United States 4-0 Haiti: Halftime Update

The United States has extended their lead to 4-0 at halftime of their Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying match against Haiti, although their lead should be much larger.

The third goal game in the 40th minute, once again off of a Yael Averbuch corner. From the right corner, Averbuch hit the ball to the back post for Abby Wambach. She headed it back across the goal where it was easily tapped in by Amy Rodriguez. The goal was Rodriguez’s first of the match, although it wasn’t her first great opportunity.

In the first minute of second half stoppage time, the USWNT added another. Carli Lloyd skinned her defender on the right flank and put in a cross to the back post. Wambach was making a completely unmarked surging run to the back post and had a simple tap-in to put the United States up 4-0.

The United States played the first half in their normal 4-4-2 setup, but with minor alterations. Yael Averbuch started on the left wing with Carli Lloyd and Shannon Boxx starting in the middle, despite conventional wisdom being that the three wouldn’t play together and either Lloyd or Averbuch would be replaced by the quick traditional left winger Megan Rapinoe. However, Rapinoe was poor in the USWNT’s last match and Averbuch’s delivery on set pieces has been superb. Also, as a result of the team having three players who can cover in the center of midfield, along with the fact that they are playing inferior opposition, both Lloyd and Boxx have made runs forward and into wide positions more often than usual.

If coach Pia Sundhage is looking to make any changes, this seems like an appropriate game to give run-outs to Alex Morgan and Lori Lindsey, the two least capped players in the team. The aforementioned Megan Rapinoe is likely to feature at some point as well.