The USWNT is 40 Days Away From the World Cup, Here’s What You Should Know
As the world eagerly counts down to the highly anticipated Women’s World Cup, the stage is set for another thrilling chapter in the history of women’s football. In just 40 days, teams from around the globe will gather to compete in this prestigious tournament, showcasing their skills, determination, and a shared passion for the beautiful game. The USWNT has an illustrious past and a reputation for excellence, and no doubt the Americans’ goal is for the fifth star. Here, we’ll break down the time until the USWNT kicks off at the World Cup. From the roster release to the flight down under, here’s what you should expect.
The Roster
Coach Vlatko Andonovski is expected to set his roster the week of June 19 since the team will have its training camp beginning June 26.
Some names will surely be on that roster, but unlike the 2019 World Cup, it’s hardly set in stone due to the plague of injuries the team has faced. Here’s a look into who could head into national team camp.
Goalkeepers
Alyssa Naeher, Adrianna Franch, and Casey Murphy have been Andonovski’s chosen trio, and he shouldn’t waiver from it.
Defenders
Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, and Crystal Dunn should be locked in for the tournament. But Andonovski has a plethora of other fullbacks to choose from.
Alana Cook, Sofia Huerta, Kelly O’Hara, Emily Sonnett, Tierna Davidson, and Casey Krueger are all definitely in contention. O’Hara and Davidson have World Cup experience, but Cook, Huerta, and Sonnett have had lots of experience with the team in the last year.
Midfielders
Injury update from OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey:
— Rose Lavelle is making really good progress. She is back on the field and doing parts of team training. It is still day-to-day how her body responds.
— Jess Fishlock will not play this weekend. pic.twitter.com/eqGl7EZx6d— Bella Valeriano Munson (@munson_bella) June 9, 2023
This is where the Rose Lavelle Injury Saga could really throw a wrench in the team’s midfield. Lavelle hasn’t made a single appearance for OL Reign this season due to a lingering injury. Although Coach Laura Harvey reported she’s back and training with the team, there was announcement after announcement that she had been on the mend and was recovering. However, if Lavelle is close to recovery, Andonovski will definitely take her. The question will be: which other midfielders could fill in for her if necessary?
Kristie Mewis and Taylor Kornieck seem to be on the bubble, while Lindsey Horan, Andi Sullivan, Julie Ertz, and Ashley Sanchez are more sure-fire decisions. Could Andonovski take Mewis, who is highly versatile and has Olympic experience? Or, Kornieck, who has been in great form for San Diego and obviously has an attacking edge at 6’1″?
Attackers
Assuming, Andonovski takes seven defenders, six midfielders, and seven attackers like the 2019 Women’s World Cup, it’s at least a good thing that he has plenty of forwards to choose from. Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Lynn Williams, and Ashley Hatch are six that could likely be chosen.
But with Mallory Swanson’s injury, that leaves one more spot. He could bring in Alyssa Thompson, a player with incredible speed and a bright future ahead of her.
Women’s World Cup Send-off Match
After the roster drops, the NWSL will release its players for international duty, and the USWNT camp will start by June 26.
The four-time World champions will face off against Wales on July 9 in San Jose, California, in a friendly send-off match. Then, they’ll head down to Australia.
USWNT Team Base
The USWNT’s team base training site is at Bay Park in Auckland, New Zealand. This means they’ll train and have lodging at that site leading up to the World Cup kick-off and throughout the tournament. Then, they’ll travel to the stadiums where their games are and have designated training sites and hotels in each host city, which will primarily be used the day before the match.
Women’s World Cup – Group E Competition
The USWNT is in Group E of the World Cup, and they’re predicted to be able to come out first in the group. Their first Women’s World Cup match will be on July 21 against Vietnam. They play the Netherlands on July 26 and Portugal on August 1.
As of June 9, the USWNT is still ranked #1 in the world by FIFA. Vietnam is ranked #32, the Netherlands is #9, and Portugal is #21.
The Netherlands will be their fiercest competitor, especially because the Netherlands lost 2-0 to the United States in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final.
The Group stage concludes on August 3, and the knockout stage matches begin on August 5.
As excitement builds closer to the day the USWNT shows out in their ninth World Cup, there are certainly questions and doubts about the United States’ dominance over the rest of the world. Additionally, so much is uncertain about the roster, and injury after injury will be something the team will have to work around.
Featured image via Getty Images
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