. Messi is expected to debut on July 21 in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup opener against Mexican side Cruz Azul. Inter Miami has also reportedly agreed terms with Messi’s former Barcelona team-mates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. The club’s social media accounts teased Busquets’ arrival with a video on June 23. It’s unclear if the event on Sunday will also include Busquets and Alba. Univision and Fox had not yet responded with comment at the time of publication.
How have MLS and Inter Miami enticed Messi?
MLS’s offer to Messi involves contributions from the league’s two biggest commercial partners. Multiple sources involved in or briefed on the high-level league discussions — who, like all sources in this piece, will remain anonymous to protect relationships — have said MLS and Apple have discussed offering Messi a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming package on Apple TV+. Both sides view Messi’s potential involvement in Major League Soccer as a boon; Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5billion agreement this spring. Apple also revealed a four-part docuseries chronicling Messi’s five World Cup appearances would stream on Apple TV+.
Adidas, which is among MLS’ largest corporate sponsors, has prepared its own potential arrangement to entice Messi to the United States, multiple sources briefed on those plans told The Athletic. Messi is being offered a profit-sharing agreement with the sportswear giant, those sources said, which would involve the player receiving a cut of any increase in Adidas’ profits resulting from his involvement in MLS.
Adidas has partnered with MLS since the league’s inception in 1996. The two sides renewed their partnership earlier this year, signing a six-year, $830million extension that runs through 2030. The German manufacturer supplies kits to all 29 MLS teams and also designs the league’s official match ball and is the league’s official footwear sponsor.Messi himself has a long-standing relationship with Adidas, which started in 2006. In 2017, he signed a lifetime footwear sponsorship deal with the company.
Inter Miami — the lowdown
Inter Miami were established in 2018 and have been contesting MLS matches since 2020.They are owned by brothers Jorge and Jose Mas alongside former England captain David Beckham, who played MLS football with LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 after more than a decade at Manchester United and four years at Real Madrid.Inter Miami currently play at the 18,000-seater DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, but permission has been granted for construction to begin on Miami Freedom Park, a $1billion (£860m) stadium complex that will give Inter Miami a spectacular home.The club endured a tumultuous period post-launch as they entered MLS during the COVID-19 pandemic and were later punished for breaking budget rules.Their challenging spell has continued this term, with the franchise bottom of the Eastern Conference standings when Phil Neville was sacked.(Photo: Peng Ziyang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Lionel Messi on key to his longevity: ‘It’s the desire to outperform myself – always wanting more’
By Felipe Cardenas Jul 12, 2023
Lionel Messi believes one of the keys to his longevity at the highest level of football is a desire to outperform himself.Messi — who is poised to officially become an Inter Miami player following his exit from Paris Saint-Germain — has been playing professionally for almost 20 years, winning a host of team and individual titles with Barcelona and Argentina.“I think it’s been what has allowed me to accomplish everything that I have, collectively and individually,” Messi said on his long career, in an interview during Argentina’s tour of Asia last month that was released on Tuesday.“It’s mentality, fight, sacrifice, always wanting more. I was like that from a very young age. I was responsible and was sure of what I wanted.“I always gave my best to accomplish the most. It didn’t always happen but I stayed focused on that mentality and the desire to always outperform myself. I was lucky with injuries.”Perhaps the most coveted of Messi’s honours came just a few months ago, when he captained Argentina to a World Cup victory in Qatar last December.
The 2022 edition was Messi’s fifth World Cup, with the 36-year-old tasting defeat in the 2014 final against Germany. Following the final last year, Messi confirmed that would be his last World Cup appearance.“I really enjoyed this last World Cup because I knew that it could be my last one,” Messi said. “And to be honest, I wouldn’t still be on the national team had we not won the final. I’m sure about that.“I enjoyed the tournament and I was very confident in the team. If we wouldn’t have won the World Cup, there would’ve been a lot of criticisms.“Maybe not as bad as before but…I don’t think I would have had the strength to continue. It would’ve been the end.”Argentina’s next major tournament comes in the 2024 summer, with the Copa America — which Messi won for the first time in 2021. That competition, which will be hosted in the U.S., will come midway through the 2024 MLS campaign, Messi’s first full season with Inter Miami.Messi will be 37 when the Copa America begins and asked how long he will continue playing for his country, the forward replied: “Honestly, I don’t even know. It’ll happen when it has to happen.
“After winning everything recently, what’s left is to enjoy it. Time will decide when that moment comes. And logically based on my age, that time will come soon but I don’t know when it’ll be. I’m taking everything day by day. Just enjoying everything that we’re living through right now.“After being fortunate enough to become South American champions and world champions, all that is left is to enjoy all of this.”
