United States (Women's Football)

The No. 1 women's soccer team in the world was back on the pitch Thursday night, taking down England 2-0 in their 2020 SheBelieves Cup opener in Orlando, Florida.

A three-minute span early in the second half was all the offense the Americans needed as Christen Press opened the scoring in the 53rd minute and Carli Lloyd netted one herself in the 55th minute. 

Press delivered an absolute rocket from just outside the box while three defenders were within arm's reach. The forward curved the ball around all of them and England keeper Carly Telford to break open the scoring. It's Press' sixth goal in as many starts in 2020.

.@ChristenPress you absolute queen. pic.twitter.com/07vPxPAmHR

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) March 6, 2020

Moments later, Lloyd caught a touch pass behind five England defenders and quickly buried a shot from point-blank range for her 123rd career international score. 

when it comes to @CarliLloyd and scoring, it's bangers only thank you. pic.twitter.com/tw446gw8yw

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) March 6, 2020

Carli Lloyd, age 37, plays almost all 90 in top form in 80+ degree heat. NBD.

— Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) March 6, 2020

The insurance goal proved unnecessary to get the victory but will help separate the Americans in the standings. 

That's not to say the U.S. wasn't heavily attacking all game. The USWNT was pressing early and dominated in shots 23-8, putting six on goal to England's three. A questionable call midway through the first half resulted in Tobin Heath being taken down in the box with the ball, but the referees were unwilling to award a penalty kick despite Heath's dramatic protesting. 

Thursday marked the sixth straight match where the Americans did not concede a goal. Over that stretch, the U.S. has outscored its opponents 27-0. 

She's so good at this, it (seriously) ERTZ. Congrats to you, @julieertz! Love you, proud of you. ❤️💯 pic.twitter.com/tlW4NBM3am

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) March 6, 2020

England entered as the defending SheBelieves Cup champions after it defeated Brazil and Japan while drawing against the United States in 2019. The U.S. finished second that year after winning the tournament in 2018 and 2016. This year's roster features 20 of the 23 women who suited up for the USWNT when it faced England in a World Cup semifinal last year. The United States won that game 2-1 before defeating the Netherlands 2-0 to win the title. 

The four-team, round-robin SheBelieves Cup kicked off Thursday afternoon with Spain defeating Japan 3-1. The United States will face Spain in Game 2 on March 8 at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, while England faces Japan.

Players from the United States women's national team filed a motion on Thursday seeking almost $67 million in damages and back pay from the United States Soccer Federation as part of their gender discrimination lawsuit.

The original lawsuit was filed in March, four months before the USWNT won the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. A trial is set for May 5, but Thursday's motion called for judge R. Gary Klausner to rule in their favour without the case going to trial, per Yahoo Sports' Caitlin Murray.

U.S. Soccer also filed a motion on Thursday to have the case dismissed out of hand.

Lawyer and sports writer Miki Turner shared the motion on Twitter:

NEWS: Both the @ussoccer and @USWNT have filed motions for summary judgment in the equal pay lawsuit. The filings are major in that if the #USSF wins, the case would be dismissed. The #USWNT filing says damages are estimated at $66 million. #USWNT #USSF pic.twitter.com/N6HcU3ZU5M

— Miki Turner (@turneresq) February 21, 2020

In March, 28 players filed the discrimination lawsuit under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The Athletic's Meg Linehan relayed the full list of the players involved as well as the exact damages being sought from Thursday's motion:

https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan/status/1230701147368767489

In a statement, U.S. Soccer said the USWNT are paid differently to their male counterparts "because they specifically asked for and negotiated a completely different contract" and rejected a "similar pay-to-play agreement" the male players have.

It also said the USWNT's contract includes benefits USMNT players do not receive, including "guaranteed annual salaries, medical and dental insurance, paid child-care assistance, paid pregnancy and parental leave, severance benefits, salary continuation during periods of injury, access to a retirement plan, multiple bonuses and more."

