NOTES
Ok if you missed it Friday night amongst the US ladies winning their first World Cup game – Lionel Messi – The World’s Number 10 and now MLS and Miami’s #10 Delivered the 2-1 win in the 94th minute with this goalaso, the response, from behind the goal this Is why Messi was brought to Miami – from Labron James & Serena Williams, & Kim Kardashian in the stands to kicks like this. He can raise the level of Miami and MLS to new heights – this team is last in the league and won their first game since May- yes I am now buying the the Apple MLS package for just $49 because I don’t want to miss moments like this – and YES I am going to see Messi in Cincy in August! Messi’s Every Touch in Game 1. I nearly drove off the road when Zlattan made his debut for the LA Galaxy – but this is bigger. The GOAT is worth it.
US Women Win 3-0 face #9 Netherlands Wed 9 pm on FOX
The US ladies got the 3-0 win and along the way 23 year old debutant Sophia Smith got the player of the match trophy handed to her by her dad– brought tears to my eyes – to become a soccer star in the US – boys or girls takes huge commitment from family members – just great to see things like this celebrated by the US team. I know a lot of my Fox News watching friends don’t watch this US Women’s soccer team because of Rapinoe but this team is the most diverse group of women truly representing all aspects of this great United States of America – from whites to blacks to Hispanics, gay, straight, moms, daughters – it’s a fun group to watch – don’t let the headlines jilt you on this hardworking team looking to become the first team to ever lift a World Cup trophy 3 times in a Row.
Fine win for the US and no surprise to see Sophie Smith start so strong – as she was the favorite to pick up the scoring Goal #1, Full highlights . We should have scored more yes –but their GK stood on her head. Loved Morgan and her assists from the 9 slot – she needed to connect on 1 of her 3 chances however. Great to see Lavelle healthy and in the game – did not expect to see her for another game or 2. It certainly was interesting to see Ertz starting at centerback – but I love it. Ertz is too good to leave off the field – and with her return to the game being slower – having Sullivan as the #6 with Ertz on the backline with Girma is fine with me. I still don’t trust Cook back there with Girma – just not enough experience and when they did play together – England slaughtered us last winter. I will take a chance that Ertz is a step slow and bet her experience will win out. I was surprised to not see Sanchez come on in the middle, and I had hoped would get the start over Nauher in goal. It will be interesting to see how we line up vs the Netherlands. Here’s who I like
More to come –
Indy 11 Women Win the Championship Former Carmel star Alia Martin scored in the 99th minute to earn a 2-1 victory for Indy Eleven and secure the 2023 USL W League Championship. For her efforts, Martin was named the USL W League Final MVP. The game was played in front of record-setting fans as the USL W League Final drew a crowd of 5,419 to set the record for the most attended women’s soccer match in Indiana History. Martin’s match-winning goal, which was her second in consecutive games after scoring the late go-ahead goal in the 3-2 National Semifinal win over San Francisco, was her second of the season. The play started with Katie Soderstrom, who secured the corner kick for Indy. Grace Bahr’s service found Annika Creel who redirected the ball back into the center of the 18. Martin made the most of her second chance and connected on a bicycle over the top of the out-stretched Courage keeper. Check out the Winning Bicycle Goal by Ali Martin
It sure was fun reffing at the DeWayne Aken Memorial Showcase held by Carmel High School’s Women’s team and Coach Frank Dixon. The event has the best teams in the state and it’s a privilege to get to ref the games. Happy to see all our Carmel FC players and especially the goalkeeper’s former and current – as they look to make the high school teams again this season. Good luck in tryouts everyone !
GAMES ON TV
Tues, July 25
1:30 am FS1 New Zealand vs Phillipines
4 am FS1 Switzerland vs Norway
12 noon ESPN+ RB Leipzig vs Udinese
7:30 pm MLS Season pass Atlanta United @ Miami (Messi)
8 pm FS1, Univision Santos Laguna vs Houston Leagues Cup
10:30 pm FS1, Uni LA Galaxy vs Leon Leagues Cup
10:30 pm ESPN2 Man United vs Wrexham
Wed, July 26
1 am FS1 Japan vs Costa Rica
3:30 am FS1 Spain vs Zambia
7:20 am CBSSN Lion City vs Tottenham Preseason
8 am FS1 Canada vs Ireland
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Pittsburgh Riverhounds
8:15 pm Peacock Chelsea vs New Castle United
8:30 pm EPSN+ Real Madrid vs Man United
9 pm Fox USWNT vs Netherlands
10 pn FS1 Tigres vs Portland Timbers Leagues Cup
10:30 pm ESPN+ Arsenal vs Barcelona
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 Women World Cup
Risky or shrewd? USWNT lineup could backfire at World Cup
U.S. flaws were exposed during its World Cup opener, but the team isn’t worried
An exploratory opening win shows the USA women are still a work in progress
USWNT dominated Vietnam in the opener, but still left room for improvement
Welcome to the World Cup of Sophia Smith
Sophia Smith stars as USWNT eases past Vietnam in its Women’s World Cup opener
Player Rating US Ladies
Horan may be USWNT’s MVP in World Cup of transition 3hAbdullah Abdullah
USWNT rookies, led by Sophia Smith, shook off nerves in World Cup opener
Rose Lavelle Plays for First time in 3 in Opener
USWNT faces World Cup lineup questions after Vietnam game
Sophia Smith honors Katie Meyer with USWNT goal celebration
USWNT World Cup opener vs. Vietnam gets big TV ratings
USWNT beat Vietnam to open World Cup — but was it by enough?
Why Crystal Dunn has to play left back for the USWNT
Smith stars as USWNT ‘only’ beats Vietnam 3-0 in World Cup opener
‘We’ve dealt with this too many times’ – USWNT reacts to Auckland shooting
USWNT’s secret sauce at the World Cup? An endless menu of chef-prepared meals
The sun will always shine for Andi Sullivan
2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Day 4 Recap: Jamaica earns shocking draw vs France
WORLD CUP
England survive Women’s World Cup scare but Haiti highlight problems for Lionesses to solve
Mary Earps is an England superstar – even if fans can’t buy her shirt
Out-of-sorts Millie Bright indicative of England’s sloppiness
The areas England must improve after lowly Haiti expose flaws
Women’s World Cup 2023 Day 3: Georgia Stanway’s penalty gives England a 1-0 win over Haiti
Denmark stun China in 90th minute for winning World Cup return
Japan and its fans praised on social media for tidying dressing room and stands at Women’s World Cup
Women’s World Cup 2023: France boss Herve Renard’s journey from cleaner to coach
World Cup Title Contenders – Why they will Win and Why They Won’t – Just Women’s Sports
INDY 11
MLS
LeBron James and Serena Williams wowed, David Beckham close to tears, as stars watch Lionel Messi’s stunning debut winner
A happy Messi is good news for Miami – and Argentina
League Cup Standings – MLS vs Liga MX
The MLS All-Stars took on Arsenal, and it didn’t go well
Rooney on Premier League all-star game: I don’t think it would work
Messi on turf? MLS commissioner Don Garber sure hopes not
Cristiano Ronaldo: Saudi league is better than MLS
Arsenal blanks MLS All-Stars to begin United States tour
US Men
Pulisic impressing AC Milan manager Pioli, gets two assists in preseason match
Gio Reyna on Dortmund future: ‘I can’t think of a better club to play for’
Leeds boss Farke: Adams will be out past September FIFA break
U.S. Soccer to compete at upcoming Pan American Games Stars and Stripes By Brendan Joseph
Mikel Arteta on Matt Turner: “He’s on a great trajectory”
Report: AC Milan continuing chase for Yunus Musah
Reffing
Become a Licensed High School Ref
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13
Goalkeeping
Chiamaka Nnadozie of Nigeria PK Save vs Canada
Great Save USL Miami’s Zendejas
Arenal’s Ramsdale – Keepers Are Weird and We LOVE IT
Distance on Goal Kicks Training
SOURCE: RICHARD HEATHCOTE/GETTY IMAGES
The GIST: As expected, both the USWNT and the Netherlands won their opening matches against WWC debutantes No. 32 Vietnam and No. 21 Portugal, respectively. Tonight’s showdown will be the most difficult group stage game for these squads, as they battle for Group E’s top spot.
The history: This pair of powerhouses have faced off 10 times, with the Americans coming out on top in eight of those matches. In fact, the red, white, and blue haven’t lost to the Oranje Leeuwinnen since 1991 — but don’t mistake that stat for complete U.S. dominance.
- The last time these teams met was in 2021’s Tokyo Olympics’ quarter-finals in a dramatic back-and-forth game that went all the way to penalty kicks. Thanks to an out-of-this-world performance from goalie Alyssa Naeher, the U.S. ultimately prevailed.
The significance: The U.S. and the Netherlands are widely expected to lead Group E and advance to the knockout stage. That said, tonight’s all about winning the group, likely granting the victor a serious advantage in the upcoming Round of 16: a match against the Group G runners-up to open win-or-go-home play.
- TL;DR? This is a must-win match for the Americans to snag the easiest path to their fifth title.
USWNT
SOURCE: LYNNE CAMERON/ISI PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
Lessons from Game 1: To no one’s surprise, the USWNT dominated Vietnam 3–0 in their opening match, but the team was not satisfied with the scoreline. A deluge of wide attempts saw only eight of their 28 shots fly on target. Considering the Americans will almost certainly have fewer scoring opportunities against the Dutch, capitalizing on every chance is imperative.
- This squad certainly has more to give, but bear in mind that Vietnam was an altogether unknown opponent. With double-digit experience battling the Dutch, the U.S. not only knows the Netherlands — they know how to beat ’em.
Players to watch: Forward Sophia Smith’s already having a breakout tournament, notching a brace and an assist in her WWC debut on Friday. Not a shabby start, but the early Golden Boot contender will be hungry for more tonight. She’s that girl, after all.
- Speaking of, midfielder Rose Lavelle owned the moment in 2019, but she’s gradually adding minutes as she returns from injury this WWC. Her signature tricky footwork was on full display Friday, and her creativity could confuse the technically adept Netherlands.
Keys to success: Efficient shots on goal and an early lead will rattle the Netherlands, but there will be little room for American errors against the dangerous Dutch offense. Even without their nation-leading goal scorer, Vivianne Miedema, the still-jelling U.S. defense will be tested, whether Julie Ertz features at center back again or not. No pressure.
The opponent: The Netherlands
SOURCE: LARS BARON/GETTY IMAGES
The team: In case it wasn’t clear, theOranje Leeuwinnen want WWC revenge on the USWNT, and with eight wins in their last 11 international games, they look strong. The Netherlands boast offensive depth all over the field, as evidenced by the fact that their lone goal so far this tourney came off defender Stefanie van der Gragt’s head.
Players to watch: With Miedema stuck at home, the pressure’s on forward Lieke Martens to lead the Dutch offense in her third WWC. Martens, this roster’s top scorer, is a seasoned vet, a former UEFA Player of the Year, and a Champions League winner. Missing from her trophy cabinet? A WWC, of course.
- But the midfield’s the space to watch in this match, as Dutch midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk will likely cause problems for USWNT co-captain Lindsay Horan through the center.
Keys to success: The Dutch scored early in their 1–0 dub over Portugal, then locked it down on defense without a Portugal shot on goal until the 82nd minute. It’s a proven strategy in general but could be particularly effective if the U.S. is struggling to put shots on target.
- But to pull off the upset, the Dutch must be aggressive. Head coach Andries Jonker is setting that tone early, telling reporters, “We’re not afraid of America.” Copy that.
USWNT vs. Netherlands preview: What to expect from the World Cup final rematch
By Kimberly McCauley 3h ago
Fans have been anticipating a rematch of the 2019 women’s World Cup final ever since the group stage draw was made, but the United States and the Netherlands won’t be playing out anything close to a copy of that match. The U.S. has undergone some notable changes, but the Oranje barely resemble the runners-up from four years ago, and will face the Americans with a completely different gameplan.Nevertheless, it’s still something of a grudge match with Group E supremacy on the line. “They are incredibly organized,” USWNT striker Alex Morgan said of the Netherlands this week. “They have a very expansive shape, in the attack. They don’t give you much space at all to receive and turn or get off the dribble. They’re very quick to close down space…Defenders are very physical, very aggressive and pressing what’s in front of them, so I know I’m going to have a lot of pressure on my back.”Here’s your crash course ahead of the headline match of the USWNT’s group stage slate.
