Just Women’s Sports is here with your daily World Cup Digest, breaking down all of the biggest storylines from each day of action in Australia and New Zealand.
Today’s top World Cup story: Sweden escapes upset thanks to 90th minute goal
Sweden pulled off a dramatic, come-from-behind victory on Sunday in its World Cup opener against South Africa. Amanda Ilestedt scored the game winner in the 90th minute to secure a 2-1 victory and 3 points for Sweden, ranked No. 3 in the world.
While Sweden controlled possession for much of the game, No. 54 South Africa nearly pulled off a major upset in rainy and misty conditions at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.
Three minutes into the second half, and with Swedish players looking as if play hadn’t yet resumed, South African striker Hildah Magaia capitalized on a rebound to make it 1-0. But Magaia injured herself in the process, falling hard into the back of the net, and was ultimately subbed out a few minutes later.
Sweden notched the equalizer in the 66th minute. A cross in the box initially appeared to ricochet off the foot of a defender, but the goal was ultimately credited to Fridolina Rolfo.
With the two teams even, Ilestedt notched the game winner in the 90th minute, capitalizing off of the 11th corner of the night and heading the ball past the fingers of goalkeeper Kaylin Swart. (A video highlight of the game winner is embedded below.)
Sweden's 11th corner may have just sealed the victory!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 23, 2023
Amanda Ilestedt gives the Blue and Yellow the 2-1 lead over South Africa 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/iQjHHWo1cg
South Africa managed to secure a corner during the six minutes of injury time that followed, but couldn’t find the equalizer.
With the win, Sweden continues its group play streak. The Swedes haven’t lost a group game at the Women’s World Cup since 2003. Meanwhile, South Africa — which made its Women’s World Cup debut in 2019 — is still searching for its first ever point after losing all three group stage games four years ago.
In the lead-up to this year’s Women’s World Cup, the South African team — nicknamed Banyana Banyana — boycotted a World Cup send-off game, citing issues with its federation after a $30,000 FIFA payment had not been included in player contracts. Ahead of their tournament opener against Sweden, South African captain Refiloe Jane told reporters that disputes with the federation had been resolved prior to players arriving in New Zealand.
Today’s World Cup results
- Sweden 2, South Africa 1
- Netherlands 1, Portugal 0
- France 0, Jamaica 0
More World Cup news
- Jamaica held France to a scoreless draw, a remarkable performance for a Jamaican team that criticized its federation ahead of this year’s tournament, citing issues with training facilities and compensation.
- In yet another close game, the Netherlands, the 2019 runner-up, defeated World Cup debutant Portugal, 1-0. The game winner, scored by Stefanie van der Gragt, came in the 13th minute.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is underway. To help you stay up-to-date on news, game schedules, roster updates and more, Just Women’s Sports has created this World Cup hub. Make sure to bookmark this page so you can keep tabs on the latest news and updates from Australia and New Zealand.
Latest World Cup News
July 23, 2023:
- USWNT rookies, led by Sophia Smith, shook off nerves in World Cup opener
- Dramatic last-minute winner propels Sweden over South Africa: World Cup digest
July 22, 2023:
- World Cup digest: England escapes with 1-0 win in opener
- New Zealand team evacuates World Cup hotel due to fire
- Tobin Heath: USWNT ‘has a massive question mark’ at World Cup
- Vlatko Andonovski won’t commit to Julie Ertz at center-back
- USWNT enters a new era: This is Sophia Smith’s World Cup
- Sophia Smith honors Katie Meyer with USWNT goal celebration
- USWNT faces World Cup lineup questions after Vietnam game
- Alex Morgan laments missed chances: ‘It wasn’t a good penalty’
- Rose Lavelle plays for first time in three months in World Cup opener
- USWNT vs. Vietnam: Sophia Smith notches historic brace in World Cup debut
- USWNT goals tracker: Every World Cup goal from every player
July 21, 2023:
- Midge Purce defends lopsided World Cup scorelines ahead of USWNT opener
- Why Alana Cook picked the USWNT over England: ‘This is home’
- USWNT provides injury updates for Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle
- Christine Sinclair’s miss underscores penalty kick trend
- USWNT schedule: Breaking down 2023 World Cup group stage
July 20, 2023:
- How much will the USMNT make off the USWNT World Cup run?