Linehan relayed the whole statement:

https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan/status/1230703262996647936

She also provided a statement from the players' spokesperson, Molly Levinson, who said the pay-to-play structure offered to the USWNT was comprised of lower wages than the male players "in every instance":

https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan/status/1230706002762223616

Per Murray, the players' filing alleges U.S. Soccer's decisions surrounding the men's and women's respective compensation was based on "gender stereotyping."

During last year's World Cup, Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl noted that in the three years following the women's victory at the 2015 tournament, they generated more revenue for U.S. Soccer than their male counterparts:

The secondary ticket market for #USA-#FRA is exploding. Women's World Cup TV audiences around the world are setting unexpected records. USWNT revenues exceeded USMNT's for 3 years. The message is clear for FIFA and national federations:

Pay. The. Women.pic.twitter.com/MrpQ6h1pWE

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) June 26, 2019

Per Murray, male players can earn up to $17,625 per victory and $5,000 per appearance, whereas the maximum a contracted USWNT player can earn for a win is $8,500. Contracted USWNT players don't receive appearance bonuses, while non-contracted players can earn a maximum of $4,250 per game.

In 2019, the USWNT were unbeaten in their 22 competitive matches and won 19 of them. The USMNT played 16 games, winning nine and losing five. 

The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) has been accused of engaging in a "false narrative" regarding the pursuit of equal pay for U.S. women's national team players by the union representing the U.S. men's national team.

The U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNTSPA) issued a strong statement Wednesday alleging discrimination by the USSF and criticising it for "resisting" equal pay:

"The Federation has been working very hard to sell a false narrative to the public and even to members of Congress. They have been using this false narrative as a weapon against current and former members of the United States Women's National Team.

"With our unions working together since 1999, the goal was always to secure for the women comparable gains in pay and working conditions. For more than 20 years, the Federation has resisted any concept of equal pay or basic economic fairness for the USWNT players. Historically, the Federation also refused to include in the women's CBA the same provisions as the men's with respect to air travel, hotels, etc. This is systematic gender discrimination that should have never happened."

U.S. Soccer issued a statement in response, per Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated:

US Soccer responds to USMNT players union statement from today pic.twitter.com/8juYltxdLP

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) February 13, 2020

Earlier on Wednesday, USWNT captain Megan Rapinoe responded to the statement, per The Athletic's Meg Linehan:

https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan/status/1227668815611297793

The USWNT started legal action against the USSF in March over equal pay. All 28 members of the squad filed the discrimination lawsuit under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The lawsuit stated that "female players have been consistently paid less money than their male counterparts" despite having enjoyed superior performances on the pitch.

The USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, while the women's team won the 2019 Women's World Cup in France after a near-flawless campaign. The Stars and Stripes, playing in their third consecutive final, beat the Netherlands 2-0 to be crowned back-to-back world champions, claiming their fourth World Cup title overall.

The two sides agreed to enter mediation in June but talks subsequently broke down. U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro released an open letter which argued the federation paid the women's team $34.1 million in salaries and bonuses from 2010 to 2018 compared to $26.4 million for the men's team, per Graham Hays of ESPN.

Molly Levinson, a spokeswoman for the players involved in the lawsuit, described Cordeiro's letter as a "sad attempt by USSF to quell the overwhelming tide of support the USWNT has received," per Anne M. Peterson at the Associated Press.

The USNTSPA statement signs off by calling on fans to "support the players, not the Federation" and says supporters could withdraw support to the Federation's sponsors "until they do the right thing" and also "write to Congressional representatives" asking them to reform the federation.

The U.S. women's national team claimed the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship by topping Canada 3-0 in the tournament's final Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

2004 🏆
2008 🏆
2012 🏆
2016 🏆
2020 🏆

CONCACAF CHAMPS! pic.twitter.com/LgzFQBw2jH

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 10, 2020

Both squads qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by winning their respective semifinal matches. The U.S. took care of Mexico 4-0, and Canada outlasted Costa Rica 1-0. Sunday's final was for bragging rights more than anything else.  