Becky Sauerbrunn and Vivianne Miedema will miss the rematch due to injury (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
What’s changed for the Netherlands?
The biggest difference from the team we saw in the 2019 final comes from a change necessitated by injury — The Netherlands’ star attacker Vivianne Miedema has missed out on this World Cup due to an ACL injury. She’s usually a center forward, but in the 2019 final, Miedema was moved from center forward to central attacking midfield in an attempt to get her on the ball as often as possible.No matter which position Miedema plays, she’s been the focal point of the Netherlands attack since she was a teenager. In her absence, Dutch manager Andries Jonker has opted not to find a replacement at all, setting set up his team in a 3-5-2 formation with no true striker. Lieke Martens and Lineth Beerensteyn, two players who operate on the wings when Miedema is available and for their club teams, have been partnered together in a bit of a makeshift front 2. But late Wednesday local time, Jonker confirmed Beerensteyn will not be available against the U.S. due to an ankle injury.Jonker appears to be following a philosophy of finding a coherent way to get his best players on the field, but the jury’s still out on whether or not a move away from the 4-3-3 the Dutch are well-known for is going to produce positive results. The Netherlands got the job done in its opener against Portugal, securing all three points, but the Oranje scored just one lone goal (off a set piece), and generated only 12 shots in that game.
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The USWNT was a bit more convincing in its opener, a 3-0 win against Vietnam, but still has plenty of questions to answer.
Sophia Smith vs. Sherida Spitse
Dutch captain Sherida Spitse is the Netherlands’ all-time most-capped player with 213 appearances, and she’s still a key part of the team at 33 years old. But with Spitse perhaps having lost a step of pace, while younger players have improved over the past 4 years, the Netherlands now has some better options at her natural position in midfield. In response, Jonker has made the bold decision to shift Spitse to the right center back role in his back three, making her a bit less responsible for covering quick accelerations in space on counter-attacks as she would be in a defensive midfield role. Playing in this role also gets her more time and space on the ball to progress the ball from deep, which is arguably her best quality. Spitse completed 36 of 44 passes against Portugal, including a team-leading 11 completed passes into the final third.
Center backs do have to do some defending, though, and Spitse’s going to face a massive challenge in that area if she gets the start against the USWNT. She’ll likely end up in a lot of 1-v-1 battles with Sophia Smith, probably the last player on the planet that you want to face off against if you’re a player whose primary weakness is a lack of pace.Smith is an expert at running the channels between fullbacks and center backs, as she showed on the USWNT’s opening goal against Vietnam.Having someone with the pace and dribbling skills of Smith regularly running at Spitse is a complete nightmare for the Netherlands, so much so that I have to wonder if Jonker will change up his lineup for this game. It’s such an obvious matchup for the USWNT to exploit that it’s hard to stomach letting it happen, unless the Netherlands think they have a very good way to deny Smith the ball in the first place.
Will either team change midfield shape?
Against less-talented and more inexperienced opponents, both the USWNT and Netherlands have opted for setups featuring a single defensive midfielder with two midfielders pushed forward ahead of them. If neither team changes shape to deal with their opponents’ attacking midfield threat, we’re going to get an extremely entertaining match. If both teams shift to a double pivot, moving one of their midfielders into a deeper role, we might end up watching something that’s more of a staring contest than a soccer match. I don’t know how either team will start, but I wouldn’t be surprised if both teams change between single and double-pivot midfields throughout the match depending on how individual players are performing or the state of the game. This could be a continuous chess match that decides the match itself, and I’m not sure if these managers are closer to Magnus Carlsen or to me blundering my queen by move 10.The USWNT doesn’t need to make a personnel change to switch between formations — Lindsey Horan regularly shifts between a holding and box-to-box midfield role — but the Netherlands probably should. The team didn’t get punished defensively by Portugal for having attacking midfielders Jill Roord and Danielle van de Donk on the pitch at the same time ahead of Jackie Groenen at defensive midfield, but it’s easy to envision that group getting overrun by the Americans. The Oranje would probably be well served by dropping one of those more-attacking players for defensive midfielder Damaris Egurrola and moving Groenen into a more flexible midfield role.
Can the USWNT get more from its fullbacks?
Left back Crystal Dunn and right back Emily Fox weren’t exactly needed to do any ball progression work against Vietnam. Center backs Julie Ertz and Naomi Girma were granted lanes to move the ball forward, and they took them, rarely involving their fullbacks in buildup play. This played out to the eye and in the stats; Ertz had twice as many progressive passes plus carries as Dunn and Fox combined.
The lanes available to the USWNT in buildup are likely to be quite a bit different in this game. Vietnam played with a lone center forward, but the Netherlands look likely to play with two up front, and should have regular 2-v-2 pressure on the American central defenders. Expect the Netherlands to filter the ball wide during the Americans’ build-up, then try to trap Dunn and Fox and force them to either go long or go backward.
This will put a lot of pressure on the American fullbacks to make difficult plays in tight spaces in order to advance the ball and start dangerous attacks. Dunn and Fox are undoubtedly capable of this, but they didn’t get a chance to show it in the opener, mostly because they weren’t asked to.
If the USWNT are going to record a comfortable win against the Netherlands, the positions of its fullbacks and center backs on the above graph probably need to be flipped.
What else do I need to know?
The game is being played at Wellington Regional Stadium in New Zealand and kicks off at 1pm local time, making the game more accessible for USWNT fans at 9pm ET/6pm PT/2am BST.
FOX have the broadcasting rights in the U.S. while BBC will be showing the game in the UK.
SWNT’s Rose Lavelle ‘ready’ for match vs. Netherlands: Could she start after knee injury?
By Meg Linehan and The Athletic Staff Jul 26, 2023
U.S. women’s national team midfielder Rose Lavelle said she feels “good” Wednesday after working back into the team’s lineup following a knee injury that sidelined her leading into the Women’s World Cup. Here’s what you need to know:
- “I feel ready for the second match,” Lavelle said ahead of the UWSNT’s game against the Netherlands.
- Lavelle subbed on during the USWNT’s 3-0 win over Vietnam on Friday, marking the first time she featured in a competition since April’s international break.
- Lavelle was one of the Americans’ standout performers during the last World Cup cycle, scoring a goal in the 2019 final against the Netherlands in the USWNT’s 2-0 win.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Could Lavelle start versus the Netherlands?
Lavelle’s message on Wednesday was that she was feeling fine ahead of the 2019 rematch against the Netherlands (with coach Vlatko Andonovski affirming that assessment briefly later on). U.S. Soccer will never give any advance warning on a starting XI, but the 30 minutes she played in the opener against Vietnam and her presence in today’s news conference are both really good signs she could start on Thursday here in Wellington.It’s doubtful she’s ready yet for a full 90-minute performance, but Lavelle being on the field immediately elevates the USWNT’s performance and creativity. With the Netherlands expected to use a 3-5-2 formation, having her on the field for even a half to find some pockets of space and unleash the forward line could help the team find another early goal and settle the match down early. We won’t know for sure until game time, but there are plenty of reasons to have hope this will be the way it plays out. — Linehan
What they’re saying
Lavelle addressed playing the Netherlands again, saying, “Both teams are completely different players and coaches (from 2019). So, I think it’s a fun memory, but we have a new mindset for this game. We know every time we play the Netherlands, it’s gonna be a great game.”
Regarding how she’s changed as a player since 2019, Lavelle said she has a lot more experience.
“My mentality is a bit different, I think,” Lavelle said. “Four years ago, I was one of the younger players on the team, one of the most inexperienced players on the team. Now I find myself in a different position, which just kind of gives me a little more confidence.
“Now, I have more experience under my belt. I feel like I’m a smarter player. I think I’ve grown in every realm, which is what I would hope, and hopefully, I can use that to help the team.”
On Wednesday, Andonovski also fielded questions about the USWNT and the Netherlands being considered the “favorites” in the tournament, but instead highlighted Nigeria, Jamaica, South Africa and the Philippines.
“These are the teams that actually show how much women’s soccer has grown,” he said. “It’s not the difference or the wins and losses between the top 10, 12, 15 teams. It’s the difference between 15-40 (ranked teams) that is a good mark or indication of how much the women’s soccer game has grown.”
Backstory
Prior to this year’s tournament, Andonovski confirmed that not all of his 23-player squad were ready to play the full 90 minutes but that there were no injury concerns ahead of the opening fixture.
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Andonovski previously said that Lavelle was “really good” and trained the team for three weeks “off and on a little bit before that.”
“We’re not going to force a lot of minutes from the very beginning but we’ll ease everything up as we move on,” he said prior to the USWNT’s match against Vietnam.
USA vs. Netherlands: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream women’s World Cup
The U.S. could clinch a spot in the next round of the World Cup with a win tonight against the Netherlands. All eyes will be on young U.S. star Sophie Smith.
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- The U.S. women’s national soccer team could punch their ticket to the next round of the World Cup as soon as tonight, when they take on the Netherlands in their most challenging matchup in the group stage.
If they defeat the Netherlands, all it would take for the U.S. to advance to the Round of 16 would be for Vietnam to either win or draw against Portugal. That game is scheduled to kickoff early Thursday morning at 3 a.m. Eastern.
The U.S. women’s team has a lot of history against the Netherlands. The Americans defeated the Dutch 2-0 in the 2019 World Cup final, earning their second straight trophy. The U.S. also defeated the Netherlands in a shootout in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Overall, the U.S. have defeated the Netherlands in nine of their 10 matches, only losing in their first contest in 1991.
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Like the U.S., which is coming off a 3-0 victory over Vietnam, the Netherlands also won their Group E opener, defeating Portugal 1-0. So tonight’s match could very well end up deciding who sits atop the Group E standings at the end of the first round of the World Cup.
All eyes will be on Sophia Smith, the young American forward who scored two goals and an assist last week in the win over Vietnam — becoming the youngest U.S. women’s player to score multiple goals in her World Cup debut.
“I was feeling all the emotions going into it, not really knowing what to expect,” Smith said after the game. “So to start off on a good note, it feels good, and it makes me just more excited for the next game.”
Here’s everything you need to know to watch today’s United States-Netherlands World Cup match:
What time is the U.S. women’s World Cup soccer game today?
The U.S. women’s team’s match against the Netherlands is scheduled to begin tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on Fox. The game will be played at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, which known to some locals as “The Cake Tin.”Calling the game will be JP Dellacamera, the former Philadelphia Union TV voice who is broadcasting his 17th World Cup. Alongside him in the booth will be former U.S. star Aly Wagner. Reporting from Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand will be Jenny Taft and Tom Rinaldi.Jalen Hurts surprises high school players to honor teen killed earlier this yearUnited States-Netherlands will also air in Spanish on Telemundo, with play-by-play voice Andrés Cantor joined by analysts Natalia Astrain and Manul Sol.
Where can I stream the U.S.-Netherlands World Cup match?
United States-Netherlands and every other World Cup match is available to stream on the Fox Sports app, though it’s only available to those with a cable subscription.The game will also stream on any so-called skinny bundle that carries Fox, including fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. Most offer a free trial.
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If you’re looking to stream the game for free and you live in or around Philadelphia, your best option is using a digital antenna, since all the U.S. games will air on broadcast television.Want to stream the game in Spanish? Telemundo’s live streaming is available on the network’s website if you have a cable subscription. Otherwise it’s available on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform, though you’ll have to pay for the premium tier to get all the games.While Philadelphia is not impacted (Fox Corporation owns Fox29), viewers in 42 markets aren’t able to watch the World Cup on Fox on DirecTV or DirecTV Stream due to a carriage dispute with Nexstar, which owns the local stations. It includes some major cities, including Denver, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Charlotte.
Where are 2023 World Cup games being played?
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This year’s women’s World Cup is cohosted by New Zealand and Australia, becoming the seventh and eighth countries to host the event.The tournament will be played across 10 stadiums in nine cities. The United States is scheduled to play its remaining group matches in two New Zealand stadiums — Eden Park in Auckland and Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington.ADVERTISEMENTThis year’s World Cup final will be held in Stadium Australia (known locally as Accor Stadium) in Sydney, built to host the 2000 Summer Olympics, with a capacity of more than 80,000.
When does pregame coverage for U.S.-Netherlands start?
