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The U.S. women’s national team begins their final preparations for the Olympics on Saturday when they take on Mexico at Red Bull Arena. The meeting marks a rematch from the Concacaf W Gold Cup group stage, when Mexico defeated the USWNT 2-0. Even though the game only took place five months ago, this version of the American team feels very different from the one that lost in Southern California, both in terms of personnel and confidence.
Head coach Emma Hayes, who was completing her 12-year spell at Chelsea at the time, described that match as a wake-up call that helped the USWNT more than it hindered the team as they continued their quest to overcome the disappointment of last years to take away. Women’s World Cup behind us.
“In some ways, personally, I’ve always been grateful for that result and that performance,” Hayes said in her pre-match remarks on Friday. “I could step in and put the right things back in place. There’s no losing, there’s just learning and I see a lot of that has happened since then.”
While assistant coach Twila Kilgore called on a group of veterans that day in what ended up being a sink-or-swim test, Hayes will take one of the USWNT’s youngest teams to the Olympics for a major tournament ever. It is that youthful but experienced squad that will be tasked with backing up the off-field optimism of recent months with on-field results, the first of which could come on Saturday.
Here’s what you need to know before you tune in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday July 13 | Time: 3:30 PM ET
- Place: Red Bull Arena – Harrison, NJ
- TV: TNT, Telemundo | Live stream: Max, Peacock
- Chances: USWNT-800; Sign +650; Mexico +1600
Team news
Hayes announced Friday that midfielder Catarina Macario would be removed from the squad for the Olympics due to “mild knee irritation,” which she suffered in training camp for the tournament in New Jersey this week but subsequently worsened. She will be replaced by winger Lynn Williams, who was originally named as an alternate, while Emily Sams will join the group as an alternate. Sams, 25, has been in the NWSL for two years and currently plays for the Orlando Pride, receiving her first call-up to the national team before this camp. Hayes said she will provide the team with options at center back and outside back.
Otherwise, Hayes will have her full roster at her disposal in the penultimate match before the Olympics begin. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is expected to play her first game for Hayes after missing the head coach’s first camp with a thigh injury in June, but after that it’s unclear how much experimentation Hayes will undertake against Mexico. Hayes opted to rotate her options in June with selection spots on the line, but could prefer to find herself in a starting lineup before play starts in France on July 25 against Zambia.
Macario’s absence makes her attacking midfield role a battle between Rose Lavelle and Jaedyn Shaw, the latter of whom is versatile enough to play as a wide forward. The USWNT are in last position, with Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman perhaps the frontrunners to start there, while Williams and Crystal Dunn are also options. However, Mallory Swanson feels like the focal point of the USWNT attack and will undoubtedly get some playing time before the team crosses the Atlantic.
Connecting past and present
Saturday’s match also serves as a celebration of the 1999 Women’s World Cup-winning team, which was one of the first women’s sports teams to attract national attention and often serves as a reference point for the team’s history of success. There will be a ceremony to celebrate them at Red Bull Arena as part of the farewell festivities for the current iteration of the USWNT.
Projected arrangement
Alyssa Naeher, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Jenna Nighswonger, Lindsey Horan, Sam Coffey, Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson
Prediction
It feels like the USWNT is in as strong a position as possible before the Olympics, so expect them to demonstrate just that regardless of which team Hayes selects against Mexico. Fluid attacking ability is still one of the most obvious areas for improvement for the US, but while that is still a work in progress, there is undoubtedly enough goals in this group to keep Mexico at bay. Choose: USWNT 3, Mexico 0