An ESPN report dug deeper into Solo's June 2014 arrest on domestic violence charges. The case had been dropped – because of the witnesses' failure to show up to give depositions – and Solo had since then portrayed herself as the victim of the incident. However, according to ESPN, which reconstructed that night and fateful fight through conversations with the accusers, 911 calls and police reports, Solo very much appeared to be the aggressor.
As Solo was set to backstop the Americans in yet another campaign to conquer the women's soccer world, we were talking about an ugly incident that was rearing its head yet again. We were talking about domestic violence and the place of its alleged perpetrators in our sports. And then, like so very often, Solo walked onto the Winnipeg Stadium pitch and demonstrated why she gets away with things few others could.
Because she is a magnet for shots from opposing forwards as much as she is for drama.
Without Solo, it's doubtful that the USA would have walked away from its Group of Death opener against Australia with a 3-1 win. The Matildas, so nicknamed, a team that had never once beaten the Americans in 24 attempts, made an aggressive start, clearly unsettling their favored opponents. But just five minutes in, Solo parried an Emily van Egmond shot off her own crossbar. Then, after Megan Rapinoe's deflected effort through traffic had sailed past Melissa Barbieri to put the Americans ahead, Solo denied Sam Kerr on a volley from close range.