Pregame coverage ahead of U.S.-Netherlands will begin at 7 p.m. on Fox.Hosting Fox’s studio coverage will be Rob Stone. He is joined by a cast of analysts headlined by retired U.S. soccer star and Delran native Carli Lloyd, who is making her women’s World Cup debut.ADVERTISEMENTOther studio analysts include Alexi Lalas, former Philadelphia Independence and Canada goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, former U.S. star Heather O’Reilly, Kate Gill, Ariane Hingst, and Stu Holden.Over on ESPN2, the network will air ESPN FC: Women’s Soccer Special at 7 p.m. Dan Thomas and Kay Murray are sharing hosting duties, and a rotating casts of analysts includes former U.S. soccer star Ali Krieger, Alejandro Moreno, Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop, and Steve Nicol.
World Cup Group E standings
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The U.S. women’s team is competing in Group E, which also includes Vietnam, Netherlands, and Portugal. Like Vietnam, Portugal is making its World Cup debut.The American women have been successful in the group stage, with an all-time record of 21 wins, three draws, and just one loss. Heading into tonight’s match against the Netherlands, the U.S. has won it’s last seven group stage games.The two teams with the most points will advance to the knockout stage. Teams receive three points for a win, one for a tie, and zero for a loss. Overall, it will take seven wins to take home the World Cup trophy.
U.S. women’s 2023 Wrld Cup schedule
Here’s the full U.S. women’s schedule for the 2023 World Cup:
- Group play
- United States 3, Vietnam 0
- U.S.-Netherlands: Wednesday, July 26, 9. p.m. (Fox, Telemundo)
- U.S.-Portugal: Tuesday, Aug. 1, 3 a.m. (Fox, Telemundo)
- Round of 16: Aug. 5 to Aug. 8
- Quarterfinals: Aug. 10 to Aug. 12
- Semifinals: Aug. 15 to Aug. 16
- Third-place match: Aug. 19, 4 a.m. (Fox, Telemundo)
- World Cup final: Aug. 20, 6 a.m. (Fox, Telemundo)
Sophia Smith’s parents and the verdic
Women’s World Cup favourites need cohesion and patience – Japan and Spain are showing the way
By Michael Cox 1h ago
Alex Morgan was talking about the USWNT’s opening performance of the tournament — a surprisingly low-key 3-0 win over Vietnam — but she could have been speaking about many of the World Cup favourites’ displays.
“I think we saw a lot of glimpses of our potential, but I feel like we weren’t always clicking on the field,” she said. “I feel like some of the plays we had were a little forced or rushed. So I think it’s having a little more patience, switching (play) a little bit more, having our movements a little more synchronised.”
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It was a good reading of the U.S.’s performance against Vietnam — a fixture many expected to produce a hatful of goals but only produced three. But the same could be said of England’s display against Haiti, a 1-0 win. Or Australia’s performance against Ireland, another 1-0 win.
The narrowness of the favourites’ victories, in general, has been a welcome surprise. It points to some of the underdogs performing well, but the other side of the coin is that the stronger sides have been too urgent, too direct and too focused on going wide and crossing. The favourites largely seem based around speed out wide, expecting wingers to beat opponents in one-versus-one duels. When that approach has failed, they’ve offered little else.
Alex Morgan’s penalty is saved against Vietnam (Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Those three anglophone nations have been faced with deep defences and have looked ineffective. Australia were too focused on playing long diagonal balls for their wingers, which often drifted out of play or were dealt with comfortably by Ireland’s back five. They were fortunate to win a penalty from one of those instances and otherwise created little else. Wide players Cortnee Vine and Hayley Raso felt like up-and-down runners and looked more dangerous when full-backs Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter came inside, played combinations, forced Ireland’s defenders to make positional decisions and created gaps to play into.
Similarly, the U.S.’s much-hyped wingers were as dominant in individual battles as you might expect against a group of players almost entirely drawn from the Vietnamese league. Trinity Rodman was perhaps hampered by an early injury and did draw the foul for the penalty Morgan missed, but there was a lack of incision from midfield and a lack of interplay between the forwards, aside from a couple of moments when Morgan dropped deep to link play.
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England were little better, with their most creative midfielder Keira Walsh marked tightly and few examples of good passing through midfield. The most advanced midfielder, Ella Toone, was mainly charged with making off-the-ball runs into the channels and rarely received the ball between the lines. Wide duo Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp were quieter than usual, with the exception of when one crossed for the other.
Curiously, for all the hype about Lauren James’ electric dribbling, she deliberately calmed the pace of the game after her introduction. She put her foot on the ball, played sideways passes and switched the play. It helped to prevent Haiti from counter-attacking and demonstrated a level of footballing intelligence lacking beforehand.
Something similar could be said of Sweden, who laboured to a 2-1 win over South Africa, struggling to work the ball through the centre. Fridolina Rolfo felt peripheral on the left and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd didn’t get too much joy down the right until their equaliser — when the former finished from the latter’s cross, courtesy of a crucial touch from a defender. That felt a little like England’s approach of Kelly crossing for Hemp. It was something of a fortunate goal.
There was little in the way of combination play from France against Jamaica: a flat 4-4-2, too much reliance on the right flank for creativity, no incision and no goals.
Granted, there have been convincing wins for Germany, who went wide and crossed effectively for Alex Popp, and Brazil, who have offered more individual brilliance than anyone so far.
But the two best footballing sides have both been in Group C, which is already settled after two rounds of matches. Spain have won 3-0 and 5-0, while Japan have won 5-0 and 2-0. It’s clear neither Costa Rica nor Zambia are able to put up much of a challenge, but it hasn’t really been about the margin of victory, it’s been about interplay, cohesion and teamwork. And, given their footballing reputations, it hasn’t been much of a surprise. These are the two best tiki-taka exponents in the competition.
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On Wednesday, Japan made light work of Costa Rica. Playing in a 3-4-3, their two goals demonstrated great understanding between the attackers. Mina Tanaka, leading the line, dropped deep to link play and assisted both goals: the first for inside-left Hikaru Naomoto; the second for inside-right Aoba Fujino. Those players, at other times, drifted inside, pulled the Costa Rican full-backs inside and the wing-backs broke into space on the outside. Japan switched play and found space at the far post. It felt like watching a club side.
Mina Tanaka (No 11, second from left) was key in Japan picking apart Costa Rica (Photo: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP)
Similarly, Spain were rampant against Zambia, bamboozling their opponents with clever interplay, particularly down the left. OK, the first two goals were scored from a long-range thunderbolt from Teresa Abelleira, then a neat header from Jenni Hermoso, but both featured good build-up play down the left, leaving Zambia with fewer players to shut down Abelleira and no one to mark Hermoso.
The goals in the second half were neater. The third, scored by the impressive substitute Alba Redondo, was the first time in the tournament a goal had been assisted by a ball in behind the opposition. That speaks volumes about the lack of cohesion between attackers in this tournament and the fact the smaller sides are generally sitting deep.
Japan and Spain are both already through, and the meeting between them in the final round of games could be the best quality game of the group stage. That said, it depends on them seeing any incentive to finish top of the group. Considering they’ll face sides from Group A, who seem much of a muchness, perhaps they won’t take things too seriously.
The quality of combination football is likely to improve as the tournament progresses, for two reasons. First, there will be less rustiness and more time on the training ground should produce better combination play. Second, when the tournament pits strong sides against each other in the knockout phase, there will be fewer sides sitting deep, more space in behind and more incentive to try to play good passing football rather than simply crossing.
Japan and Spain, so far, are pointing the way.
The Radar – The Athletic’s 2023 Women’s World Cup scouting guide
(Top photo: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)
Michael Cox concentrates on tactical analysis. He is the author of two books – The Mixer, about the tactical evolution of the Premier League, and Zonal Marking, about footballing philosophies across Europe. Follow Michael on Twitter @Zonal_Marking
Full Time: Sophia Smith in the spotlight
By Emily Olsen, Meg Linehan, and Steph Yang Jul 22, 2023 The Athletic
Start every morning of the 2023 World Cup with Full Time passed directly to your inbox. Sign up here.
After walking a mile uphill to the match yesterday, my legs, like Rapinoe’s after her 200th cap, have earned a rest. I’m Emily Olsen, here with Meg Linehan and Steph Yang — welcome to Full Time!
USWNT Wins World Cup Opener
What we learned from the 3-0 win over Vietnam
When FIFA announced it would expand the Women’s World Cup to 32 teams, there were concerns that it would cause too many lopsided scores as developing soccer nations were added. The U.S.’s opener against Vietnam eased those worries – the rest of the world, not just France, England, or Japan, is catching up too. And that’s a good thing.he U.S. missed plenty of chances it should have converted in its 3-0 win Saturday, but Vietnam never looked like a team that was going to let the score run up against them. Goalkeeper Thi Kim Tran faced 28 shots with seven on target, and just three went in.The USWNT starting lineup featured six players making their World Cup debuts, with an average age of 27.8 years, making it the youngest lineup to start a World Cup match for the USWNT since 2007.
- Sophia Smith? Yeah, she’s good: If you’ve seen the Portland Thorns play in the last two years, you knew this. For the rest of the world, welcome. Nothing will ever be the same. Smith had a hand in all three goals for the U.S., scoring a brace and assisting Lindsey Horan on the third goal. Our Meg Linehan has more here (and later in this newsletter).
- What year is it?: Julie Ertz started at center back, giving serious 2015 World Cup vibes as she returned to the position where she first broke through. Don’t be shocked, head coach Vlatko Andonovski basically told us he was going to do this a month ago.
- Another standout debut: Trinity Rodman. After a nervy near-injury in the first minutes of play, she formed a harmonious frontline alongside Smith and Alex Morgan.
- Positive fitness news: Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe got on the field after dealing with injuries in the build-up to the tournament. “I’ve been feeling really good,” Lavelle said postgame. “I’ve been doing as much as I possibly can off the field to make sure I’m ready for the team.”
What else? See USWNT’s first World Cup match against Vietnam through our photographer Georgia Soares’ eyes.
Photo by Georgia Soares, The Athletic.
Megan Rapinoe hits another milestone
Yesterday we talked about how Megan Rapinoe uses the dark arts to defeat her opponents. And while she didn’t play a major role against Vietnam, the two-time World Cup champion still hit another milestone in her final international tournament.Rapinoe logged her 200th appearance for the U.S. when she entered the game in the 63rd minute alongside OL Reign teammate Lavelle.“God, it feels old to reach that,” Rapinoe said after the match. “(I) feel like my legs have earned it.”The veteran announced before the tournament that this World Cup will be her last, as she will retire at the end of the NWSL season in October. She is one of three active players to have reached 200 U.S. caps (alongside Alex Morgan and Becky Sauerbrunn) and the 13th overall player to do so. Rapinoe is a two-time World Cup champion and an Olympic gold medalist — and was the 2019 Ballon d’Or Féminin winner.Her 200th appearance came 16 years and 364 days after her first (July 23, 2006), marking the longest gap between her first and 200th appearance in the team’s history, per Opta. See all 200 caps here.
Meg’s Corner
Who’s that girl? It’s Soph
You don’t become the youngest-ever NWSL MVP without impressing someone. And Sophia Smith has been impressing quite a few people for much longer than the 90 minutes she played against Vietnam in the USWNT’s World Cup opener on Saturday.mith has been preparing for this moment for years. While observers of the NWSL have known the depth of her talent for the entirely of the two years she’s been in the league, on the biggest stage she officially introduced herself to the masses, less than three weeks from her 23rd birthday. She ended Saturday involved in every single USWNT goal: scoring two, and providing the assist on the third.
This is my Barbenheimer pic.twitter.com/IaTfFepvXT
— John Muller (@johnspacemuller) July 21, 2023
But what makes up “THAT girl,” as teammate Alex Morgan coined her? It’s much more than a nose for goal and a killer left foot. Behind her smile and shrug is an athlete that relishes one-on-one challenges, who can beat defenders from any forward position and read a defensive shift. She has the feet, the brains, and the stomach for the pressure of leading the USWNT. Smith is pure ruthlessness with a smile.
To celebrate her second goal, Smith drew her hand across her face as if to zip her lips, then threw away the key. For those who watched the 2019 NCAA College Cup, it was clear that Smith had copied Stanford goalkeeper Katie Meyer’s iconic celebration after saving a penalty en route to winning the title.
