Welcome back to The 91st, your one-stop-shop for all things USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Three group matches, three wins! But now the Olympic tournament really starts for the US Women's National Team.
Hosts Jordan Angeli, Duda Pavao, and Jess McDonald discuss the unique challenges Japan will present the US in Saturday's quarterfinal and how caoch Emma Hayes might tweak the starting XI in light of Sam Coffey's second yellow card and Tierna Davidson's injury.
Plus, Jordan, Duda, and Jess go through their bracket predictions and determine that they'd much prefer getting tackled by USA Rugby Sevens star Ilona Maher over taking a volleyball to the face.
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The USWNT closes out their group stage this afternoon, taking on Australia at 1 PM ET and grasping the opportunity to finish atop their Olympic group for the first time since 2016.
The US punches their ticket to the quarterfinals outright with a win or a tie, while a loss that maintains the team's goal differential advantage could also send them through.
Canada's spying scandal makes its Olympic mark
Somewhat ironically, seeding for the knockout stages depends on a decision that was made off — rather than on — the field.
The CAS dismissed Canada's appeal to reduce their six-point deduction as punishment for the team's drone cheating scandal this morning, forcing Canada — a 2-0 team with +2 goal differential despite having zero points on the board — into a must-win Group A showdown with Colombia to keep their Olympic hopes alive.
With Australia pushing to advance after Sunday's thrilling 6-5 win over Zambia, Canada's tricky situation makes them especially vulnerable.
Should Canada beat Colombia and Australia lose to the US, the Matildas could fail to advance out of Group B in third place due to goal differential.
Injuries continue to impact USWNT's Olympic lineup
For a US team already qualified for the knockouts, today's game will likely feature a good amount of player rotation without the team risking their competitive edge.
Defender Tierna Davidson will miss today's match after suffering a knee contusion against Germany on Sunday, while forward Jaedyn Shaw remains out with a leg injury. The USWNT announced earlier today that alternate Emily Sams will replace Davidson on Emma Hayes's gameday roster, while star NWSL rookie Croix Bethune will continue to sub in for Shaw.
Should the USWNT land in first after today's match, they'll play the second-place finisher of Group C — likely Brazil or Japan.
A second-place finish would line them up against the runner-up of Group A: Colombia, Canada, or France. While very unlikely, a third-place finish would see the US face off against the winner of Group A or C.
Where to watch the USWNT vs. Australia game
The USWNT will take the Olympic pitch against Australia at 1 PM ET this afternoon, with live coverage on NBC networks.
Australia has confirmed that captain and star striker Sam Kerr will miss the Paris Olympics due to an ACL injury suffered early this year.
Kerr, who also stars for Chelsea, tore her ACL in January. While unlikely that she would recover in time for the Olympics, Football Australia (FA) hadn’t confirmed her status until Tuesday when the team revealed its squad for upcoming warm-up games.
In a statement, the FA said that Kerr remained on the sidelines and will continue her rehab program at Chelsea.
"Attacker Amy Sayer (ACL) and forward Sam Kerr (ACL) remain on the sidelines with long term injuries," the report read. "Kerr and Sayer will continue their rehabilitation programmes in their home club environments and subsequently will not be available for selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."
Tuesdays 23-player squad is a "strong guide" to the final Olympic lineup, according to coach Tony Gustavsson, but others like injured midfielders Katrina Gorry and Aivi Luik could potentially figure into the conversation.
"[They] most likely will be physically available to be part of an Olympic roster," Gustavsson said of Gorry and Luik. "This window will be a tough one for me and my staff in terms of evaluating players, where they are, and then the final selection process for Paris."
Kristie Mewis took on a difficult position at the 2023 World Cup: attempting to win with the U.S. women’s national team while also cheering on her now-fiancée Sam Kerr, who plays for Australia.
In the new Netflix docuseries “Under Pressure,” which chronicles the USWNT’s World Cup run, Mewis showcases how she balanced the team’s devastating loss in the Round of 16 with her support of Kerr. Mewis’ first minutes in the World Cup came at the end of the team’s shootout loss to Sweden, and included her taking – and making – a penalty kick as her first shot at the tournament.
“One of the coaches came over to me and Kelley [O’Hara] and he was just like, ‘I hope you guys are preparing yourselves to take a penalty kick.’ And I was kind of like, what?” Mewis said, noting that she entered the game, “running around for maybe 30 seconds” before the final whistle blew.
Still, she felt more than ready for her penalty shot.
“I’ve never felt more confident in a moment,” she said. “I have been preparing for that moment my whole life. Every time I went out and trained, every time I kicked with my left foot, I was training for that one moment. Because that was the only moment that I was going to get in the World Cup.”
Yet despite Mewis’ successful kick, the USWNT lost the shootout, resulting in the team’s earliest exit ever in a World Cup.
Instead of going home with the rest of the team, Mewis stayed in Australia to cheer for Kerr and the Matildas. While Kerr had started the tournament sidelined with an injury, she played in Australia’s quarterfinal match with Mewis in the stands. And she made her own penalty kick in that match, which Australia won over France to advance to the semifinals.