- World Cup title contenders: Why they’ll win and why they won’t
- Jill Ellis, Christen Press and Tobin Heath debate USWNT starting lineup
- Lynn Williams: ‘Devastating’ shooting puts World Cup in perspective
- Ali Riley shows her emotion after New Zealand’s first World Cup win
- Australia’s Sam Kerr misses opening win for host country
July 19, 2023:
- World Cup all-time leading goal scorers: Marta reins supreme
How to Watch the 2023 World Cup
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup began on July 20 and runs through August 20. A complete tournament schedule can be found here.
WWC Scouting Reports
- USWNT vs. Vietnam
- USWNT vs. Portugal
- USWNT vs. Netherlands
- USWNT vs. England
- USWNT vs. Sweden
- USWNT vs. Japan
- USWNT vs. Italy
Who made the 2023 U.S. World Cup roster?
Here is the U.S. Soccer roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup:
Goalkeepers (3)
- Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit)
- Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
- Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders (7)
- Alana Cook (OL Reign)
- Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC)
- Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
- Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC)
- Sofia Huerta (OL Reign)
- Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC)
- Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)
Midfielders (7)
- Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC)
- Julie Ertz (Angel City FC)
- Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais)
- Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
- Kristie Mewis (Gotham FC)
- Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
- Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
Forwards (6)
- Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
- Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
- Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
- Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC)
- Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
- Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)
If you want to learn more about the 23 players who made the USWNT by experience level or their NWSL team, we’ve got you covered:
- Meet the 23-player USWNT roster
- Team-by-team breakdown of the NWSL players competing at the World Cup
- Get to know the 14 USWNT players making their World Cup debuts
What about WWC rosters for the rest of the world?
Which USA players are missing the Women’s World Cup?
Injuries have sidelined quite a few players from this summer’s tournament, while other athletes have fallen out of favor with the national teams since the 2019 World Cup. Here are a few resources on the topic:
- 2023 Women’s World Cup: Injury tracker
- 2019 vs. 2023 USWNT World Cup roster
- Where is Becky Sauerbrunn?
- Where is Christen Press?
- Where is Mallory Swanson?
- Where is Tobin Heath?
- Where is Catarina Macario?
- Where is Sam Mewis?
Who are the USWNT captains?
With Becky Sauerbrunn absent due to injury, U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski selected Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan to serve as co-captains. Read more about their selection here.
For the latest news and analysis, follow our dedicate homepages for the USWNT and the Women’s World Cup.
2023 Women’s World Cup Groups and Tournament Format
The Women’s World Cup field expanded from 24 teams to 32 teams for 2023. The 32 teams are split into eight groups of four:
- Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
- Group B: Australia, Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
- Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
- Group D: England, Denmark, China, Haiti
- Group E: United States, Netherlands, Portugal, Vietnam
- Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
- Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
- Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
The top two teams from each group will advance to a 16-team bracket for the knockout rounds. More information about the tournament format and tie breaking procedures can be found here.
South Africa’s women’s national soccer team — known as Banyana Banyana — boycotted Sunday’s World Cup send-off game at Tsakane Stadium in Brakpan, South Africa.
Multiple issues — from World Cup compensation to field conditions to the quality of the opponent — have been cited as reasons for the boycott.
SABC Sport, a division of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, reported that players boycotted the send-off match against Botswana after they demanded that their national federation — the South American Football Association (SAFA) — provide a more suitable venue for the friendly game, like one that was used for the 2010 FIFA (Men’s) World Cup.
“The players said they want to discuss (issues) with (SAFA). Firstly, there are conditions of employment and issues such as health and safety at Tsakane Stadium, where the pitch is not okay. We’ve raised this issue with them, and they said they will revert,” South African Football Players’ Union president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe told SABC Sport.
The field at Tsakane Stadium reportedly does not meet FIFA standards and South Africa’s Premier Super League teams do not play games at the venue as a result.
