USWNT vs. South Africa: Top Storylines and Predictions for 2023 Friendly

Julie Ertz will bid farewell to the United States women's national team on Thursday.

The 31-year-old announced her international retirement after the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The USWNT will pay tribute to Ertz during the friendly against South Africa inside TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

The match as a whole is the first one for the Americans since their surprise round-of-16 exit at the World Cup.

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore is in charge for the two September friendlies while U.S. Soccer conducts the search for Vlatko Andovski's replacement.

The focus outside of Ertz should be on the assimilation of younger players into the national team program as it gears up for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Julie Ertz's Farewell Match

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CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Julie Ertz of the United States speaks at a press conference during USWNT training at TQL Stadium on September 20, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images).

Ertz will make her 123rd and final international appearance on Thursday.

The midfielder announced her retirement after the World Cup and went into detail about why now was the right time to step away during her pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

"There's always the next opportunity, and your whole career as an athlete, you're like, 'I don't want to regret anything,'" she told reporters, per ESPN.com's Jeff Carlisle.

"And I think when I get to a point to be able to choose myself, when I could step away ... I do feel I could step away and be like, 'It's not because Momma can't play. Momma can play. She has just adapted [her] priorities.' And I think that just comes with age and just I feel like I've been so blessed to have the career that I've had."

Ertz scored 20 international goals in her time with the USWNT and was an invaluable asset at both center back and defensive midfield.

The two-time World Cup winner will receive a standing ovation when she appears for the last time for the USWNT, and she may be handed some chances to score.

Ertz will be most dangerous on set pieces, but don't count her teammates setting her up for one final international goal if the USWNT gets numbers in the box against the South African defense.

Thursday's farewell is the first of two major USWNT departures during the September international window. Megan Rapinoe's farewell match takes place on Sunday in Chicago.

Focus Shifts to 2024 Olympics

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 6: Trinity Rodman #20 of USA trapping the ball during a game between Sweden and USWNT at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 6, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Richard Callis/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

As the USWNT celebrates Ertz, the coaching staff will evaluate plenty of players to help with the transition process to the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The interim coaching staff called up three players who could make their international debuts and 11 players who are 25 or younger.

The USWNT has to get younger in a hurry with Ertz and Rapinoe retiring and Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn and others likely entering their last World Cup cycles.

Thursday's goal should be to get some younger players involved with the established stars. Eighteen-year-olds Jaedyn Shaw and Alyssa Thompson are two of the brightest prospects in the talent pool who could see time against South Africa.

The result is important for morale, but the more important takeaway from Thursday should be integration of certain players into the squad.

The new USWNT manager will have to use players like Thompson, Shaw, Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez to get the program to compete for gold medals and World Cups.

Thursday should be an important starting point for those players to put something on tape for when the new coaching staff enters.

Prediction

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 06: Alex Morgan #13 of the United States looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Winner Group G and Runner Up Group E at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 06, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

United States 2, South Africa 0

The USWNT needs to be focused on the two emotionally charged games against South Africa.

Thursday will serve as a celebration of Ertz, but the Banyana Banyana will also pose a threat to the home side.

South Africa advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup, and Thursday's friendly will serve as a nice test for its program at the start of a new World Cup cycle.

It would be amazing if Ertz got a storybook ending and scored at some point. A set piece is the most likely avenue for that to happen.

A clean sheet is required from the USWNT back line. That unit has six clean sheets in its last seven games.

South Africa will be difficult to break down, but the Americans should pounce for a few goals, and hopefully one or more of them comes from Ertz or one of the new strikers looking to make their mark.