Youth was the theme for the United States women’s national team in its opening match of the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday.
Of the 11 players to start Thursday’s opening match against the Czech Republic, only four of those players were over the age of 25. Three of those players under 25 were players that are surely to feature for the USWNT for a long time, such as Mallory Pugh and Catarina Macario. Another player who didn’t start, but eventually came in during the second half was Trinity Rodman. All those players flashed their potential on the field at Dignity Health Sports Park, but the goals did not show on Thursday, and the US had to settle for a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic.
“It’s a young and talented roster,” defender Becky Sauerbrunn said. “It’s going to tame some time to gel and make sure everyone is on the same page, that does not happen overnight.”
The chances came flying for the US from the start, but the Czechs would not break. Early in the match, Pugh dribbled into the penalty area and took a shot on goal, but keeper Barbora Voitkova got enough of her fingertips to sent the ball over the end line. In the 27th minute, Macario pounced on a bad touch by Kamila Dubcova, dribbled into the penalty area and fired a shot for the near post, but Votíková parried the ball over the end line conceding a corner. Pugh sent the corner into the penalty area, right to an unmarked Andi Sullivan, but her header went over the framework.
The second half saw the debut of Trinity Rodman, who came in for Pugh in the 60th minute. Rodman got her first scoring chance in the 68th minute when Kristie Mewis played Rodman into the penalty area, but her first shot as a member of the US team was saved by Viotkova. Rodman got another chance in the 73rd minute, as Emily Sonnett crossed into the penalty area and Rodman headed a shot on goal, but Voitkova again made the save.
“As the game went on, the wave of the attack got more and more relentless,” Sauerbrunn said. “We were creating a lot of chances and we created even more chances in the second half, which means we were solving something.”
A milestone was reached on Thursday night, as Sauerbrunn became just the 12th player in USWNT history history to earn 200 caps.
“I didn’t know if I was going to get one cap let alone 200,” Sauerbrunn said of the accomplishment. “For me the 200 has been about the journey, and the journey has been wild, and its been tough, but its been so rewarding.”
The USWNT will resume the SheBelieves Cup on Sunday when they face New Zealand on Sunday, also at Dignity Health Sports Park.
