USA vs. Portugal
Date: Sept. 3, 2019
Venue: Allianz Field; St. Paul, Minnesota
Broadcast: ESPN2, ESPN App
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT
Starting XI vs. Portugal: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 14-Emily Sonnett, 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Crystal Dunn;8-Julie Ertz, 6-Morgan Brian, 3-Samantha Mewis; 17-Tobin Heath, 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 22-Jessica McDonald
Subs: 2-Mallory Pugh, 9-Lindsey Horan, 12-Tierna Davidson, 20-Allie Long, 21-Adrianna Franch, 23-Christen Press, 25-Kristen Hamilton, 26-Casey Short
Not available: 5-Kelley O’Hara, 13-Alex Morgan, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Rose Lavelle
Starting Lineup:
- Alyssa Naeher has 29 career shutouts in her 54 caps, including a shutout in the World Cup Final, becoming the fifth goalkeeper to earn a shutout in a Women’s World Cup Final. She will earn cap No. 55 tonight and will move past Nicole Barnhart to become the third-most capped goalkeeper in U.S. history.
- Emily Sonnett will earn her 37th cap tonight in what will be her fifth start of 2019. She has two assists so far this year. She played all 90 minutes vs. Portugal on Aug. 29.
- Abby Dahlkemper earns cap No. 50 today in what will be her 20th appearance and 19th start this year. She has played the most minutes of anybody on the team and becomes the 59th player to play 50 or more times for the U.S. WNT.
- Becky Sauerbrunn will earn cap No. 167today and makes her 18th appearance of the year.
- Crystal Dunn has 24 international goals but has not scored this year since she has played primarily as a right back. Tonight, she will earn cap No. 94.
- Julie Ertz will earn her 91st cap today. She currently has 19 international goals, the most recent coming against Chile on June 16, which was her first World Cup goal.
- Morgan Brian will make her fourth start of 2019. She earns cap No. 85 today. She has scored seven international goals, her most recent coming against Portugal on Aug. 29.
- Samantha Mewis will earn cap No. 59 tonight. She has 14 career goals and six goals this year after eight in her first 43 matches for the WNT.
- Tobin Heath has 32 career international goals – most recently scoring against Portugal on Aug. 29 – and a total of 14 goals in her last 26 matches and 12 in her last 21. She will earn cap No. 159 today.
- Carli Lloyd will captain the USA today and will be making her fifth start this year. She has scored 10 goals in 2019, most on the team this year.
- Jessica McDonald’s first international score and start came against Portugal on Nov. 8, 2018. She will earn her 11th cap tonight in her second career start. Her long-distance throw-in set up Carli Lloyd’s goal on Aug. 29 vs. Portugal.
- Four players – Kelley O’Hara, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle are not available due to injuries and Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger will miss this match due to personal commitments.
- There are two players on the roster who were not a part of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions in defender Casey Short and uncapped forward Kristen Hamilton, both of whom were added to the roster on Aug. 26 due to the injuries to 2019 World Cup Team players.
- If the USA wins tonight, Jill Ellis will tie the late great Tony DiCicco for most wins all-time in U.S. WNT history at 105.
- With one more goal, Christen Press will become 12th American female player to score 50 or more international goals. Megan Rapinoe was the 11th, getting her 50th in the 2019 WWC Final.
