U.S. women to play Mexico in World Cup tune-up Sunday
SOMERSET, N.J. - The United States women's national team team will have one final tune-up on American soil before beginning play later this month in the World Cup in Germany. The U.S. will meet Mexico on Sunday in a 2 p.m. send-off match at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
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SOMERSET, N.J. - The United States women's national team team will have one final tune-up on American soil before beginning play later this month in the World Cup in Germany. The U.S. will meet Mexico on Sunday in a 2 p.m. send-off match at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
This week the U.S. has been training in New Jersey. The team will have an eight-day break after the game and then depart for a weeklong training camp in Austria.
The first World Cup game for the U.S. is June 28 against North Korea. The U.S. is also in a pool with Colombia, which it plays July 2, and Sweden, scheduled for July 6.
"We are well-prepared, and with the World Cup beginning soon, Sunday's game will be good for us," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said following Friday's workout at the PDA training facility.
The U.S. is relatively healthy, although midfielder Lindsay Tarpley won't compete after suffering a torn ACL ligament in her right knee on May 14 against Japan. She was replaced by Kelly O'Hara.
One other injury question centers on former Independence defender Heather Mitts, who has been limited this season by hamstring injuries. Whitney Engen has been training with the national team, but isn't on the roster.
Sundhage said she hoped Mitts could compete in the World Cup. On Friday, Mitts went through a conditioning test and also participated in a team scrimmage and appeared to move well.
"It went great," Mitts said after practice. "I did better than my last test."
Sundhage said that Mitts would likely play a little against Mexico and a decision would be made a few days later.
"She will add something to the team with all her experience," Sundhage said. "But if she is not healthy, we can't use her."
The U.S. is coming off two 2-0 wins over Japan, in domestic matches on May 14 in Columbus, Ohio, and May 18 in Cary, N.C.
Sunday's match will be the teams' first meeting since Mexico scored a 2-1 win over the visiting Americans in the 2010 CONCACAF women's World Cup qualifying tournament in Cancun on Nov. 5.