The U.S. Women’s National Team scored two goals in each half in a 4-1 victory over South Korea on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
Abby Wambach scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time after Alex Morgan was fouled inside the area to score her 156th career international goal to move within two of Mia Hamm’s U.S women’s all-time scoring record
“It’s not easy to score in international soccer, no matter who you’re playing,” Wambach said. “It’s a pretty special night and I’m one more (goal) closer to getting (the record). … I’m glad to have gotten the penalty kick. I think I deserved one earlier, but that’s the way it goes.”
Kristie Mewis opened the scoring in the third minute with her first international goal, and Lauren Chaney scored in the seventh minute. Cho Shoyun scored for South Korea in the 26th, and Carli Lloyd made it 3-1 with a 30-yard blast in the 57th minute.
The United States is unbeaten since March 2012, going 29-0-4, and is 8-0-2 on the year. South Korea is 3-4-1 this year.
The teams will meet again Thursday night at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
On the opening goal, Sydney Leroux raced toward the near post and fired a quick shot that goalkeeper Kim Jungmi got a piece of. But the rebound squirted to Mewis, who fired it into an open net.
“It was just amazing to be able to play in front of my family and friends,” Mewis said. “Sydney made a great run down the end line and did all the work and I just kind of tapped it in.”
Cheney doubled the U.S. lead 4 minutes later when she took Tobin Heath’s pass and fired a shot inside the near post. South Korea countered on Cho’s goal, with Ji Soyun crossing it toward the penalty arc for Cho, who blasted a shot past goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.
Additional Notes:
- This is only the third time forwards Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux, who won the 2008 FIFA U-20 in Chile together, have started up top for the full national team. The other two times came at the Algarve Cup last March in a 5-0 win over China and a 2-0 win over Germany in the final.
- 20-year-old midfielder Morgan Brian, a member of the USA’s 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup champions, earned her first senior team cap when she came on for Lauren Cheney in the 77th minute. Morgan is a rising junior at the University of Virginia.
- Leroux’s assist on Mewis’ goal was her fifth for the USA. Heath’s assist on Cheney’s goal was her 14th. O’Reilly’s assist on Lloyd’s goal was her 44th.
- Carli Lloyd’s goal was the 44th in her National Team career, tying her for 10th all time with Alex Morgan and Tisha Venturini.
- U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe, forward Christen Press and defender Meghan Klingenberg did not suit up after just getting in some brief training arriving into camp late from Europe where they are playing club soccer.
- Ali Krieger got the final 20 minutes, coming on for Rachel Buehler in the 70th minute.
- Buehler captained the U.S. team as she was honored during the pre-game for earning her 100th cap back in March at the Algarve Cup.
- Christie Rampone played in her 282nd match for the USA, but in a different position than usual. She started at right back, the position she debuted at in 1997, before moving back into the middle when Ali Krieger came into the game.
- The USA moves to 8-0-2 record in 2013, with the draws coming against Germany and Sweden
- The USA is riding a 33-game unbeaten streak since the last loss, which came to Japan (1-0) on March 5, 2012 at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. Over those 33 games, the U.S. has scored 105 goals while allowing 26 in 28 wins and five ties.
- The USA is also riding a 71-game home unbeaten streak. Those 71 games have included just nine ties and 62 wins. The last loss for the USA on home soil came on Nov. 6, 2004, a 3-1 setback to Denmark in Philadelphia. It was one of just two losses the USA has suffered when Abby Wambach scores a goal.
- The match marked the 100th win for the USA when Abby Wambach scores a goal as the Americans are now 100-2-8 when she finds the net at least once.
– U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Korea Republic
Date: June 15, 2013
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Gillette Stadium; Foxborough, Mass.
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Attendance: 13,035
Weather: 71 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 2 4
KOR 1 0 1
USA – Kristie Mewis (Sydney Leroux) 3rd minute
USA – Lauren Cheney (Tobin Heath) 7
KOR – Cho Sohyun (Jeoun Eunha) 26
USA – Carli Lloyd (Heather O’Reilly) 57
USA – Abby Wambach (penalty kick) 90+3
Lineups:
USA : 18-Nicole Barnhart (1-Hope Solo, 46); 3-Christie Rampone, 19-Rachel Buehler (capt.) (11-Ali Krieger, 70), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 8-Kristie Mewis; 9-Heather O’Reilly, 10-Carli Lloyd (16-Yael Averbuch, 67), 12-Lauren Cheney (25-Morgan Brian, 77), 17-Tobin Heath; 2-Sydney Leroux (20-Abby Wambach, 46), 13-Alex Morgan
Substitutions Not Used: 6-Crystal Dunn, 14-Whitney Engen
Head coach: Tom Sermanni
KOR: 1-Kim Jungmi, 4-Shim Seoyeon, 6-Lim Seonjoo, 20-Kim Hyeri (14-Kwon Hahnul, 80), 5-Lee Sejin, 8-Cho Sohyun, 15-Kim Narae (13-Lee Mina, 71), 17-Park Heeyoung (22-Lee Jungeun, 62; 3-Jeong Younga, 87), 10-Ji Soyun, 12-Yoo Younga (2-Kim Jihye, 90), 18-Jeoun Eunha (16-Kim Sangeun, 54)
Substitutions Not Used: 19-Shin Jiyoung, 21-Yoon Younggeul
Head coach: Yoon Dukyeo
Stats Summary: USA / KOR
Shots: 21 / 8
Shots on Goal: 13 / 4
Saves: 3 / 8
Corner Kicks: 7 / 2
Fouls: 3 / 12
Offside: 4 / 1