“That was for Katie,” Smith said in the mixed zone after the match. Smith, Naomi Girma and other USWNT players have teamed up with Common Goal for a mental health campaign, a project they did in honor of Meyer, who died by suicide in March 2022.
Elsewhere in the World Cup
Things get CONCACAF-y for England and Haiti
To some, CONCACAF is simply the confederation in which the United States plays its international soccer, comprising nations in North and Central America and the Caribbean. To those within it, it’s a whole way of being.
Without using this whole newsletter to explain the nuance, just know if something is described as CONCACAF-y or CONCACAF’d, it’s absolute chaos. And Haiti’s first-ever Women’s World Cup game against England was just that. After all, the lone goal of the game was a penalty first saved by goalkeeper Kerly Theus, but Georgia Stanway was allowed to retake it after the referee ruled encroachment occurred.
In fact, I think all of Group D might be CONCACAF-y as Denmark needed a 90th-minute stunner to bag three points
Japan scores 5 against Zambia
Angel City fans will recognize a name on the scoresheet and the pink hair on the field in this one. Winger Jun Endo nearly assisted the first goal against Zambia in the 21st minute from a free-kick but in the chaos in the box, Mina Tanaka’s goal was ruled offside. Another goal by Tanaka would also be overturned by VAR 30 minutes later. Japan went on to score five anyway, including an assist and goal from Endo.
Fun Time World Cup Trivia
Test your knowledge
The World Cup is exciting, stressful, and heartbreaking. But also fun. And what’s more fun than trivia? If you don’t want the answer to yesterday’s question, stop scrolling now….
When Christine Sinclair, 40, was subbed off in the 0-0 draw with Nigeria, it was only the second time in her 22 World Cup appearances that she hadn’t gone all 90 minutes. I mean, come on! She’s a legend.
Today’s question…
Multiple players from yesterday’s games also play in NWSL. How many players in total from the league are representing their countries at the World Cup?
Away from Sydney’s bright lights, an indigenous football dream burns bright with a 14-year-old goalkeeping prospect.
Herve Renard offers France a fresh start after Corinne Diacre’s ugly demise.
Mary Earps’ Nike comments were fearless. The Athletic’s Chloe Morgan speaks about the moment as a former professional goalkeeper and why it matters.
(Top Photo: Georgia Soares/The Athletic)
Horan may be USWNT’s MVP in World Cup of transition
- Abdullah Abdullah Jul 23, 2023, 11:00 AM ET
- The U.S. women’s national team have begun the World Cup as the favorites to once again defend their crown after winning four years ago in France. The players who emerged victorious in that tournament will forever be acknowledged for their remarkable contributions, but as the summer competition unfolds, a transformation is taking place within the squad’s composition.Only nine players from the 2019 squad were retained and will feature in 2023. Although injuries played their part in preventing certain players from being selected, it is still a relatively inexperienced squad. Becky Sauerbrunn, Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson will miss out because of long-term injuries; Carli Lloyd retired from international duty; others were simply not selected due to age or form, replaced by newer counterparts. This puts a bigger emphasis on the experience of the retained players to lead their younger teammates such as Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson and Sophia Smith, who are navigating their way through their first major tournament.
Few players capture the imagination on the pitch the way she does. The Lyon midfielder has entered this World Cup as the engine and leader of the midfield in what looks to be a new, era-defining time for the USWNT. Given the changes in the squad and the lack of stress testing, Horan must be a multifaceted player who can come up with solutions or any problem they face and counteract the variety of styles they will come up against.Horan might just be the most important player for the USWNT at the World Cup. Here’s why.
Midfield composition
The USWNT’s games in the lead-up to the World Cup saw coach Vlatko Andonovski rotate his midfield to find the best combination. Horan, Andi Sullivan, Rose Lavelle, Ashley Sanchez and Kristie Mewis are tried and tested. Julie Ertz‘s return to the team left her as the expected first-choice defensive midfielder, she started at center-back against Vietnam. Savannah DeMelo had never appeared for the senior national team before being selected to the World Cup squad.It’s notable that despite such tumult, Horan started every game but one.
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The general approach from opposition teams will be to sit back, soak up pressure and play the U.S. on the counterattack. The major reason for this is to limit space to work in and force the U.S. into finding alternative solutions. Just looking at the USWNT’s group stage opponents, you can already see the stark difference in approaches they might take. The Netherlands will look to play a more aggressive style of football with intense pressing measures along with quick counterattacking methods, whereas Portugal will likely heavily defend their 18-yard box, an approach Vietnam used in the Americans’ 3-0 win on Friday night.Football, however, is not a linear sport — it’s an ever-evolving game that presents different scenarios that need to be dealt with in the moment to steer the team toward the game plan. The U.S. will encounter changing scenarios from the first minute of every game and will need to be at their tactical best to navigate such situations. This is where Horan becomes such an important contributor in making the midfield click.Her position is usually on the right of a midfield three, as Andonovski often plays with a flexible structure with the central midfielders given decisive roles in creating offensive opportunities. There’s one aggressive, attacking midfielder playing closer to the box and one deeper player anchoring the midfield and protecting the back four. The third player is the pendulum that balances the two by providing whatever is required in between. Considering the wide players are often inside forwards who prefer to play closer to the box and take on the opposition full-backs, it is the responsibility of the central midfielders to become the creators-in-chief and devise passing and ball-carrying chances for the forwards to latch on to.
Progression and creativity
Movement and spatial awareness are essential at a midfield position, especially one that requires you to control the game. Players who can think fast and react quicker than their opponents can often execute moves that others might not see immediately. Horan is able to constantly lose her markers and create space for herself, but she is also the only player who actively moves into deeper areas to unsettle disciplined defenses and push them out of position.It’s from here that Horan is able to open up passing lanes and play those progressive passes or carry the ball herself. This explains why she is both an elegant ball carrier and a passer. She’s able to get into positions early and not rely on just a single trait to complete a move.These combined skills appeal to this U.S. midfield. Against Vietnam, Sullivan was tasked with shielding the back four and retaining possession, while DeMelo was given license to get forward and engage the opposition central markers. Horan’s role from the right requires her to play as a deep-lying playmaker, controlling the tempo and providing the skills required for any given situation.The statistics reflect Horan’s profile. Her standout traits are progressive passes and carries, which shows that she loves to have the ball at her feet and does something meaningful with it. In the past year, Horan ranks in the 97th percentile for progressive passes at 8.10 per 90 minutes and in the 90th percentile for progressive carries at 1.92 per 90, according to FBref. The role not only requires immaculate technique but power and vision to find and create goal-scoring opportunities as well.Take this passage of play against Brazil in the SheBelieves Cup: Horan receives possession on the right flank, coming up against a well-drilled side. Although there are three Brazilians blocking her view, Horan spots a vacant area on the right side of the opposition box with Sanchez in space to receive and create a chance. Just before delivering the pass, Horan steps back and threads through a delicate pass, taking out the Brazilians on that side. Sanchez picks up possession with ample time before sending in a low cross towards the six-yard box.
Opponents will no doubt try to nullify the U.S.’s three forwards — Smith, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe — who each prefer to play closer to the penalty area, particularly Smith, who thrives on line-breaking passes in behind the defensive lines. With space at a premium and congestion in and around the central areas, Horan will be relied upon to create in these types of opportunities, eventually allowing Morgan & Co. to finish off better goal-scoring chances and ultimately breaking down defenses.Horan’s spatial awareness can be viewed from another angle too. She can leverage the strengths of her teammates while still influencing the game off the ball. When teams are looking to close down the central areas, Horan has to find alternative solutions if passing opportunities are unavailable. She’s quick on her feet and recognizes when things need to be changed and proactively takes up less obvious positions by making off-ball runs. The 29-year-old registered 6.18 progressive passes received, putting her in the 97th percentile, according to FBref. That marks her as someone who wants to be in aggressive positions to get the ball.There is another example from the game against Brazil that sees Lavelle dribble through midfield, attracting several players toward her position, leaving the wide spaces vacant. Horan ghosts through from the middle toward the right flank and it’s here the Lyon midfielder receives a pass in acres of space without any pressure from a Brazilian defender. Horan is able to send in a near-post cross to Morgan and although the striker fails to finish, Horan’s smart movement and timing creates a chance out of an improbable situation.The upcoming Netherlands match should prove decisive for the outcome of the group, and it’s where Horan could take advantage of the aggressive movements of the Dutch midfield, potentially exploiting the spaces left in and around to attack their back four.With a new generation of USWNT players coming through the system, Horan’s leadership and experience will be more important than ever. She has been a creative spark throughout her career, and will once again need to step up if the U.S. are to reach the final stages of the World Cup.
Risky or shrewd? USWNT lineup could backfire at World Cup
Caitlin Murray, ESPNJul 22, 2023, 02:02 AM ET
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The task for U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski seemed simple: start the best possible lineup and begin the Women’s World Cup with a strong statement of intent.But once the squad to take on Vietnam in their tournament opener was announced, it became clear Andonovski was not playing it safe or simple.The question, which will be answered once this World Cup is said and done: is Andonovski overthinking it, or just being shrewd? The answer certainly didn’t come Saturday at Eden Park Stadium against Vietnam (a Friday night start for fans in the U.S.), nor was it expected to. The talent differential between the two sides is large enough that a fully second-choice U.S. squad would still have been expected to win.
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The USWNT won 3-0, missing a slew of quality scoring chances in the process — 28 shots in all — and it almost didn’t matter who Andonovski put on the field.But the U.S. coach appeared to be setting the stage for a tournament where the USWNT will be difficult to predict, and the notion of the “best possible lineup” will be less straight-forward than it seems. In previous World Cup editions it was easy to predict who a coach might start and where, but Andonovski has put together a squad without easy answers.
Julie Ertz — a player who had seemingly made the roster at the last possible moment as the solution at defensive midfielder after not playing competitive soccer for two years — started at center-back.Ertz hasn’t started as a center-back since 2019, and hasn’t played the position with regularity since years before that. But when captain Becky Sauerbrunn was a late scratch for the World Cup because of a foot injury, Andonovski opted not to replace her with someone currently playing at the position.”When we knew that Becky is not going to be able to make it, that’s something we started looking into even deeper,” he said after the game. “We had a conversation with Julie before we even tried, did a lot of work before we got into (pre-World Cup) camp in terms of video analysis.”
– Women’s World Cup: Landing page | Schedule | Rosters | News
And yet, Andonovski didn’t necessarily have a better choice, in part because of how he constructed his World Cup roster. He could’ve instead opted to start Alana Cook alongside Naomi Girma, but then he would’ve been left with a very inexperienced central defense. Cook has 25 caps, and Girma — who is the better defender — has only 16.Having the experience of Ertz at more than 100 caps, especially to ease the nerves in the younger Girma, was logical. After all, the only other option on this World Cup roster is Emily Sonnett, a player who has spent more time for the USWNT at full-back than center-back.Ertz didn’t look completely comfortable in the back in her return to the role. Vietnam barely threatened, so she wasn’t exactly under pressure, but with the ball at her feet she looked unsettled at times and took unnecessary risks. She played into the game though, looking more comfortable as it went on.”I’m glad we made the decision and I know that the back line is just going to get better and better going forward,” Andonovski said, also declining to state whether Ertz would stay in that role.Sophia Smith talks 2-goal performance in World Cup debutSophia Smith discusses her 2-goal performance in the United States’ 3-0 win over Vietnam.Savannah DeMelo, a player who made the World Cup roster without having ever played for the U.S., was a surprise choice to start in the midfield, too. Before the match, Andonovski suggested the choice was based on her recent form, including a closed-door scrimmage against the Philippines here in New Zealand.DeMelo is a playmaker who is capable of unlocking defenses and creating chances for her teammates. However, what Andonovski has done is built a World Cup squad that hasn’t played together much — in the case of DeMelo, she got one cap in the USWNT’s send-off coming into the World Cup opener.That lack of time together showed. The Americans against Vietnam looked a version of what they’ve looked for much of the Andonovski era: static, sluggish and too reliant on individual flashes of brilliance.Andonovski, for his part, is well of aware of the gamble he has taken and seems confident in his decisions, telling reporters after the match: “If you look at this team, it’s the first time that this 11 has been on the field together. They’ve never been on the field together in a game scenario for one minute, so to see some of the connections and combinations they were able to make was very positive.”
