The U.S. women are set to play Mexico Saturday for the first of two meetings in a week. (Photo Courtesy Michelle Morrison, The Soccer Desk)
The United States women’s national team hosts Mexico on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, for the first of two meetings in less than a week. The matches are the final two for the United States before World Cup qualifying in October, where the Americans could see Mexico again in a semifinal or final.
Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., will serve as the venue for the second match on Thursday.
Mexico’s lone win in 29 games (1-27-1) against the U.S. came in qualifying in 2010, when a semifinal upset nearly cost world No. 1 a spot at the 2011 World Cup. Most recently, however, Mexico lost 7-0 to the U.S. in September 2013.
U.S. coach Jill Ellis will be using the matches and training sessions as a way to evaluate her squad for the qualifying campaign. Ellis will have to trim the current 28-player roster down to 20 for October’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
Just like these two friendly matches, that World Cup qualifying tournament takes place on home soil, where the U.S. is on a record 85-game home unbeaten streak (74-0-11 since Nov. 6, 2004). The most watched record on Saturday, however, could be the one in net. Goalkeeper Hope Solo, who is facing domestic violence charges from an alleged incident in July, is one shutout away from standing alone atop the U.S. history books. She is currently tied with Briana Scurry with 71 all-time shutouts.
Mexico enters the match carrying some injuries, but looking to improve ahead of World Cup qualifying. Las Tri were drawn into Group B with Costa Rica, Jamaica and Martinique.
Kickoff Saturday is 9:30 p.m. ET, with the match streamed on ussoccer.com.
