The U.S. women’s national team has advanced to the knockout stage in Tokyo, where they’ll face the Netherlands on Friday in a re-match of the 2019 World Cup.

In that final, the USWNT dominated the Dutch, rolling to a 2-0 win behind goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle.

Rose Lavelle's goal in the World Cup final was fun to watch again. Thanks FS1. pic.twitter.com/K5oMIPPess

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 21, 2020

The USWNT, however, looks to be in very different form from their menacing World Cup presence, having already been blown out by Sweden in their opening game and settling for a 0-0 draw with Australia in their final match.

The United States finished Group G in second place, recording a win, a tie and a loss. Playing impatient and nervy throughout each of the games, the USWNT left a lot to be desired in the Olympic group stage.

The USWNT players will have their work cut out for them against the Netherlands, who scored 21 goals in the group stage. But it’s not yet time to give up hope on the world’s No. 1 team. Heading into the knockout round, the USWNT has the opportunity to start fresh. As Alex Morgan said, “This is when the tournament starts.”

Here are the three keys for the USWNT in their matchup with the Netherlands:

1. Contain Vivianne Miedema

Miedema is already having a record-breaking Olympics. The Dutch striker has scored eight goals in the Netherlands’ three group stage matches, more than any other woman in Olympic history. At her current pace, Miedema is scoring at a rate of one goal every 22 minutes. The Arsenal forward’s historic momentum will undoubtedly be something the U.S. will have to contend with. Though the USWNT beat Netherlands in a friendly late last year, Miedema wasn’t playing. With her, the Netherlands are an entirely different team.

It doesn’t help that the USWNT’s defense has been uncharacteristically leaky this tournament, letting in four goals in three games. Miedema, an expert at exploiting gaps in the backline, will be a test to the U.S.’ hole-plagued defense. Space between the outside backs and center backs has been a problem for the USWNT so far and will be of particular concern against the Netherlands.

2. Find any offensive momentum and keep it

The USWNT isn’t exactly riding high following the team’s group stage performance, meaning the squad will have to generate its own momentum going into the Netherlands matchup.

In the U.S.’ last Group G game against Australia, head coach Vlatko Andonovski relied on a conservative approach, with an eye toward the knockout round. Andonovski’s game plan was a gamble. On the one hand, the team conserved energy for the Netherlands; on the other hand, they aren’t heading into the contest with much momentum or confidence.

The USWNT will first be tasked with jumpstarting their sputtering offense against the Dutch. According to NWSL Analitica, a Twitter account that focuses on statistical analysis, Julie Ertz currently leads the USWNT in chances created (a chance is defined as a pass that ends in a shot), with five so far. Tierna Davidson and Megan Rapinoe follow close behind with four. While a great stat for Davidson, it’s not the most promising sign for an offense when the center back is setting up so many of the team’s scoring opportunities.

Chance creation in the #USWNT after 4 games
- Julie Ertz (5)
- Tierna Davidson (4)
- Megan Rapinoe (4)
- Carli Lloyd (3)
- Tobin Heath (2)
- Lindsey Horan (2)
- Rose Lavelle (2)
- Kelley O' Hara (2)
- Christen Press (2)
- Crystal Dunn (1)
- Alex Morgan (1)

— NWSL Analitica (@NwslAnalitica) July 28, 2021

Notably, Kelley O’Hara has created two chances and Crystal Dunn just one, something the team will look to fix in the Netherlands game. The flanks, where the USWNT generates most of its attack, have been awfully quiet so far this tournament. To defeat the Netherlands, the United States will have to find a way to get Dunn and O’Hara incorporated into the attack.

3. Win the aerial battle

The USWNT got burned in the air against Sweden. All three of the Swedes’ goals were off headers, leaving the USWNT’s defense without an answer. The United States will look to tidy up its set-piece defending ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal in an effort to address the team’s vulnerabilities in the air.

ICYMI: The USWNT lost their first game since January 2019.

Sweden pulled off the upset as +700 underdogs, snapping USA's 44-match unbeaten streak. 😮pic.twitter.com/6amLhJpvne

— Action Network Soccer (@ActionNetSoccer) July 21, 2021

On the other side of the ball, the USWNT should hope to diversify its attack, looking to the likes of Lindsey Horan or Sam Mewis to nod balls into the back of the net.

Tune in: The USWNT will face off against the Netherlands in the Olympic quarterfinals on Friday, airing at 7 am EST on NBCSN.

Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the 2026 Australian Open with a three-set victory over Sorana Cirstea on Thursday.

But the hard-fought win was overshadowed by a heated exchange at the net and a subsequent public apology from the former Japanese fan favorite.

