New-look U.S. Women prepping for Gold Cup

The U.S. women’s national team will start 2024 in an unfamiliar position.

The USWNT has been dethroned as World Cup champions after suffering a shocking Round of 16 exit, new coach Emma Hayes has yet to take over, with Twila Kilgore serving as interim coach, and they’re days away from the first competition of a busy calendar year.

The U.S. will open the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup on Tuesday against Guyana or Dominican Republic in the first of three group stage games at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, followed by showdowns with Argentina on Feb. 23 and Mexico on Feb. 26.

The tournament, which begins Saturday with three preliminary games with the winners advancing to the group stage, also consists of Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama and four nations from South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay).

The roster is a mix of youth and experience. Seven players have fewer than seven national team appearances, with two teenagers on the roster (18-year-old Olivia Moultrie and 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw), and 12 players who competed in the 2022 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

All 26 players on the roster arrived in time for Wednesday’s first day on the training field. Mallory Swanson, Savannah Demelo and Gisele Thompson are “non-rostered” players, who are also in the training environment. Alana Cook, who was on the original roster, has been replaced by Becky Sauerbrunn.

— Damian Calhoun

■ Angel City Football Club will be without forward Jun Endo for for the season due to an ACL injury. Endo, 23, injured her left knee during the club’s preseason training camp in Melbourne, Florida.

— Damian Calhoun