The U.S. extended its unbeaten streak to 28 games. It also improved to 50-3-7 all-time against Canada.

The game-winner came from No. 13, which has become a familiar sight over the years because of Alex Morgan. However, with Morgan away from the team while pregnant, it was Lynn Williams donning her usual No. 13 and punishing a defensive error to break the 0-0 tie in the 60th minute:

It's like @lynnraenie got within scoring position and said, alright done with this let's go, and honestly, same. pic.twitter.com/n07emveaJK

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 10, 2020

Williams was one of two players on this roster not a part of the 2019 Women's World Cup championship roster, per U.S. Soccer, but the 26-year-old made her mark.

Williams' score marked the first goal conceded by Canada in the tournament, and Lindsey Horan buried a second in the 71st minute:

TWO DEFENDERS? @LindseyHoran SAID EXCUSE ME! pic.twitter.com/Cbleuelz5D

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 10, 2020

Horan finished the tournament with six goals, second to Canada's 18-year-old Jordyn Huitema and her seven goals for the Golden Boot:

Congratulations Jordyn Huitema, the 2020 Concacaf Women's Olympic Qualifying Golden Boot Winner! #CANWNT #CWOQ pic.twitter.com/i1N0MvDPRZ

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) February 10, 2020

U.S.'s closest first-half chance came in the 33rd minute when Christen Press launched a missile from outside the box that hit the crossbar. Press, who saw her six-game scoring streak snapped, was the Americans' most threatening striker despite not finding the back of the net.  

SO. CLOSE. 😳

0-0 | #USAvCAN pic.twitter.com/Qqedbz4PmB

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 9, 2020

Press finished as the CWOQ Golden Ball winner, awarded to the tournament's best overall player.

Just after Williams' goal, FIFA Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe entered for Jessica McDonald to raucous cheers. Samantha Mewis also replaced Rose Lavelle. 

Mewis entered with two back-to-back two-goal games to her name, but it was Rapinoe who gave the reigning back-to-back World Cup champions a 3-0 edge in the 87th minute. Williams assisted the goal, and Rapinoe brought The Pose to put the contest to rest once and for all:

Megan Rapinoe. 3-0.

Game, set and match. pic.twitter.com/qV8Lqww5DI

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 10, 2020

The U.S. finished the 2020 CWOQ outscoring opponents 25-0 across five games.

What's Next?

The U.S. will begin the SheBelieves Cup against England on March 5 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

Canada will next play France in the Women's International Tournament on March 4 at Stade de l'Epopee in France.

It was the Christen Press and Samantha Mewis show Monday night.

The pair were dominant in the USWNT's 6-0 Olympic qualifying win over Costa Rica, each notching a brace. Press scored both of her goals in the first half, while Mewis found the net twice in the second. Lindsey Horan and Jess McDonald added a goal apiece in the dominant win.

A goal under 5 minutes. #CP20 not about to break the streak.

Also, that was N I C E 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ZTiSWM9ixp

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 4, 2020

CHRISTEN PRESS HOW 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dZYFwqXPou

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 4, 2020

The United States won Group A with the victory, while Costa Rica still finished in second despite the loss.

Press started the fireworks with a dash of individual brilliance in just the fourth minute, juking a defender and firing a bending shot into the corner of the net from outside the box. It was clear from there who was going to win.

Horan—who also notched a hat trick in Friday's win over Panama—wasted little time finding the back of the net in the 10th minute following an impressive passing sequence that was indicative of the entire first half. The Americans ran circles around Costa Rica's defense for extended stretches, finding each other when they cut into space and setting up opportunities.

Press capitalized on one of those opportunities before intermission with another goal from an angle, and it was her set-piece pass to Mewis in the second half that gave the United States its fourth goal.

It was more of the same for Press, who has now scored in four straight games.

