First off we would like to congratulate Julie Ertz on earning her 100th cap! We can't wait to see her keep dominating on the field!
In case you haven't heard the USWNT won their first 2020 SheBelieves Cup game 2-0! So in this blog, we will be recapping their game.
Here is some background knowledge about the game: The last time these two teams met was in the 2019 World Cup quarter-final where Alyssa Naeher made an amazing penalty kick save to ensure the US won 2-1. The USWNT played their first 2020 SheBelieves Cup game at Exploria Stadium which is also home to the Orlando Pride. The USWNT starting roster was, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O'Hara, Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn, Crystal Dunn, Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, and Christen Press. This was also Julie Ertz's 100th cap! The USWNT subs were: Ashlyn Harris, Adrianna Franch, Samantha Mewis, Andi Sullivan, Mallory Pugh, Lynn Williams, Megan Rapinoe and Jessica McDonald. Carli Lloyd was the USWNT starting captain. A few hours before the USWNT played, Spain won their first 2020 SheBelieves Cup game 3-1 to Japan. This is the fifth SheBelieves Cup and there was no VAR.
1st Half
Now, let's talk about the game. The US started the game with kick-off and the game was on. Then only eight minutes in Tobin Heath received the ball and darted down the field but lost the ball. Only a minute later in the ninth minute Tobin Heath served a free-kick into the box but an English player headed it out. Later on, in the thirteenth minute, Rose Lavelle rocketed the ball from outside of the eighteen-yard box towards the goal but the English goalkeeper dove and kicked the ball out! Seconds later in the fourteenth minute Christen Press received the ball in the eighteen-yard box but shot the ball wide. Nine minutes later in the twenty-third minute, Tobin Heath played into the eighteen-yard box where the ball deflected off an English defender, landed at Lindsey Horan, who received the ball but the English goalkeeper came out and stopped her! She was so close! Three minutes later in the twenty-sixth minute, England received a corner kick. An English player served the ball in and somehow it got kicked up and went over the goal. Later in the thirty-second minute, Tobin Heath played the ball into the middle of the box where Carli Lloyd shot it one-touch towards the goal but the English goalkeeper was able to dive and get the ball. The final half time score ended up being 0-0. We noticed that the US was pressing the English players a lot and did not give them a lot of chances to move forward.
Here were the stats at half time:
Shots: US-11 England-5
Shots on goal: US-4 England-2
Corners: US-4 England-2
Fouls: US-3 England-8
2nd Half
England started with kick-off and they were off to the races. 4 minutes later in the 49th minute, Tobin Heath crossed the ball into the 18-yard box on a corner kick right to Lindsey Horan who headed the ball just over the crossbar. Wow was the US starting fast. You might have missed this but in the 51st minute Tobin Heath's hair was pulled and she was not happy! 2 minutes later in the 53rd minute, Carli Lloyd played the ball threw to Christen Press who curved the ball into the right side of the goal! It was phenomenal!!! Only 2 minutes later Lindsey Horan chipped the ball over 3 English players right to Carli Lloyds feet. Lloyd curved the ball into the right side of the goal and put the US up 2-0! That's 2 goals in 3 minutes! The US was staying strong. In the 56th minute, Alyssa Naeher came off her line and stole the ball from the English player. 2 minutes later Ellen White from the English team headed the ball just wide of US's goal. 3 minutes later Megan Rapinoe who is also co-captain came in for Christen Press. Not much happened after that but the US was playing very high pressure. In the 77th minute, Julie Ertz scored but it was called offsides. In the 89th minute, Jessica McDonald subbed in for Carli Lloyd. 4 minutes later and after 3 minutes of injury time the game was over and the US won 2-0.
We learned some other things while we were watching the game. We learned that in the Olympics there are only 12 spots for women soccer teams but there are 16 spots for men's teams. Abby Wambach was also at the game on Thursday. Can you imagine seeing her there! Make sure you keep watching their games!
Smed, Jamie. Christen Press. Flickr, www.flickr.com/photos/highwaytodistraction/ 37414482895. Accessed 8 Mar. 2020.
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