The US Women’s National Soccer Team is back in Colorado to face Japan. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
The USWNT match against Japan will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max in English. Universo and Peacock will provide Spanish coverage. The radio broadcast will be on Westwood One in English.
Hayes Returns to Colorado
Coach Emma Hayes recalls fond memories of a previous Colorado match. “I remember being so nervous, you don’t know how you’re going to be received as a new coach,” Hayes said. She remembers the heat and wanting soccer to feel a certain way in the country.
Hayes and the USWNT will face a different climate this time around. The forecast calls for a strong chance of rain and snow for Friday’s match. Hayes said her players will have to be adaptable to the environmental conditions.
USWNT Series Against Japan
The team is playing Japan in the last of a three-game series. Goals from Lindsey Heaps and Rose Lavelle helped beat Japan, 2-1, in the first match in San Jose.
However, they followed that up with a 1-0 loss in Seattle on Tuesday. The loss snapped the USWNT’s 10-game winning streak.
Heaps and Wilson Return Home
Lindsey Heaps and Sophia Wilson are returning to play for the USWNT in Colorado. A lot has happened since Heaps and Wilson played for the USWNT at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in 2024.
Since then, the trio of Swanson, Wilson, and Trinity Rodman led the USWNT to the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Swanson was the team’s leading scorer with four goals and two assists.
Heaps, who is the USWNT captain, said that the team needs to balance and grow after the loss. “I look back at the last two games and it was just an incredible experience overall,” Heaps said. “And I thought the team actually did a really good job last game. But, you have that feeling inside that you can do more.”
Heaps and Wilson will take the pitch in front of the home crowd for the first time in two years. Mallory Swanson will not play as she’s returning to fitness after being on maternity leave.
Weddings and Newborns
Wedding bells rang for Heaps and Wilson in the months after the Olympics. Wilson and Swanson welcomed new additions to their families. Wilson introduced Gigi last September, and Swanson and her husband welcomed Josie two months later.
Heaps was present the last time the USWNT was in town. She watched them beat Ireland, 4-0. Since she’s playing this time, she had to get close to 50 tickets for family and friends.