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Some days you’re more of Trinity Rodman needing space and others you’re the Truly Baby. I’m Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Steph Yang, and Melanie Anzidei — welcome to Full Time!
USWNT News
When will Emma Hayes lead the U.S.?
By the time Emma Hayes takes charge of the USWNT at the end of May, we will have officially waited six months since her hiring announcement. Now we know who Hayes will be game-planning for.
The U.S. will host two friendlies against South Korea on June 1 in Commerce City, Col., and June 4 in St. Paul, Minn.
In the meantime, the U.S. still has a trophy on the line in the Gold Cup after defeating Colombia 3-0 on Sunday.
USWNT Gold Cup semifinal preview
Last time we talked, things weren’t going so well for the USWNT. The team had just lost to Mexico 2-0 in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup group stage finale, setting up a quarterfinal matchup with second-place finishers from Group B, Colombia.
I won’t lie, I had my doubts about the U.S.’s chances in this one. They were unfounded, as the U.S. won 3-0 and advanced to the Gold Cup semifinal against Canada. Read our instant reaction piece from Sunday here.
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The U.S.’s tactical approach proved that even during this time of transition, playing direct — or, as Kilgore said multiple times in her postgame press conference, “on the front foot” — is not just a powerful weapon in the USWNT’s arsenal, but maybe still its best one even as personnel changes. Jeff Rueter and Meg Linehan broke down how the shift is vital to the USWNT’s success during this time of change.
GO DEEPER
Direct again: How USWNT's new old approach lends flexibility going forward
The U.S. now faces Canada, a team that dominated the group stage with 13 goals and has the golden boot leader Adriana Leon. But Canada only got through to the semifinals by the skin of its teeth – or, more aptly, thanks to goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s right foot.
Brazil, which has cruised through this tournament, also earned a spot in the semifinals after defeating Argentina 5-1.
How to watch the Gold Cup semifinals (U.S.)
Wednesday, March 6
- Brazil vs. Mexico, 7 p.m. ET, Paramount+ and ESPN Deportes
- U.S. vs. Canada, 10:15 p.m. ET, Paramount+ and ESPN Deportes
Steph’s Set Piece: The GIFs that keep on giving
Inexcusably bad refereeing aside, USWNT vs. Colombia was the game that kept on giving.
Trinity Rodman squaring up. Alex Morgan squaring up. Everyone squaring up. My personal favorite little moments are the ones where one player is holding her hands up in a combination of frustration and resignation while being aggressively defended by another player, both of them knowing the referee isn’t going to do a thing about it. The weariness, the pathos, the hot-cold contrast of emotions. Mwah.
Alex Morgan: "You don't know where I'm from dawg." pic.twitter.com/FOWbvuMxb3
— Juan Vargas (@agoodjuan) March 4, 2024
Should the players have cooled it, especially with the risk of an absurd red card on the horizon thanks to the aforementioned refereeing? Absolutely. Have we all watched Trinity Rodman emphatically tell Linda Caicedo to “BACK. UP.” about thirty times each? Also yes! It’s a shame that the game was allowed to teeter on the edge of someone getting injured, but thankfully no one got seriously hurt or received a season-ending injury, and so we can enjoy the drama of it all thanks to Rodman’s super-clear stage-production-level enunciation.
“back up” lmao trinity really said get tf out my face pic.twitter.com/iUb8My096R
— ☁️ (@sosowoso) March 4, 2024
We also got the perfect capper on it all, the Truly Baby, which got sent to the staff Slack with the file name TRULY BABY.png. This prince among babies mouthing a (seemingly, hopefully) empty can of Truly hard seltzer, while strapped to the chest of their ebullient guardian and USWNT fan, felt like an encapsulation of all the absurdity of the night in one moment that made everyone go “was that a baby with a can of Truly.”
https://t.co/ThtBpTRcfo pic.twitter.com/ki9MLMXIyQ
— ugh (@838_carlisle) March 4, 2024
📊POLL: Tell us which GIF made your night!
Top Stories
Catarina Macario scores in Chelsea debut
Before the U.S. even took the field on Sunday, the team received some extremely good news. After 641 days, Chelsea and U.S. forward Catarina Macario made her long-awaited return from a knee injury. And what’s more, she marked the occasion with a goal!
Welcome back Catarina Macario pic.twitter.com/bS3eSNyeCm
— Claire Watkins (@ScoutRipley) March 3, 2024
She came off the bench in the 72nd minute in place of Mayra Ramirez. It was the 24-year-old’s first competitive appearance since sustaining an ACL injury in 2022. The goal was the final tally of a 4-0 win over Leicester City, which put Chelsea atop the WSL table, tied on 37 points with Manchester City.
“After 21 months, 641 days, endless hours of rehabilitation, and many many tears later, I’m so overwhelmed with emotions that last night still feels surreal,” Macario wrote on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Sam Kerr pleads not guilty
Another Chelsea player is in the news but not for happy reasons. Sam Kerr has pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment of a police officer, according to prosecutors in Britain. The 30-year-old was charged with the offense on January 21. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said that the charge “relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare on January 30, 2023, in Twickenham.” More updates to come.
Two remaining tickets to Paris
The final two spots in the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics will go to teams from the African Football Confederation.
Germany, Spain, Australia, and Japan all earned their places in the tournament last week. European qualification for the Olympic women’s soccer competition was run through the inaugural Women’s Nations League – a new wrinkle given that European teams had previously secured their place at the Games via the World Cup. Germany defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the third-place playoff last week to earn a spot, joining tournament winners Spain.
Australia, which has competed in the Asian Football Confederation since 2006 due to the lack of competition in the Oceania Football Confederation, confirmed its place at Paris 2024 with a 10-0 win over Uzbekistan to secure a 13-0 aggregate victory. Forward Michelle Heyman scored five goals across the two legs.
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Japan also beat North Korea 2-1 to claim the second AFC qualification spot after the first leg had finished goalless.
The final round of the 2024 CAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament doesn’t take place until April 1 and runs through April 9. Zambia will face Morocco and Nigeria will face South Africa in a two-leg series. The winners will round out the 12-team Olympic group.
Even though two teams won’t yet have qualified, the draw for the tournament at this summer’s Olympics takes place in Paris on March 20.
Full Time First Looks
What’s your why? USL Super League president Amanda Vandervort has seldom taken time to reflect on being the driving force behind it all until a sitdown with The Athletic’s Steph Yang.
All they do is win. The NWSL season is still more than a week away, but reigning league champion Gotham FC has already added to its growing trophy cabinet. Gotham defeated Racing Louisville on Friday to win a preseason tournament and got contributions from a 13-year-old non-roster invitee.
Selling out. Arsenal once again sold out the Emirates Stadium this weekend for the North London Derby against Tottenham. The home team was able to overcome Spurs’ low block in a 1-0 win, keeping their title hopes alive.
A tale of two cities. Manchester City is currently tied on points with Chelsea in the WSL standings, and the team has just signed head coach Gareth Taylor to a three-year contract. Meanwhile, Manchester United, sitting more than 10 points behind the top spot, is in a state of uncertainty amid new ownership. The Athletic’s Charlotte Harpur details a club that missed out on signings, reneged on a verbal deal to keep Alessia Russo, and lacks clarity on budget, strategy, and staff.
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(Top photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)