LOS ANGELES (April 7, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team came out firing on all cylinders, blanking Belgium 6-0 in front of 20,941 fans at Banc of California Stadium to continue its preparation for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France this summer. It was the USA’s first-ever meeting with Belgium.
The first four U.S. goals all came via headers, three from set plays. The USA opened the scoring in the 14th minute via a header from Carli Lloyd, followed shortly after by a second headed goal from Lloyd in the 19th minute. It was Lloyd’s first multi-goal game since she scored a hat trick vs. Panama during World Cup qualifying last October.
Midfielders Lindsey Horan and Samantha Mewis added goals in the first half as the USA dominated the match form start to finish, ultimately out-shooting Belgium 17-4 while not allowing a shot on goal.
U.S. WNT head coach Jill Ellis made three subs to start the second half with forward Alex Morgan, defender Abby Dahlkemper and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris all coming on. Fresh off her 100th career goal, Morgan found the net yet again to make it 5-0 in the 50th minute as she roofed her shot from a tight angle off a world class assist from Lloyd. Jessica McDonald added the final strike on one last header in stoppage time to cement the 6-0 win.
At halftime of today’s match, U.S. Soccer honored the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship team with a tribute video and individual player recognition to celebrate their historic title 20 summers ago that forever changed the landscape for not only women’s soccer in the United States but women’s sports globally.
Up Next: The WNT players return to their NWSL clubs before gathering in early May to embark on the three-game Send-Off Series, Presented by Volpi Foods. The USA will face South Africa on May 12 in Santa Clara, California at Levi’s Stadium (1:30 p.m. PT; FOX), continue on to St. Louis for a test against New Zealand at Busch Stadium on May 16 (7 p.m. CT; ESPN2) and finish up the Send-Off Series vs. Mexico at Red Bull Arena on May 26 in Harrison, N.J. (Noon ET; ESPN, UDN).
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Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Carli Lloyd (Tierna Davidson), 14th minute: The USA opened the scoring on a world class header from Lloyd via a free kick that Davidson sent into the penalty area from about 50 yards out. Lloyd judged the incoming ball perfectly and out-jumped Heleen Jaques to nod the ball on a bounce into the right corner from eight yards out for her 106th career goal. USA 1, BEL 0. WATCH.
USA – Carli Lloyd (Crystal Dunn), 19th minute: Lloyd doubled the U.S. lead just five minutes later – once again off a header. This time the goal came from the run of play as Crystal Dunn, playing as a midfielder tonight, did well to work her way free of a defender on the left flank and hit a cross into the six-yard box. This time Lloyd out-jumped Laura De Neve to spin her header into the right side of the net for her 107th career goal, tying Michelle Akers for fourth on the USA's all-time goals list. USA 2, BEL 0. WATCH.
USA – Lindsey Horan (Christen Press), 26th minute: The USA’s third goal came off a corner kick from the right side as Christen Press sent an in-swinger into the penalty area. Horan stepped in front of Lloyd and out-jumped Chloe Vande Velde to loop her header into the right side of the net from nine yards out. USA 3, BEL 0. WATCH.
USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press), 33rd minute: The USA's fourth goal – the fourth consecutive score off a header – came from a set play. Press chipped the ball into the penalty area from 40 yards out and it was met in right side of the box by the six-foot Mewis, who sent a looping header across the goal and into the lower left corner from eight yards out for her first score of the year. USA 4, BEL 0. WATCH.
USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd), 52nd minute: Morgan came on at halftime and seven minutes later scored her 101st career goal in front of her hometown crowd. She did well to bring down a chipped pass on the left side and then deftly played Lloyd through down the wing. Morgan continued her run and Lloyd cleverly back-heeled a pass between two defenders. It went directly into the path of Morgan who raced in on goal and smashed her left-footed shot from the edge of the six-yard box into the roof of the net from a tight angle. USA 5, BEL 0. WATCH.
USA – Jessica McDonald (Christen Press), 90+1: The U.S. won a free kick 30 yards from the left side of Belgium’s goal. Press measured a perfect cross to the top of the six-yard box that set McDonald up for a flicked header over the onrushing goalkeeper and into the center of the vacated net. USA 6, BEL 0. WATCH. FINAL.
Additional Notes:
– U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Belgium
Date: April 7, 2019
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Banc of California Stadium; Los Angeles, Calif.
Kickoff: 6 p.m. PT
Attendance: 20,941
Weather: 70 degrees; Partly cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 4 2 6
BEL 0 0 0
USA – Carli Lloyd (Tierna Davidson) 14th minute
USA – Carli Lloyd (Crystal Dunn) 19
USA – Lindsey Horan (Christen Press) 26
USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press) 33
USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd) 52
USA – Jessica McDonald (Christen Press) 90+1
Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher (24-Ashlyn Harris, 46); 11-Ali Krieger, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 8-Julie Ertz (7-Abby Dahlkemper, 46), 12-Tierna Davidson; 9-Lindsey Horan (20-Allie Long, 60), 19-Crystal Dunn (13-Alex Morgan, 46), 3-Samantha Mewis (25-McCall Zerboni, 73); 22-Mallory Pugh (26-Jessica McDonald, 61), 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 23-Christen Press
Substitutes not used: 2-Emily Sonnett, 17-Tobin Heath
Head coach: Jill Ellis
BEL: 21-Nicky Evrard; 2-Davina Philtjens (5-Shari Van Belle, 59), 4-Heleen Jaques (17-Maud Coutereels, 59), 6-Tine De Caigny (3-Ella Van Kerkhoven, 80), 9-Tessa Wullaert (capt.), 11-Janice Cayman, 18-Laura De Neve, 19-Chloé Vande Velde (13-Elena Dhont, 46), 20-Julie Biesmans, 22-Laura Deloose (16-Sarah Wijnants, 85), 23-Kassandra Missipo (8-Lenie Onzia, 86)
Substitutes not used: 1-Justien Odeurs, 12-Lisa Lichtfus, 14-Davinia Vanmechelen
Head coach: Ives Serneels
Stats Summary: USA / BEL
Shots: 17 / 4
Shots on Goal: 8 / 0
Saves: 0 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 2
Fouls: 6 / 10
Offside: 1 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Carli Lloyd (caution) 64th minute
BEL – Maud Coutereels (caution) 90
Officials:
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Felisha Mariscal (USA)
4th Official: Karen Abt (USA)
Woman of the Match: Carli Lloyd