Only a few days away, so let's get the thread started. The USWNT faces Costa Rica on July 22 in Kansas City in the final match before the Olympics. The match will be on ESPN at 8 pm CT. Olympic Roster: GOALKEEPERS: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC) DEFENDERS: Whitney Engen (Boston Breakers), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City) MIDFIELDERS: Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC) FORWARDS: Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado) The Olympic alternates will also travel to the game, but I'm assuming they won't dress.
Hey, you beat @Semblance17 to the mark with the creation of the next USWNT pre/pbp/post thread! I'm calling it now - Naeher starts this game.
Wasn't the first time. Won't be the last. Part of me is afraid of getting judged for posting a game thread too early, so sometimes I postpone it too long and someone else does the honor. Probably for the best. I tend to bring bad luck.
In 3 days Children's Mercy Park, previously Sporting Park, previously Livestrong (oops) Sporting Park is the place to be. Looks like a firm 8 o'clock (CT) start per my Dish Network programming guide. Lets call it an even 100 at Kick......that should do wonders for beer sales throughout the evening. Glad the Ladies will experience a wholesome, clean Midwestern environment before their excursion into the disease infested Abyss that is the Olympics. By the looks of it, Alexandra The Great appears to be focused: 71 hours and 26 minutes to kick my little soccer buddies. Fats Domino 2016 WILL BE GLORIOUS.
I would also get Tobin Heath some more minutes at outside back. You never know what could happen to 2 of Kling, O'Hara, Krieger at the Olympics. Injuries, Yellow Card Accumulation throughout the tournament, Straight Red Card, etc. At any time, 2 of those 3 could be unavailable for a certain match, or part of a match (the remainder of one). Be prepared. Get Tobin some minutes at outside back. And get Krieger some more minutes at center back. And the emergency 3rd string goalkeeper has to be Whitney Engen. She just seems like she could do it. Put those large gloves on her hands, and she'll look like a natural already.
Beachhead established at my favorite casino, miles and miles from Children's Mercy. Struck today with the overwhelming sense that the Greatest Team in the Milky Way Galaxy has once again assembled nearby. Win World Cup......check Victory Tour...........check Qualification..........check Shift once again into full Bad *ss Mode......starts tomorrow. The minutes are moving like months........25 hours 35 minutes to Kick. I B E L I E V E
I would have given this post a rep if you hadn't included an implication that there might be a greater team than the USWNT somewhere in the Universe outside the Milky Way Galaxy.
No Rapinoe tomorrow: Megan Rapinoe won't play Friday vs. Costa Rica in #USWNT's final official tune-up before Olympics. Staff playing it safe. Kickoff August 3.— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) July 22, 2016
True that. However, considering it would take more than our entire lives to have a team travel from another galaxy to get here, (even at warp speed) I'd say it was a moot point.
So the Olympic match against New Zealand will be Rapinoe's first time playing in a professional soccer match of any kind in 283 days [assuming she plays then]. Let that sink in.
That almost rules out Rapinoe playing a major role in the Olympics. Maybe she'll be inserted in the final minutes of a match in which the US has a two goal or more lead to see how she does. If she looks like the Rapinoe of old, I suppose she might be promoted to a more important role. The Olympic lineup: Solo (of course) Kling, Johnston, Sauerbrunn, O'Hara (not much drama there; Krieger as defensive sub for O'Hara ) Heath, Lloyd, Brian, Horan, Dunn. (Pugh as supersub; if Brian or Horan doesnt do well, I can see Long starting) Morgan (Press will get a few minutes)
You are absolutely correct Semb, Scotch intake has a direct adverse affect on Astronomical Awareness. 10 hours 5 minutes and 34 seconds to Kick.
This Morgan game face reminds me of that pre-World cup interview with Morgan, Leroux and KO, where they tried (and failed) to trash talk their opponents.
Of course. On The Mixxed Zone this week, Jen Cooper said Rapinoe (or any other player) would need to suffer a new injury, independently verified, to be replaced by an alternate. So for example HAO could not replace Rapinoe simply because her knee is not allowing her to play. Would need to be a different ailment.
These rules are in place because of shenanigans that the Eastern Bloc countries used to pull. Back then it was quite common for a team to claim that an athlete that had qualified for a final was injured so they could replace said athlete with one who they felt had a better shot of winning a medal.
I see Press as getting more than a few minutes. I can see her starting some games for Lloyd (I think they will share minutes - Lloyd is not going to be fit, I'm sure of it), and subbing in as FWD and possibly on the wings.
So glad this is an night game. It is unbelievably hot in KC this week. Prob will still be in the mid 90s for kick off. I hope attendance is good, the Royals are in town and advertising has been few and far between. I will give a report when I get home tonight.
This photos for you @Semblance17 WNT TRAINS AHEAD FINAL OLYMPIC GAMES SEND-OFF MATCH AGAINST COSTA RICA
Tonight’s XI for #USAvCRC: Solo; O’Hara, Johnston, Sauerbrunn, Kling; Horan, Long, Lloyd (c); Dunn, Morgan, Pugh. pic.twitter.com/zHALHyhj2z— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 23, 2016
2016/07/22 Fri USA (Jillian Ellis): Tweeted as 4-3-3, but Carli gonna Carli 13 Alex Morgan 2 Mallory Pugh, 10© Carli Lloyd, Crystal Dunn 9 Lindsey Horan, 3 Allie Long 7 Meghan Klingenberg, 4 Becky Sauerbrunn, 8 Julie Johnston, 5 Kelley O'Hara 1 Hope Solo Colombia (Amelia Valverde): 11 Raquel Rodríguez 14 Maria Fernanda Barrantes, 10© Shirley Cruz, 16 Katherine Alvarado, 7 Melissa Herrera 12 Lixy Rodríguez, 4 Mariana Benavides, 3 Fabiola Villalobos, 5 Diana Saenz 1 Dinnia Díaz ⚽️ Así sale #LaSeleFemenina para enfrentar a @ussoccer_wnt, esta noche en Kansas City.¡VAMOS TICAS! 💪👊 pic.twitter.com/8hxpWealwk— FCRF 🇨🇷 (@fedefutbolcrc) July 22, 2016