The US Women’s National Team’s trip Down Under has thus far been fruitful, as they came away with a 3-0 victory against the Matildas of Australia.
Goals were supplied by Ashley Hatch, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan in Sydney. Hatch, making her third international appearance, scored her first American goal after just 24 seconds. Lavelle scored soon after the intermission and Horan converted from the penalty spot.
After some very poor Aussie defending from the kick off, the quick thinking Washington Spirit forward took advantage of the blunder, charged forward, controlled the ball, and blasted it past Teagan Micha between the posts. The California girl’s goal was the third fastest for the USWNT.
American keeper Casey Murphy was called upon just after the half hour mark when the Aussies pushed forward and Sam Kerr let off a very good effort from 25 yards out. The Chelsea striker was unfortunate not to see the ball ripple the net with Murphy’s fingertips getting the job done. Ten minutes later Kerr was again denied, this time by the leg of Murphy.
In the second half Lavelle’s goal for 2-0 was thanks to all the hard work by Margaret Williams-Purce. The Harvard alumni raced up the right wing with the ball at her feet and muscled her marker away, before squaring the ball into the box for the former Wisconsin Badger, who smacked it into the back of the net from eight yards out.
After Horan was fouled just inside the box by Ellie Carpenter, the former PSG midfielder placed the ball on the spot and hit it hard enough to the left side that Micah was unable to get her hand to it. This was her 25th American goal.
The Australian ladies will get a chance to avenge this loss when both teams go at it again on Tuesday at the McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
