The USWNT "concludes its 10-city Victory Tour" following its FIFA Women's World Cup win tonight in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against China with the "knowledge that preparing for an equally challenging 2016 begins in just three weeks," according to Ted Lewis of the Baton Rouge ADVOCATE. The team "reassembles Jan. 5 to began preparation for the Olympic qualifying tournament." Officials for tonight's finale are anticipating a crowd of "more than 30,000." International soccer events "are rare in New Orleans," as this "is the first appearance" by the USWNT there since '93. The nationally televised match at the Superdome is a "first in the facility’s 40-year history." Superdome GM Alan Freeman said that the success of tonight’s match "could lead to more Olympic sports events in the Dome and the Smoothie King Center." As it is, this will be the "largest attendance for a women’s sporting event in Louisiana history" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 12/16).
ABBY'S ROAD: In New Orleans, Julie Boudwin notes USWNT F Abby Wambach "will end her career" tonight. She said, "I was pretty emotional after the last game. I'm hoping I can keep it together [tonight] with all my friends and family here" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 12/16). ESPNW's Graham Hays wrote Wambach during the course of her 14-year national team career "accomplished the sport's objective more than anyone in its history." With her departure, it is not clear who "will replace the words and the passion" or who "will say what needs to be said." Without Wambach, the USWNT "will not lack thoughtful minds or social actors" and it "isn't losing its conscience." But it is "losing the person who didn't answer carefully, whose instinct wasn't to defer and who was most likely to speak out on any topic." Hays: "Her voice isn't going anywhere. The national team just needs to find its own now" (ESPNW.com, 12/15).
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: The GUARDIAN's Beau Dure notes the USWNT "will at last wrap up a tour that started in August with a pair of games awkwardly crammed into a short break in the NWSL schedule." This situation "is preventable, but it requires a rethink." It is "time to treat the USWNT as a national soccer team rather than a traveling circus." That means "scheduling more friendlies that expand the player pool by trying out women who have excelled in the pro NWSL, in college, or even in Europe." Dure: "More developmental games. Fewer ceremonial excursions with players celebrating their 100th or 200th cap by beating up on a hapless opponent from Central America or the Caribbean" (GUARDIAN, 12/16).
