As the USWNT prepares for for a crucial match against Canada in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup semifinals on Wednesday, star forward Alex Morgan is not shying away from the anticipated intensity of the upcoming game.
Following a 3-0 victory over Colombia in the quarterfinals—a match Morgan described as “chippy”—the USWNT is bracing for another challenging encounter. This time, their longstanding rivals, Canada, stand in the way of their path to the Gold Cup final. Morgan emphasized the physical nature of the matches in the tournament, highlighting the aggressiveness exhibited by Colombia, which the USWNT managed to overcome with strategic gameplay. The encounter with Canada is expected to be no less challenging.
“It's going to be a physical match (against Canada) … They had a tough test against Costa Rica, having played them in the group stage and pretty much dominating, and then Costa Rica coming to play and them having a tougher time trying to finish some chances,” Morgan said, per ESPN. “So for us, it's just getting our bodies ready for this next game.”
Morgan added of the previous match versus Colombia: “I would say that Colombia is a very aggressive, very physical team. They're always trying to slow the play down, foul, and we were ready to play. We stepped up to the challenge. Obviously after that defeat to Mexico, we were just ready for the battle, so I think you guys saw a pretty good professional win from this team.”
Alex Morgan called up to replace Mia Fishel
Morgan's participation in the tournament comes after she was called up as a last-minute replacement for Mia Fishel, who suffered a torn ACL. Morgan quickly made her mark by scoring in the team's opening two group games, marking 123 international goals in 219 matches. She now ranks fifth among the U.S. women's all-time top scorers.
Reflecting on her journey to the World Cup, Morgan said it was a “bit of whirlwind.”
“I had just gotten to Coachella tournament for our preseason tournament with San Diego – I literally had been there for an hour, so I had a carry-on suitcase assuming I was going to be gone for three days,” she said. “I got the call and said, ‘Okay, now time to go to LA.' I was there within two-and-a-half hours and then played the next night. So it was a little bit of a whirlwind, but at the same time, I understood that it was a long lead up to the Gold Cup. A lot of training sessions, anything could happen.
“I wanted to stay ready in case of injury or anything, and that's what I did. I worked hard, dug in with San Diego, did extra with Casey (Stoney), our coach at San Diego, and wanted to just use this preseason as an opportunity for myself to grow as a player and as a teammate, and was fortunate enough to get the call.”
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