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USWNT cruises past Ireland in World Cup tune-up

Julie Johnston goal by Kyle Terada USA TODAY
Photo by Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports

By CAITLIN MURRAY

It was the result U.S. Women’s National Team expected, but it may not be the confidence boost they wanted.

Just a month out from the Women’s World Cup, a flurry of missed chances on Sunday kept the USWNT’s thrashing of Ireland to 3-0 in front of a sellout crowd at Avaya Stadium.

The Americans were the better side on the day, but lacked sharpness against an Ireland side that failed to qualify for an expanded World Cup field for 2015. With 26 shots to Ireland’s zero, the Americans struggled with finishing to earn what could’ve been a more lopsided scoreline.

Alex Morgan remained out with a minor injury and coach Jill Ellis started the Americans in a lineup likely to appear during the World Cup with Abby Wambach and Amy Rodriguez as forwards in a 4-4-2 formation.

The Americans didn’t get on the board until a bizarre goal in the 42nd minute.

A Megan Rapinoe corner kick was almost miss-cleared into an own goal, but the ball struck defender Niamh Fahey in the face. Fahey dropped to the ground and Irish goalkeeper Niamh Reid-Burke stopped playing to check on her, but the Americans played on and Wambach easy scored on an open net.

Wambach quickly made up for it a minute later, scoring a difficult header — her signature skill. Running away from goal, Wambach launched into the air and swiveled her body to redirect a Carli Lloyd cross inside the near post.

Julie Johnston, the 23-year-old who appears to have fast-tracked her way into a starting spot with the USWNT, scored her third goal in as many games, again by getting on the end of a corner kick and redirecting it into goal in the second half.

For all the chances the Americans sent weakly, wide or over the crossbar on the day, Reid-Burke did her part to keep the USWNT at bay with some huge saves, including a point-blank kick save to deny Rapinoe what looked like a sure goal. The U.S. had 10 shots on goal.

The Mother Day’s match started off on a special note — FOX Sports surprised the players by flying in their mothers and grandmothers, who walked out onto the field with the team for the pre-game national anthem and team photo.

The USWNT’s road to the World Cup continues next Sunday in Los Angeles, where they face Mexico at the StubHub Center. Their World Cup run begins June 8 against Australia in Winnipeg, Canada.

See Wambach’s first goal below:

Comments

  1. Great day at Avaya. The game was completely one-sided, not much for the US back line to deal with but I like the Johnston/Sauerbrunn CB combo. Sauerbrunn anticipates the game so well she cuts out a lot of plays before there’s any trouble…then makes a very composed pass out of the back…probably my favorite player to watch on the USWNT. We had a ton of opportunities, definitely need to tidy up the finishing. Pinoe looks fit and active… fully engaged and in form….definitely one of the keys for us at the WC.

    Not that anyone needs to hear how tough Wambach is but add one more to the file. She went up for a header and caught a forearm from the keeper right in the face. It looked like she busted her nose when she took the towel off. They stuff her nose full of cotton and she comes back on and three minutes later goes into almost the exact same play, face first, full speed….she’s as tough as they come.

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  2. The team continues to look tactically deficient. No surprise there, that’s the #1 criticism of Ellis.

    Too reliant on the set pieces, and hoofing the ball into Wambach.

    Press playing in midfield. Why? At this point, she’s ostensibly your best goal-scorer. Leroux and Morgan are both out-of-form (and Morgan’s banged up again, so I have my doubts how much she’ll be bringing to the table in Canada), and Rodriguez, while looking good at the club level, has been a career under-achiever for the national team. This team needs Press up top, as its starting to look like Wambach might be the only other reliable striker they have (frightening), and she’s rather “limited” in her abilities these days.

    Holiday’s struggles continue. Probably need to see more Brian at this point.

    I think the backline should be OK, but it’s gonna be hard to tell where they’re at with this mediocre slate of opponents in the send-off matches.

    I’m really glad to see Johnston getting the nod at CB, and hope it continues.

    Honest question: If neither Rampone nor Boxx are starting, nor the first choice off the bench at their respective positions, then why are they on this roster?

    Obviously, this is just the first warm-up match, and they’re unlikely to see such a defensive-style in Canada, but it’s a bit disconcerting when the USWNT can’t accomplish something basic like stringing together more than three passes at a time or develop any real build-up play vs. an Ireland squad that was handing out first caps like candy.

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    • The lack of combination play up top and through the middle was quite noticeable. Lots of players working to create their own shots around or outside the 18 but pretty much no actual passing inside the 18 or up top unless it came in the form of cross from one of the wings. Either they don’t trust each other to make plays or there is a lot of selfishness going on. Even Boxx seemed to be looking to tee herself up when she saw the field.

      Players like Rampone, Boxx, Wambach want it so bad and have been around for so long that most fans seem to think they are entitled to be on the squad. And, Don’t be surprised to see Rampone reclaim her starting spot. All it will take is one moderately shaky performance by Johnston and Rampone will be back. Later it will come out that some of the veterans went to Jill Ellis on her behalf telling her they were more comfortable with her back there, than a newbie like Johnston.

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