US women shut out the noise in quest for 5th gold medal
The U.S. women's national soccer team is in a bubble of its own making for the Tokyo Olympics, and it's not just because of coronavirus restrictions. “I think, especially the players that have been through these major tournaments, you figure out how to stay in the best mental headspace and sometimes that’s compartmentalizing, that’s focusing on one thing at a time and trying not to let the noise get into what we like to call the bubble,” defender Becky Sauerbrunn said. The United States, the top-ranked team in the world and the favorite to win, opens against Sweden at Tokyo Stadium.
news.yahoo.comPress, Rapinoe score, US beats Brazil 2-0 in SheBelieves Cup
The United States sits atop the SheBelieves Cup standings with two wins. But not only a goal, the way we played our attack in the first 20 minutes," Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said. It was Press' 10th goal in her last 13 national team games and 59th international goal. Alex Morgan made her first start for the national team since giving birth to daughter Charlie last year. The U.S. beat Canada 1-0 in its SheBelieves Cup opener on Thursday, while Brazil beat rival Argentina 4-1.
Rapinoe, Press among players opting out of NWSL tournament
U.S. national team players Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath and Christen Press have opted out of the National Women's Soccer League tournament kicking off this weekend in Utah. Heath and Press, who played with Rapinoe on the champion World Cup team last summer in France, cited concerns about the coronavirus for their decisions not to play. Among the national team players taking part in the tournament are Chicago's Julie Ertz, U.S. Soccer's Player of the Year, and teammate Alyssa Naeher, North Carolina's Crystal Dunn and Portland's Becky Sauerbrunn. The league was rocked by the announcement Monday that the Orlando Pride were dropping out of the tournament after six players and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Like all NWSL players, she was given the option to participate.