The U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) has already secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup with a 4-0 win over Argentina. Now as they face Mexico, the pressure is off for making it and seeding has become the priority. La Tri will likely be the hosts’ biggest test of the group stage but it will also test interim head coach Twila Kilgore’s experimentation with the roster.
The USWNT leads Group A with six points while Mexico is in second with four points. Mexico also heads into Monday’s matchup with some strong momentum, beating the Dominican Republic 8-0 the last time out. Even with a win, the USWNT will have to wait until the conclusions of Groups B and C before seeing who their opponent will be in the quarterfinals.
Monday’s group stage matchup will be the 43rd meeting all-time between the USA and Mexico, making Mexico the fifth most-common opponent in USWNT history. The USWNT leads the series 40W-1D-1L and it’s the second most amount of wins against an opponent in team history.
Here is how it works: the seedings for the quarters will feature the team accumulating the most overall points facing the team accumulating the least points so that the matches will be #1 vs. #8, #2 vs. #7, #3 vs. #6, and #4 vs. #5. The first two tie-breakers for teams with equal points will be goal difference and then goals scored.
When: Monday, February 26th, 2024 at 10:15 pm/7:15 pm
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
How to watch: Paramount+
As a refresher, here is the roster for the USWNT:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 21-Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), 18-Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), 1-Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (8): 2-Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), 19-Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 12-Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 23-Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG), 4-Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), 20-Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), 3-Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC), 5-Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 15-Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), 17-Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), 10-Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 16-Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 13-Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), 14-Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
FORWARDS (6): 7-Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), 9-Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 22-Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), 8-Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), 11-Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), 6-Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Now for Kilgore, she experimented around with the roster vs Argentina. It was an improvement from the squad she put forth against the Dominican Republic. They had a consistent wave of attack and defensively were more clinical. It’s different, it’s new.
It’s refreshing.
Now granted, Kilgore is just the appetizer vs the entree that will be Emma Hayes after her season with Chelsea. We’re starting to see a preview of the formation-agnostic style during this experiment-themed Gold Cup. This is a 23-person roster and Twenty-two of them have seen the field so far this tournament, with the lone exception being goalkeeper Jane Campbell. There was also a boost in the youngsters in the first two matches. Against Argentina,19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw scored a brace in the first 20 minutes. Eighteen-year-old midfielder Olivia Moultrie scored two goals in her first start against the Dominican Republic.
This Gold Cup also is a resurgence of Alex Morgan, who came up as an injury replacement the day before the tournament started. She had gone scoreless in 11 previous appearances before netting two goals in 72 hours to open the tournament.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is also closing in on 100 caps. She had her 60th clean sheet against Argentina. In 2023, she had a career-high nine shutouts, three of which came during the World Cup. Naeher also has recorded a clean sheet in her past five appearances.
Here is the roster for the Mexican squad:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Cecilia Santiago (Tigres UANL), 12-Itzel Gonzalez (Club America), 21-Esthefanny Barreras (Pachuca)
DEFENDERS (7): 3-Karina Rodriguez (Club America), 4-Rebeca Bernal (CF Monterrey), 5-Karen Luna (Club America), 6-Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns FC, USA), 13-Araceli Torres (CD Guadalajara), 14-Greta Espinoza (Tigres UANL), 15-Cristina Ferral (Tigres UANL)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 8-Alexia Delgado (Tigres UANL), 10-Stephany Mayor (Tigres UANL), 11-Jacqueline Ovalle (Tigres UANL), 16-Karla Nieto (Pachuca), 23-Kimberly Rodriguez (Club America)
FORWARDS (8): 2-Nicolette Hernández (Club America), 7-Maria Sanchez (Houston Dash, USA), 9-Kiana Palacios (Club America), 17-Natalia Mauleon (Club America), 18-Jasmine Casarez (FC Juarez), 19-Charlyn Corral (Pachuca), 20-Scarlett Camberos (Bay FC, USA), 22-Diana Ordoñez (Houston Dash, USA)
La Tri had its roster selected by Mexico head coach Pedro Lopez for the W Gold Cup features 19 players who play their club soccer domestically in Liga MX Femenil. They also have players who are familiar with their opponents as four of them play in the NWSL. Maria Sanchez began her professional career with the Chicago Red Stars and now is with the Houston Dash. Forward Diana Ordonez also plays for the Dash and played on the U.S. Youth Women’s National Teams. Forward Scarlett Camberos plays for expansion side Bay FC while defender Reyna Reyes is entering her second season with Portland Thorns FC.
Their 8-0 win over the Dominican Republic was the strongest performance of the tournament. Seven different players scored for Mexico, led by a brace and two assists from midfielder Jacqueline Ovalle. They scored twice in the first 15 minutes of play and then made it 6-0 by halftime. They outshot them 36-1 and have yet to concede a goal this tournament.
Tim Lovenguth | Jimmy King | Paul Frenzel
Eric Frysinger | Liam Jenkins | Regina Ham
Steve Beavon | Justin Friedberg | Zach LoBasso
Doop on Union fans!
Mandatory Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga, AP Photo/Hamish Blair, AP Photo/Josie Lepe, & AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File
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