USMNT aim to clinch spot in Gold Cup final while Emma Hayes continues USWNT squad expansion

Hey there! While the Gold Cup and Club World Cup enter their final stages, another major tournament will begin Wednesday in Switzerland, where 16 of the best national teams have convened for the Women’s Euros. A jam-packed week is in full swing – and that’s without considering the U.S. women’s national team’s big friendly against Canada on Wednesday! I’m Pardeep Cattry with the latest as the summer of soccer shows no signs of slowing down.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Wednesday, July 2
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Iceland vs. Finland, 12 p.m. ➡️ Fox
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Switzerland vs. Norway, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox
🌎 Gold Cup: USMNT vs. Guatemala, 7 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🌎 Women’s friendly: USWNT vs. Canada, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ TNT
🌎 Gold Cup: Mexico vs. Honduras, 10 p.m. ➡️ FS1

Thursday, July 3
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Belgium vs. Italy, 12 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Spain vs. Portugal, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox
🇺🇸🇨🇦 MLS: New York City FC vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass

⚽ The Forward Line

🇺🇸 Defining moments for young USMNT, USWNT

It is the U.S. men’s national team’s turn to take center stage during the country’s busy summer of soccer on Wednesday, when they face Guatemala in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals. History – and the odds – favor Mauricio Pochettino’s side but as surprises and upsets continue to define this edition of the Gold Cup, Wednesday’s match in St. Louis also provides the USMNT to make a real statement.

The USMNT reached the semifinals the hard way with a penalty shootout win over Costa Rica on Sunday in the quarterfinals, a game of trials and tribulations that also arguably serves as the first gutsy, meaningful win of Pochettino’s tenure with the national team. He has handed the task of winning the USMNT’s first Gold Cup in four years to a group of inexperienced players, several of whom are starting to make a case for themselves – the Bayer Leverkusen-bound Malik Tillman is the standout so far, but on Sunday, goalkeeper Matt Freese, defender Max Arfsten and midfielder Diego Luna also had their moments.

Going into the semifinals, the question facing the USMNT is whether they can translate Sunday’s positives into genuine upward momentum and provide reasons for optimism after a year of disappointing performances and results. That includes a focus on the individual players, all of whom are competing to earn a spot amongst the regulars once that version of the team reconvenes later this year, all with an eye on next year’s World Cup roster.

Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., the U.S. women’s national team are undergoing a similar period of experimentation as they take on Canada, though the stakes are different. Head coach Emma Hayes has earmarked this friendly as the end of her vast project to explore the USWNT’s wider player pool, giving a group of young players one last chance to impress as Hayes spends the next two years building chemistry in time for the Women’s World Cup. The head coach will not be short on impressive options in a variety of positions, though the chance to succeed Alyssa Naeher as the USWNT’s first choice in goal is something to keep an eye on – Mandy McGlynn and Claudia Dickey each started games in the last week against Ireland, while Angelina Anderson rounds out the rostered goalkeepers for this camp.

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🏆 Women’s Euros begin, Club World Cup quarterfinals set

The summer of major international tournaments kicks into high gear on Wednesday with the start of the Women’s Euros, which is expected to be the latest showcase for the growth of women’s soccer in the region. Look no further than the competitive group of teams that have a realistic shot at the title – reigning world champions Spain are in the mix to win the competition for the first time and build a dynastic legacy two years after lifting the Women’s World Cup, while a resurgent Germany look to build upon their bronze medal run at last year’s Olympics. Sandra Herrera, though, argues this is England‘s title to lose, placing them atop her pre-tournament power rankings.

• Herrera: “Led by head coach Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses are defending champions and have earned the honor of being the top-ranked team to begin the tournament. Despite the international retirements of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, and the withdrawal of Millie Bright, there’s still plenty of holdovers from the 2022 championship-winning side to make another deep run in the tournament. There are question marks around the goalkeeping position, but that’s just an opportunity for Hannah Hampton to shine.”

