Hope Solo eager for USWNT to play in hometown Seattle in victory tour
Still recovering from a knee injury sustained during the 2015 Women's World Cup, Hope Solo said she may not be ready to play for the Seattle Reign when Carli Lloyd and the Houston Dash come to town Wednesday for a National Women's Soccer League match.
That's too bad for Seattle soccer fans who would love to see Lloyd and Solo go head-to-head in a battle of offense vs. defense. As the offensive star for the U.S. women's World Cup-winning run, Lloyd would certainly test Solo, who brilliantly anchored the U.S. women's stellar championship-run defense.
"They say a good offense beats a good defense. I don't know," Solo said, adding: "I'm one for shutouts."
Solo said she will be ready for action once the U.S. women's national soccer team's victory tour kicks off Saturday in Pittsburgh. Solo and the entire 23-woman Women's World Cup championship roster will play against Costa Rica at Heinz Field on Aug. 16. A second match sold-out against Costa Rica takes place Aug. 19 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Meanwhile, U.S. Soccer has just announced that the U.S. women will play against Brazil in both Seattle and Orlando. The Oct. 21 at CenturyLink Field will be the first time the U.S. women have played in Seattle since 2002. On Oct. 25, the U.S. and Brazil will square off at the Citrus Bowl. The U.S. women will also play against Australia on Sept. 17 in Detroit and Sept. 20 in Birmingham, AL.
In an exclusive interview this week with Q13 Fox Sports Director Aaron Levine in Seattle, Solo said the World Cup title match in Vancouver was the best game she had seen her team ever play. Solo said she finally realized the U.S. women were going to win their first World Cup in 16 years after Lloyd scored her stunning third goal from midfield.
"We were all in disbelief. We had no idea how to act on the field. On Carli's third goal, she ran all the way back to me on the third goal and it was the first moment, I got a little emotional. I think I finally realized right then and there that nothing was going to stop us. Carli hugged me and I think I had a little tear. I knew right then we were going to win the World Cup for the first time in 16 years," Solo said.
During the World Cup, Solo decided to stop talking to the media after ESPN ran a story about Solo's arrest on domestic violence charges in 2014. Solo played brilliantly and, after many years of turmoil, proved to be solid and supportive teammate during the World Cup run. At 33 years old, Solo appears ready to turn the corner on her past issues and aims to play in the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.
"I would love my critics to actually speak to me," she said. "Critics like to tweet and stay kind of hidden behind the scenes, but ultimately it doesn't bother me because I can look at myself in the mirror and be happy with my family and my husband and what I've given the game of soccer," she told the Seattle Fox sports affiliate.
"I don't feel like you've seen the best of me," Solo said, saying she is constantly working on her game no matter what is going on in her personal life.
The October 21st game against Brazil will give Solo a chance to show off her best and back a team on her home turf.