South African players also reportedly took issue with the quality of their opponent; Botswana is ranked 150th in the World and has never qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
In a video posted to the Players’ Union twitter account, World Cup compensation is also cited as one of the sticking points for the World Cup players.
Situation currently at @Banyana_Banyana camp! @FIFPRO @FIFProAfrica pic.twitter.com/aVjv8u3sn5
— South African Football Players Union (@SAFPU_Official) July 2, 2023
SABC Sport reported that the South American Football Association (SAFA) threatened to send players home if they didn’t compete. When the World Cup players refused to back down ahead of the game, SAFA quickly assembled a back-up team to play the game.
“I had to put a team on the field so I put a team on the field today,” South Africa’s head coach Desiree Ellis told SABC Sport, though she deflected questions about the boycott and situation with the federation.
After a one-hour game delay due to the turmoil, the back-up team went on to lose to Botswana, 5-0.
South Africa’s World Cup send-off match was only confirmed days ago. “We just want to thank the Football Association getting us a send-off match. We know it has been a difficult task, we are really grateful and we ask the fans to come out in their numbers to support this team and to give us a fantastic send-off,” Ellis said in a press release announcing the game.
🔔 𝔹𝔸ℕ𝕐𝔸ℕ𝔸 𝔹𝔸ℕ𝕐𝔸ℕ𝔸 𝕌ℙ𝔻𝔸𝕋𝔼 🔔 #SABCSPort crew on the latest updates from Tsakane Stadium regarding Banyana Banyana match against Botswana.#SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/X1OhJZP1kI
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 2, 2023
USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn confirmed she will miss this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Heartbroken isn’t even the half of it. But that’s sports for you and that’s life, really,” the two-time World Cup champion wrote on Twitter following a report by The Athletic.
Sauerbrunn, 38, has been dealing with a foot injury for the last two-plus months. She said she “hoped and worked and hoped” to make it back in time for the World Cup, but that there was ultimately “too much variability in my return to play timeline.”
With 216 appearances for the USWNT, Sauerbrunn would have been the most capped player on this year’s roster. After making her World Cup debut in 2011, she played every minute of every match at the 2015 World Cup and six of seven matches at the 2019 World Cup. She was a vocal leader in the USWNT’s campaign for equal pay and has also used her platform to combat racism, homophobia and transphobia.
True to form, Sauerbrunn concluded her tweet by offering a message to her USWNT teammates.
“To my teammates, I love you,” she wrote. “Please, take a minute to enjoy this moment and appreciate everything that brought you here—every second of hard work and every bit of good luck—and then get back to work and go win the whole f*cking thing!”
— Becky Sauerbrunn (@beckysauerbrunn) June 17, 2023
The 2023 World Cup is on pace to break the attendance record for a women’s sports event after surpassing 1 million tickets sold with six weeks remaining until the tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand.
As of Thursday, FIFA had sold 1,032,884 tickets for the tournament, which begins on July 20, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in an Instagram post. That number is more than double the total from January, when FIFA said it had surpassed 500 thousand tickets sold.
The tournament is expected to break the attendance record for a standalone women’s sports event, set at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, which attracted 1.35 million spectators. The tournament already has surpassed those from the 2019 World Cup in France, which brought in 1.13 million people.
“The future is women, thanks to the fans for supporting what will be the greatest FIFA Women’s World Cup ever!” Infantino said in a statement. “The momentum is building in the host countries and across the globe, and I look forward to seeing you there to witness the stars of women’s football shine on the world stage.”
FIFA has moved Australia’s opening match against Ireland on July 20 to the 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia, the largest stadium in the tournament. The move came as a result of what FIFA described as a “significant interest in tickets.” Australia’s opener was slated for Sydney Football Stadium, which holds approximately 45,000 spectators.
Fans from more than 120 countries have purchased tickets, and the United States ranking in the top 10 in ticket sales at the start of the year, per FIFA.
More than 1 million tickets have already been sold for the 2023 Women's World Cup and the tournament is on pace to break the 2015 record 📈 pic.twitter.com/G1VcW8oMU6
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) June 9, 2023
Balancing being a teenager and the next up-and-coming star for the U.S. women’s national team can be difficult. Luckily, Alyssa Thompson has some help.
