The U.S. Women’s National Team couldn’t have imagined a better start to the team’s run through CONCACAF’s Olympic qualifying tournament.
Led by an Alex Morgan tally just 12 seconds into the match, the USWNT cruised past Costa Rica, 5-0, at Toyota Stadium in the reigning Women’s World Cup winners’ first game of Group A play. Prior to the USWNT’s result, Mexico topped Puerto Rico, 6-0, in Group A, leaving the U.S. in second place heading into the second round of games.
The U.S. women established their dominance straight from kickoff, as Morgan fired home a Carli Lloyd chipped pass less than 15 seconds into the match. Just eight minutes later, Lloyd doubled the lead from the penalty spot after Crystal Dunn was taken down in the box.
Dunn herself added to the USWNT scoreline in the 15th minute, following up on her own rebound for her fifth international goal and final USWNT tally of the opening 45 minutes.
Morgan added another in the 62nd minute by finishing another Lloyd assist before Christen Press finished off the USWNT’s scoring in the 83rd minute with a spectacular first tough and spinning finish.
Defensively, goalkeeper Hope Solo recorded the 92nd shutout of her career, extending her all-time USWNT record.
Following the win, the USWNT returns to action on Saturday in a clash with Mexico at Toyota Stadium, where the U.S. remains 4-0-0 following Wednesday’s victory.
Check out highlights of the USWNT victory below:
That snag by Press was sick.
Press was given a golden ticket by Jill Ellis for OVER a year and could NOT perform at international level, that’s why she was BENCHED during World Cup and rightfully so. She has NO defense, does NOT see the big picture, and oftentimes cannot score when the ball is literally on her bootlaces. She cannot run backwards to save her life and is out of position like a deer caught in headlights. Yes, last night was a better goal by Press but we’ll see. And for all those drinking the Kool Aid that she’s such a great striker, her goals come in absurd friendlies against lackluster competition. Ireland (1st match this year) was only practicing as a team together for 1 week before facing US. Now, Ellis is foisting Horan at mid-holding upon us but she has a looong way to go before she’ll be able to do the job needed at Olympic level. She slide tackles/pokes so much so that she takes herself out of the play leaving us vulnerable. As for the rest: Krieger top world right back does NOT get the kudos she is due nor does top world center back Sauerbrunn; Klingenberg is overrated (she’s out of position so much that Sauerbrunn has to clean up the entire left side); Heath is overrated by far- a sub at best (cannot take a decent corner kick & ball tricks will only produce results a small percentage of the times- very errant passing player); Throw Hinkle to the curb in Texas with her luggage and leave her there; rest of newbies largely don’t deserve to wear the crest or the numbers. The “she believes” competition against top ranked teams in March will illuminate where USWNT is at given Ellis crackhead player selection/lineups. We won the World Cup DESPITE Jill Ellis not because of her. First order of business after CONCACAF should be to reinstate HAO immediately. And please give Capt. America Rampone the respect she deserves with a proper ceremony if she is unable to continue.
Sweet control by Press for her goal!!!
Its really absurd press doesn’t start
It’s pretty tough to break in the starting lineup when you are competing against Alex Morgan though. I would like to see more of Press myself but I can’t blame Jill Ellis for going with what she is going with.