U.S. women preparing for World Cup

Sunday's United States vs. Mexico exhibition at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, N.J., is serving as the World Cup send-off match for the American women, who will begin play in the three-week, Germany-based championship tournament June 28 against North Korea. Kickoff Sunday is 2 p.m.

Champions of two of the previous five World Cups -- and bronze medalists in the other three -- the U.S. women are 24-1-1 against Mexico, the only loss coming last November in World Cup qualifying. Mexico's 2-1 victory on that occasion, in Cancun, automatically qualified it for the World Cup and forced the Americans to win three subsequent matches to earn a tournament berth.

At the World Cup, the United States will follow its North Korea opener with a July 2 game against Colombia and July 6 against Sweden. The championship final will be played July 17.