Right time, right place for Jess McDonald. pic.twitter.com/rXZLkB3NQf

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 4, 2020

🤷‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/Ot9bOEHT2g

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 4, 2020

McDonald and Mewis added the exclamation marks in the 77th and 82nd minutes, respectively, although the second one was questionable.

Mewis' header bounced off the underside of the bar, and the officials gave her the goal.

It made no difference in the final result, as the reigning World Cup champions continued their dominance.

             

What's Next?

The United States awaits the second-place finisher in Group B, to be played on Feb. 7. Costa Rica will play the winner of Group B that same day. Canada currently leads Group B with six points, while Mexico is in second on six points as well (Canada holds the advantage in goal differential).

The United States women's national team will be expected to round off a triple-header of Olympic CONCACAF qualifying matches with an emphatic win on Monday, when they take on Costa Rica.

Unsurprisingly, the world champions were able to breeze through their first two matches of the competition, backing up their 4-0 win over Haiti with an 8-0 mauling of Panama on Friday.

Costa Rica have beaten the same two opponents and are clearly the second-strongest team in Group A. However, they will need to produce an incredible performance if they are to get a positive result at BBVA Stadium in Houston.

Here is the key viewing information for the encounter, as the United States seek to cap off the group stage of the competition with a swagger.

         

Date: Monday, February 3

Time: 8:30 p.m. (ET), 1:30 a.m. (GMT, Tuesday)

TV Info: Fox Sports 1 (U.S.)

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go (U.S.)

        

Preview

For Panama, taming the talent of the USWNT was always going to be too much to ask on Saturday, and the contest quickly got away from them.

It took the world champions just three minutes to open the scoring and from there the floodgates opened:

Lindsey Horan scored the first goal of the contest and went on to complete her hat-trick later in the game. Lynn Williams, Rose Lavelle, Christen Press, Jessica McDonald and Tobin Heath also found the net.

Per football journalist Caitlin Murray, although the United States played some spellbinding attacking football, they were helped out by some erratic defending from Panama.

https://twitter.com/caitlinmurr/status/1223426051675525121

While USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski would have been expecting his team to win the match comfortably, the manner in which the team shared the goals around would have been especially pleasing.

But unsurprisingly, he had special praise for the hat-trick hero after the game, per Laura M. Gomez of Pro Soccer USA.

"I thought Lindsey was exceptional," Andonovski said. "I think she did an incredible job, obviously. She scored three goals and two assists, so direct impact on the game. ... I am just happy she is coming back to her best form, and I think that the best of Lindsey Horan is yet to come."

Horan's USWNT team-mate, Alex Morgan, was clearly pleased for the Portland Thorns star:

Hat Trick Horan has such a nice ring to it. Do we keep it or stay with the classic/OG? @LindseyHoran

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) February 1, 2020

The win over Panama guaranteed the United States' spot in the semi-finals for CONCACAF qualifying, which will take place on Friday. Costa Rica have also booked their place in the final four after back-to-back wins, although they trail the world champions on goal difference in Group A.

La Sele should provide the USWNT with their toughest test from the three games, as they are more cohesive in both attack and defence than Panama and Haiti.

Even so, the United States are clearly the class act of this group, and even if Andonovski opts to make some changes with qualifying secured, they should be too strong.

The United States women's national team cruised past Panama, 8-0, in a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying match Friday night in Houston. The victory clinches a berth in the knockout round and keeps the Americans  atop the Group A standings. 

Lindsey Horan's hat trick (3', 18', 81') led the way for the U.S. as Lynn Williams, Rose Lavelle, Christen Press, Jessica McDonald and Tobin Heath all added a goal each. The Olympic qualifier went off the rails quickly for Panama, with the United States netting four goals in the first 21 minutes. 

Has the smiley face with a tear falling emoji dropped yet?

FIRST HATTY FOR OUR GAL. SO PROUD. pic.twitter.com/9LfBlHUTeg

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 1, 2020

Lavelle nearly had her second goal of the night with a header in the 35th minute that was waived off due to offsides. If anything, that was the Americans' biggest issue on Friday—trying not to get too ahead of itself. 

