COMMERCE CITY, Colorado (April 4, 2019) – Mallory Pugh came off the bench to score twice and Alex Morgan scored her 100th international goal. Those were the highlights of U.S. Women’s National Team’s 5-3 win over Australia in front of 17,264 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Eight goals scored made for an entertaining match. It was a quality win over a Top Ten team, headed to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, along with the defending world champion Americans in June.
Morgan finally finished her quest for 100 to take a 1-0 first half lead, but it was short-lived as Lisa De Vanna tied it for the Aussies 15 minutes later. It remained that way through the first half.
Australia went up a goal early in the second half on a Caitlin Foord strike, but the USA quickly leveled it on a header. Megan Rapinoe and Pugh added two more to distance the U.S. from The Matildas. Sam Kerr cut the U.S. lead to one with 10 minutes remaining in regulation, but Pugh put the cherry on top of the U.S. win with her second goal of the game just before the final whistle.
While the win was encouraging as Coach Jill Ellis‘ group prepare to defend their championship with a series of games before leaving for France, allowing two goals continues to showcase a concern regarding defensive soundness.
Ellis has employed a host of changes and experiments in the back over the past three years, and what showed up vs Australia looked to be a “work in progress”. It does not help that veteran outside back Kelley O’Hara is currently injured.
Unfortunately, the leadup games will not provide the kind of threat to the U.S. defense that will push the issue. Next up is Belgium on Sunday, April 7. The USA will face South Africa on May 12 in Santa Clara, California at Levi’s Stadium; continue on to St. Louis to take on New Zealand at Busch Stadium on May 16 and finish up the Send-Off Series vs. Mexico at Red Bull Arena on May 26 in Harrison, N.J.
Whether or not Ellis has prepared her team for a successful defense of their title remains to be seen. All the pieces of the puzzle appear to be there, but to complete the picture you must put them in the right places.
COMMERCE CITY, Colorado (April 4, 2019) – Mallory Pugh came off the bench to score twice and Alex Morgan scored her 100th international goal. Those were the highlights of U.S. Women’s National Team’s 5-3 win over Australia in front of 17,264 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Eight goals scored made for an entertaining match. It was a quality win over a Top Ten team, headed to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, along with the defending world champion Americans in June.
Morgan finally finished her quest for 100 to take a 1-0 first half lead, but it was short-lived as Lisa De Vanna tied it for the Aussies 15 minutes later. It remained that way through the first half.
Australia went up a goal early in the second half on a Caitlin Foord strike, but the USA quickly leveled it on a header. Megan Rapinoe and Pugh added two more to distance the U.S. from The Matildas. Sam Kerr cut the U.S. lead to one with 10 minutes remaining in regulation, but Pugh put the cherry on top of the U.S. win with her second goal of the game just before the final whistle.
While the win was encouraging as Coach Jill Ellis‘ group prepare to defend their championship with a series of games before leaving for France, allowing two goals continues to showcase a concern regarding defensive soundness.
Ellis has employed a host of changes and experiments in the back over the past three years, and what showed up vs Australia looked to be a “work in progress”. It does not help that veteran outside back Kelley O’Hara is currently injured.
Unfortunately, the leadup games will not provide the kind of threat to the U.S. defense that will push the issue. Next up is Belgium on Sunday, April 7. The USA will face South Africa on May 12 in Santa Clara, California at Levi’s Stadium; continue on to St. Louis to take on New Zealand at Busch Stadium on May 16 and finish up the Send-Off Series vs. Mexico at Red Bull Arena on May 26 in Harrison, N.J.
Whether or not Ellis has prepared her team for a successful defense of their title remains to be seen. All the pieces of the puzzle appear to be there, but to complete the picture you must put them in the right places.
Additional Notes:
- Alex Morgan’s 100th career goal tonight was also her second of 2019. She is tied with Tiffeny Milbrett (100 goals) in sixth place on the all-time scoring list, behind Abby Wambach (184), Mia Hamm (158), Kristine Lilly (130), Michelle Akers (107) and Carli Lloyd (106).
- Morgan has scored 27 goals over her last 32 WNT matches, a span that runs from the end of 2017. The 27 goals have included six braces and one hat trick. Morgan earned cap No. 159 and moved into sole possession of 17th all-time in games played.
- She is the third youngest player (29 years, 276 days) in WNT history to score 100 goals, behind only Mia Hamm (26 years, 185 days) and Abby Wambach (29 years, 47 days). She is also the fourth fastest player to 100 goals behind Wambach (129 caps), Michelle Akers (130) and Hamm (156).
- Tobin Heath scored her third goal of 2019 tonight and the 28th of her career. She has scored 10 goals in her last 15 matches and eight in her last 10.
- Megan Rapinoe earned cap No. 150 tonight, making her the 21st woman in USA history to play 150 times or more for her country. She scored her 44th career goal and third of 2019.
- Colorado native Mallory Pugh scored 37 seconds after coming into the match in the second half and again seconds before the game’s final whistle. It was her second career brace. Pugh now has 15 international goals with the USA and three in 2019.
- Emily Sonnett earned two assists, her first of 2019. Crystal Dunn earned her first assist of 2019.
– U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Australia
Date: April 4, 2019
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo.
Attendance: 17,264
Weather: 60 degrees; Partly cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 4 5
AUS 1 2 3
USA – Alex Morgan (Crystal Dunn) 14th minute
AUS – Lisa De Vanna (Caitlin Foord) 29
AUS – Caitlin Foord (Sam Kerr) 47
USA – Tobin Heath (Emily Sonnett) 53
USA – Megan Rapinoe 61
USA – Mallory Pugh (Emily Sonnett) 67
AUS – Sam Kerr (Hayley Raso) 81
USA – Mallory Pugh (Alyssa Naeher) 90+5
Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 2-Emily Sonnett (12-Tierna Davidson, 79), 7-Abby Dahlkemper (10-Carli Lloyd, 85), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Crystal Dunn; 8-Julie Ertz, 9-Lindsey Horan (23-Christen Press, 64), 16-Rose Lavelle (3-Samantha Mewis, 46); 17-Tobin Heath, 13-Alex Morgan (20-Allie Long, 81), 15-Megan Rapinoe (capt.) (22-Mallory Pugh, 66)
Substitutes not used : 11-Ali Krieger, 24-Ashlyn Harris, 26-Jessica McDonald
Head coach: Jill Ellis
AUS: 1-Lydia Williams; 2-Gema Simon, 4-Clare Polkinghorne, 8-Elise Kellond-Knight (16-Hayley Raso, 68), 9-Caitlin Foord (17-Mary Fowler, 75), 10-Emily Van Egmond, 11-Lisa De Vanna (15-Emily Gielnik, 57), 13-Tameka Butt (19-Katrina Gorry, 90), 14-Alanna Kennedy, 20-Sam Kerr (capt.), 21-Ellie Carpenter
Substitutes not used: 12-Teagan Micah, 18-Mackenzie Arnold, 3-Aivi Luik, 5-Laura Alleway, 22-Elizabeth Ralston, 23-Teigen Allen
Head coach: Ante Milicic
Stats Summary: USA / AUS
Shots: 17 / 10
Shots on Goal: 11 / 3
Saves: 0 / 6
Corner Kicks: 11 / 1
Fouls: 8 / 7
Offside: 7 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Megan Rapinoe (caution) 49th minute
AUS – Clare Polkinghorne (caution) 84
USA – Samantha Mewis (caution) 90+1