Written by Stephen Goff at WashingtonPost.com
The U.S. women’s national soccer team qualified for the Olympics on Friday by claiming one of the region’s two berths. But to adequately prepare for the Summer Games, the Americans understood long ago the need to face heftier competition before arriving in Brazil.
The CONCACAF qualifying tournament was no more than a nuisance for the world champions, who swept five matches by a 23-0 margin.
With their Olympic place already assured, the Americans claimed regional bragging rights Sunday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston with a 2-0 victory over Canada, the only other world-class team in the eight-nation event. (Canada also advanced.)
Lindsey Horan scored on a 53rd-minute header and Tobin Heath added a 15-yard strike eight minutes later for the United States.
Before the qualifying tournament began Feb. 10, though, the U.S. Soccer Federation was already looking ahead. It organized the SheBelieves Cup, March 3-9, involving four of the top five teams in the FIFA rankings: the United States, Germany, France and England. The only absence is fourth-ranked Japan. Tampa, Nashville and Boca Raton, Fla., will stage doubleheaders.
One month later, the Americans will play two friendlies against Colombia, their round-of-16 foe at last year’s World Cup. The first meeting is April 6 in East Hartford, Conn.; the date and site of the second game are being finalized. Two additional matches are planned in early June and perhaps more ahead of the Olympics.
Since the introduction of major international women’s tournaments 25 years ago, no reigning World Cup champion has won the Olympic title the following summer.
“How do we do that? We bring in some of the best teams in the world to prep us,” U.S. Coach Jill Ellis said.
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