No. 2 USWNT advances to the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup final

The GIST: The inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup championship match is set with the No. 2 USWNT advancing to face No. 11 Brazil on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET. But the road to get there was, in fact, a river. Let’s slide right in.

How it happened: After playing to a 2–2 regulation draw, the red, white, and blue ultimately topped No. 10 CanWNT in a penalty kick (PK) shootout on Wednesday. American goalie Alyssa Naeher had the game of her life, saving three shots and scoring a PK of her own in the dub. What can’t she do?

• However, beyond battling each other, the two squads also competed against the elements, at times unable to even dribble the ball through the puddles at Snapdragon Stadium.

• Many expressed concerns about player safety, with both coaches saying the game should not have been played, sparking a debate as to who was responsible for not making that call.

• As for the other semi, No. 11 Brazil dominated No. 35 Mexico 3–0, as El Tri Femenil competed with just 10 players on the field after midfielder Nicki Hernández received a red card in the 29th minute.

No. 2 USWNT vs. No. 11 Brazil, Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET: Thankfully, there’s a 30% chance it’s already raining 0% chance of precipitation on Sunday, allowing the Americans to focus on the high-powered Canarinhas.

• Led by forward Bia Zaneratto, Brazil’s taken the most shots of any team this tourney. Naeher and standout defender Naomi Girma will once again anchor the American defense in their biggest test of Gold Cup play. OOSA OOSA OOSA-AH.