Ertz, Naeher help U.S. WNT Qualify for 2020 Olympics
CHICAGO – Following a gold medal in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the U.S. Women’s National Team has qualified for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Chicago Red Stars defender Julie Ertz and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher were members of the 20-player roster for the tournament.
Ertz made four appearances in this tournament. The reigning U.S. Soccer Player of the Year started the opening group stage game against Haiti, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4-0 victory. She would return to the starting lineup in the final group stage match, leading the U.S. to a semifinal appearance with a 60-minute performance in a 6-0 rout of Costa Rica. In the semifinal against Mexico, Ertz would play 90 minutes in a 4-0 win that would seal Olympic qualification for the U.S. WNT. Against Canada in the final, she would captain her national team for the first time, leading them to a 3-0 victory and a gold medal.
Naeher would start in four of the five matches throughout the tournament. The two-time World Cup champion would keep a clean sheet in all five matches, moving her career total to 32 international clean sheets. She would make a crucial save in the final against Canada’s Christine Sinclair, stopping a one-on-one opportunity to prevent the Canadians from leading.
This will be the U.S. WNT’s seventh appearance in the Olympic games, making them one of only three nations to qualify for every edition of the tournament.
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