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It’s eclipse season. If you have an astrological mind, you know that the event we just experienced is also the symbol of realignment, destiny and destiny *cough, cough USWNT*. I am Emilie Olsen attached Meg Linehan, Steph Yang And Jeff Rueter — welcome full-time!
YEAH, SCIENCE! 🌒☀️ pic.twitter.com/sXLA14aQgC
– United States Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) April 8, 2024
Road to Paris
USWNT advances to SheBelieves Cup final
The United States women’s national team is heading to the final of the ninth edition of the SheBelieves Cup thanks to a penalty goal in the 77th minute of Lindsey Horan in a 2-1 victory Japan. The tournament continued on Saturday with Canada come back to fight Brazil on penalties.
THE WE will face Canada in the final the Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio a month after their fateful, water-logged encounter in the semi-final of the inaugural CONCACAF Gold Cup. This time the winner will receive a trophy. (I purposely don’t say anything more about the weather).
The match against Japan was played in front 50,644 fansTHE largest USWNT domestic crowd since 1999 Women’s World Cup finaland the United States showed an element of joy that it lacked in last year’s World Cup.
Japan struck first, becoming the first opponent to score against the USWNT in the first minute since 2003. Despite the initial setback, the United States quickly took the lead, utilizing an aggressive style of play and high pressing.
Jaedyn Shaw found the equalizer in the 21st minute, set up by midfielder Sam Coffey. If becoming the first USWNT player to score in first five consecutive starts wasn’t enough to make Shaw an Olympic lock, the versatility she showed in taking on the role of point guard did. At least in my book – but from now on it’s up to the head coach Emma Hayes.
Jae’s superb strike 💫💫💫#USWNT X @has pic.twitter.com/kAqdNpDEB4
– United States Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) April 7, 2024
On the ground in Columbus
I would be remiss if I didn’t check in with Steph Yang, who was in Atlanta and now in Columbus for the games. How is the training of the two finalists going?
Steph: The USWNT practiced at host venue Lower.com Field, while Canada was at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Field. The setups match what the teams did in Atlanta: the United States trained at Atlanta United’s $60 million training ground in Marietta, and Canada practiced on the somewhat cramped but still well-maintained downtown Georgia State location.
It is not entirely fair to say that this reflects the respective investment of each team on the part of its federation; Canada had the option to use Lower.com, and the Brazilian WNT also trained at the host site. But there are logistical compromises. Ohio State granted Canada more flexible timing, but Canada staff spent time scooping goose droppings from the field with practice cones to clear them for players while the Ohio State women’s pole vault team was practicing in the background.
The Olympic question
THE Paris 2024 Olympics to start up July 25 for the WE against either Zambia Or Morocco. The USWNT will look to add to its four gold medals (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012), a money (2000) and a bronze (2020).
GO FURTHER
USWNT draws Germany, Australia for Olympics
Once Hayes arrives in May, the team will have two windows of international friendlies to put the final pieces of the game in place. squad of 18 players. Difficult decisions will have to be made in July.
Talent isn’t the only thing considered for roster spots. Versatility is equally (if not more) important – which brings us to how interim head coach Twila Kilgore deployed Shaw against Japan.
Shaw has been placed on the wing before, but on Saturday she lined up in the No. 10 playmaker role and delivered. His growing chemistry with her San Diego Wave teammate Alex Morgan can only help them realize their Olympic hopes.
At the moment, I would say that my locks for Paris are Shaw, Horan And Naomi Girma. Morgan And Coffee raised their stock with Saturday’s performance and Swanson is almost a lock, but she only just returned to the team after a year away.
Girma, who has established herself as a key player in the American defense, left the match against Japan in the 18th minute. After the match, Kilgore said she was being evaluated for a right thigh injury.
AthleticismSteph Yang of , details how the USWNT’s chemistry showed itself against Japan, showcasing a revitalized offense.
Meg’s Corner: The main event(s)
Here in Vermont, we were in the path of totality for the solar eclipse. This whole weekend felt like a big build-up to the main event, so there was a lot of talk about the eclipse – but I also heard a lot of talk about women’s basketball, about Caitlin Clark , the national championship game and television records falling one after the game. other.
We’ve been dreaming, waiting and waiting for moments like these for how long in women’s sport? These moments come back so often that it’s the new normal.
This weekend, Atlanta set a new USWNT attendance record for a friendly match. On Monday, US Soccer also broke ground on its new national training center and headquarters in Georgia.
This location opens many new doors for American soccer, as well as potential complications, especially given state legislation on reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ people and guns. That’s a story for another day, with many more nuances than I cover here – and it’s not just an American football issue, either. What is specific to the federation and the sport is the motto “One nation, one team” and what American football has the chance to build physically – and symbolically.
There is potentially a huge opportunity with the 2026 World Cup, maybe the 2027 World Cup, and then the 2028 Olympics. In the same way that many of us were shaped by 1994 and 1999 and by the mark that these tournaments left, the sport is preparing for another formative and fundamental change.
After all, we live in historic times. Happy eclipse season!
Hello, my name is: Lily Yohannes
Although not officially linked to the United States, Lily Yohannes, 16 years old received his first call-up to the senior team as part of the SheBelieves Cup roster. Last year she became the youngest player to start a UEFA Champions League group stage matchand it’s clear that the Ajax midfield is the one Hayes is watching.
Tamerra Griffin traveled to Amsterdam to Athleticism to meet Yohannes and get an exclusive insight into who she is, the risk her family took to pursue her soccer dreams, and the Virginia Habesha community that helped raise her.
Learn more about the player Hayes called a “tremendous talent.”
The latest news on Korbin Albert
Another player on the radar of USWNT fans is Korbin Albert, but right now it’s for off-field reasons. Albert featured in the match against Japan and is available for selection against Canada amid public backlash for his social media activity, which included anti-LGBTQ+ messages.
On Saturday, Albert replaced Coffey, who was being assessed for a head injury, as part of a triple change in the 78th minute, alongside Macario and defender Crystal Dunn. There was some reaction from the crowd in Atlanta when his name was announced in the stadium. Fans in the stands reported heavy booing, but from the press box reactions were more scattered.
MORE: Can US Soccer punish Korbin Albert for his social media activity?
On Wednesday, Horan and Morgan delivered a prepared statement to reporters regarding Albert’s social media activity.
“We have worked extremely hard to maintain the integrity of this national team across all generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard has not been met,” Horan said.
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(Top photo: Brad Smith/Getty Images for USSF)