The tournament will be just as much of a spotlight for Europe’s top teams as it will be for the continent’s best players, including many of the usual suspects as well as those ready for a breakout performance. That’s especially true for Spain, who still boast Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, though her availability to start the tournament is still a question after a battle with meningitis. Spain still pack plenty of punch when it comes to goalscorers, who should be able to operate just fine at the start even without Bonmati pulling the strings behind them – the in-form, NWSL-based Esther Gonzalez is in the mix, while rising talent Claudia Pina is the pick to become the game’s next big star with a statement-making showing in Switzerland.

Club World Cup’s last eight confirmed

While there’s plenty of action in Switzerland and the U.S., the Club World Cup will take the next few days off after locking in its quarterfinalists. Real Madrid joined the last eight on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Juventus and will play Borussia Dortmund in a rematch of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, with the German side beating Monterrey 2-1 later that day. The much-awaited battle of the Bellingham brothers will have to wait for another day, though – Dortmund’s Jobe will be suspended for Saturday’s quarterfinal, meaning Real Madrid’s Jude will be the only Bellingham available for selection.

The biggest surprises of the competition so far, though, came on Monday. First was Fluminense’s 2-0 win over Inter in an upset that was just waiting to happen – the victors are one of two Brazilian sides remaining at the Club World Cup, which has been a showcase for teams from the country, while Inter have been in middling form for months now. Nothing was quite as surprising as Al-Hilal’s 4-3 win over Manchester City, defeating the English side in extra time after a thrilling match. City were the dominant side with 30 shots but their sloppiness in the back cost them, with Al-Hilal now the only team from outside Europe and South America left in the competition.

🔗  Top Stories

🇺🇸 USMNT preview: Tim Ream joins Morning Footy to talk about the USMNT’s Gold Cup run and what it’s like being the experienced player in a group of up-and-comers. Plus, more on Matt Freese’s journey to the national team and the drone sighting at Tuesday’s training session.

🇪🇺 Women’s Euro picks: The CBS Sports team makes their predictions for the Women’s Euro winners, runners-up, players to watch and more.

✈️ Yohannes to Lyonnes: USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes is nearing a move from Ajax to OL Lyonnes, marking an exciting step up for the 18-year-old as she continues her development.

🔴 Arsenal transfers latest: Arsenal are in the search for a left winger in the hopes of upgrading on Gabriel Martinelli, which forces the question: How realistic is a move for Rodrygo?

🔵⚫ Inter’s drama: Here’s an explainer on the war of words at Inter, with Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglou and the club president all playing a central role in the matter.

👎 Worst MLS marquee signings: With Toronto FC officially calling time on their less-than-ideal spell with Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne, it’s worth asking: Who are the worst big-name MLS signings ever?

💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• Club World Cup: Winners
  💰 THE PICK: Real Madrid to win the Club World Cup (+270) – Paris Saint-Germain may still be the favorites to win the Club World Cup but there is a case to be made for Real Madrid. It is still very early days for manager Xabi Alonso but things seem to be clicking for a new-look version of the team, boasting a mix of reliable talent like Bellingham and talented new signings like Trent Alexander-Arnold. There’s a surprise star leading the pack, though, in academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia. He has three goals and one assist in four games, taking full advantage of the opportunities in front of him. Mix in the fact that Manchester City, the group stage’s best performers, are now out, and the path is clearer than it once was for Real Madrid to go all the way.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don’t miss out on CBSSports.com’s betting home page.

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🏆 Champions League Today (1 p.m. ET): Kate Scott hosts pregame studio coverage alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. Coverage from Allianz Arena in Munich begins at 1 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network, followed by coverage on the CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.

⚽ The Champions Club (5:30 p.m. ET): Poppy Miller, Mike Grella, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Meola and Jimmy Conrad for live reactions and match analysis as they break down all the action from the Champions League final.

🥅 Scoreline (7 p.m. ET): Scoreline is the place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can’t-miss goals from the day’s action, airing seven days a week.

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