USWNT vs. Brazil in W Gold Cup final: Three things to know as USA aim for continental glory
CBSN
Both teams won their semifinals in contrasting scenarios
The U.S. women's national team will compete for a trophy on Sunday when they are set to face Brazil (8:15 p.m. ET on Paramount+) for a chance to win the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup.
This weekend's finale serves as a meeting of two storied teams in a rebuilding phase after hitting rough patches, notably at last year's Women's World Cup when both sides had their earliest-ever exits from the competition. Both the USWNT and Brazil have naturally leaned on younger talent during this experimentation period, and so Sunday's final will serve as a measuring stick for the progress of both programs during their refreshes as well as the status of several players as the Olympics near.
From the USWNT's perspective, the Gold Cup has served as a period of trial and error that is starting to deliver answers about which players currently make up the best version of the team. The final against Brazil will offer the latest set of data points for the USWNT coaching staff to work with, not only about the players' tactical prowess but the group's ability to continue the team's reputation of winning.
