Boston Breakers’ Whitney Engen and Kyah Simon Advance to Quarterfinals
Whitney Engen and Kyah Simon of the Boston Breakers will take the pitch on Friday representing their national teams in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Engen and the U.S. Women’s National Team take on Sweden at 12:00 p.m. ET, while Simon and Australia take on host nation Brazil at 9 p.m. ET.
NWSL Soccer News: Boston Breakers captain and defender Whitney Engen and forward Kyah Simon will represent their respective countries Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Engen and the U.S. Women’s National Team finished atop Group G Tuesday night with a 2-2 draw against Colombia at Amazonia Arena in Manaus, Brazil. Engen started her second straight match for the U.S., and for the second game in a row played the full 90 minutes. Engen earned her first Olympic start Saturday in a 1-0 win over France. The U.S. opened Group G play Wednesday, Aug. 3, with a 2-0 victory over New Zealand.
Simon helped lead Australia to its first Olympic quarterfinal appearance since 2004. She scored a goal in Tuesday afternoon’s 6-1 win over Zimbabwe, getting on the end of a splendid through ball from Steph Catley. Simon, who like Engen is also making her first appearance at an Olympic Games, played in all three Group F matches for “The Matildas.” She came on as a sub in a 2-0 loss to Canada to open group-stage play on Aug. 3. Simon then started and played all 90 minutes in a 2-2 tie against European giants Germany. She followed that up with a goal in 90 minutes of action Tuesday against Zimbabwe.
Friday, the quarterfinals kick off at noon, and that’s when the U.S. takes on Sweden (managed by former U.S. and Boston Breakers coach Pia Sundhage) at Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia.
Australia, meanwhile, must wait until 9 p.m. ET Friday for its quarterfinal-round kickoff against host nation Brazil. Those teams clash in Rio at Belo Horizonte.
In the other quarterfinals, China takes on Germany and Canada faces France. Winners advance to the semifinals, which will be held Tuesday, Aug. 16, with the gold and bronze medal matches set for Friday, Aug. 19.
Source/Photo Credit: Boston Breakers
