LOCALS
Two players from Cary-based North Carolina Courage of NWSL, Casey Murphy and Emily Fox, are members of the U.S. Women’s National Team. Fox, a defender, played at UNC. Murphy is a goalkeeper. It’s the first World Cup for both.
RANKINGS
In the June FIFA women’s soccer rankings, USA remained first, followed by Sweden 2, France 3, Netherlands 4, Germany 5, Canada 6.
Others in the top 24 were Spain 7, England 8, Brazil 9, Korea DPR 10, Norway 11, Australia 12, Japan 13, Italy 14, Denmark 15, China PR 16, Finland 17, Korea Republic 18, Belgium 19, Switzerland 20, Austria 21, New Zealand 22, Scotland 23, Russia 24.
U.S. group stage opponents: Vietnam 32, Netherlands 4, Portugal 30.
NEW CO-CAPTAINS
Forward Alex Morgan and midfielder Lindsey Horan were selected co-captains of the USWNT. The move was made after captain and defender Becky Sauerbrunn injured her foot and will not be going. She is one of several injured American players (attacker Mallory Swanson, midfielders Sam Mewis, Catrina Macario, Christen Press also are sidelined).
Knee injuries also knocked out key players from Netherlands, France, England, according to news reports.
TEAM WINS FINALE
The USWNT blanked Wales 2-0 behind two goals from Trinity Rodman in San Jose in the team’s getaway game before the WWC.
TEAM HONORED
The USWNT received Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2023 ESPYs for their efforts in pursuit of equal pay.
EXTENDED HOURS
Bars in Washington, D.C., will be allowed to stay open 24 hours (no liquor served 4-6 a.m.) during the Women’s World Cup to mitigate the 16-hour time zone difference with Australia/New Zealand. They did the same thing during the 2022 Men’s World Cup.
U.S. TEAM ROSTER
The U.S. Women’s National Team roster by position (club; caps/goals) from espn.com:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Kingsbury* (Washington Spirit; 1), Casey Murphy* (North Carolina Courage; 14), Alyssa Naeher*** (Chicago Red Stars; 90)
DEFENDERS (7): Alana Cook* (OL Reign; 24/1), Crystal Dunn** (Portland Thorns FC; 131/24), Emily Fox* (North Carolina Courage; 28/1), Naomi Girma* (San Diego Wave FC; 15/0), Sofia Huerta* (OL Reign; 29/0), Kelley O’Hara**** (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 157/3), Emily Sonnett** (OL Reign; 74/1)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Savannah DeMelo* (Racing Louisville FC; 0/0), Julie Ertz*** (Angel City FC; 118/ 20), Lindsey Horan** (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 128/27), Rose Lavelle** (OL Reign; 88/24), Kristie Mewis* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 51/7), Ashley Sanchez* (Washington Spirit; 24/3), Andi Sullivan* (Washington Spirit; 44/3)
FORWARDS (6): Alex Morgan**** (San Diego Wave FC; 206/121), Megan Rapinoe**** (OL R eign; 199/63), Trinity Rodman* (Washington Spirit; 17/2), Sophia Smith* (Portland Thorns FC; 29/12), Alyssa Thompson* (Angel City FC; 3/0), Lynn Williams* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15).
Women’s WC TV Coverage
Fox Sports will use its usual stable of soccer broadcasters for the Women’s World Cup. They aren’t bringing in any heavy hitters.
JP Dellacamera and Aly Wagner return as the top broadcast team, with Rob Stone hosting studio coverage. Carli Lloyd joins as a studio analyst, with Jenny Taft embedded with the US Women’s National Team and Tom Rinaldi contributing features.
The full lineup of studio analysts includes Kate Gill, Ariane Hingst, Stu Holden, Alexi Lalas, Karina LeBlanc, Lloyd and Heather O’Reilly. Gill, Hingst, Lalas, LeBlanc and O’Reilly worked in the studio for Fox in 2019.
In addition to the Dellacamera and Wagner pairing, Fox announced four other broadcast teams for the tournament.
Jacqui Oatley and Lori Lindsey
John Strong and Kyndra de St. Aubin
Kate Scott and Danielle Slaton
Jenn Hildreth and Warren Barton
Of those teams, Hildreth is the lone play by play announcer returning from 2019, while both de St. Aubin and Slaton return. Oatley, Strong and Barton were all part of Fox’s 2022 FIFA World Cup coverage from Qatar last year.
Additional contributors are Chris Fallica, a wagering expert, and both Mark Clattenburg and Dr. Joe Machnik as rules analysts.
Several American soccer icons will join the studio coverage including Heather O’Reilly of Chapel Hill who helped the United States win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Kate Scott, by the way, does 76ers NBA games for TV as well as soccer.
Stay away from the studio shows unless you want to pull your hair out in frustration.
J.B.
Soccer Record Broken
Charlotte FC’s 74,479 fans for the inaugural MLS home opener March 5, 2022 was the MLS record until July 4 when 82,210 attended El Trafico at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, where LA Galaxy defeated LAFC 2-1. The Galaxy won the Charlotte game 1-0 as well.
One-Love Armbands For W World Cup
The anti-discrimination “OneLove” captain’s armband banned at the men’s World Cup in Qatar will be worn in an amended version at the Women’s World Cup, although FIFA opted out entirely of the rainbow that is known as a symbol for LGBTQIA+ pride.
FIFA unveiled eight armbands in early July that captains of the 32 teams can choose to wear in Australia and New Zealand during the tournament.
The OneLove armband, with its red/black/ green/pink/yellow/blue color scheme, is similar to but not the same as the rainbow that is known as a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride. The OneLove armband was worn by captains during the women’s European Championships in 2022.