The USWNT has called up the 18-year-old a handful of times in the past year, including as an injury reserve in April when Mallory Swanson went down with a patella tendon tear. With a spot on the U.S. World Cup team this summer a strong possibility, Thompson has focused on adjusting to the international environment.
Playing with Angel City in the NWSL, the 2023 No. 1 draft pick has a number of national team stars to help her along, including Christen Press, Sydney Leroux and Julie Ertz, who signed with the team in April. New Zealand defender and ACFC captain Ali Riley is also a great resource.
“All the players on my team have been super helpful with just trying to help me know what to expect with international play,” Thompson said. “They really helped me just know what my goal is and tell me what it takes to get there and all the extra details that it takes.”
Angel City has also prioritized setting Thompson up for success in her rookie season. That means making sure she isn’t falling behind in school or missing out on being an 18-year-old.
“For us, it’s about putting her in the best position for success,” head coach Freya Coombe said. “I think it’s about how we use her in games to keep her fresh and to keep her enjoying the moment, enjoying the sport.
“I think it’s also about working collectively with her support network and managing her school schedule versus training when we’re putting meetings in the week, when we’re asking her to do extra, limiting the amount of additional activities that are non-essential for the club. I think that so far, we’re doing a good job of being able to manage that as a collective group.”
So far, Thompson has thrived in the pro environment. She leads Angel City with three goals in six games, having started five of them.
“She’s been playing really well. I think that we are seeing some variations of her game in terms of the spaces that she’s attacking and where she’s looking threatening,” Coombe said.
“I think that we are seeing her develop in a defensive capacity and seeing her both sides of the ball and her defending increasing and being better as the weeks go on.”
Being in consideration for the USWNT’s World Cup roster meant Thompson skipping the U-20 Concacaf championship, where her younger sister Gisele will represent the U.S. beginning May 24 in the Dominican Republic.
“There is obviously conversation. But right now, while she’s playing as many minutes as she is for us, we’d like to think that she’s still being considered for the senior team,” Coombe said. “I think the decision was made for all of us that she stays in the club environment.”
Thompson isn’t the only teenager to miss the tournament. The San Diego Wave also held back 18-year-old forward Jaedyn Shaw after a “very open conversation” with head coach Casey Stoney. Shaw has started all six of the Wave’s regular season games and is second on the team with three goals.
“It’s my choice not to release her,” Stoney said. “She’s wanted by the national team. Unfortunately, they don’t run through FIFA windows. And even if they did, the FIFA windows here aren’t even respected. We’ve got six key players out with injuries. It’s my job to look after the club.
“We just can’t release her right now. She’s a starter for us, she’s a main feature. She’s been a key player for us this season and we can’t afford to miss her during this period.”
English clubs are pushing back at national teams’ World Cup preparations, opting to release their players just 10 days before the tournament so they have more time to rest after their club seasons, the Telegraph reports.
The move follows FIFA regulations, which state that clubs are obliged to release their players for national team duty on July 10. But the proposed date comes weeks after many national team camps are scheduled to take place.
The European Club Association has told women’s national teams that players will not be available until the international window officially starts due to concerns about player welfare.
“The issue of early call-ups is a hangover from the game in its amateur form and is detrimental to the future success and growth of women’s football,” ECA head of women’s football Claire Bloomfield told the Telegraph. “They also generate a great deal of unnecessary tension in the relationship between clubs and their players.”
The ECA has also written to FIFA to ask for their support. As the list of injured women’s soccer stars continues to grow, the ECA believes that players need more rest and an actual offseason.
Many national teams had planned to start their training camps in mid-June, with the intention of traveling to Australia and New Zealand in early July to give their players time to get acclimated before games begin. England is currently scheduled to fly to Australia on July 5.
FIFA will compensate clubs for releasing their players after July 10.
“This is not a matter of financial compensation or the absence of adequate protection and insurance, but a serious concern for player welfare,” Bloomfield told the Telegraph. “We were given a very clear mandate by our member clubs, which includes engaging in constructive and direct communication with our key stakeholders and partners, and this will be our focus in the coming days.”
