USWNT vs. South Africa: 2023 Friendly Top Storylines and Predictions
The United States women's national team will say farewell to another legend on Sunday in Chicago.
Megan Rapinoe will play her final match for the USWNT against South Africa three days after Julie Ertz participated in her farewell contest.
Rapinoe's international retirement marks another big change within the USWNT program ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Rapinoe is one of a few legends who have retired in the last couple years, and now it is time for the younger generation to take control of the program.
The USWNT will try to integrate more new faces into the second of two September matchups with South Africa.
The Americans will also look to keep up their stellar defensive form in 2023. They conceded in just two of their 13 games this year.
Megan Rapinoe's Farewell Game
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Rapinoe will put on the USWNT jersey for the final time on Sunday inside Soldier Field in Chicago.
The 38-year-old will make her 203rd international appearance and she will be after her 64th international goal.
Rapinoe was one of the vital parts of the USWNT's success over the last decade alongside Ertz, who played her last game on Thursday, and Carli Lloyd, who retired after the 2019 World Cup.
Rapinoe won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics gold medal as part of her many accolades with the USWNT.
She made it on to the 2023 World Cup roster, but was used sparingly and missed a penalty kick in the round of 16 against Sweden.
Rapinoe's last memory in a USWNT shirt will be the standing ovation she receives in Chicago on Sunday.
The forward should start and receive a few chances to score before she is lifted for that standing ovation to cap her international career.
USWNT Looking to Keep Up Strong Defensive Form
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The USWNT produced its 11th clean sheet in 13 matches on Thursday.
Strong defensive performances have become the norm for the Americans, who beat South Africa 3-0 in the first of two September friendlies in Cincinnati.
Most of the USWNT's defensive dominance has come on home soil against a weaker opponents who do not possess the ball much.
It is still impressive to see the Americans keep up that high level of consistency and not make many mistakes for 90 minutes.
The USWNT conceded six shots on Thursday and only one of them went on target.
The Americans know they will get another strong defensive showing against South Africa, which opens up the possibility for a better win than Thursday's 3-0 result depending on how the attacking players perform.
Prediction
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United States 4, South Africa 0
Lynn Williams and Trinity Rodman combined to put three goals past South Africa on Thursday.
The USWNT should produce a similar margin of victory in Chicago, and the hope is that Rapinoe gets on the score sheet.
Rapinoe has a heavier presence in the final third than Ertz had throughout her career, so there is a higher chance of her scoring a farewell goal.
Rodman, Alyssa Thompson and a few other of the young USWNT players should receive chances to shine in the final third with and without Rapinoe on the field.
The goal for the younger players is to impress with the 2024 Summer Olympics around the corner, and every performance counts for the future USWNT stars to make the roster for the next big international competition.
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