USWNT lineup vs. Vietnam: Assessment ahead of World Cup opener
The Athletic Soccer staff Jul 12, 2023
It’s hard to know exactly how much we learned about the U.S. women’s national team’s preferred starting lineup during its 2-0 win over Wales in the send-off match on Sunday. It’s not only because head coach Vlatko Andonovski enjoys misdirection and obfuscation to protect his plans from other teams, but because of lingering issues around the readiness of two players in particular: defensive midfielder Julie Ertz and creative mastermind Rose Lavelle.A matter of days out from the start of the World Cup feels like a perfect time to do some backseat coaching and pick our own starting XI for the USWNT in its group stage opener against Vietnam. Honestly, it’s not too surprising that the group of us didn’t actually agree on much — or maybe the better way to look at it is that we all agree something has to give in midfield, especially since none of us are sure about Lavelle’s fitness levels. We each took different approaches — whether that’s dropping players like Alex Morgan or Alyssa Naeher, the belief that Savannah DeMelo (now with one cap to her name!) is ready for the XI, or, well, you’ll see in a second what I’d go for — but the interesting thing about this intellectual enterprise is that there are so many valid options to choose from. It’s just another reminder of the depth and versatility of the 23-player roster. — Meg Linehan
Name: Meg Linehan
Your XI (4-3-3, left to right): Alyssa Naeher; Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Kelley O’Hara; Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan, Crystal Dunn; Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman
Sell it to us: This could be a 4-3-3 but with Morgan starting up top, usually that means it slides into a 4-2-3-1 with her pulling defenders and opening up space. Smith is an obvious decision for all of us, and Rodman earned the start in the send-off game. With Vlatko Andonovski saying Ertz is ahead of Megan Rapinoe and Lavelle in terms of readiness, I think she’ll be a game-one starter. While I’d be comfortable with Casey Murphy starting, I just can’t see the swap happening.
Now, of course, my big move: moving Crystal Dunn into the midfield, playing Emily Fox on the left and bringing Kelley O’Hara in on the right. O’Hara hasn’t played a full 90 for Gotham, but I think give her the first half and let her and Ertz set the tone for the rest of the team. Will Dunn move into the midfield for this first game? Absolutely not, but if Lavelle isn’t quite there yet (the injury that is making me most nervous), then Dunn in midfield feels as good a solution as any. I trust her consistency and her experience in a major tournament.
Name: Steph Yang
Your XI (4-3-3, left to right): Alyssa Naeher; Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Emily Fox; Savannah DeMelo, Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan; Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Lynn Williams
Sell it to us: In a World Cup, there’s always a macro-micro balance. Macro: first game, you want players to gain confidence, get used to tournament vibes, manage minutes, and set the tone. Vietnam should be a good first game for doing that. So these picks have some of that macro in mind, as opposed to the micro of the best player in each position for the best possible XI in that game.Alyssa Naeher starts because you want her warm for the big Netherlands rematch, even though I think both Murphy and Aubrey Kingsbury are starting-level goalkeepers and need a dip in the World Cup fish tank. But if the U.S. confidently secures points from the first two games, maybe the Murphy-group players really see action in the third game. The backline are the starters I most want to be cohesive and used to working together. Midfield is a mix of steady experience and getting DeMelo in particular some field time. I also rate her in that left midfield space and want to see her integrated more into the full setup. Same for the forwards, with the addition of wanting a Dunn-Smith strong side and Fox’s ability to hit the diagonal looking at Smith too.
Name: Jeff Rueter
Your XI (4-3-3, left to right): Casey Murphy; Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Emily Fox; Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan, Savannah DeMelo; Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman
Sell it to us: While Alyssa Naeher played all 90 minutes against Wales, her form this season for the Chicago Red Stars has left me wanting more. Getting Murphy time in one of the group stage matches could be a useful venture to ensure Naeher’s most likely challenger is ready to step in if the U.S. number one’s form regresses in the tournament. Dunn and Fox are likely to remain as inverted fullbacks to focus their progressive passes in the half-spaces rather than staying wide.DeMelo came off the bench against Wales for her first senior cap, and a further run-out against Vietnam could help eliminate those nerves in the World Cup’s early goings. She and Sullivan step in to give further recovery time for Lavelle and Ertz in their respective regular roles. As for the forward line, Smith seemed more impactful on Sunday once she moved from the right wing to the left — and, more importantly, Rodman made as emphatic a case to start as anybody with her brace. Starting Rodman on the right also allows Lynn Williams to become the first option off the bench for any of the front three, helping with substitution patterns and positional depth.
Name: Kim McCauley
Your XI (4-3-2-1, left to right): Alyssa Naeher; Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Sofia Huerta; Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan; Sophia Smith, Ashley Sanchez, Trinity Rodman; Alex Morgan
Sell it to us: With Morgan and Smith seemingly on Vlatko Andonovski’s team sheet in permanent ink, his biggest decision is who to start in the other forward role. Rodman’s two goals in the send-off game were a big statement, but she was always the most well-rounded of the available options. No one else provides her combination of finishing, dribbing, direct runs behind the defense and ability to assist.
Fox is probably better than Huerta at defending 1v1 in space, but that’s not going to be a big factor against Vietnam’s 5-4-1 setup, which features narrow defending and more counterattacking through the center than down the wings. I’d rather have Huerta’s superior service. In midfield, Lavelle and Ertz would be my eventual first-choice players, but both could need some time to get back to full fitness. I’d use them off the bench in the first match.
Name: Emily Olsen
Your XI (4-3-3, left to right): Alyssa Naeher; Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook, Emily Fox; Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan, Savannah DeMelo; Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman
Sell it to us: My lineup is probably the most boring one here. Sure, I want Dunn on the left of the backline (because midfield just won’t ever be an option on the USWNT). Groundbreaking. I think Ertz will, and probably should, start, which is absolutely not a knock on Sullivan. While Ertz’s hard tackles might not be as needed against Vietnam, it’s more about getting her in a rhythm again before the Netherlands. And, as someone who has watched her for two years at the Washington Spirit, I think Rodman needs to start after her brace against Wales. This is all pretty plain compared to my colleagues’ much more thorough examinations. With Lavelle presumably still working back from injury, Demelo is a nice attacking midfield option to go with Horan’s distribution. Demelo also created some of the USWNT’s best chances from set pieces against Wales and I want to see more of that. When you’re defending champions looking for an unprecedented three-peat, you have to come out of the gate sprinting — which is what would happen with this mostly attack-minded lineup.
(Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images; Design: Eamonn Dalton)
Meet all 23 USWNT players going to the Women’s World Cup
Caitlin Murray, ESPNJul 11, 2023, 09:45 AM ET
While the U.S. women’s national team squad that will compete at the 2023 Women’s World Cup includes some household names, it also has a lot of unfamiliar ones. Of the 23 players headed to Australia and New Zealand for the tournament, 14 have never played in a World Cup before. That’s more newbies than the USWNT had at the previous two World Cups (which the U.S. won).
This is your primer on who these players are — both on and off the field. We dug through social media posts, scoured interviews and crunched the numbers on stats to give you a snapshot of all 23 players on the roster. (All stats comprise Opta data via TruMedia and are current as of the day USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski announced his roster, June 21. Many stats come from the National Women’s Soccer League because every player on the USWNT roster, except Lindsey Horan, plays club soccer in the NWSL.)
The USWNT’s World Cup opener is July 21 against Vietnam, so let’s get to know these players.
THE FORWARDS
Alex Morgan
Alex Morgan, 34, is the third-oldest player on the roster, and despite a crop of newcomers pushing for her spot, she remains a guaranteed starter and the face of the team. Even non-USWNT fans might know Morgan from the many endorsements she has racked up, which recently included modeling Calvin Klein underwear and being a Michelob Ultra spokeswoman. She’s also one of several mothers on the USWNT, and her postgame routine usually involves daughter Charlie visiting her on the field after the final whistle.
Morgan: This will be the best World Cup ever
Alex Morgan talks about what this upcoming World Cup will do for women’s soccer and what it means to play in her fourth World Cup for the USWNT.
As the target striker up top, Morgan can be counted on to put a team on her back. She has the highest share of a team’s goals in the NWSL from any single player, scoring a whopping 42% of San Diego Wave FC‘s goals over the 2022 and 2023 regular seasons and NWSL Challenge Cups. Morgan also has been just as efficient on the big stage: She averaged 126.9 minutes in between goals in her three previous World Cup appearances (2011, 2015 and 2019), which is the best among all USWNT players with at least five World Cup games.
Sophia Smith
At 22, Colorado native Sophia Smith is one of the youngest players on the roster, and a photo making the rounds of her at just 7 years old meeting USWNT legend Abby Wambach drives home the generational shift that Smith is leading. She says her favorite hobby is reading, and she played two seasons at Stanford before leaving college early to go pro.
Smith is an aggressive and audacious forward. Among all players in the NWSL with at least 500 minutes, Smith ranks third in successful take-ons per 90 minutes for the 2022 and 2023 NWSL regular seasons and NWSL Challenge Cup tournaments at 3.07. Brazil striker Kerolin ranks No. 1 (3.44), and Irish midfielder Sinead Farrelly is second (3.40). (Take-ons are when a player in possession beats a defender with the ball at her feet.)
Trinity Rodman
Trinity Rodman‘s name has preceded her during her young career. She is the daughter of NBA great Dennis Rodman, although he had very little to do with her upbringing — in fact, she says she got her competitive drive from her mother, Michelle. Yet making the World Cup roster is a culmination of a sensational 2½ NWSL seasons as a professional for Rodman, and she is clearly making her own name. In 2021, she became the youngest player drafted in the NWSL at that time, and she finished that season with Rookie of the Year honors.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- How Mia Hamm ended up playing as goalkeeper at a World Cup: ‘Somebody dialed up the wack’2dJeff Carlisle
- As Megan Rapinoe plans to retire, USWNT teammates lament losing ‘heart of the team’5dJeff Carlisle
- How the USWNT’s millennial, Gen Z stars find common ground2dCesar Hernandez
Although the 21-year-old Rodman is a capable scorer on her own, where she stands out tends to be in her passing and her ability to set up her teammates. Among all players in the NWSL over the past two years with at least 500 minutes — regular season and Challenge Cup — she ranks fourth per 90 minutes in xA, or expected assists, a measure of how likely it is that a pass will become an assist. (Ahead of her are three Americans: Megan Rapinoe, who is on the U.S. World Cup team; Mallory Swanson, who is injured; and full-back Carson Pickett, who did not make the roster.)
Megan Rapinoe
At 38 years old, Megan Rapinoe will be the oldest player on the USWNT roster, and she will accordingly play a reduced role off the bench. Fans will remember “Pinoe” as the pink-haired star of the 2019 World Cup who ultimately prevailed in her feud with then-President Donald Trump — but she has been rocking a blue hue lately, and President Joe Biden awarded her a Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work on addressing racial inequality, among other issues. In other words, don’t expect Rapinoe’s 2023 World Cup to look anything like what transpired four years ago. She has already announced she’ll retire later this year.
Although Rapinoe won’t be a regular starter this summer, she is still plenty capable of making an impact as a substitute, and no player in the NWSL over the past two years (regular season and Challenge Cup) has been as dangerous on set pieces. Her 1.23 chances created on set pieces per 90 minutes is the highest rate in the league among all players with at least 500 minutes.
Alyssa Thompson
At just 18 years, 7 months and 15 days when the tournament starts, Alyssa Thompson is the youngest player on the USWNT’s World Cup roster. She’s the second-youngest player to represent the U.S. in a Women’s World Cup, after Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak made the 1995 World Cup at 18 years, 1 month and 1 day. Before going pro with Angel City FC this season, Thompson ran track for her high school and last year she posted the second-fastest 100-meter time in California.