“It didn’t end the way that we wanted it to. But also, Sweden deserved to win. They kept us from scoring and they did better with their penalties,” Mewis said, before noting that the decision to stay and support Kerr was an easy one.
“Yes, my dream of being at a World Cup and winning a World Cup is now over. But Sam’s in the quarterfinals,” she continued. “This is just so crazy, this is everything that she’s always wanted too. Everyone knows that the U.S. team went back home, but there’s no place I’d rather be. I’m so happy to be here and support her. Obviously it is a little bit hard, but I think I can separate it because I love her so much.”
Even still, that love has boundaries. Mewis refused to wear an Australia jersey to support Kerr, despite the rest of Kerr’s family and friends doing so.
“They’re like, ‘Where’s your jersey? Where’s your jersey?’” Mewis said. “And I like, cannot put on an Australian jersey.”
Gotham FC and USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis is enjoying the offseason, spending part of it in London alongside her fiancée Sam Kerr, who plays for Chelsea.
On Sunday, Mewis vlogged one of her London days, which included going to a Women’s Super League game to cheer on Kerr and the Blues.
“Going to Sam’s games is literally like my favorite thing in the entire world,” Mewis said in the TikTok video.
Mewis’ day included going to get a coffee before the game at her “favorite cafe.” She ordered an iced coffee, as well as what she called “best ham and cheese I’ve ever had,” before hopping into a cab to go watch Kerr play.
Kerr made the trip worthwhile, scoring a goal in Chelsea’s 5-2 win over Leicester City. The two then went and got food before heading home for the day.
“I love to share my relationship on social media,” Mewis told told soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer earlier this year. “So I think if we can change the way one or two people feel about themselves, they can look at us and see that we’re happy and we’re trying to be as successful as we can and we’re an out gay couple. I think that that’s so important.”
@kmewis19 ♬ original sound - Kristie mewis
Soccer power couple Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr shared their engagement photos on social media Tuesday morning.
The two shared the pictures of the engagement, which took place on Sept. 1, according to the couple’s caption. That means that the duo kept it under wraps for roughly two months, as they did not announce their engagement until Nov. 10, though they had invited speculation since late September.
On Oct. 24, Mewis posted a collage on Instagram that featured one photo with her engagement ring facing the camera.
The couple broke the news in an exclusive for People Magazine just ahead of the NWSL Championship match, which Mewis won with Gotham FC. Mewis told People that Kerr has “just been everything” for her in 2023.
“My biggest supporter, always listening to me nag and complain all, all of my crazy antics,” Mewis said.
And while the long-distance relationship is hard at times, as Kerr plays for English club Chelsea, it helps that they play the same sport, they said.
“I think the thing that keeps us going is that we can see an end point. We both just want each other to do so well in our careers,” Kerr said. “I don’t think you could be in a long-distance relationship with someone who didn’t get the sport. She fully gets it and I get it. So we just support each other.”
U.S. women’s national team midfielder Kriste Mewis and Australian striker Sam Kerr have confirmed their engagement after weeks of speculation.
On Oct. 24, Mewis posted a collage on Instagram that features many pictures of herself and Kerr — and one that clearly showed an engagement ring on her finger.
Weeks passed without any confirmation of an engagement from the soccer stars, but a People Magazine exclusive broke the news Friday morning. The announcement came just ahead of Saturday’s NWSL Championship, in which Mewis will compete with Gotham FC.
The couple began dating in 2020 but kept their relationship quiet until 2021, when they were photographed together at the Tokyo Olympics. They rooted for each other throughout the 2023 World Cup as well, and Mewis told People that Kerr is her “biggest supporter.”
Mewis knows that she hasn’t been subtle when it comes to sharing her relationship online, but that is a purposeful decision. She hopes that her relationship with Kerr can be an inspiration to others.
“I love to share my relationship on social media,” Mewis told told soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer. “So I think if we can change the way one or two people feel about themselves, they can look at us and see that we’re happy and we’re trying to be as successful as we can and we’re an out gay couple. I think that that’s so important.”
One of the reported finalists in the U.S. women’s national team’s search for its next head coach may be out of the running.
Former USWNT assistant coach and current Australia manager Tony Gustavsson was one of three candidates at the top of U.S. Soccer’s shortlist, The Athletic reported on Oct. 27. Laura Harvey of OL Reign and Joe Montemurro of Juventus are the other contenders.
Yet the same report noted that Gustavsson is not likely to relocate to the United States. And on Wednesday, Gustavsson alluded to the prospect of remaining with Australia.
When asked by Australia’s Network 10 about the reported interest from the USWNT and whether he would still be with the Matildas for the 2024 Olympics, Gustavsson did not deny his involvement in the search. But he did note that he is happy with the Matildas, who he led to the 2023 World Cup semifinals.
“I love this team, Gustavsson said. “And we have unfinished business to do.”
