Shannon Boxx has vivid memories of the last women's World Cup. And not just because the U.S. lost.
Rather, it was how the Americans lost that proved impossible to forget, with the U.S. twice blowing one-goal leads before falling to Japan on penalty kicks.
"We were so close," Boxx said, drawing out the final word. "It took me months to get over that one. You're seeing every single person that was in that one saying we need to win this one."
The U.S. will get started on that Monday when it meets Australia in the first of its three group-play games before a largely pro-U.