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SPORTS Thursday 26 July 2018
U.S. women view Tournament of Nations as World Cup tuneup

By DAVE SKRETTA The Americans counter
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — with a talented if unsettled
Amy Rodriguez and Becky roster due largely to injuries.
Sauerbrunn arrived in Kan- Sauerbrunn missed some
sas City this week with their time to injury earlier this
focus somewhat split. year, while Tobin Heath,
The veterans of the U.S. Rose Lavelle, Samantha
women's national team un- Mewis, Julie Ertz and Mor-
derstand the importance of gan Brian likewise made
the four-team Tournament the roster after missing time
of Nations, which begins to injury. Mallory Pugh is
with a match against Ja- out until at least August,
pan on Thursday night. And though, after the winger
they surely remember los- sustained a knee injury dur-
ing to Australia in the event ing the National Women's
last year — the last time the Soccer League season.
squad was defeated in any Defender Kelley O'Hara re-
competition. mains out with a hamstring
But the national team stal- injury. "We have to remem-
warts also understand that ber we followed winning
qualifying for next year's the World Cup by getting
World Cup looms in Oc- one of the worst results in
tober. And after their de- the Olympics," said Sauerb-
bacle at the Rio Olympics, runn, part of the team that
they want to avoid any em- failed to escape group play
barrassment in that event. at the 2016 Rio Games.
"That's the big thing for us," "I think that lit a flame un-
said Rodriguez, part of two der us," she said, "because
Olympic championship we never want to feel like
teams and the 2015 squad that. The best thing about
that beat Japan in the this team is we've never
World Cup final. "We're go- rested on our laurels. We've
ing to take this tournament always tried to push that
as a preparation for quali- bar higher and higher, and
fiers, because that's the big In this Sept. 15, 2017, file photo, United States defender Becky Sauerbrunn plays the ball against that's what we've been do-
tournament coming up." New Zealand during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Commerce City, ing the last couple years."
If that's the case, someone Colo. Indeed, the Americans
ought to let Jill Ellis know. Associated Press have been downright dom-
The national team coach inant since Australia sprang
has spent months con- teams — the U.S., Japan, we march toward qualifi- the world's top scorers in a 1-0 upset in the opener of
sidering the various roster Australia and Brazil — are ers, that's important." Aussie standout Samantha the Tournament of Nations
permutations available to ranked in the world's top The U.S. will also play a pair Kerr and Brazilian phenom last year. They rallied to
her, and she came up with 10. "We want to come of friendlies against Chile Marta. The Matildas also beat Brazil and routed Ja-
a blend of old and new and win this tournament. It before World Cup qualify- have a quartet of teenag- pan to finish second in the
for this week's round-robin gives you a psychologically ing. But the reality is the trio ers playing important roles, event, and have gone 15-
tournament. But once Ellis good feeling to have that. of matches in the Tourna- including 15-year-old striker 0-2 in all matches over the
settled on her 23-member "I think what we take away ment of Nations promise to Mary Fowler. ensuing 12 months.
team, her focus turned en- from these games will help be the toughest matches Japan, the dominant pow- "These players, any time
tirely toward winning what's us moving forward," she they have until qualifying, er in Asia, beat the U.S. at they come in they know
in front of her. added, "but I think the and arguably trumps any- the World Cup final in 2011 the demands. Second
World Cup qualifying? That players we have coming body they'll face in the before dropping the re- place isn't good enough,"
can wait a couple weeks. back, that feeling of get- CONCACAF tournament. match three years ago. Ellis said. "That's the expec-
"The priority is performance ting back on top of the po- The opening match Thurs- They're led by Saki Kum- tation and what I think has
and winning," Ellis said, dium — you know, building day between Australia agai, one of the best de- helped propel this program
pointing out that all four and gaining confidence as and Brazil features two of fenders in the world. so much."q

WNBA picks Brunson to sub for

ill Ogwumike on All-Star team

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The WNBA announced squads, rather than pit-
Minnesota Lynx forward Wednesday that Brunson ting the Eastern Confer-
Rebekkah Brunson has will join Candace Parker's ence against the Western
been picked as an All- team, which will face Conference.
Star Game injury replace- Elena Della Donne's team This will be the fifth All-Star
ment for Los Angeles in the exhibition in Minne- Game appearance for Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson (32) celebrates with the
Sparks forward Nneka sota on Saturday. For the Brunson, her fourth as a team following an 83-72 win over the Los Angeles Sparks in a WNBA
Ogwumike, who's been first time, the league had member of the Lynx. q basketball game Thursday, July 5, 2018, in Minneapolis.
sidelined by an illness. two captains select the Associated Press