USWNT vs. Portugal Breakdown

During the match against The Netherlands, the Americans found themselves trailing 1-0 in the first half. A 17th-minute goal by midfielder Jill Roord meant that the United States would have to battle back.

Battle back, they did. Lindsey Horan"s 62nd-minute equalizer guaranteed that the USWNT would rescue a point in the standings in a 1-1 draw. All things considered, the scenarios facing the team could have been much worse.

🗣🎙 "The best way to send a message is to put this ball in the back of the net if you're Lindsey Horan." @alywagner perfectly called @LindseyHoran's goal for the @USWNT 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0DwWRz5mud

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 27, 2023

How the USWNT Can Book a Spot in Knockout Round

Heading into Tuesday"s Group E finale, the United States sit atop the standings with four points and a +3 goal differential. This is good news for the team as kickoff looms.

Simply put, the Americans will be guaranteed a spot in the last 16 teams of this year"s Women"s World Cup provided that they win or draw in the match against Portugal early Tuesday. They"ll clinch the championship of Group E if they emerge victorious in the last match of the group stage combined with a Netherlands draw vs. Vietnam in a concurrent kickoff.

However, if you want to watch the match live in the United States, you"ll need to pull an all-nighter on Monday into Tuesday. Due to the time difference, first-half kickoff is set for 3 am ET/ midnight PT on FOX Sports in English and Peacock in Spanish.

USWNT Have to Shuffle Starting 11 for Best Chance at Winning

Even though the Americans have a pretty decent chance at qualifying for the round of 16 on Tuesday, it still wouldn"t hurt manager Vlatko Andonovski to make some adjustments in his side"s starting lineup. They have a deep enough roster to shuffle some players around.

This is something that the retiring Megan Rapinoe made note of recently in the press. For this World Cup, her last before ending her playing career later on in 2023, the midfielder has been used as a substitute but didn"t play last Thursday.

“I think I could have helped," Rapinoe said when she met the press following the match. “But I think Lynn [Williams] could have helped, and I think Trinity [Rodman] was helping, and I think [Sophia Smith] was helping, and we had chances. It was right there for us."

Had Megan Rapinoe played, the story may have been a different one heading into the group stage finale. This begs a big question.

Who Can Step Up?

Although Megan Rapinoe has been used exclusively as a substitute in this Women"s World Cup, it"s time for Vlatko Andonovski to get a little gutsy. With the stakes at its highest for the upcoming match on Tuesday, the head coach should seriously consider inserting Rapinoe as a starter. When Rapinoe is on the pitch, viewers the world over sit up and pay close attention to what she does next.

She"s a proven team leader both on and off of the field, so imagine the spark she can provide if she starts on Tuesday.  To that extent, Lynn Williams can also provide a spark in the starting 11.

Fans of Williams may yet get their wish. A projected starting lineup for Tuesday"s match features her. She has yet to play in this tournament and hasn"t scored since the initial friendly vs. New Zealand in January.

USWNT Can"t Take Portugal Lightly

In the other corner, while the Portuguese side is ranked No. 21 in all of FIFA as of late June, they enter the group stage finale on decent form. Dating back to April 7, the team has posted a record of 2-2-2 in its last six matches.

Last time out, they recovered from a 1-0 defeat to The Netherlands with a 2-1 victory over Vietnam. The fact that the USWNT got held to a draw in its last match gives Portugal a glimmer of hope.

Pulling off a shocking upset, however, is easier said than done.

Watch For Kika Nazareth to Have a Good Day

Both Portugal tallies came within the first 30 minutes of play last Thursday, with the winning goal being recorded in the 21st minute of action by Kika Nazareth. A relative newcomer on the scene for the team, she first suited up three years ago prior to the pandemic. 

This is Nazareth"s first Women"s World Cup. At just 20 years of age, she has the potential to become a breakout star.

Already having grabbed her first goal in Portugal"s last game, will she have the confidence to score a second on Tuesday? Tune in very early and find out.

Final Thoughts

This looks to be a very winnable 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) of football for the Americans. If Vlatko Andonovski trots out the right lineup and uses his available substitutes wisely, they can coast to the last 16.

Prediction: USWNT 4, Portugal 1.