Floridians will join soccer fans across America this evening when the U.S. women's national soccer team begins its quest for a third World Cup championship. It's U.S. vs. Australia, first game for both teams. USA is ranked No. 2 after Germany; The Matildas of Australia are No. 10.
Hundreds of rabid U.S. fans from the group American Outlaws and thousands of others wearing red, white and blue are expected to pack the stadium for the Group D opener in Winnipeg. One of the biggest questions is the health of the U.S. squad. The team has been hobbled by injuries to several key players, including forward Alex Morgan and midfielder Megan Rapinoe. Still, the U.S. team is deep and the coaches have tinkered with various starting lineups over the past few games.
Those aren't the only issues swirling around the team. At a pregame news conference on Sunday, questions surfaced again about star goalkeeper Hope Solo. Solo is widely considered the best goalkeeper in the world and, arguably, of all time. But she has been dogged by brushes with the law, and over the years some teammates have been frustrated by the distractions. U.S. head coach Jill Ellis says she's standing by Solo despite media reports that surfaced this weekend detailing the goalkeeper's demeanor during a domestic violence arrest last summer.
"That was a long time ago. We've moved on," Ellis told reporters.
Even if the latest drama in the Solo saga spills onto the field, Australia won't have much of an upper hand. The Americans have played the Aussies 24 times -- and never lost (beating them 22 times and tying twice). One reason for that success is forward Abby Wambach, a University of Florida alum. She has scored the most goals of any woman in international play, with 182.
Another player to watch on the U.S. squad is Julie Johnston, playing in her first World Cup. At 23, she's the second-youngest on the team and has appeared in only nine international games. But U.S. team coach Jill Ellis calls her a warrior and says she brings fire to the defensive line, sometimes going on 60-yard runs up the field.
The last time the U.S. won the World Cup was 1999. The march to a third victory begins tonight at 7:30 ET. If you can get away, get to a sports bar, get home quickly or record the match for later, watch it on Fox Sports 1.