A number of high-profile stars have suffered injuries in recent months, including England captain Leah Williamson, England forward Beth Mead and Dutch star Vivianne Miedema are all out with ACL injuries. England defender Lucy Bronze also underwent a knee surgery this week that isn’t expected to keep her out of the World Cup.
The WSL is set to conclude on May 27, and the Women’s Champions League final will be played on June 3. England, Sweden, Denmark and Norway are said to be among the national teams requesting clubs to release players for a mid-June training camp start.
There is also concern over the World Cup’s Aug. 20 end date, which gives players very little time to rest before Champions League first-round qualifiers begin as early as Sept. 6. The 2023-24 WSL season then begins the final weekend of September, with another international break scheduled for mid-September.
The NWSL and the USWNT underwent a similar dispute in February ahead of the NWSL season, which has since been resolved.
England defender Lucy Bronze is set to be out “a couple of weeks” after undergoing knee surgery.
The fullback went down in the 65th minute of the first leg of Barcelona’s Champions League semifinal on Saturday. She clutched at her knee before hopping off the field, though she later returned to shake hands with Chelsea’s players after Barcelona’s 1-0 win.
In his post-match comments, Barcelona manager Jonatan Giraldez said Bronze was “feeling much better.”
“Initially Lucy was a bit worried about her injury. She felt her pain in her knee, but now she’s feeling much better about it,” Giraldez said, per SkySports. “She felt pain in the knee but I think she’s fine right now. I was talking to her immediately after the game. It was scary at first but right now I think she’s fine.”
On Wednesday, Giraldez gave an update on Bronze, who has a long history of knee injuries and subsequent surgeries.
“She has lots of experience, the feelings are good with her knee,” he said. “She has a strain, an ailment. It’s a tiny intervention, just a couple of weeks. Lucy has been important for us. We have plenty of players here and I know we have players that can step in.”
In a Twitter post, Bronze called the surgery “successful.”
“In very good spirits after my knee op yesterday,” she wrote. “Thankful for all the kind messages, I couldn’t ask for better support. Currently working hard towards a speedy recovery to get back on the pitch with my team.”
Successful knee surgery! 🏥
— Lucy Bronze (@LucyBronze) April 26, 2023
In very good spirits after my knee op yesterday. Thankful for all the kind messages, I couldn't ask for better support 🫶🏻
Currently working hard towards a speedy recovery to get back on the pitch with my team 💛
See you all very soon 🙌🏻 LFG! pic.twitter.com/jQnxCH7P78
The surgery is reason for concern for England fans as player injuries pile up. Captain Leah Williamson will miss the World Cup after suffering an ACL tear last week. Forward Beth Mead could also miss the tournament while recovering from her own ACL tear, and midfielder Kim Little is currently out with a hamstring injury.
England had its 30-match unbeaten streak snapped in a friendly against Australia earlier this month. Still, the reigning Euro champions remain among the favorites to win this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
After U.S. women’s national team forward Catarina Macario injured her ACL in June 2022, the common consensus was that she would recover fully in time for the 2023 World Cup, and that if she could compete physically, she’d be on the plane to New Zealand. Macario is a unique talent U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski had begun to build the team’s young attacking core around, before suddenly having to adjust to her absence.
As the weeks before the tournament continue to tick away, however, Macario has yet to return to the field for either the USWNT or her club team, Olympique Lyon. With the World Cup far from a foregone conclusion, the question of whether she’ll be ready to play in July has only grown.
Since graduating from Stanford in 2021, Macario has played in Europe with a great amount of success. But now that she is delayed in her ACL recovery, and trying to make the biggest roster of her still-young career, the scales may have finally tipped in the NWSL’s favor.
The World Cup is worth adjusting for
Macario opted not to enter the NWSL draft in 2021, instead taking her talents to Lyon, one of the giants of European women’s football. The reasons for her decision at the time were all sound: European clubs don’t adhere to a salary cap, meaning they could offer far more in salary to a young player on the rise. It also gave her a chance to control her own destiny based on demand for her skill, something the NWSL’s parity rules threatened to take away from the college superstar.
