ST. LOUIS — About 2½ hours before the U.S. women’s national soccer team defeated Ireland, 1-0, on Tuesday night in its penultimate test before the World Cup, the FIFA trophy coveted by 32 teams competing in Australia and New Zealand this summer went on display on CityPark’s east plaza.
As part of a five-month world tour, it also was brought onto the field at halftime. It’s a seductive prize the Americans have hoisted a record four times. And it was a reminder that the spectacle is drawing near — Tuesday marked 100 days until the top-ranked U.