U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker has said that the federation would like to have a new head coach in place by the team’s December friendlies. Those take place on December 2 and 5 against China.
Gustavsson, meanwhile, is in the middle of Olympic qualifying competition with Australia. The Matildas took a 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, advancing to the third round of Asian qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
U.S. women’s national team midfielder Kristie Mewis added fuel to the engagement rumors swirling around herself and Australia striker Sam Kerr.
In an Instagram post, Mewis featured a photo of herself holding a drink with her left hand, with a diamond ring prominently displayed on the third finger of her hand.
That photo led a collection of assorted snapshots, which Mewis captioned: “Some old and some new,” featuring Mewis in training, Gotham FC and USWNT teammates Kelley O’Hara and Lynn Williams, as well as Mewis and Kerr together. Kerr commented on the post with a heart emoji.
While neither Kerr nor Mewis have made any announcements about an engagement, eagle-eyed fans began to speculate after spotting the diamond ring on Mewis’ left hand in social media posts at the end of September.
The pair have been dating since 2020, but they did not go public with their relationship until they made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. They supported each other throughout the 2023 World Cup, with Mewis attending the Matildas’ matches after the USWNT’s Round of 16 elimination.
“Thank you babe for always being my everything every step of the way and I’m so proud of you and thankful for you,” Mewis wrote to Kerr in an Instagram caption after the USWNT’s World Cup exit.
Even before Vlatko Andonovski officially resigned as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team, the debates about who should replace him already had begun.
Despite the many differing opinions, everyone can agree on this: The new USWNT coach will face a tall task in preparing the team for next summer’s Olympics. And while the USWNT job is arguably the most desirable position in women’s soccer, it comes with great expectations.
Who has the skills and experience needed to lead the USWNT into its next era? Just Women’s Sports takes a look.
Note: Sarina Wiegman is not on this list because she has made it pretty clear that she is committed to remaining with England.
Lluís Cortés
One report already has linked Cortés to the USWNT as a possible replacement for Andonovski. The former head coach of FC Barcelona Femení, he is stepping down as coach of the Ukrainian women’s national team at the end of August upon the expiration of his contract.
Per The Athletic, Cortes had been in conversations with some NWSL clubs, but Relevo has reported that he also has been contacted by U.S. Soccer. Under his tutelage, Barcelona won the 2020-21 UEFA Women’s Champions League title. The team finished as runners-up in 2018-19 and twice won the Copa de la Reina.
Lorne Donaldson
Donaldson might be a sleeper pick for the USWNT head coach, but he’d make a lot of sense. His connection to Sophia Smith, Jaelin Howell and Mallory Swanson — all of whom he helped develop at the youth level — is intriguing, and his success with Jamaica despite limited resources even moreso.
One big knock against Donaldson is his limited experience, having only coached at the developmental club level and now for the Jamaican national team. But he is worth consideration, especially after leading Jamaica to its first-ever knockout round at the 2023 World Cup.
Tony Gustavsson
The Australia head coach feels like a somewhat natural hire for the USWNT. A longtime assistant coach for the U.S. under two separate head coaches, Gustavsson was a key member of the coaching staff for a long time. So long, in fact, that he designed the set piece plays that helped Carli Lloyd score twice during the 2015 World Cup final.
The one thing Gustavsson lacked in earlier USWNT coaching searches was head coaching experience. Since 2019, though, he took the helm for Australia, coaching the Matildas to their first-ever World Cup semifinal appearance.
Laura Harvey
Harvey is the lone NWSL manager on this list solely because the USWNT needs a coach with quality international experience (the Mark Parsons Netherlands era is an automatic disqualifier).
The OL Reign head coach has that experience – and with the USWNT. She’s worked as a head coach at the developmental levels while also serving as an assistant coach to the senior team from 2020 through 2021. She also has experience as a youth assistant in the England national team system. In short: Harvey checks most, if not all, of the boxes.
The three-time NWSL coach of the year, she also won six trophies while coaching at Arsenal. From her time as manager of the U-20 U.S. national team, she knows many of the younger players who are coming up in the ranks and will be tasked with taking over the USWNT and carrying on the legacy. And while she has said her priority right now remains with OL Reign, she has not ruled out the possibility of a return to the USWNT.
“I enjoyed my time at U.S. Soccer. That’s no doubt,” she said. “The U.S. women’s national team is probably the top job in the world, if not a top three job in the world. That’s just reality. And if my name is anywhere near it, then that’s an honor.”
Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes has found immense success with Chelsea in the Women’s Super League, and she has been discussed before as a possible coach for England. She is familiar with the U.S. system, having coached at the collegiate level and for the Chicago Red Stars from 2008 to 2010. And since 2012, she has built Chelsea into a powerhouse program in the WSL.
Recently, Hayes signed USWNT star midfielder Catarina Macario and prospect Mia Fishel, and she has long coached Australian star Sam Kerr, so she’d clearly have some pull with players on the team. Whether or not she wants to leave what she’s building at Chelsea, however, remains to be seen.