The U.S. women's national team will square off against Australia for an Olympic bronze medal on Thursday at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium in Japan. This is the first ever bronze medal match for the United States, and a win for Australia would be their first ever Olympic medal for the women's soccer program. The match is the second meeting between the two teams during the Tokyo Games after playing each other to a scoreless draw in Group G play.
Here's how you can watch the match and what to know:
Storylines
USWNT: The team is coming off its first loss against Canada in a major tournament and will now compete for bronze against Australia. The Americans will be without their starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (knee injury), but Adrianna Franch has the confidence of her teammates and is a top talent between the posts. Last time these two teams met, head coach Vlatko Andonovski tasked his team with executing a draw as the two teams played out to a scoreless tie. The USWNT attack has been virtually non-existent during the Olympic tournament sans a 6-1 win over New Zealand where they recorded four goals. The squad has one final match to close out their Olympics on an offensive high and they will want to attack the wings with Ellie Carpenter out this match for Australia.
Australia: The Matildas enter the bronze medal game off a semifinal loss against Sweden. The team has been flying high under captain and star striker Sam Kerr, but will have key figure missing on the back line in Carpenter. Head coach Tony Gustavsson, a former USWNT assistant coach, will have to make adjustments in her absence as Carpenter's presence has allowed the team to play in a steady three back throughout the tournament.
Viewing information
- Date: Thursday, August 5 | Time: 4:00 a.m. ET
- Location: Ibaraki Kashima Stadium -- Kashima, Japan
- TV channel: USA Network | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
- Odds: Australia +380, Draw +230, USWNT -137 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Want more coverage of women's soccer? Listen below and make sure to follow Attacking Third, A Tri-weekly CBS Soccer Podcast devoted to bringing you everything you need to know from the NWSL and around the globe.
USWNT vs. Australia prediction
Despite the USA coming out on the front foot, the two sides will play another closely contested match, but USWNT squeak through a victory on a narrow scoreline. Pick: USWNT 2, Australia 1.
