Jenna Watson-USA TODAY Sports
It’s time: the United States and the Netherlands will meet on Thursday local time in Wellington (9 p.m. ET U.S.) in a rematch of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final and the match expected to decide Group E.
This is the game everyone circled on the calendar from the day the draw happened nine months ago. This is the game, more than any other yet, that will inform the world about how ready the U.S. is to three-peat. These are the storylines dominating the buildup to the match.
Rose Lavelle is healthy
Rose Lavelle’s health will go a long way in deciding how this World Cup goes for the U.S. She had not played a competitive match for club or country in three months up until Saturday’s opener against Vietnam. For the 27 minutes she was on the field, she looked spectacular. She hit the crossbar, missed another shot, and created for teammates.
Is she ready to start? How long can she go for against the Netherlands?
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