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Dunn nets five in USWNT rout of Puerto Rico

Photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports
Photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports

The U.S. Women’s National Team had no problem clinching the top spot in its CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship group on Monday.

It only took six minutes for the Americans to score, and many more goals followed en route to a 10-0 rout of Puerto Rico in the third and final group game of the tournament. The U.S., led by Crystal Dunn’s five goals, overwhelmed the underdog, and 17-year-old Mallory Pugh was a key cog in the U.S. attack.

She provided the assist for Dunn’s first goal and then drew a penalty, which was coolly finished by FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd, in the 18th minute.

Dunn netted another shortly after Lloyd’s 85th career goal, while Kelley O’Hara scored just on the brink of halftime to make it 5-0. After an own goal by Puerto Rico to start the second half, Dunn completed her hat trick and Christen Press joined the goal-scorers with a superb blast from just outside the penalty area.

The 23-year-old Washington Spirit forward wasn’t done scoring on the night, though. Dunn added two more goals in the final few minutes of the contest, while Sam Mewis netted the 10th and final goal of the evening.

In Monday’s other Group A matchup, Costa Rica stunned Mexico, 2-1, and kept its Olympic qualifying hopes alive. The U.S. will play either Guyana or Trinidad and Tobago in one semifinal, while Las Ticas will play Canada in the other semifinal in Houston on Friday.

Here are the highlights of the USWNT’s win:

What do you think of the USWNT’s win? How do you think the Americans will do in the knockout round?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. We can all be excited (or angry) about Crystal Dunn’s inclusion (or lack of ) on the USWNT. But She scored 5 goals against Puerto Rico not Germany, Sweden, France. She is an amazing athlete. But if you ever watch her ‘handling’ the ball, she is not that impressive. Because the US women are so much more athletic than many other teams, the lack of ball skills gets lost. It’s playing against the better teams that the skill issue becomes a question. Let’s see how she fares in the ‘I Believe’ Cup against better competition.

    Reply
    • I don’t know about that, did you see what she did in the NWSL last season?!?! League leader in goals amongst other things, but her speed the way she reads the game and her ability in one v one situations is pretty impressive. Can you say that world women’s football is a higher level in comparison to the NWSL, I say no?? Is she perfect, no but who is. The likes of Alex Morgan has her failings as well so if you want to pick apart her game go right ahead but I just think it’s awesome to see players like herself, Pugh and other you bgsters being themselves on the field and it shows I’m their play.

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  2. Mallory Pugh and Crystal Dunn are the next wave of US and world women soccer. Their ball control skills and the way they fearlessly run at players seemed really good (even though its against Puerto Rico)

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    • Not to mention Morgan Brian and Christen Press. Those two look like they ae barely 16 and they just have fun with the ball! Brian is the holding / attacking midfielder of the future (one of them!) who absolutely GLOWED in the WC, and Press is a natural attacking mid / poacher-goal-scorer forward with the touch and the magic everyone dreams of.

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    • They are young. Pugh is in HIGH SCHOOL. She is 17. Dunn and Brian are 23. Press is a late bloomer on the international level at 27, but I think she was under the radar because she played abroad.

      I am just glad that we are moving away from the stodgy, archaic boot it up to Abby, to the more dynamic, pass the ball around style of play.

      PS – on a non-soccer note, Press is stunning to look at. I mean…wow. Yeah, I know people say it is not PC to talk about female athlete looks, but I have no issue when my female friends talk about male athlete looks, We are all human.

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  3. I have a feeling Dunn will be the one everybody is talking about after Rio this Summer. The argument can be made that she’s the best player on the team right now, which is why I’m still baffled she wasnt at the WWC last summer.

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    • I was crying out that Ellis left off Dunn from the World Cup roster. She can play up and down the entire wing on the team (and has done so). That includes full back, wing, and forward. She really coudl have had a coming out party during this world cup. The thing is when the the US drops a couple players (including Wambach) they are a lot more dynamic.

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    • Dunn was recovering from an injury prior to last summers WC which is why she wasn’t called; and she was young & inexperienced. Ellis has stated this many times. No such thing as a best player in a game with so many different and vital roles. That is divisive talk

      Reply
      • I obviously hit a nerve with my comments and apologize for not knowing all the facts. However, there is always a best player in any team sport or game and to suggest otherwise is being naive, she had 5 goals for goodness sake. Lastly, how are my comments divisive, I’m only a fan commenting on a soccer thread amongst other fans?!?! If I were a player in that locker room making those comments then I could understand your angst but I’m not, so I don’t think your statement applies.

      • Wood Chip Zip,

        That is erroneous. Dunn WAS NOT hurt when she was cut. She had already recovered, She was actually playing for Washington Spirit of NWSL when she was cut. Then she went on a tear. She got cut because: (1) USWNT has a very deep talent pool — MUCH deeper than their competition, (2) Eliis is not very good at evaluating talent and (3) Ellis was too loyal to senior members of the squad.

        Dunn is flexible and plays fullback and forward very well. I said it then and I will say it again, Lori Chalupny SHOULD NOT have been chosen in place of Dunn.

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