After two clean-sheet victories to open up the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the United States will try for a third win and a Group A title against Costa Rica in Houston on Monday at 8:30 ET (FS1, TUDN).
The group winner will earn a semifinal match-up against the Group B runners-up at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Feb. 7. While the USA and Costa Rica took full points from the two matches, the Americans sit in first place on goal difference. Costa Rica defeated Panama, 6-1, and Haiti 2-0, to get to this Group A title match.
The Americans will meet either Mexico or Canada in the semifinals, depending on how those teams finish in Group B.
The USA is riding a 25-game unbeaten streak and has scored two or more goals in 22 of those games.
The teams most recently met in the final game of 2019 in Jacksonville, a 6-0 U.S. win on goals from Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Lynn Williams (two) Christen Press and an own goal that was created by Margaret Purce. The USA out shot Costa Rica 17-6 in that match.
The USA has faced Costa Rica more times than any other Concacaf foe besides Canada and Mexico.
The USWNT is 15-0-0 all-time vs. the Central Americans and before the match at the end of last year.
U.S. roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 12-Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 3/0), 18-Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 25/0), 1-Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 58/0)
DEFENDERS (6): 7-Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage; 55/0), 19-Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage; 98/24), 11-Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 105/1), 5-Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 126/2), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 173/0), 2-Emily Sonnett (Orlando Pride; 42/0)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 8-Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 96/19), 9-Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 80/16), 16-Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 40/11), 3-Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage; 61/14), 6-Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 16/0)
FORWARDS (6): 17-Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 163/33), 10-Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 289/122), 14-Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage; 15/3), 20-Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 132/53), 15-Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC; 162/50), 13-Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage; 23/8)
Costa Rica roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Noelia Bermudez (Codea), 13-Dinnia Diaz (Saprissa), 18-Priscilla Tapia (Herediano)
DEFENDERS (8): 2-Gabriela Guillen (Saprissa), 3-Maria Paula Coto (Herediano), 4-Mariana Benavides (Herediano), 5-Fabiola Sanchez (Codea), 6-Carol Sanchez (Herediano), 8-Daniela Cruz (Espanyol, ESP), 12-Lixy Rodriguez (Codea), 15-Stephannie Blanco (Codea)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 9-Gloriana Villalobos (Saprissa), 10-Shirley Cruz (Codea), 11-Raquel Rodriguez (Portland Thorns FC, USA), 16-Katherine Alvarado (Espanyol, ESP), 20-Raquel Chacon (Codea)
FORWARDS (4): 7-Melissa Herrera (Stade Reims, FRA), 14-Priscila Chinchilla (Codea), 17-Maria Paula Salas (Codea), 19-Jazmin Elizondo (Herediano)
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