The most likely outcome has unfolded in the 2022 Concacaf W Championship, and Monday’s mega final presents the stiffest test the U.S. women’s national team has seen since crashing out of the Olympics last summer.
Canada emerged as the queens of Concacaf in the Olympics, which played a big part in USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski shuffling the deck with some of his veteran players, and the motivation to grab some revenge will also be rewarded with an automatic Olympic bid (though both sides will ultimately make it).
So far in the tournament, the Canadians have matched the Americans stride for stride, both going perfect in their respective four games. Both have scored 12 and conceded zero.
Women’s soccer also takes center stage in Europe this week. The Women’s EURO 2022 hits the quarterfinal stage, and Wednesday’s England – Spain contest is one worthy of a final.
On the men’s side, it is still friendly season for European sides tuning up for their respective campaigns, and some fun and rare matchups like Club América – Manchester City, as well as a handful of MLS sides taking part in the action, headlined by Inter Miami hosting Barcelona on Tuesday in a game Phil Neville described as the “biggest game in (Miami’s) history” on Tuesday.
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Here is a look at This Week’s Top 5 Matches to Watch, as well as a full rundown of This Week’s Soccer on TV and Online:
This Week’s Top 5 Matches to Watch
- USWNT vs Canada – Without question the biggest game of 2022 for the USWNT.
- Costa Rica vs Jamaica – There really is no shame in taking third place in the Concacaf ranks, and Las Ticas are the ones to watch here.
- England vs Spain – Two sides with real credibility to win it all this year.
- América vs Manchester City – América was good enough to produce a goal against Chelsea last week, and seems to be taking its ambitious friendly schedule seriously.
- Inter Miami vs Barcelona – Is it the biggest game in Miami’s history? No. Will it be a raucous atmosphere in one of the United States’ growing markets? Absolutely.
This Week’s Soccer on TV and Online
Monday
CONCACAF W Championship
7 p.m. – Paramount+ – Costa Rica vs Jamaica
10 p.m. – Paramount+ – United States vs Canada
UEFA Women’s Euro
3 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV – Italy vs Belgium
3 p.m. – ESPN+ – Iceland vs France
Club Friendly
10 a.m. – FOX Deportes, fuboTV – Mainz 05 vs Newcastle United
1 p.m. – ESPN Deportes, fuboTV – Borussia Dortmund vs Valencia
Brasileirão
7 p.m. – Paramount+ – Palmeiras vs Cuiabá
Ecuadoran Primera A
8 p.m. – fuboTV – Delfin vs Aucas
Women’s African Cup of Nations
1 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Zambia vs South Africa
4 p.m. – beIN SPORTS, fuboTV – Morocco vs Nigeria
Copa América Femenina
5 p.m. – Fox Sports 1, fuboTV – Venezuela vs Brazil
8 p.m. – Fox Sports 1, fuboTV – Peru vs Uruguay
USL Championship
10 p.m. – ESPN+ – San Diego Loyal vs Colorado Springs
MLS Next Pro
6 p.m. – MLS Next Pro – Philadelphia Union II vs Toronto II
Tuesday
Club Friendly
12:30 p.m. – FOX Deportes, fuboTV – Salzburg vs Ajax
3 p.m. – ESPN Deportes, fuboTV – Sporting CP vs Roma
8 p.m. – TUDN, fuboTV – Inter Miami vs Barcelona
UEFA Champions League
12 p.m. – Paramount+ – Pyunik vs F91 Dudelange
1:45 p.m. – Paramount+ – Midtjylland vs AEK Larnaca
1:45 p.m. – Paramount+ – Ludogorets vs Shamrock Rovers
Argentine Primera División
3:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Platense vs Central Córdoba SdE
3:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Colón vs Aldosivi
6 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Racing Club vs Arsenal
6 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Atlético Tucumán vs Sarmiento
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Argentinos Juniors vs Boca Juniors
Brasileirão
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Ceará vs Avaí
Canadian Premier League
6:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus, fuboTV – Forge vs Edmonton
9:30 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus, fuboTV – Cavalry vs York United
Wednesday
Liga MX
10:05 p.m. – fuboTV, Telemundo – Guadalajara vs León
UEFA Women’s Euro
3 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV – England vs Spain
Club Friendly
6:30 a.m. – CBS Sports Network, fuboTV – Kawasaki Frontale vs PSG
2 p.m. – ESPN Deportes, fuboTV – Deportivo Alavés vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
7 p.m. – ESPN+ – Charlotte FC vs Chelsea
7:30 p.m. – ESPN+, fuboTV – D.C. United vs Bayern Munich
7:30 p.m. – ESPN+ – Orlando City SC vs Arsenal
8 p.m. – ESPN+ – Minnesota United vs Everton
