Hello! As the Gold Cup and Club World Cup near their conclusions, a significant tournament is set to begin this Wednesday in Switzerland: the Women`s Euros, featuring 16 of Europe`s top national teams. It`s a packed week in the soccer world, highlighted by the U.S. women`s national team`s important friendly match against Canada on Wednesday. The summer of soccer shows no sign of slowing down.
Upcoming Matches
Wednesday, July 2 (U.S./Eastern)
- Women`s Euro: Iceland vs. Finland, 12 p.m. – Fox
- Women`s Euro: Switzerland vs. Norway, 3 p.m. – Fox
- Gold Cup: USMNT vs. Guatemala, 7 p.m. – FS1
- Women`s friendly: USWNT vs. Canada, 7:30 p.m. – TNT
- Gold Cup: Mexico vs. Honduras, 10 p.m. – FS1
Thursday, July 3 (U.S./Eastern)
- Women`s Euro: Belgium vs. Italy, 12 p.m. – FS1
- Women`s Euro: Spain vs. Portugal, 3 p.m. – Fox
- MLS: New York City FC vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. – MLS Season Pass
Key Moments for USMNT and USWNT
The U.S. men`s national team takes center stage in the country`s busy soccer schedule this Wednesday as they face Guatemala in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals. While history and predictions favor Mauricio Pochettino`s squad, this edition of the Gold Cup has been marked by surprising results, offering the USMNT a real opportunity to make a statement in St. Louis.
The USMNT reached the semifinals through a challenging path, securing a penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica on Sunday in the quarterfinals. This demanding match can be seen as the first truly gritty and significant win of Pochettino`s tenure with the national team. He has entrusted the pursuit of the USMNT`s first Gold Cup title in four years to a youthful roster. Several of these inexperienced players are now strongly asserting their value, with Malik Tillman, set to join Bayer Leverkusen, standing out. In Sunday`s game, goalkeeper Matt Freese, defender Max Arfsten, and midfielder Diego Luna also demonstrated their capabilities.
Heading into the semifinals, the primary challenge for the USMNT is converting the positives from Sunday`s performance into genuine forward momentum and fostering optimism after a year of underwhelming results. This process also involves individual players striving to secure regular spots on the main team roster when it regroups later this year, with an ultimate focus on the next World Cup squad.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., the U.S. women`s national team is engaged in a similar phase of player assessment during their match against Canada, though the stakes are different. Head coach Emma Hayes has designated this friendly as the culmination of her extensive evaluation of the wider USWNT player pool. This provides a final chance for a group of younger players to impress before Hayes concentrates on building team chemistry over the next two years in preparation for the Women`s World Cup. The head coach will have numerous strong options across various positions. A particular point of interest is the competition to potentially succeed Alyssa Naeher as the USWNT`s primary goalkeeper. Mandy McGlynn and Claudia Dickey each started games recently against Ireland, and Angelina Anderson is also part of the goalkeeper group for this camp.
Tournament Updates: Women`s Euros and Club World Cup
Women`s Euros Kick Off
The summer of major international tournaments ramps up on Wednesday with the commencement of the Women`s Euros. This event is expected to further showcase the growing strength of women`s soccer in the region. The competition features several teams with a realistic chance at the title. Reigning world champions Spain are contenders looking to win the tournament for the first time and build on their World Cup success two years prior. A revitalized Germany aims to improve upon their bronze medal performance at the last Olympics. However, some observers, like Sandra Herrera, believe England is the team to beat, placing them at the top of pre-tournament power rankings.
- As Herrera notes: “Led by head coach Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses are the defending champions and rightfully the top-ranked team heading into the tournament. Despite the international retirements of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, and Millie Bright`s withdrawal, a significant core from the 2022 championship squad remains capable of another deep run. While there are questions in the goalkeeping position, it also presents an opportunity for Hannah Hampton to excel.”
The tournament will highlight both Europe`s leading teams and its best players, including established stars and those poised for breakout performances. This is particularly true for Spain, who still boast Ballon d`Or winner Aitana Bonmati, although her availability at the start of the tournament is uncertain following an illness. Spain still possesses formidable attacking talent capable of performing well early on, even without Bonmati directing play. Esther Gonzalez, in form and based in the NWSL, is a goal-scoring option, while rising talent Claudia Pina is considered a prime candidate to become the sport`s next major star with a strong showing in Switzerland.
Club World Cup Quarterfinals Set
While there is considerable action in Switzerland and the U.S., the Club World Cup will pause for a few days after confirming its quarterfinalists. Real Madrid secured their spot in the last eight on Tuesday with a 1-0 victory over Juventus. They are set to face Borussia Dortmund in a rematch of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, after the German side defeated Monterrey 2-1 later that day. The anticipated matchup between the Bellingham brothers will have to wait, as Dortmund`s Jobe is suspended for Saturday`s quarterfinal, leaving only Real Madrid`s Jude available.
The most notable surprises of the competition so far occurred on Monday. First, Fluminense earned a 2-0 win over Inter, an upset that seemed likely given Inter`s inconsistent form in recent months and Fluminense representing one of two remaining Brazilian teams, who have historically performed well in the tournament. However, nothing was quite as surprising as Al-Hilal`s thrilling 4-3 extra-time victory over Manchester City. Despite City`s dominance with 30 shots, defensive errors cost them. Al-Hilal is now the only team from outside Europe or South America left in the competition.
Dominic Ashworth