It might be too small of a sample size because Thompson had played only three games for the USWNT by the time she made the World Cup roster, but she’s the only U.S. forward who comes close to Lynn Williams on defensive interventions per 90 minutes in international play. How much Thompson plays at the World Cup remains to be seen, but barring injuries, it probably won’t be very much.
Lynn Williams
Growing up, Lynn Williams helped out at her parents’ pecan farm, sometimes removing shells and learning to put in unglamorous work. Despite setting her high school’s goal-scoring record in Fresno, California, the U.S. youth national teams didn’t take notice, and the only college to offer her a scholarship was Pepperdine University, a school not known for its soccer pedigree. She flourished there, eventually earning a call to the U-23 national team as a junior, which put her on a path to the USWNT’s World Cup team that is pretty uncommon. Most of Williams’ teammates have been pegged as potential stars from a young age, but Williams fought her way into the spotlight later. She hosts a podcast called “Snacks” with (currently injured) USWNT teammate Samantha Mewis.
Because of a late injury to would-be starting winger Mallory Swanson, it’s unclear whether the 30-year-old Williams will get the nod to start, but she has a shot if Andonovski wants a forward who will work hard and create defensive pressure. She’s a goal scorer who can be counted on to backtrack when out of possession, and no USWNT forward makes defensive interventions as often as she does. Since the start of 2022, Williams has 14.01 defensive interventions per 90 minutes in international play, which is the highest among all USWNT forwards. (Defensive interventions include everything from blocks and tackles to aerial duels won and recoveries.) Next closest are Alyssa Thompson (13.42) and Trinity Rodman (10.66).
THE MIDFIELDERS
Lindsey Horan
Lindsey Horan, 29, is the only player on the roster not competing in the NWSL right now, as she plies her trade in France for Lyon. She started her career in France, too, joining Paris Saint-Germain at age 18, becoming the first American woman to go pro straight out of high school — a path some of her USWNT teammates have since followed. She came to the U.S. and played in the NWSL to secure her spot on the U.S. team before the 2019 World Cup, but now that she has proved herself indispensable, she’s back in Europe.
At 5-foot-9, she’s one of the taller players on this U.S. roster, and she takes advantage of it. Among all USWNT players with at least 270 international minutes since the start of 2022 (the equivalent of three games), Horan is first in aerial duels won at 3.99 per 90 minutes.
Rose Lavelle
A native of Cincinnati, Rose Lavelle is not shy about admitting her hometown is her favorite place on Earth, and if the NWSL ever adds a team in Cincinnati, she’ll find a way to join it. She loves dogs, none more than her bulldog named Wilma Jean Wrinkles. She’s also a ferocious reader, with the Harry Potter series ranking among her favorites. The 28-year-old’s off-the-field persona is all about fun, and she plays with the same kind of panache.
Rose Lavelle: I think our new players will rise to the occasion in WWC
Rose Lavelle details how new players change the USWNT dynamic for the World Cup.
Although Lavelle has been hampered by injuries as of late, her creativity as a classic No. 10 playmaker will be difficult to replace if she doesn’t play a starting role in this World Cup. Since the start of 2022 in international play, Lavelle has led the USWNT per 90 minutes in through-balls, the defense-splitting passes that can lead to quality scoring opportunities. Her “big chances” created (that is, chances extremely likely to result in a goal) rank fourth per 90 among all USWNT players with at least four games. Lavelle also has 29 carries after succeeding in a one-on-one opportunity, second most for the U.S. in that span, behind Sophia Smith.
Julie Ertz
After the Olympics ended in August 2021, Ertz stepped away from soccer; she didn’t appear again for the USWNT or play a club game until April, a 610-day gap. She didn’t even sign with a club for the 2022 season and eventually announced she was having a child, welcoming son Madden in August 2022 with her husband, Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz. But unlike players like Alex Morgan, who trained while pregnant and returned soon after giving birth, club-less Ertz was out of the USWNT picture entirely. That is, until the last window before Andonovski would pick his 2023 World Cup roster: She made a surprise return and instantly became a lock for the squad.
Ertz is a physical defensive midfielder, flying into tackles and disrupting opposing attacks. The sample sizes for Ertz, 31, are small anywhere you look — she has barely played for the USWNT or in the NWSL since 2021. And yet it’s hard not to notice that she leads the USWNT in blocked shots per 90 minutes (1.32). Can that be extrapolated beyond the mere 68 international minutes she played at the time she made the roster? We’ll see.
Savannah DeMelo
As the only uncapped player to make this World Cup roster — a rare feat — Savannah DeMelo hasn’t had much time to ease her way into the USWNT. Without any international performances, the 25-year-old’s squad selection was based entirely on her NWSL performances. The Southern California native was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NWSL college draft, and she has been tearing it up since.
DeMelo is so good that opposing teams tend to want to take her out of the game. Her 3.3 fouls suffered per 90 minutes is the second most among all NWSL players over the past two years (regular season and Challenge Cup) with a minimum of 500 minutes, and the highest among all USWNT players in the league. In the attacking half, she ranks first in fouls suffered, averaging 1.82 per game.
Andi Sullivan
Nicknamed Sunny, Andi Sullivan was born in Hawaii as her father served in the Coast Guard, but she grew up in Northern Virginia outside of Washington. At Stanford University, she majored in symbolic systems, which involves the study of how the human mind works and processes information.
Sullivan, 27, has been praised as a mature defensive midfielder beyond her years, and while she doesn’t tend to lead the NWSL or the USWNT in any notable stats, she offers steady leadership on the field. Her 8.82 recoveries per 90 minutes since 2022 (regular season and Challenge Cup, players with at least 500 minutes) ranks 19th in the NWSL. (Recoveries are when a player wins back possession for her team.)