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But he also admitted that this USWNT didn’t look like everything the group could be.”If there’s one thing we need to do better besides finishing, it’s how can we help the players that are in a position to finish, giving them a little bit of service,” he said. “Whether it’s finding them on the right step or the proper foot, the final touch — the service before the finish.”For a team as attack-oriented and eager to play on the front foot as the U.S., finishing and service are no small missing pieces.The USWNT had 297 touches in the final third compared to Vietnam’s 20, but it largely wasn’t the free-flowing and dynamic attack we’ve seen from the United States in the past — Sophia Smith’s first goal the lone exception. They underperformed their expected goals of 4.34 — including due to Alex Morgan’s missed penalty — and struggled to use the flanks, trying to push through a congested middle.And yet, everyone from the outside seemed to be expecting a redux of 2019, when the USWNT opened the World Cup with a 13-0 win over Thailand, the most lopsided result in Women’s World Cup history.The day before Saturday’s game, a Vietnamese reporter asked Andonovski: “Are you going to crush us like against Thailand four years ago?” After the game, another Vietnamese reporter asked: “Did you expect to score more?”It’s perhaps unfair to compare that match to this one — that Thailand team wasn’t as good or as disciplined as this Vietnam team. But this USWNT doesn’t seem to have the chemistry of that 2019 team, either.
“I definitely think it’s coming together,” said defender Emily Fox of the team cohesion. “In training, we can feel that it’s coming together and we’re just going to keep building off of that. It’s the first game of the tournament so we want to keep building off of this performance.”For a squad that has had few reps together, the chemistry needs to come together quickly. Vietnam wasn’t able to punish the U.S. for its inability to click, but the Netherlands — the runner-up from the last World Cup — is next up in group stage play. The knockout rounds will be tougher.As former USWNT coach April Heinrichs once said, “In coaching, you’re either a jackass or a genius.” The choices that Andonovski has made could be the ones that will be talked about for years to come — revered or mocked, depending on how the tournament goes.
USWNT faces World Cup lineup questions after Vietnam game
Claire WatkinsJuly 22, 2023
Julie Ertz surprisingly started at center-back in the USWNT’s World Cup opener against Vietnam. (Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images )The U.S. opened their 2023 World Cup campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win over Vietnam on Saturday afternoon in Auckland, keeping the game under control in a quality — if not perfect — performance.
Vietnam came into the match in a 5-4-1 formation, holding numbers in front of their own goal to deny the USWNT space to execute their attack. Vietnam’s fierce commitment to the approach kept the U.S. from nearing their 13-goal output against Thailand in 2019. The reigning World Champions’ lineup also featured a handful of players making their major tournament debuts.With a blockbuster matchup against the Netherlands coming into view, here are three takeaways from the USWNT’s opening World Cup victory.
The new kids can hang
Sophia Smith contributed to all three goals scored by the U.S. on the night, scoring two and assisting on one. She rightfully took Player of the Match honors, with her calm on the ball belying her relative major tournament inexperience. Smith and 21-year-old Trinity Rodman looked unafraid to play with freedom, often getting to the endline to try to find the feet of their teammates.Smith also handled the physicality of the game well, a skill that only comes with international experience. The game was officiated somewhat oddly, with long stoppages in play and a lack of consistency as to what constitutes a foul. Smith and Rodman took the challenge in stride, never losing their composure when the match got chippy or delayed.Other quieter debuts were nonetheless impressive. Emily Fox and Naomi Girma looked comfortable in defense, putting out fires and combining with the midfield when necessary (Vietnam did not register a shot or even enter the U.S. penalty area). Alyssa Thompson and Sofia Huerta added energy off the bench, threatening to add to the USWNT’s scoreline.Midfielder Savannah DeMelo looked fearless, starting her first World Cup game in just her second USWNT cap. She combined well with Rodman and Fox, and made runs that gave the U.S. extra attacking options as they tried to unlock the organized Vietnam defense. With so many players dealing with nerves on the pitch, the USWNT as a whole looked remarkably assured.
Finding room for Julie Ertz
When Julie Ertz returned to the USWNT for the first time in over two years, the natural assumption was that she’d be the answer to the team’s defensive midfield concerns. Ertz anchored the midfield that won the World Cup in 2019 and offered an emergency replacement while still coming back from injury at the Tokyo Olympics.So when Ertz lined up alongside Naomi Girma in the central defense against Vietnam, the thinking behind the move wasn’t entirely clear.
It’s possible that Ertz came in as an early rotational move, with the understanding that Alana Cook will return to the backline against the Netherlands. But it’s also possible that Ertz might partner with Girma throughout the tournament. U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski did not say after the game whether Ertz would remain in the role for upcoming games.If Ertz is performing anywhere near the level of the player she was before she took time away, she needs to be on the field for the U.S. — having her come in as a backup No. 6 behind Andi Sullivan isn’t a good use of her talent. And with veteran center-back Becky Sauerbrunn missing the tournament, Ertz’s calm head and ability to disrupt play and send piercing diagonal balls forward might lend themselves to a last-minute audible few expected.Ertz was excellent against Vietnam, working well with Girma and making her patented dangerous runs on set pieces. Where she lines up against the Netherlands will be The same old nagging problems persist
Some of the same issues that have plagued the U.S. in Andonovski’s tenure popped up in their first World Cup game. The team lacked a certain amount of patience in the final third, with a number of quality build-up sequences ending up in the stands or ricocheting off a defender. With goal differential at a premium in their group, opportunities left on the table could come back to haunt the U.S.The USWNT also struggled to bring urgency to the second half. After taking a 2-0 lead, they slowed the tempo down instead of pushing to extend a scoreline they should not have been satisfied with. Vietnam didn’t push numbers forward frequently, but when they did, the U.S. was not quick to counter, often resetting play to allow their opponent to regain their defensive shape and get numbers behind the ball. The U.S. has had trouble pushing tempo under Andonovski in the past, all too often relying on lofted crosses in the air to try to find separation.The rest of the team’s weaknesses occurred in the margins of a choppy game and against a tenacious defense. Many times, players’ passes forward rolled out of reach of their intended targets in the final third, and dribbling sequences lasted too long to deliver a quality ball to a teammate. With Megan Rapinoe’s minutes limited, Alex Morgan took a penalty attempt she’ll want back, showcasing how human the U.S. can look during dead-ball situations without their longtime PK taker.Despite a vast advantage in both fitness and depth, the U.S. could not turn their substitutes into effective scorers as they pushed for more goals late in the match. Winning Group E could define the USWNT’s World Cup, and they let an opportunity to set themselves up at a goal advantage slip through their hands.Andonovski’s U.S. has faced criticism of doing just enough to advance, rather than grabbing games and running away with them. A 3-0 result against an overmatched opponent won’t move them further away from that perception. The U.S. midfield looked more assured when Rose Lavelle entered for the final half hour of the match and gave them a sense of cohesion to build upon.Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
USWNT goalscorer Sophia Smith is that girl and more
By Meg LinehanJul 22, 2023 The Athletic
Enter, Sophia Smith, a talented U.S. women’s national team forward without a World Cup appearance, on a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon at Eden Park. Exit, Sophia Smith, the youngest USWNT player to score multiple goals in her World Cup debut. No longer a mere player on a world’s stage, instead she is “THAT girl,” as teammate Alex Morgan saidFrom Colorado to Stanford and the youth national team to the No. 1 overall draft pick for the Portland Thorns and 2022 NWSL most valuable player, Smith has been preparing for this moment for years. While observers of the NWSL have known the depth of her talent for two years, she officially introduced herself on the biggest stage yet — less than three weeks before her 23rd birthday. She ended Saturday involved in every USWNT goal in the 3-0 defeat of Vietnam: scoring two, and providing an assist.But what makes up “THAT girl”? It’s much more than a nose for goal and a killer left foot. Behind her smile and shrug is an athlete that relishes one-on-one challenges, beats defenders from anywhere, reads a defensive shift and breaks it down herself. She has the feet, the brains and the stomach for the pressure of leading the USWNT. Smith is pure ruthlessness with a smile.On Saturday, after the long wait to determine if her second goal stood, Smith celebrated. She drew her hand across her face as if to zip her lips, then threw away the key. For the casual observer, perhaps, it looked like a warning to people to stop running their mouths. But that would be stopping at “THAT girl” Sophia. For those who watched the 2019 NCAA College Cup, it was clear that Smith had in fact copied Stanford goalkeeper Katie Meyer’s iconic celebration after saving a penalty en route to winning the title.
“That was for Katie,” Smith said in the mixed zone. It was a planned celebration she worked out with center-back Naomi Girma. Led by Girma, Smith and some other USWNT teammates put out a campaign ahead of the World Cup opener promoting mental health — a project they did in honor of Meyer, who died by suicide in March 2022.“That was pretty iconic what she did in the College Cup, and we just want to honor her in every way,” Smith saidThe celebration also served as a reminder that there is another element to the sort of life-changing attention a World Cup can provide. The players face an extraordinary challenge of focusing on winning the games in front of them with protecting their own mental and emotional well-being. Only days ago, Smith had told reporters that her World Cup experience had felt surreal so far, and that the fact she was playing in the tournament might actually finally hit her during the first match.The nerves were there against Vietnam, she admitted afterwards, despite the fact that she usually doesn’t get nervous. But she was also ready to dance through the leading questions as swiftly and sure-footedly as she had danced through defenders only minutes before, shrugging aside inquiries on if the USWNT had scored enough goals on Saturday or if she was already thinking about winning the tournament’s golden boot.“I tell everyone: I want to win a World Cup and whatever comes with that comes with that,” she replied, simply.As much as Smith is insulating herself from outside pressure (she’s deleted Twitter from her phone, “best thing I’ve ever done”), she’s taking full advantage of her stage beyond the show on the field.Smith is aware of just how much she is being talked about, and that is only going to get more and more intense as the team progresses through this tournament.“I feel it, I definitely feel it,” she had said on Wednesday. “It means people believe in me. I say that all the time. But I try not to overthink it, and it means that I just need to keep being myself, doing what I’ve been doing, and not put too much pressure on myself.”The frenzy around her isn’t within her control. But she’s also not afraid to engage with it, to play with it a bit, either. Just take Nike’s campaign built around her for this World Cup, titled “Nice To Beat You”.
Smith embraces being the villain on the field. She’ll pull that feeling out for anything, whether it’s the shrug celebration she went with at last year’s NWSL championship to silence her doubters, or even over her NWSL team’s divisive jersey design. “We love the haters,” she said. “Keep it coming, because that just makes winning feel even better.”The energy seems to power “THAT girl”, but maybe there’s some sort of magic around her debuts too.In her 2020 NWSL debut during the Fall Series, she scored 17 minutes after stepping onto the field. That same year, USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski called her “the most comfortable rookie in the NWSL that we’ve seen”, in an interview with The Athletic.“It was almost like she walked onto the field like she had a hundred games under her belt,” he said. “That showed in her game, that showed in her movement, it showed in the way she composed herself in the game.”Three years later, Andonovski might well have said the same thing about her World Cup debut — though this was Smith’s 31st appearance for the USWNT. But the difficulty level between the NWSL Fall Series and the World Cup is like the difference between a round of putt-putt and playing in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.“Being on this team, it just comes with a big target on your back, it comes with pressure, it comes with a big platform. We all know this is nothing new, even the young players who haven’t played in the World Cup,” Smith said. “We know that — the veterans (in the squad) make sure we know that.”Luckily for everyone prepared to watch her at this World Cup, that combination was something she found exciting.“All we hope to do is continue on that legacy, and do things that teams have never done,” Smith continued, saying that her generation of players had accepted the pressure. “It’s what life has become now, and I think it’s fun. I love it.”Smith’s next stage awaits her on Wednesday, game two against the Netherlands in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The spotlight does too. She’s ready to play many parts though — whatever this team needs from her.There’s a World Cup to win, after all, an eventful history still to write.(Photo: Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images )
Julie Ertz at center back for the USWNT might have been a shock, but it makes sense
By Kudzi MusarurwaJul 22, 2023
Before the USWNT kicked off their World Cup 2023 adventure against Vietnam, Julie Ertz’s fitness was a constant topic of conversation. Between a knee injury and giving birth less than a year ago, before April of this year she hadn’t played since 2021. She had to quickly regain her match fitness and find a club to play for in order to have a shot at rejoining the national team.Given the improbable nature of her condensed comeback journey, few expected her to start the U.S.’s World Cup opener against Vietnam, let alone start the game as a center back alongside Naomi Girma. The need for an additional center back emerged last month, when captain Becky Sauerbrunn was left off the World Cup squad as she recovers from a foot injury. However, Girma and Alana Cook were the only full-time center backs included in the squad, and neither of the young defenders had any previous World Cup experience.“We’re very confident in the team that we have and we’re very confident in the abilities of the players that we have on our team that we’ll be able to overcome the deficiencies that may occur with Becky’s absence,” head coach Vlatko Andonovski said at the time. “Part of it is Julie Ertz. We know that she has the ability to play different positions. We saw her in the 2015 World Cup playing as a center back. We saw her winning a World Cup as well in the U-20s, so it is definitely something that is on our minds, and we will be exploring that option.”So, in hindsight, Andonovski did plant the seed for this eventuality. Still, Ertz hadn’t started at center back for the national team since a 2019 friendly against Belgium. She was a key figure in the U.S. midfield at that year’s World Cup, serving as the anchor alongside Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis. But before that, Ertz first broke through as a center back. She won a bronze ball award for her performance at the U-20 World Cup in 2012 and emerged as a pivotal member of the senior team’s backline at the 2015 World Cup.On Thursday afternoon in Auckland, Andonovski told the media that from a “minutes management, Julie is 100%” which many interpreted to mean she would see the field at some point, but probably not right away.Emily Fox confirmed the plan to play Ertz in the role in which she first rose to prominence had been in the works for a while.“We’ve been working at it the entire pre-camp.” Fox said when asked about the chemistry she was building with Ertz. “She’s amazing. She’s a leader, she communicates, she makes it so easy to do my job and she does a great job at hers.”For years after she debuted for the USWNT, those statements had followed Ertz. It’s what made her so successful as a young center back, it’s what made her transition to the midfield so seamless and it’s what made her absence such a loss when she was away from the team for so long.But at the start of her comeback, Andonovki wasted no time in bringing Ertz back into the fold as his primary defensive midfielder. While she was a little rusty in April against the Republic of Ireland, the difference she made in that midfield was clearly evident.