Macario might have longer-term plans in Europe after a successful run with Olympique Lyon, winning both Division 1 Féminine and the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2022. But the NWSL’s greatest pull in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup is that they are playing league games right now.
Lyon lost their recent Champions League match against Chelsea, limiting the number of games the team has left before moving into the summer offseason. With four games remaining, there isn’t much need for Lyon to rotate Macario in even if she does prove ready for game time before the first week of June. The forward is also currently out of contract with Lyon, which might affect their desire to make sure she is building momentum for the next season.
With her future in Lyon far from certain, a sign-and-loan deal might not be on the table. Alternatively, getting a contract signed quickly in the NWSL could be the difference in getting considerable club minutes.
Andonovski has made it very clear he expects Macario to get playing time in a competitive environment before he’ll consider her for a World Cup spot, a philosophy that Alex Morgan confirmed on this week’s episode of Snacks.
“Vlatko has said something which no coach has ever really come out and said, which is, your club really dictates, right now, if you’re going to make this [USWNT] team,” Morgan told co-hosts Lynn Williams and Sam Mewis. “He’s going to games every weekend, looking at players. I feel like that’s the first time that we’ve had a coach come out and just be like, ‘Yeah, your club play is important, and that’s what’s going to make or break a spot for you.’”
Andonovski has brought players back into camp after long absences so he can either monitor them or get them playing time, but those returns were under club conditions that Macario has yet to achieve. For Macario, giving up a few long-term goals to ensure a smooth transition into competitive games might be worth it if it guarantees a World Cup spot.
What an NWSL entry might look like
Macario’s current situation has been drawn up in contrast to that of USWNT midfielder Julie Ertz, who returned to USWNT camp in April after a multi-year absence. Unlike Macario, Ertz was physically able to play in both of the U.S.’s April friendlies against Ireland, but she hadn’t suited up in an NWSL game in almost two years.
By next week, Ertz will be back in the swing of club play, having signed a one-year deal with Angel City FC in anticipation of joining the USWNT midfield in New Zealand. Ertz has the opportunity to play in up to 12 club matches before internationals leave for camp.
Ertz’s approach could be one that Macario follows, though their avenues to entry might be slightly different. A number of teams would be more than willing to give Macario a one-year contract, but the 23-year-old would have to enter through discovery rather than as a free agent like Ertz. Whether Macario’s rights are already held by a team is unclear, but again the NWSL’s parity rules complicate the young star’s path toward playing time.
“I have been talking to Vlatko, obviously, about the whole situation,” Macario said on CBS Sports last week. “Specifically because my season in Lyon [ends soon] and I’m hoping obviously to play as soon as I can. But, like I said, sometimes with injuries, you just have to be patient, you need to have time and just hope everything heals well.”
One obvious solution would be for Macario to re-sign with Lyon and then immediately complete a short-term loan to OL Reign. OL Groupe, however, is currently looking to divest from their ownership of the Seattle NWSL club, likely dashing any further collaboration between the European side and their North American counterpart.
Another, more permanent option would be for Macario to figure out an entry into the NWSL as a contracted player and sign with a team closer to home. Macario grew up in the San Diego area, and might still be able to find a long-term destination depending on salary cap space and current personnel.
So much of Macario’s future will ultimately depend on when she is physically ready to return to the field. But making the World Cup roster has to be the entire story, not just a subplot. For NWSL fans, it might mean a long-awaited debut.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
ST. LOUIS — The U.S. closed out their final international break before naming the 2023 World Cup roster with a cagey 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, thanks to a lone goal from defender Alana Cook.
After the match, USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said he used the game as an opportunity for individual evaluations, estimating he has 10-12 players vying for six to seven open roles. The team has decisions to make on the backline and in the midfield, while simultaneously getting used to life without star striker Mallory Swanson, who tore the patella tendon in her left knee on Saturday.
In Tuesday’s game, the USWNT looked like a team that still has several systemic issues to work out. But as players completed their final auditions for the trip to New Zealand with the reigning world champions, a few individuals stepped up and stood out.
