USWNT Shuts Out Russia In Texas

After finishing fouth in the four-team SheBelieves Cup, and falling to second in the FIFA world ranking, the U.S. Women’s National Team shut out Russia 4-0 in their first time back on the field.  Crystal Dunn and Allie Long supplied the goals, each scoring twice. The team got strong play from Rose Lavelle andMallory Pugh in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,191 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX.

• The USWNT has not conceded a goal in a match played in Texas in any of their last 10 games played in the state, outscoring opponents 42-0 in those matches.
• Crystal Dunn notched her second career multi-goal game. The first one also came at Toyota Stadium, on Feb. 15, 2016 against Puerto Rico when she scored five goals in the match. Her brace tonight gives her 20 career international goals and two in 2017. Dunn is 25th player in U.S. WNT history with 20 or more goals.
• Allie Long scored her second career brace tonight. Her first came April 6, 2016, in East Hartford, Conn. All five of Long’s international goals have been headers.
• Midfielder Rose Lavelle earned her third cap and start for the WNT tonight. Lavelle played her first game for the senior team on March 4 against England, recording 90 minutes of terrific soccer in a widely-praised debut. She once again excelled on the field, displaying an ability to control the ball with poise and confidence and earning her first career assist on Allie Long’s first goal of the evening. Lavelle became the first player to earn a first cap in 2017 and the 14th player to earn a first cap from Ellis. Lavelle was the first overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft by the Boston Breakers.
• Becky Sauerbrunn has started all four games this year and is the only player to have played all 360 minutes. She earned her 123rd cap tonight.
• Alyssa Naeher made her 13th appearance for the USA and 11th start. She earned her eighth shutout.
• Megan Oyster, who came in for O’Hara in the second half, earned her first cap. She is the second player to earn her first cap this year and the 15th player to debut under Ellis
• On March 1 against Germany, Mallory Pugh played in her first game back for the WNT since the quarterfinal loss to Sweden in Brazil last August. Pugh came off the bench in the 58th minute, replacing Dunn. The 18-year-old earned her second start of the year tonight and her 21st cap. Her assist on Long’s goal is her first of 2017 and eighth of her career.
• Carli Lloyd, who earned her 236th cap, notched her 55th career assist tonight.
• Casey Short made seventh start in her seventh cap, playing all 90 minutes.
• Amy Rodriguez came into the match in the 80th minute in place of Pugh. The appearance was the first action for Rodriguez with the WNT since Oct. 25, 2015, vs. Brazil in Orlando.
• Megan Rapinoe also entered in the 80th minute, her first WNT action since Sept. 18, 2016 against the Netherlands.
• Kelley O’Hara earned her 93rd cap tonight, inching her closer to the century mark. She returned to the starting XI after being hampered by a minor groin injury during SheBelieves Cup, where she played only the final 12 minutes of the last game against France. She played 68 minutes tonight.
• After recovering from a back injury that sidelined her for most of the fall of 2016, Meghan Klingenberg made her return to the starting lineup for the WNT. Klingenberg earned her 71st cap, playing 45 minutes tonight.
• Samantha Mewis made her 10th career start and earned her 21st cap. She played all 90 minutes in her fourth start of 2017.