Happy Monday! The U.S. women's national team lifted some silverware Sunday night, while some of Europe's top teams continue their quest for a trophy of their own as the UEFA Champions League round of 16 wraps up this week. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest ahead of a busy week.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, March 11
🏴 EPL: Chelsea vs. Newcastle, 4 p.m. ➡️ USA Network
Tuesday, March 12
🇪🇺 UCL: Arsenal vs. Porto, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Barcelona vs. Napoli, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌍 Concacaf Champions Cup: Columbus Crew vs. Houston Dynamo, 6 p.m. ➡️ FS1
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⚽ The Forward Line
🇺🇸 Mission accomplished for the USWNT
The U.S. women's national team won the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup last night, beating Brazil 1-0 in a final that wrapped up a tournament full of ups and downs for the hosts and a handful of valuable lessons as the team eyes a reset ahead of the Olympics.
Interim head coach Twila Kilgore mostly relied on veterans against Brazil, a match in which the USWNT relied on their grit as much as their talent. They were outpossessed and outshot by Brazil but took their chances well, excelling when their press kicked off and finding success on the wings. Both of those things were true for the game's lone goal, scored by Lindsey Horan just before halftime Sam Coffey won the ball in midfield and sent it over to Trinity Rodman on the right flank before Emily Fox's stellar cross from the right found Horan's head.
The USWNT can now call the Gold Cup a success, but not only because they ended up with winners' medals. Kilgore wanted to use the tournament as a testing ground for new players and new ideas, and now she comes out of this experimentation period with a better understanding of the player pool at large. Here's Sandra Herrera on how Kilgore ensured the USWNT is currently in better shape than she found it.
- Herrera: "The objective of getting less-capped players more time in camp and crucial tournament experience was achieved. The young guns did not disappoint. There was 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie, who scored two goals in her tournament debut and 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who scored a goal in each of her four starts. Midfielders Sam Coffey and Korbin Albert have been given time to adapt to each other in the middle third and develop some chemistry with both looking like key pieces moving forward."
Kilgore's commitment to exploration is all the more important considering the USWNT's very short runway to the Olympics. Incoming head coach Emma Hayes will have just a handful of matches in June and July before the team travels to Paris with the hopes of a statement-making performance that will officially put the disappointment of last year's Women's World Cup behind them.
The fact that several players stepped up to the plate means the race for roster spots only gets more competitive from here.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🇪🇺 Stars expected to step up in the Champions League
The Champions League round of 16 comes to a close this week with several high-stakes matchups.
The action begins with Barcelona's clash with Napoli after both tied 1-1 in the first leg a month ago. Barcelona are the oddsmakers' favorites to advance as the hosts of the second leg but this tie feels far from a foregone conclusion, and it could be because Victor Osimhen might have something to say about that. The star striker is one of James Benge's players to watch in the Champions League this week, considering both his skill and the opportunity in front of him.
- Benge: "Napoli's season isn't over yet, but it will be if they cannot overcome Europe's other fallen champion. Were they to do so then a side that has beaten Juventus and crushed Sassuolo in the last few weeks would be no-one's idea of a plumb opponent. Indeed, if things really started to click, Napoli might be capable of the sort of deep run they threatened to make last season. That doesn't happen without Osimhen though. Even in a year disrupted by injuries and off-field turmoil inflicted on him by his club, the Nigerian is still one of Serie A's most dangerous forwards. In league play he has 11 goals from 17 appearances and his non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per 90 minutes of 0.45 is a top five mark in Serie A."
The other big match tomorrow is Arsenal's clash with Porto. The Gunners are still expected to advance out of this one but amid their strong run that currently has them atop the Premier League table, they lost the first leg 1-0 in an uninspiring showing. Arsenal are likely eager to rebound so they can clinch their first quarterfinal berth in 14 years, and may need a big showing from Jorginho to ensure that happens.
- Benge: "[Manager Mikel] Arteta was not furious about Porto's gamesmanship last month, but about how his side responded to it, how they let frustration blind them. Perhaps that would not have transpired had Jorginho been on the pitch from the off to set the tempo for Arsenal. … Experience in this competition matters and Jorginho has it in abundance. In his excellent run of recent form, the Italian has functioned as something akin to an on-field coach, he is invariably the one rallying the troops while his 500-plus senior games have blessed him with an almost preternatural understanding for not only where he should be, but where his teammates belong too."
🔗 Top Stories
🏆 EPL title race: Arsenal is in first after beating Brentford, while Liverpool and Manchester City drew in a classic tactical matchup between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola that could see the title race go down to the wire.
🏴 EPL top four battle: Tottenham Hotspur thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 yesterday, putting them in the driver's seat for their first Champions League berth in two seasons.
🇫🇷 Life without Mbappe: Goncalo Ramos rose to the occasion as Paris Saint-Germain prepares for their post-Kylian Mbappe future, when he scored in their 2-2 draw with Reims.
🇺🇸 USMNT check-in: Christian Pulisic now has double-digit goals in his first season with AC Milan, while Kevin Paredes continues to establish himself as a mainstay with Wolfsburg.
❌ Dishonorable discharge: Lecce fired manager Roberto D'Aversa after he headbutted Verona striker Thomas Henry in their 1-0 loss.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Premier League: Chelsea vs. Newcastle, Monday, 4 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Nicolas Jackson to score (+185) -- With Chelsea's almost equal abilities to score and concede, today's game is destined to have some goals in it. Nicolas Jackson could be amongst those poised to be on the scoresheet after scoring in both of Chelsea's last two games. - Premier League: champion
💰 THE PICK: Liverpool to win the title (+240) -- Though yesterday's draw between Liverpool and Manchester City means Arsenal currently sit first place, Manchester City remain the oddsmakers' favorites to win the title. Though Arsenal and Liverpool have near even odds, Liverpool still edge them out to take second place in the oddsmakers' books, so it might still be a good idea to bet on the Reds sending off Jurgen Klopp with the title.
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Just because the NWSL season is over doesn't mean that our coverage of the women's game is going anywhere. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT. NWSL offseason and European domestic season all winter long.
👟 Kickin' It (Tuesdays): CBS Sports Golazo Network's unfiltered interview show releases Tuesday. Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch.
⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Jesse Marsch and Charlie Davies cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