Ashley Sanchez
While it seems unlikely Ashley Sanchez will be a starter in her first World Cup ahead of the likes of a healthy Rose Lavelle, she has the flair and go-for-it attitude that can make her a valuable impact player. She is versatile, able to play as a No. 10 or even a false No. 9, or float wide and cause problems. Off the field, the 24-year-old has talked about her love of baking, and she has a French bulldog named Nala.
Her 2.12 successful take-ons per 90 minutes since 2022 ranks 13th among NWSL players with at least 500 minutes. (Just ahead of her is Alyssa Thompson at No. 12, and Brazil‘s Marta at No. 11 — good company to have.) Sanchez is also No. 4 in successful through-balls per 90 in the league among eligible players, right behind U.S. teammate Lavelle.
Kristie Mewis
At 32, Kristie Mewis has made her first World Cup squad after spending much of her career on the outside of the senior national team. She admits now that she had given up on ever breaking through to the USWNT and accepted being, in her words, “average” — that is, until she admitted to herself that she wanted to make the team and pushed herself. She is dating Australian forward Samantha Kerr — widely considered one of the best players at the Women’s World Cup — and she is the older sister of midfielder Samantha Mewis, who won the World Cup with the USWNT in 2019 but is now injured.
Mewis is one of the better players in the NWSL in creating chances on set pieces. Since the start of 2022, Mewis ranks 17th in the NWSL (among players with at least 500 minutes) in creating chances on set pieces, with 0.65 per 90 minutes.
THE DEFENDERS
Alana Cook
Alana Cook, who was born outside Boston and grew up in New Jersey, has been part of the U.S. national team system since the under-17 level, but it was after she graduated from Stanford and joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 that she found her way to the senior U.S. team. Through her dad, she was eligible to represent England and in 2019 accepted an invitation from then-coach Phil Neville to join the Lionesses as a training player. A month later, she made her debut for the USWNT and hasn’t looked back.
Cook, 26, ranks second in the NWSL this season in passes intercepted with 31. Among the 144 NWSL players with at least 50 duels this season, Cook’s 68.6% success rate ranks fourth. (Duels are 50-50 challenges between two opposing players with the winner getting the ball.)
Naomi Girma
A first-generation American, Naomi Girma‘s parents came to the U.S. from Ethiopia, and she got her start playing soccer at a youth club in the San Francisco Bay Area that her father started for fellow Ethiopian families. It was less about soccer than community, but it laid the foundation for Girma, who in her rookie pro season last year was named the NWSL‘s Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Like teammates Sullivan and Cook, Girma majored in symbolic systems at Stanford, and she is working on her master’s degree in management science and engineering.
Girma, 23, is still young when it comes to center backs, but her defensive positioning is comparable to that of veterans. Among all USWNT players in international play since the start of 2022, Girma ranks second in shots blocked per 90 minutes with 0.98. Ahead of her is Julie Ertz (1.32), but Ertz had played only 68 minutes before the roster was announced, giving her a pretty skewed number. Ranked third is Tierna Davidson (0.67), who missed out on the roster, followed by Becky Sauerbrunn (0.53), who is injured.
Emily Sonnett
Emily Sonnett is arguably the best player on the USWNT (along with Rose Lavelle) when it comes to creating memes and trying new viral dances. Some call her the “class clown” of the team, and she takes it as a challenge to see how many teammates she can bring into her self-described goofiness.
As a player who can slot in as a center back, fullback or even defensive midfielder, she’s a bit of a “jack of all trades, master of none.” That’s not a slight: Being a utility player who can fill various roles is incredibly useful on a World Cup roster. The 29-year-old plays physically, but not recklessly — her 23 fouls committed are the fourth most in the NWSL this season, but she has received only two yellow cards.
Emily Fox
Emily Fox is a versatile defender, playing starting roles as both a left back and a right back for the USWNT. Although she is left-foot dominant, there’s a good chance she will play on the right side to accommodate Crystal Dunn starting on the left. Called “Foxy” by teammates, the 25-year-old Ashburn, Virginia, native loves the beach and majored in global environment and health at UNC.
Over her past two seasons in the NWSL (regular season and Challenge Cup), Fox has averaged 9.9 recoveries per 90 minutes, ranking second among players with at least 500 minutes. Ahead of her is Canada‘s Sophie Schmidt with 10.61 and behind her is another Canadian, Quinn, with 9.82. (Recoveries are when a player wins back possession for her team.)
Crystal Dunn
The player many of her teammates declare the best dancer on the USWNT, Crystal Dunn lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Pierre, and their son, Marcel, who was born last year. Dunn also has three chickens named Rocky, Toulouse and Quinn, who live in a coop in her backyard. She helped launched the Black Women’s Player Collective, which aims to support Black players in the NWSL and beyond, and has partnered on efforts to help underserved soccer communities. Crystal Dunn anchors inexperienced but talented defenders for USWNTKay Murray previews the goalies and defenders for the U.S. women’s national team entering the 2023 World Cup, including Crystal Dunn, Alyssa Naeher and Naomi Girma.
Though you should expect to see Dunn as a fullback at the World Cup, she’s an attacking midfielder for her club, which makes it hard to compare her performances in the NWSL with her international play. But Dunn’s seven combined goals and assists this season are the most by any NWSL player to have also intercepted 15 passes and made 15 successful tackles. Among the 17 players with 15 tackles and 15 interceptions, Dunn’s five goals scored are nearly as many as the rest of those players put together (six).