As the team headed to the World Cup, it was clear Andonovski was looking at Ertz to solve the midfield issues, which had been a problem area for team since the Olympics in the summer of 2021. But Sauerbrunn’s health created an even bigger problem for the team.Being a starter for the USWNT means that you have to be versatile and ready to be asked to do anything to help the team, and Ertz sets the example.Play as the starting center back despite more senior players on the roster (in 2015)? No problem. Switch back to defensive midfield in order for the team to win (in 2019)? Not an issue. Switch back again to central defense (in 2023)? Done, with barely a step missed. Never paired with Naomi Girma before, Ertz looked like she had been playing next to her for years — a poignant similarity with how Sauerbrunn effortlessly adapted to playing with Ertz back in 2015.
There definitely was a 2015 feel to Ertz’s performance as she patrolled the backline, commanding those around her to cover the spaces and striding forward to close down the gaps herself. While that version of Ertz was much younger, she was no less commanding, no less determined and no less an absolute pleasure to watch for anyone who enjoys good defending.All action, take no prisoners but still able to ping a cross-field pass when needed. Girma would stay behind while Ertz looked to take the game to Vietnam, and when the opposition managed to make their way past the midfield, Ertz was the first one there to meet them head on and preventany further danger.After the game, Ertz’s biggest takeaway from their performance was that they managed to not concede a goal.“It was good.” she said after being asked about the team’s performance. “A clean sheet, that’s what you want for sure. It was a good start.”That is a defender’s answer and one that epitomizes Ertz’s career to date.(Top photo: Jan Kruger – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
How Lionel Messi won Inter Miami debut with last-second free-kick goal vs Cruz Azul
Lionel Messi scores winning goal from free kick in 94th minute as Inter Miami beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in Leagues Cup opener.
Michael Dominski July 22, 2023 at 9:23 AM EDT The Athletic
(All photos by Getty Images)
Instant analysis of an instant classic
From Messi’s winning moment, to the celebrities on hand, to Miami’s tactics and hopes for a trophy this season, The Athletic has broken down everything you need to know from this wild night.
Lionel Messi and the perfect free kick
(Photo: Getty Images)
Lionel Messi was hunched over the ball, trying to catch his breath.It was the 93rd minute of his highly anticipated debut as a newly-minted Major League Soccer player. Messi, arguably the best player of all time, who just seven months ago led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar, was preparing to take a potentially game-winning direct free kick in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.His new club, Inter Miami, were tied 1-1 with Mexican side Cruz Azul on the opening group stage matchday of the Leagues Cup, a competition that sees MLS teams playing Liga MX sides. Messi had been sandwiched by two opponents roughly 24 yards from the Cruz Azul goal. When Honduran referee Said Martínez blew his whistle and called the foul, everyone in the stadium, and the millions watching on screens around the world, wondered if a magical Messi moment was in store.ou know what happened next. Go Further below.
What’s next?ach of these teams will face Atlanta United in Leagues Cup group play. The top two teams of the three will then advance to the round of 32.
Tuesday, July 25: Inter Miami vs Atlanta United
- Saturday, July 29: Atlanta United vs Cruz Azul
Martinez: ‘What a special moment’
Josef Martinez was asked by Apple TV after the match if he ever thought someone like Lionel Messi would come to the MLS. His response: “Never. Just on PlayStation.”I’m just really, really happy because we won. What a special moment because we have the most important player in the world.”On whether he knew Messi would score: “For sure!”Messi coming is important not just for this club but for this city, for MLS.”
Like father, like son
Oh my god this is too cute, one of the kids – I think Messi’s – just placed the ball where his dad scored that free kick earlier and tried to do the same. We don’t need to talk about how it ended because, you know, he’s a kid. But very sweet to watch.
Inter Miami’s future
(All photos by Getty Images)
The stadium seats are empty but out on the pitch right now, down the end of the big stand where the ultras stood, the kids of the players are currently having a kickabout.Head to toe in Miami kit, of course. Looks like some mini Messis and Busquets out there.Earlier, after scoring his winning goal, Messi ran over to celebrate with his family.
The scene at Barcelona’s pre-season camp in Los Angeles
I watched Messi’s goal at the LA Memorial Coliseum stadium with local journalists tuning it in on their phones as they saw on Twitter there was a last-minute free kick. Two Barcelona staff members joined in. The first team was starting their gym work on the pitch prior to the training session.One of the Barcelona staff members, who’s been at the club since Messi joined the first team, joked: “I don’t think he’s gonna score, he’s not really used to deal with that pressure”. After Messi puts the ball into the net, both start cracking up laughing and left walking down the stands to join the rest of the team on the pitch.
conic moment for ML
(All photos by Getty Images)
When you think of iconic moments in MLS history and iconic debuts, the first thought is Zlatan Ibrahimovic changing the game in his debut for the LA Galaxy and scoring a volley from 45 yards.essi decided to match it tonight.These are the types of moments that reach beyond the normal MLS fans. It’s the benefits that come with superstar players joining MLS teams. Gareth Bale’s game-tying goal in MLS Cup, even Kaká’s deflected free kick in Orlando City’s MLS debut.Big-time players delivering in the moments in which they are expected to deliver. It’s that type of ability to deliver on which their stardom was built.Messi’s goal now goes right to the top with that Zlatan volley — a moment that will be shared and remembered forever in MLS history.
Messi’s shots vs Cruz Azul
(Jeff Rueter)
- Shots: 3Goals: 1
- Expected goals: 0.3
- Expected goals per shot: 0.1
- Average shot distance: 24.2 yards
Martinez with the jokes
Josef Martinez jokingly told Apple TV after the match: “I get mad with (Messi) because he never gave me the ball.”
Messi’s touches vs Cruz Azul
Messi follows Zlatan’s path
Lionel Messi’s wondergoal tonight brings to mind another massive MLS debut — Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 45-yard volley, one he hit just minutes after subbing into an LA Galaxy vs LAFC “El Trafico” match.
It was meant to be
(All photos by Getty Images)
This was the second time in his career that Lionel Messi scored a direct free-kick winner in stoppage time.The first was earlier this year, on February 19 for Paris Saint-Germain against Lille.
Beckham: ‘Such a moment for this country, for this league’
Beckham on what it’s like to view these games as an owner: “It’s terrible watching these games. As an ex-player, you get frustrated. As a player, you can do something about it if you’re losing, when you’re an owner, you can’t.”But tonight is about the people. It’s about this.”This is what we always saw as our vision, me and Jorge and Jose and the club, this is what we saw.”So this is such a special night for us, for our families, for everyone that’s in this stadium, for you guys.”It is such a moment for this country. It’s such a moment for this league.”And it’s a very proud moment for us.”
Beckham: ‘I thought, this is the way it’s meant to end’
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has also spoken to Apple TV about Messi’s last-second winner: “To be honest, as soon as I saw the free kick given, I thought this is the way it’s meant to end.”Especially when you’ve got players like Leo and Sergio on the pitch, that’s what they produce. And, it’s so exciting tonight for our fans, all of these people that have come down here to see Leo just step onto the pitch, let alone just do what he’s done, and obviously Sergio’s performance was incredible.”It’s a dream come true for everybody in this stadium to see and everybody around this country to see Leo step into the MLS and perform and I don’t have many words for that.”
Fireworks
(All photos by Getty Images)The aftermath of Messi’s winning goal.
Messi: ‘I knew I had to score’
Lionel Messi has spoken to Apple TV through a translator about his winning goal: “What I saw was the goal. I knew that I had to score with the last play of the game. It was very important to get this win. It gives us confidence moving forward.”
Shades of Beckham vs Greece
(All photos by Getty Images)That reminded me a lot of Beckham’s goal for England vs Greece.Yes that meant more as it sent his team to the World Cup but the sense of inevitability and brilliance were so similar.
Weston McKennie returns to the U.S. with Juventus and questions over his future
By Greg O’Keeffe and Paul Tenorio
Jul 23, 2023
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In other circumstances it would be a moment to deliver a spring in his step, a burst of encouragement before training in the sweltering heat of a Turin morning.
Weston McKennie arrived at Juventus’ J medical centre last Monday to a throng of supporters calling his name and jostling behind metal barriers to take pictures.
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But in this case, the midfielder may not be feeling especially buoyant.
He was there for fitness tests and training along with the rest of the squad but, at that point, found himself among a group who seemed to have been sidelined by manager Max Allegri. Their number included Leonardo Bonucci, Luca Pellegrini, Denis Zakaria and Marko Pjaca.
In truth, the supporters who had gathered to see the players reserved their biggest cheers for Italy international and Euro 2020 hero Federico Chiesa, who happened to pull up at the same time as McKennie. But, as he signed shirts and posed for photographs, the USMNT midfielder could still have been forgiven for lingering on the warm sentiment amid rife speculation he would soon be left in the cold.
McKennie signs autographs after reporting back to Juventus (Photo: Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
At that stage the feeling around Juventus was that the 24-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan in the Premier League with Leeds United, would be omitted from the group set to embark on the club’s pre-season U.S. tour.Instead of featuring in friendlies against Barcelona, AC Milan and Real Madrid in his homeland, the Texan was facing the prospect of staying behind to train with the other players Juventus want to sell this summer.In the end he was spared that ignominy. New Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli insisted McKennie was part of his and Allegri’s thinking. “McKennie out of the project?” he said. “That’s never been said.”But even as the midfielder took his seat on the 14-hour flight to San Francisco, doubts lingered over the extent to which his long-term future remains in Serie A.
McKennie joined Juventus from Schalke in March 2021 in an €18.5million (£16m; $22.3m) deal, payable over three years. He is contracted until June 2025 but it seems likely he will be gone long before that.It has not always been so uneasy.McKennie did so well at Juventus on an initial loan that an option to sign him on a permanent basis was taken up after a series of big-game performances under then-head coach Andrea Pirlo.His versatility was appreciated by Pirlo in his attempts to implement a hybrid system at Juventus. McKennie scored five goals and two assists, often supplied from a wide role that morphed into that of a shadow striker.There was silverware, too. He played the full 90 minutes in Juventus’s 2021 Supercoppa Italiana win over Napoli, lifting his first trophy as a professional.