Alyssa Thompson
Thompson earned her first USWNT start and 90-minute international match on Tuesday, joining the team last minute as a replacement for Swanson. Thompson’s feel for the game was apparent from the opening whistle, as her willingness to cover an extensive amount of ground on defense and tenacity in the attack kept opportunities alive.
The frontline of Thompson, Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan prioritized positional fluidity. The two wingers would switch sides based on the flow of the game and defensive assignments, and you would not have known from watching the first half that Thompson had not been in the team’s plans all along.
Tuesday was only Thompson’s third cap with the U.S., and while the Angel City forward can become more confident on the ball in the final third, the potential for the 18-year-old to become a real contributor at this summer’s World Cup was obvious. In what could be a sudden shift for the young striker, she could have proven she’s ready for the big stage sooner than expected.
“I feel like you have to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready, you know,” Thompson said after the game. “So I’ve just always been working hard and continuing in my pro environment, just continuing to develop.”
Tierna Davidson
Davidson returned to the U.S. this month for the first time in over a year, subbing on for Becky Sauerbrunn in the 29th minute. Despite the time she spent away from the team as she rehabbed an ACL injury suffered last March, Davidson showed what skills she brings to the U.S. backline when she’s available and healthy.
Davidson’s speed from a central position is underrated. The 24-year-old has the ability to drift into wide spaces to cover for the team’s very aggressive outside-back positioning without giving up too much of a gap behind the defensive midfield. She’s also one of the best in the U.S. player pool at long diagonal passing while the team is in possession. That made a difference as the USWNT tried to overcome Ireland’s compact, organized midfield and take advantage of their speed in the attack.
“I think it’s a tough challenge to play against blocks like that,” said Davidson’s center-back partner, Alana Cook. “Something that we looked at from last game is, can we kind of open them up with that longer ball? And having Tierna be able to hit it on one side and me be able to hit it on the other, I think it’s just so helpful.”
Julie Ertz
In her second game since returning to the USWNT after two years away from the sport, Ertz understandably looked more fatigued. Ertz is a vocal presence on the field who instructs the players in front of her where to slot into spaces left open by the opposition’s defense, and attempts forward passes that diversify the U.S. attack when it becomes stagnant.
Ertz’s head is in the game and her presence seems to calm the players around her. The next step for the two-time world champion is regaining her defensive instincts and touch on the ball. Ireland intentionally made life difficult for the U.S. midfield over the course of two matches. They would overload the middle third to force mismatching player numbers and disrupt forward ball movement, which they’d then turn into quick switches in the other direction.
The 30-year-old midfielder could see those switches happening around her but was occasionally a step too slow to stop them. She trusts that type of quickness will come with time.
“I’m not messing around,” she said after the game, adding that she’ll likely finalize her NWSL club decision in the next few days. “I know where I want to be, and I know where the expectation is to be in order to be at my best just to be in the selection for the World Cup roster.”
Casey Krueger
Perhaps the most obvious auditions on Tuesday came at the outside-back position, where three different players got looks with a bit of positional shifting. Sofia Huerta began the match at right back, while Kelley O’Hara started on the left. O’Hara returned to the U.S. after a lingering hip injury kept her off the field for most of the latter half of 2022.
O’Hara looked locked in during the first half, but she was matched in intensity by Casey Krueger, who took over the role in the second half. Krueger returned to the team after giving birth to her son last July, and she and O’Hara each showcased a level of natural defending that the U.S. fullback position has missed in recent months.
Krueger looked both focused and fit, pushing the USWNT forward in attack while covering a lot of ground on defense. She forced Ireland into multiple mistakes, most notably drawing a yellow card as she turned toward goal in attacking transition late in the match. Krueger’s ability to slot in a line-breaking pass is underrated, sometimes even catching her teammates off guard in her first game back on the international stage.
Krueger and O’Hara could make the outside-back choices very difficult for Andonovski. As it stands, the head coach’s roster decisions on defense could be some of the most controversial of the World Cup cycle.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.