USWNT vs. Czech Republic – 2022 SheBelieves Cup, Presented by Visa
Date: February 17, 2022
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, Calif.
Broadcast: ESPN, TUDN
Broadcast Time: 8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET
Official Kickoff Time: 8:08 p.m. PT / 11:08 p.m. ET
Starting XI vs. Czech Republic: 18-Casey Murphy, 5-Kelley O’Hara (Capt.), 6-Morgan Gautrat, 9-Mallory Pugh, 11-Sophia Smith, 12-Tierna Davidson, 15-Alana Cook, 16-Rose Lavelle, 17-Andi Sullivan, 19-Emily Fox, 20-Catarina Macario
Available Subs: 1-Alyssa Naeher, 2-Trinity Rodman, 3-Lynn Williams, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 7-Ashley Hatch, 8-Sofia Huerta, 10-Jaelin Howell, 13-Ashely Sanchez, 14-Emily Sonnett, 21-Aubrey Kingsbury, 22-Kristie Mewis, 23-Margaret Purce
GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW – CZECH REPUBLIC
- USWNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): O’Hara (149), Gautrat (88), Lavelle (69), Pugh (68), Davidson (46), Sullivan (23), Macario (13), Smith (11), Fox (9), Cook (5), Murphy (3).
- The average age of the Starting XI is 25.55 years and is the youngest starting lineup to feature for the USA since April 5, 2018, when the USWNT’s lineup against Mexico averaged 25.2 years and the second-youngest Starting XI the USA has ever used at the SheBelieves Cup.
- The starting lineup averages 43 caps per player with O’Hara (149) by far the most experienced player in the Starting XI with Gautrat (88) the next most-capped in the lineup. Five players – Macario (13), Smith (11), Fox (9), Cook (5) and Murphy (3) – have fewer than 15 caps.
- Defender Kelley O’Hara will captain the U.S. for just the second time in her career – and first since her 100th cap celebration match in 2017 – as she is set to make her 149th international appearance for the USWNT. O’Hara has nearly three times as many caps as the rest of the starting back line and will become the first player to play in every edition of the SheBelieves Cup, having now appeared in the tournament every year since its inception in 2016.
- Goalkeeper Casey Murphy will earn her third cap as she makes her third consecutive start for the USWNT. The 25-year-old Murphy made her USWNT debut on Nov. 27 in the USA’s 3-0 win over Australia in Sydney, putting in a stellar eight-save performance as she became just the seventh goalkeeper in USWNT history to earn a clean sheet in her first cap.
- Morgan Gautrat (formerly Brian) will earn her 88th cap as she makes her first appearance for the USWNT since November 10, 2019, when she started, played 63 minutes and scored in the USA’s 6-0 win over Costa Rica. This will be her first match for the USWNT in 830 days and Gautrat’s first cap playing under her married name.
- Mallory Pugh will earn her 68th career cap as she makes her fourth start for the USA since September of 2021. Pugh is tied with Rose Lavelle for the most goals by any player on the USA’s SheBelieves Cup roster with 18 career international goals to go along with 20 assists. Her last goal for the USA came on October 3, 2019, when she scored in the 76th minute vs. Korea Republic.
- Sophia Smith will earn her 11th cap as she makes her third career start for the USWNT and first since October 26, 2021 against Korea Republic. The 21-year-old Smith is the youngest player in this starting lineup and has one goal in her previous 10 caps, which came in her first career start against Paraguay on September 21 in Cincinnati.
- Tierna Davidson will make her ninth consecutive start as she earns her 46th cap overall for the USWNT. At 23 years of age, Davidson is the third-youngest player in this starting lineup but has the fifth-most caps and has played all but 47 minutes for the USWNT over its last eight games, dating back to the Olympic semifinal match vs. Canada.
- Alana Cook will earn her fifth cap for the USA as she makes her SheBelieves Cup debut. Cook, who will be making a third consecutive match for the USWNT at center back alongside her former collegiate teammate Davidson, has played the full 90 minutes in each of her previous four caps, helping the USA to three clean sheets.
- Rose Lavelle will be appearing in her fifth SheBelieves Cup, having made her international debut at the tournament in 2017. Lavelle is set to earn her 69th cap and is coming off a strong 2021 campaign in which she registered career-highs in games played (22), minutes (1,411), goals (5) and assists (5).
- Andi Sullivan will earn her 23rd cap in what will be her sixth start in the USWNT’s last seven games. Sullivan, who appeared in just one match in 2020, made six appearances for the USA in 2021 with five starts, during which she tallied two goals and one assists. This will be Sullivan’s first appearance – and first start – at the SheBelieves Cup since 2018.
- Emily Fox is set to make her third consecutive start and earn her ninth cap overall for the USWNT. Fox, who was named the Woman of the Match in the USA’s 1-1 draw against Australia to close out the 2021 campaign, will be making her SheBelieves Cup debut as she builds upon a strong 2021 in which she made five appearances for the USWNT.
- Catarina Macario will be making her 13th appearance and seventh career start for the USWNT. The 22-year-old Macario started the USA’s opener at the 2021 SheBelieves Cup against Canada and has three goals and one assist in her 12 appearances in 2021.
