Tuesday night’s international friendly against Ireland is more than just a pre-World Cup tuneup for Portland Thorns defender Becky Sauerbrunn.
The U.S. women’s national team captain will celebrate 200 caps with her country in front of hometown fans in St. Louis, flanked by family, friends, coaches and mentors. Sauerbrunn, 37, achieved the mark in 2022 and sits at 215 total appearances for the USWNT entering Tuesday’s match.
“It’s really special,” Sauerbrunn said in USWNT media availability on Monday. “We (the USWNT) got to play at Busch Stadium a few times, but to be back and play at CITYPARK in a soccer-specific stadium is really special. It’s also my 200th cap celebration, so we’ll be able to do that and have my family, club coaches and all the people that made me, me here. It’s really special.”
CITYPARK was built for the newest MLS expansion side St. Louis City SC, a team Sauerbrunn — born and raised in St. Louis and a graduate of Ladue High School — said she is keeping up with.
Pregame festivities Tuesday night will be about celebrating Sauerbrunn, a stalwart on the USWNT at the center back position and a two-time World Cup champion.
The lead-in to that celebration featured a much-needed trip home, Sauerbrunn said.
“I got to spend some time with the family,” Sauerbrunn said. “Going home and having a home-cooked meal in this trip is a nice little interlude. My favorite place in St. Louis is my mom’s house. Just to be able to go back and spend some time there with her was really nice.”
The USWNT takes on Ireland in the second of two friendlies at 4:30 p.m. PT Tuesday at CITYPARK in St. Louis, with live streams available on HBO Max, Universo and Peacock. The U.S. previously beat Ireland 2-0 on Saturday, losing forward Mallory Swanson to injury.
The Thorns’ next match is at home against the Houston Dash, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Providence Park. A live broadcast will be available on CBS Sports Network and through the Paramount+ app.
— Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke