The heat was on for the US women’s soccer team’s final tune-up before the Paris Olympics, with sweltering temperatures in the air and plenty of chances to score.
The goals did not come in a 0-0 draw against Costa Rica on Tuesday night, just the second time – and first since 2015 – the US did not win its last game before a major tournament. But the match showed the Americans could handle the kind of high temperatures that could await later this month.
“The last two games have been insane,” defender Casey Krueger said, referring to back-to-back friendlies before the team’s cross-Atlantic flight. “I feel like this is going to be even hotter, so if we can play in this, it gives us confidence going into France, for sure.”
It was 98F (37C) at kickoff after Washington tied the hottest day on record in the nation’s capital at 104F (40C) hours earlier. It was still 94F (35C) when the match was over.
Coach Emma Hayes figured it would be a nice test for her players, given the forecast for nearly this level of heat during upcoming games in Marseilles later this month.
“That’s added value,” Hayes said Monday. “It’s perfect preparation. It’s pretty hot down there, so this is a great opportunity for us to experience what we’re going to face.”
It played a role in Rose Lavelle being a precautionary late scratch because of leg tightness in warmups.
“No risks,” Hayes said afterward. “She was a bit tight in her groin and I took no risks. … I want to go into the Olympics with everybody available.”
Korbin Albert replaced Lavelle in the starting lineup in the game taking place on a worn-down field torn up by recent football, soccer and rugby matches and attended by 18,972 fans. Players either criticized the field or offered up no comment.
“The corners, there’s no secret that it was definitely like I was kicking into dirt,” forward Mallory Swanson said. “It was fine. Sometimes that’s just the way it is going to be, and I think this team has always overcome adversity.”
The US generated plenty of chances throughout – 26 shots total and 12 on goal – and was repeatedly denied by Costa Rica goaltender Noelia Bermúdez, who was arguably one of the best players on the field.
Costa Rica, who did not qualify for the Olympics, sat back often and had no shots on goal with just two attempts while the US were consistently on the attack.
After a ceremony involving friends and family members following the Americans’ ‘Send-Off Match’, they are set to fly to Paris on Wednesday and play their Olympic opener on 25 July against Zambia in Nice. Games in Marseille on 28 July against Germany and 31 July in Australia wrap up group play as the Americans look to improve on their bronze medal result in Tokyo three years ago.
Hayes, who has only been coaching the US since late May, was proud of the possession domination in a 1-0 victory Sunday against Mexico in New Jersey, but said Monday it was about “doing more with it”. Much of the same followed Tuesday versus Costa Rica, including a couple of would-be goals called off for offside and a few missed opportunities on corners and off the rush.
“I’d rather it now than at the Olympics,” captain Lindsey Horan said. “We’re going to keep working, and I know these opportunities are going to come and we’re going to finish them off come the next game.”
With a mostly young, inexperienced roster, Hayes also wanted to get as many players into the game as possible. She made four substitutions at the 67-minute mark and one other late to help those efforts.
