The seventh edition of the SheBelieves Cup gets underway this week, and the U.S. women’s national team are set to square off against the Czech Republic on Thursday in Carson, California. The match is the first of the round-robin style tournament hosted by the United States. The 2022 version will also feature New Zealand and Iceland. This will be only the second meeting between the USWNT and Czech Republic and their first meeting since 2000.
Here’s how you can watch the match and what to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Thursday, February 17 | Time: 11 p.m. ET
- Location: Dignity Health Sports Park — Carson, California
- TV channel: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Storylines
USWNT: The team will take the pitch for the first time in 2022 after a January camp that featured no international friendlies. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has kept a young group in national team camps for a few months now, with several players in the mix. The coach has referred to these games as an opportunity to evaluate more players in the USWNT pool, including a forward core that includes Margaret Purce, Lynn Williams, Mallory Pugh, Ashley Hatch, and Trinity Rodman. Rodman was originally a training camp player, but was added to the full roster after Lindsey Horan withdrew due to injury.
Czech Republic: Head coach Karel Rada also has a young roster for the SheBelieves Cup. The Czech are making their debut in the tournament, and are currently in third place in their group for UEFA Women’s World Cup qualifying. Look for 25-year-old forward Kateřina Svitková to play a role in the attack. The West Ham United striker has has 21 goals in just 47 caps at the international level.
USWNT vs. Czech Republic prediction
The first games of the year combined with a younger squad will mean more time to develop on the pitch, but USA will still score goals and pick up the win. Pick: USWNT 3, Czech Republic 0
