OFFENBACH, Germany (April 5, 2013) – The U.S. Women’s National Team tied Germany 3-3 in a thrilling match on the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. Soccer Federation. The USA got goals from Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in a superb second half that featured six goals in front of a spirited crowd of 16,090 on a chilly night outside of Frankfurt.
The U.S. WNT now travels to The Hague to meet the Netherlands on April 9 in a match live on ESPNW.com and ESPN3.com at 1 p.m. ET.
“Overall it was a fair result and a competitive, exciting game that showed the quality of the two best teams in the world,” said head coach Tom Sermanni. “It’s always disappointing when you’re winning the game with 10 minutes to go and you end up drawing. But the positive side for us is we created some very good chances. We knew it was always going to be very difficult to come here and get a result.”
Sermanni made six changes to the starting lineup he sent out against Germany on March 13 in Portugal, as young outside backs Kristie Mewis (on the left) and Crystal Dunn (on the right) got the nod alongside center-backs Christie Rampone and Whitney Engen.
There was an excellent atmosphere for the entire match and both sides had good chances in a scoreless first half. That score line would change just two minutes after the break.
From a short corner Rapinoe danced past her marker with a scintillating nutmeg before firing a cross to the far post. Wambach arrived with perfect timing to head home the 155th goal of her U.S. Women’s National Team career and give the USA a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute.
The U.S. doubled its lead in the 55th minute with Wambach turning provider. She flicked a pass from Shannon Boxx that was lofted toward the penalty area into the path of Rapinoe and the U.S. winger made no mistake with her first touch, lashing a left-footed volley into the bottom right corner from 16 yards.
Many sides would go into damage limitation mode after falling behind 2-0 to the United States, but the hosts surged forward and in the 63rd minute got themselves back into the game.
A good team move beat the U.S. backline and Bianca Schmidt chipped a cross that was just half cleared by Dunn. Kim Kulig was there to clean up the scraps, smashing home from 12 yards to halve the deficit.
The USA continued their assault and in the 71st minute and restored its two-goal advantage. Lauren Cheney collected a poor clearance around the halfway line before lofting an exquisite 40-yard ball over the Germany backline and into the path of an onrushing Morgan.
The U.S. striker needed only one touch to lift the ball over Angerer with the deftest of finishes for the 42nd goal of her National Team career.
But Germany refused to give up. In the 85th minute, Germany was awarded a penalty kick to cut the lead to 3-2.
Just a minute later the game was tied with substitute Anja Mittag sweeping in a loose ball from the middle of the penalty area after goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart had only got a hand on the cross from the left wing and after a German attacker had bundled over Engen.
There was still time for one more chance, with forward Sydney Leroux’s header in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time getting cleared off the goal line acrobatically by Verena Faißt.
Additional Notes:
• The USA drawn 3-3 only two previous in its history: March 19, 1995 during an Algarve Cup third-place match against Norway (which the USA would lose 4-2 on penalty kicks) and June 6, 1995 vs. China PR (which the USA was leading 2-1 at halftime) in the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sweden.
• Morgan’s goal was her fourth of 2013.
• Rapinoe’s goal was the 22nd of her career and third of 2013. Her assist was the 22nd of her career and second of 2013.
• Wambach’s assist was the 61st in her career and first of 2013.
• Cheney’s assist on Morgan’s goal was the 23rd of her career and second of 2013.
• The USA improved its unbeaten streak to 30 games, with the last loss coming against Japan on March 5 at the 2012 Algarve Cup in Portugal. During that span, the U.S. has scored 91 goals while allowing 21 in 25 wins and four draws.
• U.S. Soccer capped off Centennial Week in New York with a number of events on its 100-year anniversary today, including a joint press conference with Mayor Bloomberg’s office on the steps of New York City Hall, lighting the Empire State Building red, white and blue and a viewing party for this match with fans at Nevada Smiths at Webster Hall.
-U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report-
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Germany
Date: April 5, 2013
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Sparda Bank Hessen Stadium; Offenbach, Germany
Kickoff: 6:15 p.m. local / 12:15 p.m. ET
Attendance: 16,090
Weather: 43 degrees, cloudy, cold
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 3 3
GER 0 3 3
USA – Abby Wambach (Megan Rapinoe) 47th minute
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Abby Wambach) 55
GER – Kim Kulig 63
USA – Alex Morgan (Lauren Cheney) 71
GER – Celia Okoyino da Mbabi (penalty) 85
GER – Anja Mittag 86
Lineups:
USA : 18-Nicole Barnhart; 6-Crystal Dunn, 3-Christie Rampone (capt.), 14-Whitney Engen, 8-Kristie Mewis; 9-Heather O’Reilly (17-Tobin Heath, 77), 7-Shannon Boxx, 12-Lauren Cheney, 15-Megan Rapinoe; 13-Alex Morgan, 20-Abby Wambach (2-Sydney Leroux, 80)
Substitutions Not Used: 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 11-Ali Krieger, 16-Yael Averbuch, 19-Rachel Buehler, 21-Adrianna Franch, 22-Meghan Klingenberg, 23-Christen Press, 24-Ashlyn Harris, 25-Julie Johnston
Head coach: Tom Sermanni
GER: 1-Nadine Angerer (capt.); 25-Leonie Maier 3-Saskia Bartusiak, 22-Luisa Wensing, 4-Babett Peter (2-Bianca Schmidt, 57); 10-Linda Bresonik (11-Anja Mittag, 60), 8-Kim Kulig, 26-Nadine Keßler, 7-Melanie Behringer (15-Verena Faißt, 46); 13-Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, 14-Dzsenifer Marozsan (9-Alexandra Popp, 88).
Substitutions Not Used: 12-Almuth Schult, , 18-Svenja Huth, 21-Kathrin Langert, 23-Josephine Henning, 27-Jennifer Cramer, 28-Tabea Kemme
Head coach: Silvia Neid
Stats Summary: USA / GER
Shots: 13/8
Shots on Goal: 7/4
Saves: 1/4
Corner Kicks: 5/5
Fouls: 7/10
Offside: 4/3
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Shannon Boxx (caution) 50th minute
USA – Christie Rampone (caution) 84
Budweiser Woman of the Match: Lauren Cheney