McKennie lifts the Supercoppa Italiana trophy in January 2021 (Photo: Miguel Medina / AFP via Getty Images)
But his playing style did not have the same appeal to Allegri, and there was a feeling his better qualities were restricted under the new manager.Enter Leeds and their then manager, McKennie’s compatriot Jesse Marsch, in January with what seemed a compelling option for a reset. He joined a club which was stars and stripes in so many respects: with Americans as their head coach and primary assistant, future American owners and, after McKennie’s transfer from Juventus went through, a squad that included three USMNT internationals.There had been long-standing interest in his talents too; Leeds’ director of football at the time, Victor Orta, had been tracking McKennie since his breakthrough in the Bundesliga with Schalke. But it was not a move without risk, Leeds were in a tough spot with the threat of relegation — a grim prospect which would eventually come to pass.In hindsight, the switch did not work for either party.
There was initial promise in McKennie’s central midfield link-up with his USMNT team-mate Tyler Adams, dovetailing effectively with the latter deep lying and McKennie in the number eight role. But when a hamstring injury curtailed Adams’ season, the opportunity to build that dynamic further was stalled in its infancy.It was during the period when Marsch was succeeded by Javi Gracia as coach that the idea of a permanent transfer faded away. McKennie was simply not playing well enough to justify the significant investment it would take for the Elland Road club to sign him. He was one of the top earners in the Leeds dressing room, too. The club’s subsequent caretaker boss Sam Allardyce preferred McKennie to other midfielders, but that preference was based more on attributes such as his long throw-in than any of the qualities which, at his best, first attracted Orta and his recruitment analysts.
A dejected McKennie after Leeds concede to West Ham (Photo: John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
With Leeds in turmoil as relegation loomed, and supporters venting their frustration, McKennie was booed and taunted about his physique when substituted towards the end of his time in Yorkshire.It will not have been the first time he has heard jibes about his weight, but McKennie was likely to have been more concerned about whether the failure of his loan move had damaged his overall reputation.
In the short-term it has, although it will not rule out interest from elsewhere if McKennie is unable to revive his Juventus prospects.Despite reports, though, it is unlikely that Borussia Dortmund will bid for him. Indeed, those close to him do not see a Juventus exit happening quickly this summer. McKennie’s salary is considerable and could be an issue for clubs interested in him, meaning his focus remains on persuading Allegri to give him a chance despite the ambiguity.That does not mean he will sit tight and merely accept a fringe role. But any potential move is more likely to happen towards the end of the transfer window in September.Publicly, Juventus are suggesting he has a future with them. Privately it remains to be seen whether his inclusion in the touring squad is more than just commercial common-sense; why would they leave one of the stars of the USMNT at home when trying to sell seats for games in that country?
McKennie during the USMNT’s game against Mexico at in Las Vegas last month (Photo: John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
In 2019, the half-Indonesian midfielder Radja Nainggolan was included in Inter Milan’s pre-season tour of South East Asia, only to be loaned back to former club Cagliari that August when Antonio Conte made it clear he did not want him. Whether there is an element of box office pragmatism behind McKennie’s eventual place on the tour or not, he has a place and, therefore at the very least, a chance to try and change Allegri’s mind. Failing that, all eyes will turn to September and the potential for his future to be resolved in that familiar late window flurry of movement when moves happen fast out of necessity. In the U.S. there will be more opportunities for McKennie to feel the love from supporters of both Juventus and the USMNT. Whether he is still being applauded by home supporters in Turin by the autumn is uncertain. What is clear, though, is that McKennie will crave stability and consistent minutes whatever comes next. (Top photo: Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
Leagues Cup 2023: Standings, teams, schedule, TV and streaming MLS & Liga Mx
Pro Soccer Wire Staff July 23, 2023 12:00 am ET
The first-ever Leagues Cup will see MLS and Liga MX clubs halt league play for a month-long tournament across the U.S. and Canada in July and AugustThe tournament begins on July 21, with 15 three-team groups based on geography featuring a mix of teams from both leagues. Each group will feature round-robin play, with the top two finishers advancing to a knockout stage featuring one-off matches running through to a final on August 19. The champion of the Leagues Cup will secure a place in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16, while the losing finalist and the third-place game winner will also gain a place in the CCC’s first round.The entire Leagues Cup will take place in the United States or in Canada, with matches between Liga MX sides picked based on geography in the group stage and at neutral sites in the knockout round.While standard rules will be in place for games that end with a winner and a loser (three points for the victors, none for their opponent), the Leagues Cup will discard draws. Games that are tied at full time will proceed to a penalty kick tiebreaker, with the winner of that shootout receiving two points while the loser gets one.All matches will air on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, while select games are on Televisa, Univision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS. Here is the 2023 Leagues Cup schedule.
West One
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Portland Timbers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| Tigres UANL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
West One schedule
Sat, July 22: Portland Timbers 2-0 San Jose Earthquakes
Wed, July 26: Portland Timbers vs. Tigres UANL, 11:00 pm
Sun, July 30: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Tigres UANL, 11:00 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
West Two
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Real Salt Lake | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| CF Monterrey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seattle Sounders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
West Two schedule
Sat, July 22: Real Salt Lake 3-0 Seattle Sounders
Wed, July 26: Real Salt Lake vs. CF Monterrey, 9:30 pm
Sun, July 30: Seattle Sounders vs. CF Monterrey, 9:00 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
West Three
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Club Léon | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| LA Galaxy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
West Three schedule
Fri, July 21: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 Club Léon (Club Léon wins 16-15 on penalty kicks)
Tue, July 25: LA Galaxy vs. Club Léon, 10:30 pm
Sat, July 29: LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 10:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
Central One
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Columbus Crew | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Club América | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| St. Louis City SC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Central One schedule
Sun, July 23: Columbus Crew vs. St. Louis City SC, 7:30 pm
Thu, July 27: St. Louis City SC vs. Club América, 10:00 pm
Mon, July 31: Columbus Crew vs. Club América, 8:00 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
Central Two
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Chicago Fire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puebla | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Central Two schedule
Sun, July 23: Minnesota United vs. Puebla, 9:00 pm
Thu, July 27: Minnesota United vs. Chicago Fire, 8:30 pm
Mon, July 31: Chicago Fire vs. Puebla, 8:30 pm (played at SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill.)
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
Central Three
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Chivas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC Cincinnati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sporting Kansas City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Central Three schedule
Sun, July 23: FC Cincinnati vs. Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 pm
Thu, July 27: FC Cincinnati vs. Chivas, 8:00 pm
Mon, July 31: Sporting Kansas City vs. Chivas, 10:00 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
Central Four
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Colorado Rapids | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nashville SC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Toluca | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Central Four schedule
Sun, July 23: Nashville SC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 pm
Thu, July 27: Nashville SC vs. Toluca, 8:30 pm
Mon, July 31: Colorado Rapids vs. Toluca, 9:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
South One
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Mazatlán FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| FC Juárez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Austin FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
South One schedule
Fri, July 21: Austin FC 1-3 Mazatlán FC
Tue, July 25: Mazatlán FC vs. FC Juárez, 9:30 pm (played at Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas)
Sat, July 29: Austin FC vs. FC Juárez, 9:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
South Two
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Orlando City | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Houston Dynamo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Santos Laguna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
South Two schedule
Fri, July 21: Orlando City 1-1 Houston Dynamo (Orlando City wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
Tue, July 25: Houston Dynamo vs. Santos Laguna, 8:30 pm
Sat, July 29: Orlando City vs. Santos Laguna, 7:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
South Three
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Inter Miami | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Atlanta United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cruz Azul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
South Three schedule
Fri, July 21: Inter Miami 2-1 Cruz Azul
Tue, July 25: Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 pm
Sat, July 29: Atlanta United vs. Cruz Azul, 7:00 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
South Four
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Charlotte FC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| FC Dallas | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Necaxa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
South Four schedule
Fri, July 21: FC Dallas 2-2 Charlotte FC (Charlotte FC wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Tue, July 25: FC Dallas vs. Necaxa, 9:30 pm
Sat, July 29: Charlotte FC vs. Necaxa, 7:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
East One
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Philadelphia Union | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| Querétaro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tijuana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
East One schedule
Sat, July 22: Philadelphia Union 3-1 Tijuana
Wed, July 26: Philadelphia Union vs. Querétaro, 7:30 pm
Sun, July 30: Tijuana vs. Querétaro, 7:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
East Two
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| CF Montréal | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Pumas UNAM | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| D.C. United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
East Two schedule
Sat, July 22: CF Montréal 2-2 Pumas UNAM (CF Montréal wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Wed, July 26: CF Montréal vs. D.C. United, 7:30 pm
Sat, July 29: D.C. United vs. Pumas UNAM, 8:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
East Three
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Atlas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York City FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Toronto FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
East Three schedule
Sun July 23: New York City FC vs. Atlas, 7:00 pm (played at Citi Field, Queens, N.Y.)
Wed, July 26: New York City FC vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 pm (played at Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.)
Sun, July 30: Toronto FC vs. Atlas, 7:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
East Four
| Team | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| New York Red Bulls | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| New England Revolution | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Atlético San Luis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
East Four schedule
Sat, July 22: New York Red Bulls 0-0 New England Revolution (New York Red Bulls win 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Wed, July 26: New England Revolution vs. Atlético San Luis, 7:30 pm
Sun, July 30: New York Red Bulls vs. Atlético San Luis, 7:30 pm
(Home teams listed first. All times Eastern)
Knockout rounds
Round of 32
Games will be played August 2-4, match-ups and the schedule will be announced after the conclusion of the group stage. Los Angeles FC (MLS) and Pachuca (Liga MX) have received byes to this stage based on finishing atop each league’s regular season standings in 2022.
Round of 16
Games will be played August 6-8, match-ups and the schedule will be announced after the conclusion of the group stage.
Quarterfinals
Games will be played August 11-12, match-ups and the schedule will be announced after the conclusion of the group stage.
Semifinal schedule
Tue, Sept. 15: Semifinal No. 1, teams and kickoff time TBD
Tue, Sept. 15: Semifinal No. 2, teams and kickoff time TBD
Third-place game
Sat, Aug. 19: Teams and kickoff time TBD
Final
Sat, Aug. 19: Teams and kickoff time TBD
USWNT players honor memory of Katie Meyer with mental health initiative during the World Cup
By Meg Linehan Jul 19, 2023 The Athletic
(Content warning: This story addresses suicide and other mental health issues and may be difficult to read and emotionally upsetting.If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.)
U.S. women’s national team players are using their World Cup platform for a new mental health initiative alongside Common Goal, a charity organization focused on helping global soccer players create social impacts. FOX Sports, the English-language broadcast rights holder in the United States for the tournament, has also promised to dedicate 1 percent of the tournament’s air time to mental health.
On Wednesday, USWNT defender Naomi Girma released a first-person essay via The Players’ Tribune dedicating this World Cup to her Stanford teammate Katie Meyer, who died by suicide in March 2022.“This is personal for me, and for everyone who knew Katie,” Girma wrote. “I’ll be honest, it’s not easy to talk about this on the eve of a World Cup. It’s still very raw for me. I know what an honor it is to be a part of a World Cup team. I know all about the pressure and expectations.”Girma said the project’s mission is to help people feel less alone. Ten USWNT players, including Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith, are featured in a video released this week to highlight the initiative.
In Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Smith addressed the campaign. She and defender Emily Fox discussed their approaches to protecting their mental health during a major tournament.“Anytime I talk about Katie, it’s obviously emotional,” said Smith, who was also teammates with Meyer at Stanford. “Just with everything coming out today, it kind of brings all those feelings back to the surface. But I feel like I’m in a place where I can talk about it, and talk about Katie in a really positive light and it brings me more happiness. … Everything we do is now for Katie, so it means a lot.”Smith said Girma approached her a few months ago with the idea to work with Common Goal on the initiative. She was immediately interested.“It changed the whole way I view life. I now don’t take things too seriously,” Smith said “I realized that there’s so many more important things happening than the little things that stressed me out or took a toll on me. That’s a good thing, because it puts things into perspective and just makes you value life a lot more, and friendships and relationships.”Following the World Cup, Common Goal said its mental health campaign “will bring together coaches from more than 15 sports-based youth development organizations working in under-resourced communities across the United States. The immersive training will teach positive coping strategies and provide personal support in communities who historically do not have access to mental health resources.”The organization also plans to offer training for players from some NWSL teams on incorporating mental health and emotional well-being into their professional environments.“It’s long overdue that our soccer communities put mental health at the forefront when we discuss player care,” Lilli Barrett-O’Keefe, executive director of Common Goal USA, said in the official release. “We are determined to create a culture shift, at all levels of the game, following this summer’s World Cup. We are grateful for the players that are pushing this narrative forward and holding us all accountable to not only talk but act.”It’s a heavy topic for a major tournament, but there’s also immense pressure on many young players to pull off a third consecutive World Cup win for the USWNT.“For the team in general, we had a team talk about (mental health), about the pressure, the external pressures that happen,” Fox said. “And really, it was cool to hear from the veterans and how we can lean on them. They’ve been through every position, whether starter, non-starter, coming in (to a match), all those things.”As for Smith, she said with a laugh that deleting Twitter was “the best thing (she’d) ever done,” as she’s now less aware of that outside noise.“It’s a lot, and it’s something new every day, so just trying to push that aside and focus on what we are here to do,” Smith said. “That’s to play soccer and win a World Cup. Finding that balance is super important.”But members of the USWNT team are also deply aware of the platform they have, especially during this tournament.“We know first-hand how many people, especially student athletes, are struggling in silence, and we want to use our platform in this huge moment for something bigger than soccer. It’s exactly what Katie would have done. But she never would have stopped there,” Girma wrote in her essay. “We don’t want this to end simply at awareness. We want to make sure that young people have the tools to cope with depression, anxiety, stress, and the very bad days, when it feels like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, and it can never get better. It can always get better.”
(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
World Cup title contenders: Why they’ll win and why they won’t
The USWNT is vying for a third straight World Cup title in 2023. (Maciek Gudrymowicz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind: The 2023 Women’s World Cup is going to be the most competitive the world has ever seen. With an expanded 32-team field, expect twists and turns as the exponential growth of the game in the last four years culminates in a tournament where any one of the top teams could hoist the trophy.
Let’s take a look at a few perennial contenders in alphabetical order, all of whom have the ability to win it all. One of the exciting aspects of the 2023 event is that no team is perfect, with strengths and weaknesses that should make for instant classics.
Australia
Players to watch
Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Mary Fowler
Why they could win the World Cup
The Matildas have arguably never looked more comfortable going into a major tournament as they have in 2023. Manager Tony Gustavsson has the team firing on almost all cylinders, with wins over Spain, England and France in friendlies just this calendar year. Australia as a group has the creative instincts and forward-facing talent that allow them to score at will against even the most seasoned backlines. They’ve integrated younger players into the squad to shore up positions of need, and have played with a more complete style than in 2019 or even the Tokyo Olympics, with a vastly improved defensive performance in recent months. Even without star forward Sam Kerr, who strained her calf in training this week, Australia grabbed a 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup opener on Thursday.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
Heavy is the head that wears the host’s crown at a World Cup, with no host country winning the event on the women’s side since the U.S. achieved the feat in 1999. While the Matildas will have home-crowd advantage throughout the tournament, they’ll face an extra amount of pressure that even the steadiest teams can struggle with — the kind that also saw them falter in the 2022 Asian Cup. Australia has historically been a team that can be goaded into a shootout, with the ability to concede goals as well as score them.
Brazil forward Marta announced the 2023 World Cup will be her last. (James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
Brazil
Players to watch
Kerolin, Geyse, Rafaelle, Debinha
Why they could win the World Cup
Four years after Marta’s impassioned speech encouraging the next generation of Brazilian stars to commit to the hard work of playing for the crest, the Brazil roster looks as balanced as ever. Marta actually encouraged a number of her protégés to join her in the physical, highly transitional NWSL, where stars like Kerolin and Debinha have thrived. Passion for an elder is a galvanizing force, and Brazil will do everything in its power to win one for its legendary leader, who has announced this World Cup will be her last.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
Brazil’s weaknesses are almost baked into the team’s identity as much as their overwhelming strengths. They’re a creative team whose poise on the ball and tenacity in quick transition puts opponents on their heels. But they also can fall victim to their own approach, conceding more goals than they can score. It will take organization in the back combined with attacking fireworks to win a World Cup.
Canada
Players to watch
Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence, Jordyn Huitema
Why they could win the World Cup
Canada is a contender for World Cup gold for the same reason they are reigning Olympic champions: Their defensive spine is very hard to penetrate, and they have enough attacking discipline to grind out results. Coach Bev Priestman has done a very impressive job infusing the squad with a balance of youth and experience, with players from top clubs across the globe coming together to form a tight unit.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
The way Canada won Olympic gold isn’t foolproof, as the team used a defensive clampdown and penalty opportunities to keep games close and grit out wins. They’ve also had their fair share of injuries, giving them less time to gel on the pitch as in former years. They also haven’t had sufficient federation support to show up as their best selves, with few camps and friendlies in 2023 due to Canada Soccer’s financial distress. The team greatly struggled through the 2023 SheBelieves Cup tournament while playing under similar duress.
Rachel Daly and England are considered one of the favorites to win it all. (Naomi Baker – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
England
Players to watch
Lauren James, Kiera Walsh, Alessia Russo, Millie Bright
Why they could win the World Cup
England, the reigning European champions, still appear to be the most balanced and deepest team in the world despite suffering injuries to both their defense and their frontline. Lauren James and Alessia Russo are ready for significant roles in the attack, and the Lionesses’ midfield is second to none as orchestrated by maestro Kiera Walsh. They also have one of the most consistent managers in all of women’s international football in Sarina Wiegman, whose trademark as England’s coach has been a team playing with singular purpose.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
There are two main barriers between the Lionesses and their first World Cup title, and they go hand in hand. With a grueling 2022 schedule that included the fall-to-spring club seasons running alongside their Euros campaign, England suffered injuries to key players, namely captain Leah Williamson and star forward Beth Mead. Outside of obvious absences, the downside of great success is the fatigue that can follow. The postponed Euros were held only one year before this year’s World Cup, and top teams have always struggled with calendar back-to-back tournaments. England has had trouble scoring in recent friendlies, perhaps indicating that the gas tank is beginning to empty.
France
Players to watch
Wendie Renard, Grace Geyoro, Kadidiatou Diani, Selma Bacha
Why they could win the World Cup
France at times this year has looked like a squad with a new lease on life. After the effective ouster of longtime manager Corinne Diacre, once-alienated leaders have been brought back into the fold under new head coach Hervé Renard, who is well respected in both the men’s and the women’s game. France has long had the ability to dominate through possession and force tempo when necessary, and under Renard, they’ve introduced an urgency that can steamroll opponents.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
The FFF should have made the coaching change long before their hand was forced. Now, the roster has had less time to gel under new management than is ideal. France has also dealt with their share of injuries, most notably to Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Amandine Henry. If France has trouble unlocking their opponent’s defense for long stretches of play, they’ll need to avoid falling into bad patterns that have led to early exits in the past.
Lena Oberdorf, Germany’s midfield anchor, will miss the World Cup opener. (Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
Germany
Players to watch
Lena Oberdorf, Alexandra Popp, Sara Däbritz, Jule Brand
Why they could win the World Cup
In 2022, Germany turned what was supposed to be a learning experience for a young group into a run that almost ended in Euros glory. A balanced team with both rising and experienced talent, Germany has seemed to address what ailed them in 2019 by developing a much stronger spine. Lena Oberdorf is arguably the most dominant No. 6 in the world who can disrupt opposing play while resetting her team’s attack.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
When Oberdorf is not on the pitch, some of Germany’s old defensive issues persist. The center-backs can be stretched out of position, particularly in a fast-paced, highly transitional game. The team’s recent 3-2 loss to Zambia in a tune-up game is a good example of what can go wrong for the squad when Oberdorf needs to rest her legs (the midfielder will miss the tournament opener with muscle tightness). Their belief and attacking firepower never waver, but they can’t let their defensive discipline rely too much on one player who won’t play every single minute of the tournament.
Japan
Players to watch
Maika Hamano, Jun Endo, Hina Sugita, Yui Hasegawa
Why they could win the World Cup
Aesthetically, Japan has been one of the most enjoyable squads to watch in 2023. A young, hungry group with tactical flair and an impeccable ability to exploit space, Japan can progress the ball through build-up play as well as any other contender on this list. After losing ground following their 2011 World Cup win and 2015 World Cup final appearance, the roster has been completely refreshed under new management after a disappointing Tokyo Olympic campaign. Japan’s approach has been to lean into what is already working on the youth levels, and they’re beginning to see results.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
This World Cup may have simply come a little too soon for a project that needs more time. Currently, Japan is a team that makes the hard parts look easy and the easy parts look difficult, as they try to convert their dominance in between the penalty areas into comfortable wins. Japan has a few lethal attackers, particularly on the wings, but it would take a big step forward in real time for the team to overcome opponents who have had more time to prepare.
Spain star Alexia Putellas returned to the roster from an ACL injury just in time for the World Cup. (Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Spain
Players to watch
Alexia Putellas, Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmati, Salma Paralluelo
Why they could win the World Cup
If you’ve been following the domestic game in Europe over the last four years, Spain’s ascendency into the upper echelon of international soccer has been all but guaranteed. Spain’s roster pulls heavily from domestic talent developed through the country’s two main powerhouses, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, who have been the premier clubs in the world in recent years. They can move the ball with ease and control games well after taking leads through passing combinations.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
Unlike France, Spain’s federation has stuck with embattled manager Jorge Vilda after a number of stars refused call-ups to the team over their unhappiness with the direction of the squad. RFEF’s refusal to concede to player concerns has already had quantifiable impact, with sure starters Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon choosing to sit the tournament out in protest. In short, Spain might still be talented enough to fight through adversity, but the federation’s refusal to get out of their own way greatly hampers the team’s potential.
Sweden
Players to watch
Fridolina Rolfö, Stina Blackstenius, Magdalena Eriksson, Kosovare Asllani
Why they could win the World Cup
The USWNT’s longtime adversary, Sweden has shown their blueprint for success at a number of international tournaments. In their silver-medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics, they humbled the U.S. 3-0 in their first match of the tournament. Sweden’s willingness as a group to do the dirty work defensively to disrupt opponents and send the ball the other way has been an attribute that puts them on even footing with any opponent.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
Sweden has been another team dealing with injury: Olympic star Hanna Glas is out indefinitely as she recovers from a knee injury, and fellow defender Hanna Lundkvist recently went down in the team’s final closed-door friendly. Sweden’s dependable core of elite players are also aging, which could pose problems for the team in a difficult group-stage draw.
United States
Players to watch
Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma, Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle
Why they could win the World Cup
The U.S. still has one of the deepest player pools in international soccer, bringing a number of strengths to their quest for a third straight World Cup title. Their attacking firepower will be difficult to match, especially on the wings. They also had room to bring creative midfielders and specialists who can beat their opponents in a number of different ways.
Why they won’t win the World Cup
Frankly, there is a reason why no team has won three straight titles before. The U.S. will be up against their own roster rotation, injuries to key contributors, positional imbalances and the challenge of forcing tempo for a full 90 minutes. There’s also the fact that the rest of the field has grown in talent with every passing year. Unwilling to commit fully to 2023 as a development year, the U.S. under Vlatko Andonovski is trying to do many things at once, sometimes without executing those things well. It could simply take one day where the mental discipline slips, and the U.S. has to go back to the drawing board.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
San Diego Wave to host 2023 NWSL championship on Nov. 11
By The Athletic StaffJul 19, 202311
The San Diego Wave will host the 2023 NWSL championship at Snapdragon Stadium in November, the league announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- This marks the first time the NWSL’s final game will be held on the west coast since 2018.
- The championship game is scheduled for Nov. 11 and will air on CBS Sports and Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET.
- Last year’s championship was played at Audi Field in Washington D.C., where the Portland Thorns beat the Kansas City Current for their third title.
What they’re saying
“We’re thrilled to have San Diego Wave FC as our host for this season’s championship match,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “With top-notch facilities, a passionate soccer community and a favorable coastal climate, San Diego sets the perfect stage for our marquee event. Many thanks to everyone at Wave FC and Snapdragon Stadium for their efforts in making this celebration of our league a reality. We look forward to welcoming fans in November for another exciting season finale.”
When are the playoffs?
The 2023 playoffs will feature the top six teams at the end of the regular season, with the top two seeds earning a first-round bye to the semifinals. The quarterfinals will begin on Oct. 22, and the semifinals will take place on Nov. 4.
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