Kelley O’Hara
While Kelley O’Hara is not the only attacker forced to play as a defender for the USWNT, among this group she was the first to do it. She broke into the national team in 2010 as a forward, was converted into a left back for the 2012 Olympics and was in the midfield at the 2015 World Cup. She was a right back at the 2019 World Cup, but who knows what 2023 will bring? In 2019, she launched a clothing brand with teammates and friends Alex Morgan and Allie Long called Beat Everybody, which features slogans like “USA vs. everybody” or — after the USWNT won the World Cup — “USA beat everybody.”
The 34-year-old has struggled with injury this season, and her stats are generally middle-of-the-pack, but she does lead her club team, NJ/NY Gotham FC, in shots blocked this season with six.
Sofia Huerta
A Boise, Idaho, native, Sofia Huerta was eligible to represent Mexico through her father, and indeed that’s where her international career took off. In five caps for Mexico’s senior team, she scored a pair of goals, but Huerta longed to play for the U.S. and in 2014 declared that she would no longer accept Mexico call-ups. It took until 2017 for the USWNT to come knocking, but it was for only a brief spell — what followed was three more years without camp invites until she finally gained a foothold in the squad in 2022.
Huerta is an attacking fullback, regarded more for her ability going forward than her straight defending chops. The 30-year-old’s 31 crosses completed rank first in the NWSL this season, regardless of position. She also created five “big chances” (those that should be expected to result in a goal), which is tied for the most by any NWSL defender this season.
THE GOALKEEPERS
Alyssa Naeher
Alyssa Naeher has a businesslike and reserved presence in net, and the 35-year-old says her daily routine starts with the Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle and her morning coffee. She played basketball growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and admits going pro in that sport was her dream until her soccer career started to take off.
Naeher’s 3.75 saves per 90 minutes rank third in the NWSL this season, and she leads in smothers (dives to control the ball at an attacker’s feet). That is partly because Naeher faced more shots than any other goalkeeper as the Chicago Red Stars‘ defense has struggled, but it’s also due to her share of standout plays.
Casey Murphy
Casey Murphy made her USWNT debut in November 2021 and quickly established herself as a regular at the team’s camps. She went to Rutgers, where she studied communication, and skipped her senior year to go pro at Montpellier HSC in France. Murphy, 27, and her fiancé, Chris Mirabelli, have a golden retriever named Nash.
Murphy has been steady in net for her club, the North Carolina Courage: Over the past two NWSL seasons, she has committed only one error that led to a shot or goal.
Aubrey Kingsbury
One of the roster’s surprise inclusions, Aubrey Kingsbury has just one cap for the USWNT, which came in 2022. The 31-year-old was named the NWSL’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 and she is a captain for her club, the Washington Spirit. She has been working on her MBA from Shenandoah University through the Spirit, which has a partnership with the school to allow players to take free classes. Some fans might remember her as Aubrey Bledsoe, but she changed her last name at the start of 2022 after getting married to her husband, Matt.
Over the past two seasons, Kingsbury ranks second in the NWSL in goals prevented. (The only goalkeeper with more is Racing Louisville’s Katie Lund.)
Women’s World Cup 2023: Schedule, teams, prize, venues, more
- ESPN Jul 12, 2023, 11:16 AM ET
- The ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup starts on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand. This historic tournament will see 32 nations compete for the first time. Here are all the basics you need to know.
– Women’s World Cup: Home | Squads | Fixtures | Podcast
What is the Women’s World Cup?
The Women’s World Cup is the premier competition for women’s soccer, held every four years and hosted by different nations across the globe. The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1991 in China with 12 teams in the competition. The 2023 edition will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand with 32 teams, the most ever. In all, there have been nine Women’s World Cup editions held.
Which countries are playing in the Women’s World Cup?
The tournament will begin with eight groups of four nations. Each team will play a minimum of three games: one match against each of their group rivals. The top two teams from each group will then proceed to the round of 16.
ESPN has a dedicated homepage for each of the 32 participating nations, hyperlinked below. For all the latest news, stats and information, you can also subscribe to your favourite teams on the ESPN App.
GROUP A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
GROUP B: Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
GROUP C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
GROUP D: England, Denmark, China, Haiti
GROUP E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
GROUP F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
GROUP G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
GROUP H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
When does the Women’s World Cup take place?
The first game, between New Zealand and Norway, takes place on Thursday, July 20 and it will run through to Saturday, Aug. 20 when the final takes place.
– Women’s World Cup bracket and fixtures schedule
Has the USA ever won a World Cup?
The United States, known as the USWNT, have won the tournament four times — the most of any other team. The titles came in 1991, 1999 (as hosts), 2015, and 2019.
Who has won the Women’s World Cup?
Four countries have won the Women’s World Cup: United States (four), Germany (two), Norway (one), and Japan (one). The USWNT will be trying to win an unprecedented third straight Women’s World Cup title in 2023.
Who won the last Women’s World Cup?
The United States won the 2019 World Cup with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. The final was held in Lyon, France. Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle scored the USWNT’s goals.
How often is the Women’s World Cup?
The Women’s World Cup is held every four years, with the first one held in 1991. Although FIFA, the governing body that hosts the Women’s World Cup, has floated the idea of moving the Women’s World Cup to every two years, the idea has faced pushback and for now does not appear imminent.
How long is the Women’s World Cup?
The 2023 Women’s World Cup schedule runs from July 20 to Aug. 20. In total there will be 64 games: a group stage, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, final and a third-place playoff.
