The U.S. women's national team faces Australia in the final match of group play in Japan.
The U.S. women's national soccer team wraps up group play at the Olympics by facing Australia in Kashima, Japan, on Tuesday.
The USWNT bounced back from a 3–0 defeat to Sweden by drubbing New Zealand 6–1 to claim its first three points in the competition. All it needs to guarantee itself of a second-place finish in the group is a draw, while a win would only send the U.S. to the top of the group if Sweden loses to New Zealand (and blows a goal-differential edge of +3) in the simultaneous group finale.
The U.S. dominates the all-time meetings between the two sides, carrying a 26-1-3 record against the Matildas into the match, though they've gone 1-1-1 in their last three meetings.
How to Watch:
Time: 4 a.m. ET
TV Channel: USA Network, Telemundo
Live Stream: You can stream the match on fuboTV. Sign up now for a free seven-day trial.
Lineups:
USWNT XI: Naeher; O’Hara, Sauerbrunn, Davidson, Dunn; Ertz, Lavelle, Mewis; Press, Morgan, Rapinoe.
Australia XI: Micah; Kennedy, Polkinghorne, Carpenter, Logarzo; Catley, van Egmond, Yallop, Kerr; Simon, Foord.
The U.S. had its 44-match unbeaten streak snapped by Sweden but started a new run against New Zealand thanks to two own goals and strikes from Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan and Christen Press. Perhaps of more significance to the U.S. is that midfield linchpin Julie Ertz played the entire match as she continues her return from a May knee injury that sidelined her for two months.
The U.S. defense will have to be wary of star Australia striker Sam Kerr, who scored twice vs. Sweden in a 4–2 defeat—a match in which the Aussies held a 2–1 lead. Kerr also scored a goal and assisted on another in Australia's 2–1 win over New Zealand to open play in the competition.
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