Coach stresses tuneup victories

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Amy Rodriguez and Becky Sauerbrunn arrived in Kansas City this week with their focus somewhat split.

The veterans of the U.S. women’s national team understand the importance of the four-team Tournament of Nations, which begins with a match against Japan Thursday night. And they surely remember losing to Australia in the event last year — the last time the squad was defeated in any competition.

But the national team stalwarts also understand that qualifying for the World Cup next year looms in October. And after their debacle at the Rio Olympics, they want to avoid any embarrassment in that event.

“That’s the big thing for us,” said Rodriguez, part of two Olympic championship teams and the 2015 squad that beat Japan in the World Cup final. “We’re going to take this tournament as a preparation for qualifiers because that’s the big tournament coming up.”

If that’s the case, someone ought to let Jill Ellis know.

The national team coach has spent months considering the various roster permutations available to her, and she came up with a blend of old and new for the round-robin tournament this week. But once Ellis settled on her 23-member team, her focus turned entirely toward winning what’s in front of her.

World Cup qualifying? That can wait a couple weeks.

“The priority is performance and winning,” Ellis said, pointing out that all four teams — the U.S., Japan, Australia and Brazil — are ranked in the world’s top 10. “We want to come and win this tournament. It gives you a psychologically good feeling to have that.

“I think what we take away from these games will help us moving forward,” she added, “but I think the players we have coming back, that feeling of getting back on top of the podium — you know, building and gaining confidence as we march toward qualifiers, that’s important.”

Sauerbrunn missed some time to injury earlier this year, while Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Samantha Mewis, Julie Ertz and Morgan Brian likewise made the roster after missing time to injury. Mallory Pugh is out until at least August, though, after the winger sustained a knee injury. Defender Kelley O’Hara remains out with a hamstring injury.

“These players, any time they come in they know the demands. Second place isn’t good enough,” Ellis said.