As if a soft cast is gonna stop @roselavelle from scoring... pic.twitter.com/9SeXMdbYHx

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 1, 2020

U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski noted he felt the team could've done more in its opener against Haiti to create scoring chances. That wasn't a struggle Friday, with the Americans going to work on offense just after the kickoff.

Big shoutout to @J_Mac1422 for putting that one on a platter, and to @LindseyHoran for not flinching. pic.twitter.com/xaknCxagos

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 1, 2020

That whole finish from @lynnraenie was smooooooth. pic.twitter.com/YpdaOMHxqV

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 1, 2020

The Great Horan is 2 for 2 in Olympic Qualifying so far . pic.twitter.com/TAtXZnUWhd

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 1, 2020

Panama's starting goalkeeper, Yenith Bailey, exited the game in the 33rd minute after a collision in the box. She was replaced by Sasha Fabrega. Both keepers gave up four goals. For the U.S., goalie Ashlyn Harris finished with a clean sheet—the seventh in her national team career.  

After two games, the United States leads Group A via a 12-0 goal differential. Costa Rica is right behind the Americans with both teams claiming six points in their first two CONCACAF qualifying games, yet Costa Rica's goal differential stands at seven.

"We need to focus on our team and how to improve"

Fresh off her first competitive international hat trick Lindsey Horan reflects on #CWOQ and what is to come#WeBelong @USWNT pic.twitter.com/4y9ZNwLKbz

— Concacaf (@Concacaf) February 1, 2020

The two countries will meet Monday night in Houston as the group stage concludes at BBVA Compass Stadium at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The United States women's national team will be expected to take another big step towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday, when they take on Panama in CONCACAF qualifying.

The world champions are big favourites to advance and started the competition on Tuesday with an emphatic 4-0 win over Haiti. And a similar outcome will be expected against their next opponents at the BBVA Stadium in Houston.

After all, Panama were hammered 6-1 by Costa Rica in their first game and lack the quality needed to compete with Vlatko Andonovski's team over the course of 90 minutes.

Here are the key details for Friday's fixture, as the United States continue their preparations for the Tokyo Games this summer.

         

Date: Friday, January 31

Time: 8:30 p.m. (ET), 1:30 a.m. (GMT, Saturday)

TV Info: Fox Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Fox Soccer Plus (U.S.)

     

Preview

It was always unlikely the United States would have any major issues progressing into the main draw for the Olympics. 

On Tuesday, Haiti did well to put up some resistance at times, but the difference in quality between them and the USWNT was clear.

After a goal from Christen Press in the second minute, the Haitians kept out the world champions until the 67th minute, when Lynn Williams found the back of the net.

Goals from Lindsey Horan and veteran Carli Lloyd added gloss to the scoreline in the final stages:

The United States' improvement late in the game coincided with the introduction of Megan Rapinoe from the bench, with the forward able to find space against a tired Haiti defence. The winner of FIFA's Best Women's Player award was involved in the buildup to second and third goals.

In his first competitive match in charge of the team, Andonovski hailed the positive impact Rapinoe had on the team, although he wasn't happy with certain aspects of the overall display, per Laura M. Gomez of Pro Soccer USA.

"[Rapinoe's] entrance, once she got on the field, it gave us a little different dynamic, gave us something different, made the team more dangerous," the head coach said.

He added: "The positives are that we were able to win the game 4-0 so, regardless, absolutely positive. But the negative is that we couldn’t create more opportunities and I felt like we could have scored more goals."

Even though the United States will be big favourites for all of their qualifying matches, Andonovski will be keen to keep standards up, setting a high bar for the summer and the stronger opposition the team will be up against in Japan.

It will be intriguing to see if the manager makes many changes for the fixture on Friday. Although it's a competitive game, the level of opposition will give Andonovski the luxury of looking at more players without any real fear of the team slipping up.

