The United States have coasted into the World Cup, getting through their fourth consecutive qualifying match without conceding a goal. Mexico provided surprisingly little opposition for the Americans on Friday, and the USWNT cruised to a 3-0 win after an early goal.
3 things we learned from the USWNT’s 3-0 win over Mexico
Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Carli Lloyd netted the opener just six minutes in. Tobin Heath set it up with a gorgeous cross to the top of the six-yard box, and Lloyd was in the perfect spot to head past Pamela Tojonar.
Mexico started the game with everyone behind the ball, and they didn’t get more ambitious after they went down a goal. The Americans continued to dominate teh rest of the game, even if they struggled to score.
Christen Press had a couple of chances to score early, but was denied on both occasions. Tojonar made a big save on her shot in the 19th minute, and Press hit the side netting after receiving an excellent long ball from Whitney Engen three minutes after that.
The win was all but clinched for the U.S. in the 29th minute, when Christina Murillo was whistled for a penalty. She made minimal -- if any -- contact on Tobin Heath in the box, but Heath went down and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Lloyd stepped up and converted, doubling the U.S. lead.
Despite their numerous chances in the second half, the United States only managed one more goal, through Press in the 56th minute. Sydney Leroux set it up with a beautiful through ball, and was substituted for Abby Wambach shortly afterwards.
In the minutes that followed, the USWNT hit all three posts and had a goal disallowed for offside. They weren’t as good in front of goal as they should have been, but played well enough to score seven or eight goals. El Tri had no serious spells of possession, no shots, and created only one corner. They really couldn’t have played much more poorly.
United States: Solo, Klingenberg, Engen, Rampone, Krieger, Holiday (O’Reilly 75’), Lloyd, Rapinoe (Brian 67’), Heath, Leroux (Wambach 62’), Press
Goals: Lloyd (6’, pen 30’), Press (56’)
Mexico: Tojonar, Siera, Garciamendez, Murillo (Alvarado 72’), Robles (Noyola 76’), Romero, Mercado, Garza, Rangel, Samarzich, Duarte (Mayor 55’)
Goals: None.
3 things
1. Mexico hardly showed up - The opening goal for the USWNT was scored by Lloyd, but there were three unmarked players ready to finish off the cross. And from there, it was game over. Mexico had almost none of the ball and had fewer threatening attacks than all of the United States’ supposedly inferior group stage opponents. This was a bad performance from El Tri. And they benched some first-choice players to rest them for the third place game, so basically, they punted here.
2. Christen Press is the USWNT’s best attacker - She’s been dangerous in all of her appearances so far, and Press’ efforts finally paid off with a goal on Friday night. She’s had tons of chances saved or go just wide, and set up twice as many for others. It’s about time she got rewarded for her work.
3. Jill Ellis can make 11 changes if she wants to - The USWNT are in the World Cup, so why not get a look at a totally different group? Ellis is going to benefit less from getting her first XI a semi-competitive game against a barely World Cup standard team than she is from seeing an entirely different group of players.
