The United States kick off their 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign against Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski will be looking to lead the team to their third consecutive title, and revealed he will not be content with anything else.
Group E will not be easy, as Vietnam, Portugal and the Netherlands all look to make a statement against the reigning champions this time around. The pressure is on, as this year’s roster sees a balance of rookies and veterans taking on the field. As staples Rose Lavelle and Megan Rapinoe are expected to see ‘limited minutes’ this time around, here’s what we can expect from the Stars and Stripes.
GK: Alyssa Naeher – The Chicago Red Stars player will beat Casey Murphy and Aubrey Kingsbury to the starting eleven to feature in her third Women’s World Cup.
RB: Sofia Huerta – Huerta may not be the obvious choice at full-back, but undoubtedly brings a different attacking dynamic to the backline.
CB: Alana Cook – The first match sets the tone, so Cook will step in instead of Sonnett given she has more minutes alongside Girma in a national team setting.
CB: Naomi Girma – Girma and Cook will have no problem connecting at the back to bring stability to the team. She’s consistently provied herself as one of the most exciting defenders in the NWSL and USWNT, with a steady pace and decieving force.
LB: Crystal Dunn – Back for another Women’s World Cup outing, Dunn will guide Cook, Girma and Fox at the back in the absence of Becky Sauerbrunn.
CM: Savannah DeMelo – The 25-year-old is a likely starter ahead of Rose Lavelle, who will see her game time reduced because of injury. But DeMelo can provide the necessary creativity in the midfield that the OL Reign star brings.
DM: Andi Sullivan – She’s best suited for games with more possession, which the USWNT can anticipate in their World Cup opener.
CM: Lindsey Horan (c) – The newly appointed co-captain will be sure to take the field against Vietnam. She will be featuring in her second Women’s World Cup following her participation in the 2019 tournament, where she managed two goals in six games.
RW: Sophia Smith – The absolute player to watch here, Smith will be brimming with confidence against a Vietnam side who will fear her goal threat.
ST: Alex Morgan – Participating in her fourth Women’s World Cup finals, Morgan is the experience up front that glues everything together.
LW: Trinity Rodman – Perhaps Andonovski’s toughest choice is choosing between Rodman and Lynn Williams, who arguably deserves her spot on the side. Rodman may get the start but don’t see surprised to see rotation in the second half.
