The U.S. women’s national soccer team is going up against Canada in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal, but both squads also are battling another opponent — Mother Nature.
The weather in San Diego is not being kind to the two rivals, as the USWNT and Canada are playing on a drenched surface Wednesday night at Snapdragon Stadium.
The waterlogged pitch is causing a stir on social media. Well-known names in the soccer community are voicing their displeasure over the field conditions and their concerns for player safety.
Not only does the wet field create an increased risk of injury, but the game itself is not the same. Passes can’t be completed due to puddles on the pitch. Dribbling the ball is next to impossible for even the most talented athletes.
Yet despite the natural distractions, the match is still going. Here is more on the weather as the USWNT takes on Canada in the Gold Cup semifinal.
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USWNT vs. Canada weather
The eye test alone showed the poor condition of the pitch on the rain-soaked night in San Diego.
If that wasn’t enough, one just had to take look at the passing stats for both teams. The USWNT and Canada struggled to move the ball around the field in the first half, with each squad completing less than half of their pass attempts in the first 45 minutes, according to Opta.
The sluggish contest continued despite the conditions, but plenty of observers took to social media to call for a stop to the action.
Former USWNT stars Sam Mewis and Julie Foudy both expressed their displeasure with CONCACAF for allowing the match to be played.
Why are the players being put in this situation? No chance these are safe playing conditions.
— Samantha Mewis (@sammymewy) March 7, 2024
MORE: CONCACAF W Gold Cup 2024, fixtures and schedule
This is so insane. STOP THE MATCH. #uswnt
— Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy) March 7, 2024
Why isnt CONCACAF calling this match. Play it tmrw. Someone is going to get hurt. https://t.co/v9BrFv5ph8
— Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy) March 7, 2024
San Diego Wave head coach Casey Stoney asked the federation to make the “right call” for the players on the pitch.
So dangerous!! Make the right call for player safety! https://t.co/Cu5EJY8Jjx
— Casey Stoney MBE 💙 (@CaseyStoney) March 7, 2024
So why was the game allowed to continue despite the torrential downpour causing a puddle for a playing field? A CONCACAF spokesperson said that it is up to the referee to make the call, not their organization.
“It is solely at the discretion of the referee as to whether the field is safe and playable,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Statement from a CONCACAF spokesperson, when asked why this USWNT-Canada game is being played:
“It is solely at the discretion of the referee as to whether the field is safe and playable”
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) March 7, 2024
Whichever team emerges victorious from the slogfest has a date with Brazil in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup final. That match is scheduled for Sunday, March 10.
