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Team USA’s Rose Lavelle dog Wilma supports Team USA during Paris 2024
The Team USA soccer player’s English bulldog has become a fan favorite for the USWNT
WASHINGTON — In its final game before heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, the United States women’s national soccer team will face Costa Rica tonight at Audi Field.
The game will be new head coach Emma Hayes’ last opportunity to perfect her lineup and make tactical tweaks before the Games begin, where the U.S. will target its first gold medal since 2012.
The USWNT looked strong coming off Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Mexico. Although players sometimes struggled to finish and capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities, Sophia Smith’s decisive strike in the 64th minute was enough to secure the win. The team dominated possession, appearing much more cohesive than under former head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
Under Hayes’ leadership, the USWNT has recorded three shutout wins and will look to continue this streak tonight. The USWNT has won all 17 previous meetings with Costa Rica. The last match between the two teams ended with a 3-0 victory for the U.S. at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship.
Follow along here for live updates from USA TODAY Sports throughout the match:
An overheated capacity crowd began the customary “USA!” chants at the 29:30 mark. Rodman hustled to earn a corner a couple minutes later. The game slowed down a bit from there around both sides of the hydration break before the U.S. had a couple of more chances with a Lindsey Horan header and a Sophia Smith strike that sailed high and to the right.
Trinity Rodman and Costa Rica goalkeeper Noelia Bermúdez are down after Rodman took a forearm from Bermúdez. Both players stayed on the ground for about three minutes. Rodman and Bermúdez both stayed in the game.
A run from Crystal Dunn led to the United States’ first real chance in the ninth minute on a corner. It was a solid look that messed with the timing of the Costa Rican defense but couldn’t find the foot or head of a U.S. player to capitalize.
In the 12th, a nifty move by Trinity Rodman created a chance on the right side. The Americans had another chance via a ball played in long but the offsides flag went up. Nobody marked Sophia Smith during another rush and Costa Rica goalkeeper Noelia Bermúdez had to make a save.
The Audi Field surface is certainly not considered among the best in the United States professional soccer circuit. A rugby event at the venue on Friday and D.C. United game Saturday had the field in particularly brutal shape. The ball skipped with an unorthodox bounce to it and patches are visible. It’s another reason why team decision-makers were OK with giving Lavelle a breather.
In a last-minute change, Korbin Albert will replace midfielder Rose Lavelle in the USWNT lineup. Lavelle was removed due to leg tightness, the team said.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff was in attendance at Audi Field and received a loud ovation as fireworks started going off and the starting lineups walked onto the field.
Casey Krueger and Trinity Rodman, along with reserves Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt, are members of the hometown Washington Spirit and are sure to receive some heightened ovations during introductions and throughout the match.
Defender Emily Fox hails from nearby Ashburn, Virginia.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET tonight.
TNT and truTV will broadcast the match in English and Universo will broadcast in Spanish. You can live stream the game in English on Max and in Spanish on Peacock.
STREAM: USWNT vs. Costa Rica on FuboTV
Team captain Lindsey Horan will earn her 150th cap in Tuesday night’s Olympics send-off match against Costa Rica. Horan is the 25th player in USWNT history to earn 150 or more senior team caps.
Trinity Rodman, meanwhile, is appearing in her 30th consecutive USWNT match, having played in every match for her national team since the start of 2023.
The USWNT’s path through the Olympics starts in Group B, where it will face Zambia, Germany, and Australia. The women’s soccer tournament essentially spans the entire Olympiad, with play beginning on July 25, a day before the Opening Ceremonies. Should the USWNT push through a difficult field to reach the gold medal game, its final contest at the Olympics will come on August 10, a day before the Closing Ceremonies.
Here’s the full schedule (all time Eastern):
Thursday, July 25: USA vs. Zambia, 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 28: USA vs. Germany, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 31: USA vs. Australia, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3: Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Aug. 6: Semifinals
Friday, Aug. 9: Bronze medal match, 9 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 10: Gold medal match, 11 a.m.
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