USA vs. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Date:
Oct. 10, 2018
Venue:
Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
Broadcast:
FS1 & UDN
Kickoff:
7:30 p.m. ET
Tonight’s Starting XI vs. Mexico: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 5-Kelley O’Hara, 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Crystal Dunn; 8-Julie Ertz, 16-Rose Lavelle, 9-Lindsey Horan; 17-Tobin Heath, 13-Alex Morgan (capt.), 15-Megan Rapinoe
Substitutes Available: 2-Emily Sonnett, 3-Samantha Mewis, 6-Morgan Brian, 10-Carli Lloyd, 11-Mallory Pugh, 12-Hailie Mace, 14-Casey Short, 18-Ashlyn Harris, 20-Christen Press
U.S. Team
- U.S. head coach Jill Ellis is starting the same lineup as she put out against Mexico in the opening game of the tournament on Oct. 4. She made nine changes on Oct. 7 against Panama, and Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, Crystal Dunn, Tobin Heath, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe did not see minutes in that second game.
- The USA is 13-0-2 in 2018, with wins against Denmark, Germany, England, Mexico (thrice), China PR (twice), Japan, Brazil, Chile (twice) and Panama; and ties against Australia and France.
- The USA is unbeaten in its last 23 matches (20-0-3), and has outscored its opponents 76-17 through that stretch, scoring in all 23 games.
- All 20 players on the U.S. roster have seen minutes through the first two matches of the tournament. No player has played the total of 180 minutes, but defender Abby Dahlkemper has been on the field the most (167 minutes).
- Seven different players have scored in the tournament thus far, led by Carli Lloyd with three goals. Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe have two each, and Heath, Ertz, Press and Mewis have individual tallies. Six of the 11 goals scored so far have come off set plays.
- Eight players have assists, with Horan and Press having two each.
- Since the start of 2017, six players have been directly involved (goals or assists) in more than 10 goals: Morgan (24), Rapinoe (24), Pugh (14), Press (12), Horan (12) and Lloyd (11).
Starting Lineup
- Alyssa Naeher has 17 career shutouts and will earn cap No. 35 tonight, her 12th in 2018.
- Kelley O’Hara makes her third appearance for the U.S. WNT since the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. She will earn her 110th cap tonight in her sixth start and appearance of 2018.
- Abby Dahlkemper will earn her 26th cap tonight. It will be her 13th appearance and 12th start of 2018.
- Becky Sauerbrunn will earn her 145th cap tonight. Sauerbrunn is in 20th place on the all-time caps list.
- The always versatile Crystal Dunn came off the bench to play outside back against France on March 4 after Casey Short was injured about 30 minutes after coming on as a sub herself and has been playing in that position ever since. Dunn will earn cap No. 71 tonight and make her 11th start of 2018.
- Julie Ertz will earn her 69th cap and has scored 17 international goals, most recently against Mexico on Oct. 4. She is one of four U.S. players to have played in both games to open the tournament.
- Lindsey Horan, who was named the 2018 NWSL MVP, has played in every game for the USA this year. She will make her 13th start tonight and has scored two goals with five assists in 2018.
- Rose Lavelle will earn her 16th career cap tonight and makes her fifth start this year. She has scored three international goals, most recently the game-tying goal vs. Brazil on Aug. 2.
- Tobin Heath will make her sixth start for the U.S. WNT tonight. She has scored 22 career goals, the most recent one against Mexico on Oct. 4. Heath will earn cap No. 140 and is in 22nd place on the USA’s all-time caps list.
- Captaining the USA tonight is Alex Morgan, who comes into the match with 92 goals after scoring her 20th career brace against Mexico on Oct. 4. She will earn her 149th cap. At age 29, she sits in sole possession of seventh place on the USA's all-time goal scoring list and is third all-time in two-goal games (20), behind only Abby Wambach (37) and Mia Hamm (28). With her hat trick against Japan on July 26, the fourth of her career, Morgan is now fourth all-time in multi-goal games (24) behind Abby Wambach (45), Mia Hamm (38) and Michelle Akers (26). She’s scored 19 goals over her last 21 WNT matches. She leads the WNT with 12 goals in 2018. Morgan leads the USA in minutes played with 1,126 this year.
- Megan Rapinoe has scored 40 international goals and is 15th on the all-time goals list. Rapinoe leads the USA with 10 assists on the year and now has 54 for her career, good for seventh place in U.S. all-time. She will earn cap No. 142 tonight and make her 13th start of 2018. Rapinoe's 54 assists in 141 caps is the best ratio of anyone ahead of her on the all-time list except for Hamm, who had a remarkable 147 assists in her 276 caps.