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The USWNT closes out their group stage this afternoon, taking on Australia at 1 PM ET and grasping the opportunity to finish atop their Olympic group for the first time since 2016.
The US punches their ticket to the quarterfinals outright with a win or a tie, while a loss that maintains the team’s goal differential advantage could also send them through.
Canada’s spying scandal makes its Olympic mark
Somewhat ironically, seeding for the knockout stages depends on a decision that was made off — rather than on — the field.
The CAS dismissed Canada’s appeal to reduce their six-point deduction as punishment for the team’s drone cheating scandal this morning, forcing Canada — a 2-0 team with +2 goal differential despite having zero points on the board — into a must-win Group A showdown with Colombia to keep their Olympic hopes alive.
With Australia pushing to advance after Sunday’s thrilling 6-5 win over Zambia, Canada’s tricky situation makes them especially vulnerable.
Should Canada beat Colombia and Australia lose to the US, the Matildas could fail to advance out of Group B in third place due to goal differential.
Injuries continue to impact USWNT’s Olympic lineup
For a US team already qualified for the knockouts, today’s game will likely feature a good amount of player rotation without the team risking their competitive edge.
Defender Tierna Davidson will miss today’s match after suffering a knee contusion against Germany on Sunday, while forward Jaedyn Shaw remains out with a leg injury. The USWNT announced earlier today that alternate Emily Sams will replace Davidson on Emma Hayes’s gameday roster, while star NWSL rookie Croix Bethune will continue to sub in for Shaw.
Should the USWNT land in first after today’s match, they’ll play the second-place finisher of Group C — likely Brazil or Japan.
A second-place finish would line them up against the runner-up of Group A: Colombia, Canada, or France. While very unlikely, a third-place finish would see the US face off against the winner of Group A or C.
Where to watch the USWNT vs. Australia game
The USWNT will take the Olympic pitch against Australia at 1 PM ET this afternoon, with live coverage on NBC networks.
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