After Osaka defeated the unseeded 35-year-old 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena, the two shared a tense handshake before Cirstea reportedly called Osaka out for her on-court conduct. The issue apparently centered on Osaka’s habit of shouting "Come on!" to celebrate points, specifically between Cirstea’s first and second serves — a move the Romanian considered both a distraction and a breach of sportsmanship.

In her immediate postmatch interview, Osaka dismissed Cirstea's complaints.

"Apparently a lot of 'come-ons' that she was angry about, but whatever," Osaka said. "I think this was her last Australian Open, so, okay, sorry she was mad about it."

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However, during her subsequent press conference, Osaka apologized for her dismissive tone.

"I'm a little confused. I guess that emotions were very high for her," Osaka said. " I also want to apologize. I think the first couple of things that I said on the court were disrespectful. I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do."

Osaka went on to clarify that her vocal outbursts are self-motivating and not an attempt to rattle her opponent.

Cirstea, who recently announced that the 2026 season will be her last on the WTA Tour, later downplayed the incident. She called it a "five-second exchange between two players," insisting that "there was no drama."

Osaka, the No. 16 seed, will next face unseeded Australian Maddison Inglis in the third round on Friday.

How to watch Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open this week

No. 16 Naomi Osaka takes the court against Australia's Maddison Inglis this Friday (time TBA), live on ESPN.

While competing at the 2026 Australian Open this week, US tennis star Coco Gauff is giving back to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with the world No. 3 WTA player announcing a $150,000 donation to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to fund HBCU tennis scholarships on Tuesday.

"Education has the power to change lives, and I hope this gift will help students achieve their dreams," said Gauff in a Tuesday statement.

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Even more, this week's donation marks the two-time Grand Slam champion's second UNCF contribution in as many years, with her $100,000 pledge in 2025 bringing Gauff's total gift to $250,000.

"I feel like HBCU tennis a lot of times doesn't get the funding that they need," Gauff said after advancing to Thursday night's Australian Open third round. "I would always try to uplift marginalized communities and support where I can."

One of the youngest major donors in organization's 80-year history, the 21-year-old star's Coco Gauff Scholarship Program has already sponsored multiple HBCU tennis athletes.

"My family has a deep-rooted history with HBCUs," Gauff wrote in a 2025 press release. "As a young Black athlete, I understand how impactful it is to see people who look like me thriving in both sports and education…. My hope is that this scholarship gives more young Black players the confidence to chase their dreams, knowing they have a strong community behind them and a bright future ahead."

PWHL players made their voices heard this week, as The Athletic published the results of the third-year league's first-ever anonymous player poll on Wednesday, surveying athletes on everything from the best trash-talkers to which nation's team will win Olympic gold at next month's 2026 Winter Games.

Leading the poll's individual accolades is 34-year-old Team Canada and Montréal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin, dubbed the PWHL's best player by 80% of respondents.

Poulin's Team USA counterpart, Seattle Torrent forward Hilary Knight, snagged second as each standout prepares for a fifth career Olympic run.

As for who will win gold in Italy, all but one player predicted a Canada vs. USA Olympic Final, with a 50/50 split on the eventual victor.

Athletes also answered overarching questions about the growing league in the player poll, with Detroit earning the most nods as a PWHL expansion city — though Denver and Chicago also scored double-digit votes.

As for the future face of the league, current New York Sirens forward and 2024 PWHL No. 1 draftee Sarah Fillier narrowly edged out current University of Wisconsin senior and Team USA Olympic defender Caroline Harvey in the players' poll.

Toronto Sceptres forward Emma Maltais beat out Montréal's Abby Roque by one vote for the title of top PWHL trash-talker, though most players tapped her for quantity over quality — an assessment Maltais herself agrees with.

"I'm not trash-talking," clarified the 26-year-old Canadian. "I'm just yapping."

WNBA star Angel Reese is lighting up the silver screen, with the Chicago Sky forward racking up multiple film and TV credits during the league's offseason.

On Tuesday, Netflix revealed that Reese will play a character called "Trainer Barbie" in the second season of the streamer's hit show, The Hunting Wives.

Already a fan of the series, Reese's told Hunting Wives creator Rebecca Cutter to "just let me know if you need me for season 2" on X last summer — a conversation that helped spark the basketball star's casting.

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Tuesday's news follows last week's announcement that Reese and Las Vegas Aces star center A'ja Wilson will each voice a role in the upcoming animated film GOAT, produced by the NBA's Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry.

When the film hits theaters on February 13th, fans will see Reese as Propp, a polar bear, while Wilson plays a reptile called Kouyate.

Reese first opened her acting portfolio by playing herself in a cameo in the October 2025 Netflix film A House of Dynamite, with Hunting Wives marking the 23-year-old's first foray into a scripted series.

The eight-episode second season of the Netflix show is currently in production, though a premiere date is still unknown.