8:30 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV – América vs Manchester City
UEFA Champions League
12 p.m. – Paramount+ – HJK vs Viktoria Plzeň
1 p.m. – Paramount+ – Maccabi Haifa vs Olympiakos Piraeus
2 p.m. – Paramount+ – Dynamo Kyiv vs Fenerbahçe
2 p.m. – Paramount+ – Ferencváros vs Slovan Bratislava
Argentine Primera División
1 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – San Lorenzo vs Unión Santa Fe
3:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Patronato vs Tigre
6 p.m. – Paramount+ – Estudiantes vs Barracas Central
6 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Defensa y Justicia vs Independiente
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Lanús vs Vélez Sarsfield
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Huracán vs Godoy Cruz
Brasileirão
6 p.m. – Paramount+ – RB Bragantino vs Fortaleza
6 p.m. – Paramount+ – Goiás vs Fluminense
6:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Athletico-PR vs Atlético Goianiense
7:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Flamengo vs Juventude
7:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Internacional vs São Paulo
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Corinthians vs Coritiba
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Santos vs Botafogo
Copa América Femenina
8 p.m. – Fox Sports 1, fuboTV – Colombia vs Chile
8 p.m. – Fox Sports 2, fuboTV – Ecuador vs Paraguay
USL Championship
7 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV – Louisville City vs Phoenix Rising
Thursday
UEFA Women’s Euro
3 p.m. – ESPN2, fuboTV – Germany vs Austria
Club Friendly
12 p.m. – ESPN Deportes, fuboTV – Athletic Club vs Bochum
12 p.m. – FOX Deportes, fuboTV – Udinese vs Bayer Leverkusen
UEFA Europa Conference League
10 a.m. – Paramount+ – Kairat vs Várda SE
11 a.m. – Paramount+ – Ararat-Armenia vs Paide
1 p.m. – Paramount+ – Fehérvár vs Qabala
1:30 p.m. – Paramount+ – Aris vs Neftçi
2 p.m. – Paramount+ – Aris vs Gomel
3 p.m. – Paramount+ – Raków Częstochowa vs Astana
Argentine Primera División
3:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Rosario Central vs Newell’s Old Boys
6 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – Talleres Córdoba vs Banfield
8:30 p.m. – Paramount+, fuboTV – River Plate vs Gimnasia La Plata
Brasileirão
6 p.m. – Paramount+ – Cuiabá vs Atlético Mineiro
7 p.m. – Paramount+ – América Mineiro vs Palmeiras
Copa América Femenina
8 p.m. – Fox Sports 1, fuboTV – Brazil vs Peru
8 p.m. – Fox Sports 2, fuboTV – Venezuela vs Argentina
Primera Division
6:30 p.m. – fuboTV – Nacional vs Cerrito
Huge game tonight, huge. Can Vlatko get the best performance yet from his team? He will need that to win and beat Canada and Hardman, and secure qualification. Can’t stand Hardman’s approach no matter who his teams play but there is no denying he and his team currently have the upper hand in this matchup for the first time in a looooooong time.
Hoping for the best but who knows what happens. If the USWNT can be just a little more clinical with their chances then they will win, but that is a big IF.
Who starts in goal?
This will be a big test for the USWNT. Their last lost was to Canada. Put that together with how the teams have been preparing – in 2022 Canada’s opponents have an average ranking of 17th while the US’s opponents have averaged 27th. Canada has played three teams in the top ten of the rankings (all among the favorites to win the Euros) while the US has played only one team in the top 20 – #17 Iceland and chose to hone its skills with two games against 46th ranked Uzbekistan.
I’ve been excited to see the new blood coming into the squad. I believe this will be the first real test for them. Players like Sophia Smith has put herself in great positions this tournament but her finishing has been sub par. That won’t be acceptable against sixth ranked Canada. Finishing in general has been poor across the board with many good opportunities left wanting. This game should not be played versus a low block like pretty much every game in 2022 (does this team remember what that’s like) has been so there should be more space for Rose Lavelle – who has looked her usual skillful self when the ball has found its way to her (that back heel assist was a thing of beauty). Whether she gets paired with veteran Lindsay Horan or the more flashy Ashley Sanchez, Lavelle needs to see more of the ball in the attacking third. The biggest test of the night may be for Andy Sullivan in the defensive mid position. This will be a big step up in competition. The US will need its midfield playing at their best tonight. I don’t have a preference in goal.
The head coach of Canada is Bev Priestman.