Posted on 11/07/2019 6:17:14 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
Vlatko Andonovski has hardly had a chance to settle in as U.S. women's national team coach, yet his first set of matches has already arrived.
The new era for the two-time defending Women's World Cup champions begins on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio, where they'll welcome World Cup semifinalist Sweden. Three days later, it's off to Jacksonville, Fla., to face Costa Rica in the final tune-up before Olympic qualifying commences in the winter.
The details of the eight-team Olympic qualifying tournament will be sorted on Thursday, with the draw, schedule and locations being revealed–just hours before first kick at Mapfre Stadium, actually–but what is known is that it'll be on U.S. soil and that the Americans will undoubtedly be favored to win Concacaf's tournament and secure one of the region's two places in Tokyo next summer.
Before then, Andonovski will have a brief chance to familiarize himself even further with his player pool. He doesn't have the full complement of players available, with Megan Rapinoe, Kelley O'Hara, Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson and Ali Krieger all out injured and Alex Morgan out for the foreseeable future while pregnant.
Here's what to look for in the first matches of the new regime:
(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...
Thank You for the ping and post Berlin Freeper!
You are always a fine gentleman KC_Lion, You’re welcome!
O’Hara, Dunn, Davidson and Krieger all out? That’s four of the first six defenders. That could be a problem. Missing Morgan is also big. They have other capable forwards but Morgan attracts so much defensive attention that her presence on the field opens up space for everyone else. She wants to come back after the baby, but that has to be a big question mark at this point.
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