How much money did the Women’s World Cup make?
Although this is a popular question people ask, the truth is historically no one knows the answer because FIFA, the governing body that hosts the Women’s World Cup, has always bundled its revenue from the tournament with all other editions of the World Cup. That means that the $6 billion FIFA says it made in the previous World Cup cycle includes the men’s World Cup, the Women’s World Cup, and all youth World Cups.It has been falsely claimed that the Women’s World Cup previously generated $131 million in revenue, but that is erroneous and the source of that number came from someone misreading FIFA’s financial data. That $131 million number was actually the tournament’s expenses, not revenues, and FIFA confirmed that it did not separately track Women’s World Cup revenue. For the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA for the first time is selling its media and sponsorship rights for the Women’s World Cup separately from the men’s World Cup, but will not share financial data until after the tournament.
Who is the Women’s World Cup mascot?
The Women’s World Cup mascot is Tazuni, which is a teenaged, fun-loving penguin. Tazuni’s name is a fusion of the Tasman Sea and the word “unity” and the penguin hopes to inspire generations to come.
Where is the Women’s World Cup being held?
The 2023 Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand. It is the first time in the tournament’s history that two countries will serve as co-hosts. It will be held at 10 venues across nine cities across both nations:
• Sydney, Australia
• Brisbane, Australia
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Wellington, New Zealand
• Melbourne, Australia
• Perth, Australia
• Adelaide, Australia
• Dunedin, New Zealand
• Hamilton, New Zealand
Other countries to have hosted the World Cup are China (in 1991 and 2007), Sweden (1995), the United States (twice in 1999 and 2003), Germany (2007), Canada (2015), and France (2019).
What is the Women’s World Cup theme song?
In the spirit of Ricky Martin’s classic “Cup of Life” and Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” New Zealand artist BENEE and Australia’s Mallrat have teamed up on the anthem “Do It Again.”
What is the prize money for the Women’s World Cup?
The total prize money ($110 million) will be divided between all 32 teams stands, and is an increase of almost 300 percent from $30 million offered in 2019. A percentage of the prize money will be awarded to individual players and to the football associations of the participating countries.
Here’s how much players and teams earn, depending on how far they make it into the tournament.
Player prize money
• Group stage: $30,000
• Round of 16: $60,000
• Quarter-final: $90,000
• Fourth place: $165,000
• Third place: $180,000
• Runners up: $195,000
• Winners: $270,000
Team prize money
• Group stage: $1.56m
• Round of 16: $1.87m
• Quarter-final: $2.18m
• Fourth place: $2.46m
• Third place: $2.61m
• Runners up: $3.02m
• Winners: $4.29m
How can I watch the Women’s World Cup?
In the United States, the English-language rights holder to air games is Fox Sports, meaning games will air on FOX and FS1. Spanish-language rights in the U.S. belong to Telemundo. In the United Kingdom, BBC and ITV hold rights. In the hosts nations, the games will air on Optus Sport and Seven Network in Australia, and Sky Sport in New Zealand.
Trinity Rodman’s late brace shows depth, versatility of USWNT’s forwards
By Meg Linehan Jul 9, 2023
U.S. women’s national team forward Trinity Rodman couldn’t hear anything. On a very sunny day in front of a sell-out crowd at PayPal Park in San Jose, she had already sent the 18,000 fans in attendance into a frenzy, scoring the breakthrough goal against Wales with less than 15 minutes left in the USWNT’s World Cup send-off game. Rodman put the final touch on an assist from Sophia Smith, set up by a Lynn Williams pass. The goal was a reminder that when the U.S. gets back to basics, it can dice through a defense and make it look effortless.So maybe it was Rodman’s own fault that she couldn’t actually hear anything in the closing minutes of the match when she became the youngest USWNT player to notch a brace at 21 years and 50 days old. A Welsh defender got her head to a shot from Lynn Williams in the 87th minute, trying to clear it out with midfielder Ceri Holland stepping up to control. Rodman came in hot with a challenge, sending Holland tumbling, but referee Karen Hernandez was mere feet away closely watching the play. No whistle went and Rodman kept playing even as her teammates slowed, expecting a free kick for Wales. Instead, she took another touch and stroked through the ball, curving it around defender Gemma Evans and into the top right corner.“I honestly thought they’d called the foul, but I was like, ‘I’m gonna finish it anyway. I wrapped it around the defender and in, and it was kinda perfect,” Rodman told reporters in the postgame mixed zone behind the stands as fans stayed in their seats and chanted long after the final whistle and ensuing send-off ceremony. This time, it was reporters’ turn to not be able to hear anything, delicately balancing jamming voice recorders and phones as close to players’ faces as possible without making contact.The noise, the attention, the full mixed zone — San Jose proved a decent test run for what the team will see in New Zealand and Australia — Rodman was unperturbed.“I’m really happy about that,” Rodman said of her second goal. USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski agreed. He later called it a “world-class” goal during his press conference.The energy Rodman provided on Sunday afternoon sparked a much-needed rescue after a rough first half for the United States. Rodman shared her assessment of the team’s overall performance, one that every player said could have been better.“This team does a really good job at setting a standard,” she said. “Everybody on the outside sees it as a win, but for us, we see it as a lot of things to improve on. Even at halftime, there were a lot of pointers. We could have done a lot better. And in the second half, defensively, I think we could have won the ball faster. Offensively, we could have been more clinical in the final third.”Smith, who provided the assist on Rodman’s first goal, pointed to that energy as being a key strength for the team to rely on late in games — a scenario they will almost certainly face at a World Cup as teams stay organized with the expressed purpose of frustrating and stalling the USWNT’s forward line.