Sports Revelation Online ..breaking authenic sports reports
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
US Superstar Megan Rapinoe
Barely two weeks after the Summer Series featuring United States, Nigeria, Portugal and Jamaica, Team USA will next week host Mexico in two- match challenge.
The international friendly with Mexico is part of the country’s preparations ahead the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan where the
Americans are eying the gold medal in women’s football event.
The first match with Mexico will be on July 2 at the Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Rentschler, East Hartford, Connecticut while the second tie will be at the same venue on July 5.
The venue is primarily used for football and soccer, and is the home field of the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies.
The stadium, which opened in 2003, was the first stadium used primarily by an NCAADivision I-A (now FBS) team to open in the 21st century. The permanent stadium capacity is 40,000, consisting of 38,066 permanent seats with a standing-room area in the scoreboard plaza that can accommodate up to 1,934 people. It also has a game day capability to add approximately 2,000 temporary seats as it did for UConn football vs. Michigan in 2013.
Team USA defeated Portugal 1-0, walloped hapless Jamaica 4-0 and hammered Nigeria 2-0, scoring seven goals without conceding any goal in three matches.
US players celebrating a goal
Nigeria on the other hand lost 1-0 to Jamaica in the first game, drew 3-3 against Portugal in Houston, before losing to USA by two goals to nil.
Team USA Head Coach, Vlatko Andonovski is still working with the 23 players he invited
for the three games of the Summer Series, while forward Tobin Heath is also in camp as a training player as she continues her comeback from a knee injury.
Nine of the 23 players on the USA’s Summer Series roster have experience in the Olympic Games, while 15 were members of the 2019 Women’s World Cup champions. The Summer Series roster features 20 NWSL players and three from clubs in Europe.
The 23 players who are struggling to make the Tokyo Olympics squad list are:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 5), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns; 4), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 69)
DEFENDERS (8): Alana Cook (OL Reign, 2/0), Abby Dahlkemper (Manchester City, ENG; 66/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 29/1), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC; 111/24), Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit; 136/2), Margaret Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 6/1), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 184/0), Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit; 51/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 93/20), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign; 53/14), Catarina Macario (Olympique Lyonnais, FRA; 3/1), Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash; 22/4), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage; 72/21), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 16/0)
FORWARDS (6): Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 301/124), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 175/109), Christen Press (Manchester United, ENG; 144/60), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign; 175/59), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 4/0), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage; 34/10)