Early Morning Watch Party Set For U.S.-Japan Women's Olympic Soccer Game

LONG BEACH (CNS) - A watch party for Saturday's U.S.-Japan Olympic women's soccer quarterfinal will be held at Legends Sports Bar in Long Beach, with kickoff set for 6 a.m. Saturday.

The game from Parc des Princes in Paris will be televised by USA Network in English and by Universo in Spanish with both broadcasts available on the Peacock streaming service.

The U.S. is a -140 favorite to win in regulation, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook, meaning bettors betting $140 will receive $100 if the Americans win in regulation. Japan is a +350 underdog, meaning bettors betting $100 will receive $350 if the Japanese win in regulation.

The odds for a tie are -310, meaning bettors betting $100 will receive $310 if regulation play ends in a tie.

If regulation play ends in a tie, two 15-minute periods will be played. If the score is tied at the end of the overtime periods, the game will be decided by penalty kicks.

The U.S. is a -310 favorite to advance via a victory in regulation, overtime or via penalty kicks. Japan is a +230 underdog to advance via a victory in regulation, overtime or via penalty kicks.

The U.S. finished first in Group B with a 3-0-0 record, the first time since 2012 it had won all three group stage games. Japan was second in Group C with a 2-1-0 record, defeating Brazil 2-1 Sunday and Nigeria 3-1 Wednesday after beginning group play with a 2-1 loss to eventual group champion Spain on July 25.

The U.S. is fifth in the rankings compiled by FIFA, soccer's international governing body. Japan is ranked seventh.

The Americans are 31-1-8 against the Japanese, with the lone loss coming in the 2012 Algarve Cup. (Japan's win on penalty kicks in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup final is considered a tie.)

The U.S. was a 2-1 winner in the most recent meeting, April 6 in a SheBelieves Cup semifinal.

There are three players with Southern California ties on the U.S roster -- Trinity Rodman, who played for the San Juan Capistrano-based So Cal Blues club team, fellow forward Lynn Williams, who played at Pepperdine from 2011-14, and defender Jenna Nighswonger, who played for Huntington Beach High School.

Rodman scored the first goal in the tournament-opening 3-0 victory over Zambia on July 25, assisted on Sophia Smith's 10th-minute goal in a 4-1 victory over Germany on Sunday and scored the first goal in the 2-1 victory over Australia on Wednesday.

Rodman is the daughter of Basketball Hall of Fame member Dennis Rodman.

Williams scored the final goal against Germany on Sunday.

All but three of the 18 players on the U.S. team play in the National Women's Soccer League. The exceptions are Lindsey Horan, who plays for Olympique Lyon of the Premiére Ligue, the top division of French women's soccer, fellow midfielder Korbin Albert, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain of the Premiére Ligue and defender Emily Fox, who plays for Arsenal FC of Barclays Women's Super League, England's top division.

Japan's 18-player roster consists of six players who play in England, five in Japan, two in Italy and one each in the NWSL, Netherlands and Sweden. Two are unattached.

The US-Japan quarterfinal winner will face the winner of Saturday's Canada-Germany quarterfinal Tuesday in Lyon.

Saturday's watch party is organized by the Long Beach chapter of American Outlaws, a nationwide support group for the U.S. men's and women's national soccer teams.