U.S. Soccer final exams: women for the world, men for the continent

Carli Lloyd, the Americans’ Women’s World Cup star in 2015, says the success the United States is having in France isn’t an extension of the 2015 title run.

The so-called 2019ers are their own team.

“We don’t really bring up the 2015 World Cup that much because it’s done, it’s in the past. The focus is just on Sunday,” said Lloyd, who — at 36 — is the oldest player on the team and has 280 national team appearances with 113 goals.

The Americans will be vying for their fourth overall title when they face the Netherlands in the final at Stade de Lyon. More than having its own identity, this U.S. team is different than those of the past because it has more versatility and depth, said Lloyd, who is a “super sub” on this year’s team.

“New journey, different journey,” said Lloyd, who is playing in her fourth World Cup. “We’ve just got to go after it.”

Gold Cup: The CONCACAF Gold Cup final will have the marquee matchup it lacked since 2011: United States against Mexico.

A night after Mexico survived Haiti 1-0 in overtime, Christian Pulisic had two goals in the second half and Weston McKennie scored for a second straight game, leading the U.S. over Jamaica 3-1 in Wednesday night’s semifinal in Nashville.

The Nissan Stadium crowd of 28,473, undaunted by a nearly 90-mnute weather delay, was chanting “We Want Mexico!” in the closing minutes.

“It’s definitely going to be a fun game,” McKennie said. “I think the fans want it. You heard them saying, ‘We Want Mexico!’ I think we want it. I think we’re ready for it, looking forward to it.”

The Americans face El Tri at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Sunday night.

The U.S. is 6-4 in Gold Cup finals, including 1-4 against Mexico with a win in 2007 and losses in 1993, ’98, ’09...