Concacaf W Championship – Semifinal: USA vs. Costa Rica
Date: July 14, 2022
Venue:Estadio Universitario; Monterrey, Mexico
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, ViX
Broadcast Time: 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT
Official Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT
Starting XI vs. Mexico: 18-Casey Murphy; 3-Alana Cook, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (Capt.), 8-Sofia Huerta, 9-Mallory Pugh, 10-Lindsey Horan, 11-Sophia Smith, 13-Alex Morgan, 14-Emily Sonnett, 16-Rose Lavelle, 17-Andi Sullivan
Available Subs: 1-Alyssa Naeher, 2-Ashley Sanchez, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 6-Trinity Rodman, 12-Naomi Girma, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 20-Taylor Kornieck, 21-Aubrey Kingsbury, 22-Kristie Mewis, 23-Midge Purce, 24-Sam Coffey
Not Available: Emily Fox
GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW – COSTA RICA
- USWNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Sauerbrunn (206), Morgan (195), Horan (115), Pugh (77), Lavelle (77), Sonnett (69), Sullivan (31), Smith (20), Huerta (18), Cook (13), Murphy (8)
- The starting lineup against Costa Rica features four different players from the XI that started the final match of the group stage against Mexico: Cook and Huerta on defense for Girma and O’Hara, Lavelle in the midfield for Sanchez and Pugh on the attack in place of Purce.
- Horan and Smith will now have started every game for the USA at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship.
- This starting lineup averages 28 years of age and 74 caps per player, with three players – Sauerbrunn, Morgan and Horan – at over 100 caps and four – Smith, Huerta, Cook and Murphy – with 20 caps or fewer.
- Tonight’s starting XI vs. Costa Rica features just two players for saw time in the USA’s most recent match against Costa Rica during the final group stage match of 2020 Olympic Qualifying – Emily Sonnett, who started and played the full 90 minutes on defense, and Lindsey Horan, who scored in the victory.
- Defender and team captain Becky Sauerbrunn will move into a tie with Tiffeny Milbrett for ninth on the USA’s all-time cap list as she makes her 206th international appearance. Sauerbrunn, who captained the team and played the full 90 minutes in the group stage victories over Haiti and Mexico, is the most-capped player in USWNT history to have played exclusively as a defender.
- Goalkeeper Casey Murphy will make her third start of the Concacaf W Championship as she earns her eighth cap overall for the USA. Murphy has six shutouts in her previous seven caps, including clean sheets this tournament against Haiti and Mexico.
- Alana Cook returns to the USA lineup to make her third start of the Concacaf W Championship in what will be her 13th international appearance for the USA. Cook, who made her international debut against Costa Rica on November 10, 2019, played all 180 minutes of the USA’s first two group stage matches against Haiti and Jamaica before getting a well-deserved rest against Mexico.
- Sofia Huerta will make her second start of the Concacaf W Championship as she makes her 18th international appearance for the USA. Huerta, who will now have seen action in all four games at the Concacaf W Championship, has two assists in 2022 and has also helped create two own goals.
- Forward Mallory Pugh will make her third start of the Concacaf W Championship after getting a well-earned rest in the third group stage match vs. Mexico. Pugh leads the USA with seven assists in 2022, two of which have come this tournament and is set to earn her 77th career cap in tonight’s match against Costa Rica.
- Lindsey Horan will make her fourth consecutive start of the Concacaf W Championship as she earns her 115th international appearance. Horan, who led the USA in scoring with six goals at the 2020 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Tournament, has eight goals and eight assists in 17 career appearances in Concacaf Qualifying matches.
- Sophia Smith will earn her 20th cap as she makes her team-leading 10th start of 2022. Smith also leads the USWNT in scoring with seven goals on the year and tallied a brace within the first eight minutes of the USA’s 5-0 victory over Jamaica on July 7.
- After scoring a brace in the USA’s opening match against Haiti, Alex Morgan will make her third start of this tournament as she makes her 195th international appearance, moving into a tie with Shannon Boxx for 13th on the USA’s all-time caps list. The brace against Haiti marked Morgan’s 29th career multi-goal game, third best in U.S. history. She has now scored 21 goals in 22 career qualifying appearances for the USWNT, third-most in USA history.
- Emily Sonnett will make a second consecutive start at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship as she earns her 69th career cap. Sonnett started and played the full 90 minutes in the July 11 win over Mexico, and played a key role in the USA’s goal in the 89th minute with the initial header which sparked a rebound for Kristie Mewis to follow up and finish.
- Midfielder Rose Lavelle will make her third start and fourth appearance overall this tournament as she earns her 77th cap for the USA. Lavelle scored the USA’s third goal in the 5-0 victory over Jamaica on July 7 for her third goal of the year and sixth career goal for the USA in a World Cup or Olympic Qualifying match. She has been directly involved in eight goals in the USA’s last eight matches, tallying three goals and adding five assists.
- Andi Sullivan will earn her 31st career cap as she makes her third start of the Concacaf W Championship. Sullivan is third overall on the USWNT this year in total minutes played with 589 and will be making her ninth start of 2022.
- Defender Emily Fox remains in COVID protocols and is unavailable for selection.
