This is a World Cup year in men’s soccer, but with the United States conspicuously absent in Russia this summer, American attention will begin to turn to the Women’s World Cup in France in 14 months.
To get there, the U.S. women’s national team must do what the men impossibly could not: qualify.
With that mission in mind, Coach Jill Ellis and the reigning champions this past week continued building toward the regional competition in the fall with two friendlies over four days against a possible qualifying obstacle, Mexico. On Sunday, the Americans ticked in the attack and overcame defensive miscues for a 6-2 free-for-all victory before 15,349 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.