The United States women looked poor in the first 25 minutes of their 2011 Women’s World Cup tune-up match against Japan, but once they stepped on the gas, they started to look fantastic. As a result, despite the fact that Japan were the better looking side for the majority of the half, the USWNT has a 2-0 lead at halftime and it’s hard to say that their lead is not deserved, as Japan were not able to create quality chances despite all of their possession.
USA Vs. Japan: USWNT Carries 2-0 Lead Into Halftime
Abby Wambach scored the first goal, and it came in predictable fashion. Abby Wambach isn’t marked by a player taller than 5’6” at any given time, so she’s even more of a weapon on set pieces against Japan than she is against the average side. In the 29th minute, Ali Krieger delivered a free kick from the right side of the pitch to the far post, where Wambach rose to meet the ball. She put her whole body into a fantastic snap header, powering the ball into the back of the net to give her side the 1-0 lead.
The equalizer came in the 37th minute through Amy Rodriguez, who finished off a fantastic team move. Once again, it was Krieger who started the attack, as she won the ball in defense and passed it forward. Wambach played a great dummy and let the ball find Heather O’Reilly, who played the ball back to Wambach on the right flank. She put a low cross across the face of goal that was tapped in by Rodriguez, and her 16th career USWNT goal put the United States up by a score of 2-0 heading into halftime.
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