The USWNT looks to wrap up a place in a seventh straight Olympic Games.
The U.S. women's national team aims to reach a seventh straight Olympics when it faces Mexico at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., Friday night.
Concacaf's Olympic qualifying tournament
has been the USA's playground, with the Americans 21-0-1 all-time and outscoring opponents 116-3 in their history. All it takes to ruin that history and keep the U.S. from a summer trip to Tokyo is one loss, though, something that Mexico has delivered on a big stage in the past. In a qualifier for the 2011 Women's World Cup a decade ago, a famous 2-1 Mexico win nearly cost the U.S. a place in Germany. That remains the only win for Mexico over the U.S., with the two-time reigning Women's World Cup champs 36-1-1 in all-time matchups.The USA's run through the group stage has been paced by a balanced approach, with new manager Vlatko Andonovski rotating his squad heavily in wins vs. Haiti, Panama and Costa Rica. Lindsey Horan leads the U.S. with five goals in the tournament, while Christen Press has four and Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald and Sam Mewis have two apiece.
The winner will join Canada in taking Concacaf's berths to Tokyo, where host Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands and Team Great Britain will also be among the 12-team field.
As the match kicked off it immediately became a significant one for one U.S. player, with Crystal Dunn earning her 100th cap, becoming the 39th player to reach the milestone.
The U.S. was on the front foot early and had a goal wiped off the board in the fourth minute, after Julie Ertz's header forward found Megan Rapinoe. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner was offside and also handled the ball in the process of finishing. Rapinoe narrowly missed another chance a minute later, pushing a chance wide of the mark.
Rose Lavelle gave the U.S. the early lead anyway some 30 seconds later. Ertz headed back an attempted Mexico clearance at midfield toward Tobin Heath, who found Lavelle. She dribbled forward and laced a left-footed blast from the edge of the box–a goal similar to the one she scored to ice the Women's World Cup final in July.
The lead became 2-0 in the 14th minute, with Mewis's first-time finish off a corner kick punishing Mexico with a routine straight off the training ground. Ertz played a role in this goal too, with her near-post run taking defenders with her and creating space for Mewis.
Stay tuned here for live updates and highlights of goals and key plays from throughout the match (refresh for most recent updates).
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Here are the lineups for both teams:
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Here are the rosters for both sides:
USA
GOALKEEPERS: Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS: Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O'Hara (Utah Royals), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals), Emily Sonnett (Orlando Pride)
MIDFIELDERS: Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
FORWARDS: Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue), Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage), Christen Press (Utah Royals), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
MEXICO
GOALKEEPERS: Cecilia Santiago (PSV Eindhoven), Emily Alvarado (Texas Christian University), Itzel Gonzalez (Tijuana)
DEFENDERS: Kenti Robles (Atletico Madrid), Janelly Farias (Chivas), Jocelyn Orejel (Tijuana), Jimena Lopez (Texas A&M), Bianca Sierra (Tigres), Mariana Cadena (Monterrey)
MIDFIELDERS: Rebeca Bernal (Monterrey), Stephany Mayor (Tigres), Jacqueline Ovalle (Tigres), Karla Nieto (Pachuca), Diana Evangelista (Monterrey), Liliana Mercado (Tigres), Maria Sanchez (Chivas)
FORWARDS: Daniela Espinosa (Club America), Kiana Palacios (Real Sociedad), Renae Cuellar (Tijuana), Adriana Iturbide (Atlas)
The USWNT looks to wrap up a place in a seventh straight Olympic Games.
The U.S. women's national team aims to reach a seventh straight Olympics when it faces Mexico at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., Friday night.
Concacaf's Olympic qualifying tournament has been the USA's playground, with the Americans 21-0-1 all-time and outscoring opponents 116-3 in their history. All it takes to ruin that history and keep the U.S. from a summer trip to Tokyo is one loss, though, something that Mexico has delivered on a big stage in the past. In a qualifier for the 2011 Women's World Cup a decade ago, a famous 2-1 Mexico win nearly cost the U.S. a place in Germany. That remains the only win for Mexico over the U.S., with the two-time reigning Women's World Cup champs 36-1-1 in all-time matchups.
The USA's run through the group stage has been paced by a balanced approach, with new manager Vlatko Andonovski rotating his squad heavily in wins vs. Haiti, Panama and Costa Rica. Lindsey Horan leads the U.S. with five goals in the tournament, while Christen Press has four and Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald and Sam Mewis have two apiece.
The winner will join Canada in taking Concacaf's berths to Tokyo, where host Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands and Team Great Britain will also be among the 12-team field.
As the match kicked off it immediately became a significant one for one U.S. player, with Crystal Dunn earning her 100th cap, becoming the 39th player to reach the milestone.
The U.S. was on the front foot early and had a goal wiped off the board in the fourth minute, after Julie Ertz's header forward found Megan Rapinoe. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner was offside and also handled the ball in the process of finishing. Rapinoe narrowly missed another chance a minute later, pushing a chance wide of the mark.
Rose Lavelle gave the U.S. the early lead anyway some 30 seconds later. Ertz headed back an attempted Mexico clearance at midfield toward Tobin Heath, who found Lavelle. She dribbled forward and laced a left-footed blast from the edge of the box–a goal similar to the one she scored to ice the Women's World Cup final in July.
The lead became 2-0 in the 14th minute, with Mewis's first-time finish off a corner kick punishing Mexico with a routine straight off the training ground. Ertz played a role in this goal too, with her near-post run taking defenders with her and creating space for Mewis.
Stay tuned here for live updates and highlights of goals and key plays from throughout the match (refresh for most recent updates).
**********
Here are the lineups for both teams:
**********
Here are the rosters for both sides:
USA
GOALKEEPERS: Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS: Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O'Hara (Utah Royals), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals), Emily Sonnett (Orlando Pride)
MIDFIELDERS: Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
FORWARDS: Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue), Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage), Christen Press (Utah Royals), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
MEXICO
GOALKEEPERS: Cecilia Santiago (PSV Eindhoven), Emily Alvarado (Texas Christian University), Itzel Gonzalez (Tijuana)
DEFENDERS: Kenti Robles (Atletico Madrid), Janelly Farias (Chivas), Jocelyn Orejel (Tijuana), Jimena Lopez (Texas A&M), Bianca Sierra (Tigres), Mariana Cadena (Monterrey)
MIDFIELDERS: Rebeca Bernal (Monterrey), Stephany Mayor (Tigres), Jacqueline Ovalle (Tigres), Karla Nieto (Pachuca), Diana Evangelista (Monterrey), Liliana Mercado (Tigres), Maria Sanchez (Chivas)
FORWARDS: Daniela Espinosa (Club America), Kiana Palacios (Real Sociedad), Renae Cuellar (Tijuana), Adriana Iturbide (Atlas)
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