Panama are likely to be in for a long night, as they were given the runaround by Costa Rica on Tuesday, a team the United States hammered 6-0 in their November friendly. If they can avoid a similar mauling in Texas, the underdogs will be content.

Christen Press found the back of the net in the second minute, and the United States never looked back on its way to a 4-0 win over Haiti in Tuesday's CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying matchup.

Lynn Williams, Lindsey Horan and Carli Lloyd each scored in the second half as Team USA got off to a commanding start in group play. Costa Rica is currently first in Group A on goal differential after getting a 6-1 win over Panama.

That second-half surge came after what was a mostly underwhelming 43 minutes after Press' opening goal. The U.S. was in far from its top form, seemingly taking its foot off the gas after what looked like a blowout in the making in the opening minutes.

Relive the @USWNT’s  4-0 victory against @fhfhaiti
 in #CWOQ Group A | #WeBelong pic.twitter.com/lAOhgax0v4

— Concacaf (@Concacaf) January 29, 2020

"In the first half, we were a little bit disappointed, but I think that's on us," Julie Ertz said after the match. "That's not forcing it and being able to keep the ball, so we can learn from this and that's the best part."

It wasn't until the 67th minute that the United States finally started opening up the scoring, when Williams headed in a Megan Rapinoe corner kick to make it 2-0. Horan headed in another goal off a Haitian defender six minutes later before Lloyd capped it off in stoppage time.

The United States hadn't played since a Nov. 10 friendly victory over Costa Rica. That 6-0 drubbing will give the U.S. confidence heading into its matchup against the Costa Ricans, who looked like a team peaking in their win over Panama.

Given Panama's form against Costa Rica, the United States should be able to skate to a second straight easy win Friday. A win would clinch the U.S. a berth in the knockout stage.

The United States women's national soccer team welcome Haiti on Tuesday in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying at the BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Group A features both nations alongside Costa Rica and Panama, with the top two sides advancing to the knockout phase to be played at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The U.S. will be overwhelming favourites to advance as they attempt to extend a 23-match unbeaten run.

The Stars and Stripes could only reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics in Brazil four years ago, when they were eliminated on penalties by Sweden, who lost the gold-medal match to Germany.

              

Date: Tuesday, January 28

Time: 7:30 p.m. local, 8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. GMT (Wednesday)

TV: Fox Sports 2 (USA)

Stream: Fox Sports App, TUDNxtra

           

Preview

The Americans have been the dominant force in women's soccer at the Olympics since its introduction in 1996.

The U.S. have won four of the six gold medals since then, and the world champions will expect to top the podium once more in Japan this year.

Vlatko Andonovski took over from Jill Ellis as head coach in October, and he will be looking for his team to become the first to win the Olympic gold medal immediately after claiming the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Andonovski will need to decide which veterans remain in his squad in the coming months, and who will be cut from his Tokyo 2020 plans.

Not gonna lie, any #USWNT camp is #TheGoodPlace to us. pic.twitter.com/Yo0s0aiSoF

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) January 24, 2020

The new coach oversaw a 28-player camp ahead of Olympic qualifying and has trimmed the number down to 20 for the upcoming games. 

Andonovski explained the quality he has at his disposal, per Goal:

"Full credit to the players for competing hard during our January camp and for making our final roster decisions difficult.

"We have a balanced roster with versatile players and of course they have a lot of experience in important games. This is a team that understands that you have to be aggressive and unpredictable in how you create scoring chances but also knows how to be smart on defense at the same time."

"They are mature and savvy players who can adjust on the fly if needed and of course are highly motivated to earn that berth to the Olympics."

Haiti made it to this stage after topping the Caribbean qualifying group. Les Grenadieres have never qualified to appear at the Olympics or the World Cup, and they remain outsiders to make it to Japan.

This match should be a formality for the USWNT, and the gulf in class should be too wide for the visitors.