“Trin came in with a lot of energy, with fresh legs. She was doing the running. She was working hard defensively,” Smith said. “When a sub comes on with energy, it makes everyone else have a lot of energy too.”Goals off the bench are important for any team, of course, but Smith added, “I think this is just the start for (Rodman).” It’s something that should probably send a shiver of fear through any team preparing to face the U.S. She has now scored four goals and recorded eight assists in 18 appearances for the senior team.When Rodman entered the match at the start of the second half, it was to replace Alex Morgan. But rather than Smith immediately taking over as the team’s No. 9, Rodman stepped into that role instead.“You have to be ready for whatever position (Andonovski) puts you in, whatever role you have to fill,” she said after the game. “Obviously, I’m more comfortable out wide, but it’s a learning experience and I’m growing every single time.”And Andonovski had sent Rodman in with a clear task for the second half: raise the tempo. As he said after the match, “We saw that the tempo changed dramatically.”“It was just stretching the back line because obviously with my pace, any backline is going to be a little bit more conservative,” Rodman said. “Pinning them, staying on the back shoulder so they’d have to make a decision, and again, energy. I’m a player that always wants to come in and bring energy when legs are tired or teams aren’t ready for it.”Despite starting the second half as a striker, Rodman wasn’t locked into that position for the next 45 minutes. Smith noted that during the closing portion of the match, she had told Rodman that she could move central and Rodman could drift wide.“Versatility is huge,” Smith said. “We have a good group of forwards and we can all play all over, so whatever the game needs we’re comfortable.”Andonovski echoed both players in his press conference. The forward pool in the team in general is flexible in what position they can play, even multiple positions in a match, and can succeed while doing so.“Trinity went in as a 9 and then found a little more success wider,” he said. “Soph started the game as a 7, for the goal she was the 11. She finished the game as a 9.”Allowing the forward line to have that freedom to roam, Andonovski said, allows the top three to impose themselves on a game.“It just makes it a little more unpredictable because of how they play,” Andonovski said. “They play a lot by instinct as well.”Rodman expressed that whatever the position, she’s ready for whatever might come.But it’s hard not to think that on Sunday, she made Andonovski’s decision about who starts and who’s the game-changer off the bench that much harder. With so much versatility at hand, maybe there’s not a wrong answer. But Rodman made the margins finer with two goals and her defensive work from the top line.“I remember telling her before the game, ‘You’re gonna get an opportunity like this,’” newly minted captain Lindsey Horan said after the game. “‘You’re not starting, but you come in the game and you’re gonna change it.’ She came in and she did exactly that. She gave us a different look, different energy, and she took her chance.” (Photo: Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Quinn becomes second player in USLC history to reach 20,000 regular-season minutes 1-1 tie
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 12, 2023) – Aodhan Quinn came up big from the spot converting his sixth penalty kick of the season to lead Indy Eleven to a 1-1 draw with Charleston Battery on Wednesday night. With the point, Indy improves to 5-7-6 on the season, while Charleston moves to 9-5-5. Quinn’s team-leading sixth goal of the season, all penalty kicks, gives him 51 regular season career goals and puts him at 24-for-27 in penalty kicks, converting on more than any other player in USL Championship history. Tonight, Quinn also became the second player in USL Championship history to reach 20,000 minutes in regular-season action. He is currently at 20,006 minutes. Only Taylor Mueller has more at 20,077 after completing his career. he go-ahead PK was not enough for the Eleven as Charleston picked up the equalizer from Tristan Trager in the 77th-minute. Heading into the final minutes of action, Indy’s Robby Dambrot was shown his second yellow of the match, forcing the Boys in Blue to play a man down. Charleston earned the 58%-42% advantage in possession, while the two teams were even at 10 shots apiece. Indy had the slight edge in shots on target at 3-2, with Quinn securing two. Next up, the Boys in Blue complete their four-match homestand by hosting Tampa Bay on Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m. ET. Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium and specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1:1 Charleston Battery
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Michael. A Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
2023 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 5W-7L-6D (-1), 21 pts
Charleston Battery: 9W-5L-5D (-1), 32 pts
Scoring Summary
IND – Aodhan Quinn (penalty) 61’
CHS – Tristan Trager (Emilo Ycaza) 77’
Discipline Summary
CHS – Sebastian Palma (caution) 38’
IND – Macauley King (caution) 65′
IND – Robby Dambrot (caution) 85′
IND – Robby Dambrot (caution/ejection) 89′
Indy Eleven line-up (5-4-1): Yannik Oettl, Younes Boudadi, Robby Dambrot, Macauley King, Adrian Diz Pe, Jack Blake (Gustavo Rissi 90+1’), Cam Lindley, Aodhan Quinn, Sebastian Velasquez (Solomon Asante 58’), Sebastian Guenzatti (captain) Stefano Pinho (58’), Douglas Martinez (Roberto Molina 84’)
Indy Subs: Tim Trilk, Mechack Jerome, Harrison Robledo
Charleston Battery Line-up (1-5-4-1): Trey Muse, Juan Palma, Leland Archer, Robbie Crawford (Emilio Ycaza 69’), Derek Dodson, Deklan Wynne, Artuto Rodriguez, Chris Allan, Fidel Barajas (Roberto Alvia 58’), Nick Markanich (Tristan Trager 69’), Augustine Williams Charleston Subs: Daniel Kuzemka, AJ Cochran, Joe Schmidt, Andrew Booth
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