Hello everyone! We hope everyone has been staying safe and healthy, In today's blog we will be looking back on when the USWNT played New Zealand on May 16, 2019. But first, Background Knowledge.
Background Knowledge
The US was playing New Zealand as part of the Send-Off Series for the World Cup. They were playing in Saint Louis, Missouri at Busch Stadium. The starting line up for the USWNT was Alyssa Naeher, Crystal Dunn, Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Kelly O'Hara, Megan Rapinoe (Captain), Lindsey Horan, Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath, and Alex Morgan. This was also Ali Krieger's 100th game (when she gets subbed in). Last but not least, their head coach was Jill Ellis.
1st Half
The US started with kickoff and the game was on. Later in the ninth minute Megan Rapinoe was called offsides. The US was playing high press but New Zealand's defense was able to keep the US from scoring. In the twenty-first minute Megan Rapinoe crossed the ball to Kelly O'Hara who headed the ball down to Alex Morgan. Morgan tried to volley the ball into the goal but it went to high. Later in the twenty-sixth minute Crystal Dunn received the ball on the left side of the field. She crossed it in to Morgan who was able to get a touch to the ball but New Zealand keeper was able to make an amazing save to tip the ball wide. A few minutes later in the twenty-ninth minute, Megan Rapinoe crossed the ball into to the 18-yard box where Rose Lavelle ran onto it and tried to head the ball in but it went straight to the goalkeeper. In the thirty-second minute New Zealand took a free kick that soared into 6-yard box, Alyssa Naeher came off her line and deflected the ball out of the 18-yard box. Then in the thirty-fifth minute Megan Rapinoe crossed the ball on the ground right threw the 18-yard box where all Tobin Heath had to do was tap it in! The US was up 1-0! Six minutes later in the forty-first minute Crystal Dunn played the ball threw on the left side of the field. Horan crossed the ball into the box where Rose Lavelle slotted the ball into the roof of the net!! The crowd erupted in excitement! After 2 minutes of extra time the first half was over. The US was up 2-0.
2nd Half
New Zealand started the second half with kickoff and the second half had started. In the fifty-second minute Samantha Mewis passed the ball to Megan Rapinoe with the outside of her foot. Megan Rapinoe received the ball and shot it, but it went wide and hit the net. In the sixtieth minute #10 Carli Lloyd was subbed in for Megan Rapinoe and #11 Ali Krieger was subbed in for #5 Kelley O'Hara.Then seconds later in the sixty-first minute Tobin Heath dribble into the eighteen-yard box and made a diagonal pass to Carli Lloyd. All she had to do was tap it into the goal! The US was up 3-0!! Later in the seventy-second minute #2 Mallory Pugh came in for #13 Alex Morgan, #20 Allie Long subbed in for #8 Julie Ertz and #23 Christen Press was subbed in for #17 Tobin Heath. Then in the eighty-third minute Christen Press crossed the ball into the eighteen-yard box where Carli Lloyd slid and tapped the ball into the goal! The score was now 4-0. Then literally seconds later, Samantha Mewis shot the ball from outside the box and it soared into the bottom left corner! The US was winning 5-0! There ended up being two minutes of extra time but the two minutes didn't matter. The US had won 5-0!
Stay safe and make sure you check out our other blogs!
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