Soccer Viewing Party today in Tustin, Long Beach--Women's Soccer U.S. Vs. Costa Rica

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—A viewing party today in Tustin and Long Beach will showcase the U. S. vs. Costa Rica women's exhibition soccer game. This is the last exhibition game prior to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The game from Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas will begin at 6 p.m. and be televised in English by ESPN and in Spanish by cable's Univision Deportes Network.

The viewing parties will be held at Shannon's On Pine, 209 Pine Ave.,Long Beach; and The Auld Dubliner, 2497 E Ave., Tustin. The parties are organized by the Long Beach and Orange County chapters of American Outlaws, a nationwide support group for the U.S. men's and women's national soccer teams.

The 18-player U.S. team includes three players who played on the highschool level in Los Angeles County -- forwards Alex Morgan and Christen Press and defender Whitney Engen.

Morgan, a graduate of Diamond Bar High School, was also a member of the gold medal-winning 2012 team. Press, a Chadwick School alumnus, and Engen, a former Peninsula High School standout, will be playing in their first Olympics,although Press was an alternate in 2012.

All but one of the U.S players play in the National Women's Soccer League, now in its fourth season. The one exception is 18-year-old forward Mallory Pugh, who plays for the club team Real Colorado.

The U.S. is 13-0-1 in 2016, recording 12 shutouts, including 10 by Hope Solo, and outscoring its opponents 48-4. The U.S. is first in the rankings compiled by FIFA, soccer's international governing body. Costa Rica is ranked 29th.

The U.S. is 13-0 against Costa Rica, including a 5-0 victory in their most recent meeting, Feb. 10 in Frisco, Texas in an Olympic qualifying match.

Costa Rica, known as Las Ticas, played in the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in 2015, but failed to qualify for the Olympics. Costa Rica's roster consists of 11 players who play in Costa Rica, four in Spain, one in France and two in the U.S. -- forward Raquel Rodriguez, who plays for Sky Blue FC of the NWSL, and defender Fabiola Sanchez, who plays for Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee.

Rodriguez is a teammate of U.S. defender Kelley O'Hara with Sky Blue FC.

Will you watch?