KANSAS CITY, Kansas (Oct. 21, 2021) – Despite creating numerous scoring chances, the U.S. Women’s National Team ran into a hot goalkeeper and an extremely organized Korea Republic defense to draw 0-0 at Children’s Mercy Park. The USA extended the team’s unbeaten home streak to 61 matches in front of an electric sellout crowd of 18,467 fans. With the result, the team’s 22-game home winning streak came to an end, marking the second-longest such streak in team history.
While the Koreans had some good moments in transition, the USWNT dominated the match with its first dangerous chance coming in the 12th minute as midfielder Lindsey Horan fired a curling left-footed shot from the top of the box which skimmed off the outside of the left post. Horan had a promising chance just six minutes later as she headed a cross from defender Kelley O’Hara on target but was denied by the goalkeeper.
The chances kept coming for the hosts as forward Tobin Heath found Alex Morgan in on goal with a through ball that broke the defensive line, but goalkeeper Youngguel Yoon was up for the challenge and came up with the save. Just 15 minutes later, the USWNT returned the favor as goalkeeper Adrianna Franch stretched out to make a dramatic save to deny a threatening volley from defender Selgi Jang, the best chance of the game for South Korea.
The USWNT piled on the chances as they pressed in attack for the remainder of the match but were unfortunate not to create the winning goal despite dangerous chances from Morgan, forward Megan Rapinoe, defender Becky Sauerbrunn and midfielder Rose Lavelle. The USA out-shot their opponent 19-8 while placing eight shots on target compared to one for South Korea.
Legendary forward Carli Lloyd came into the match as a substitute in the 63rd minute to roaring cheers from the crowd as she registered her 315th international cap in her penultimate appearance for the red, white and blue. Lloyd is currently the second-most capped player in world history and has scored 134 international goals, which rank third in USWNT history and fourth all-time in world history.
Prior to the match, Horan was honored for reaching 100 caps, which she earned during the Olympics on July 24 in a 6-1 victory against New Zealand, a match in which she scored her 23rd international goal. At 27 years old, the midfielder is the 41st USWNT player to earn that distinction and the 18th-youngest. The Colorado native earned her 105th cap tonight and has tallied 22 goals and 33 assists.
The USWNT will return to action to close out the October window as they face Korea Republic again on Tuesday, Oct. 26 in what will be the final match of Lloyd’s decorated international career. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on FS1 and TUDN, with pregame coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
The USA remains unbeaten in their 14 all-time meetings against Korea Republic, owning a 10-0-4 record in the overall series that dates back to 1997.
USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski is 26-2-4 in 32 games at the helm of the team.
Korea Republic marked the 15th different opponent the USA has faced in 2021 and the second from the Asian Football Confederation, with the U.S. having faced Australia twice during the Tokyo Olympics.
Defender Emily Fox earned her 6th USWNT cap after entering the match in the 68th minute as a substitute for defender Casey Krueger
Becky Sauerbrunn earned her 196th cap. She is the second-most capped on the USA’s roster behind Carli Lloyd,
Goalkeeper and Salina, Kansas native Adrianna Franch made her fourth start of the year as she earned her 10th overall cap, becoming the 17th goalkeeper in USWNT history to reach double-digit caps. A 2019 World Cup champion and a 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, Franch is the only player from Kansas ever to make a world championship roster for the USWNT. Franch was on the roster but did not see the field when the USA last played at Children’s Mercy Park in 2018, making this her first game for the USA in her home state.
Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Korea Republic
Date: October 21, 2021
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas
Attendance: 18,467 (Sell-Out)
Kickoff: 7:08 p.m. local (8:08 p.m. ET)
Weather: 52 degrees, clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 0 0
KOR 0 0 0
Lineups:
USA: 21-Adrianna Franch; 5-Kelley O’Hara; 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 12-Tierna Davidson, 20-Casey Krueger (26-Emily Fox, 68); 9-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 16-Rose Lavelle, 17-Catarina Macario (22-Kristie Mewis, 46); 7-Tobin Heath (27-Sophia Smith, 46), 13-Alex Morgan (10-Carli Lloyd, 63), 15-Megan Rapinoe (11-Mallory Pugh, 46)
Substitutes not used: 2-Abby Dahlkemper, 6-Lynn Williams, 14-Emily Sonnett, 18-Jane Campbell
Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski
KOR: 1-Younggeul YOON, 2-Hyojoo CHOO (3-Yeonga JEONG, 90+2), 6-Seonjoo LIM, 5-Hyeji HONG, 16-Selgi JANG; 15-Yeeun PARK (9-Minji YEO, 63), 17-Youngju LEE, 10-Soyun JI (Capt.), 8-Sohyun CHO; 13-Geummin LEE (7-Hyeri KIM, 87), 11-Yuri CHOE
Subs not used: 18-Jungmi KIM, 19-Gaae KANG, 4-Sohee LEE, 12-Hwayeon SON, 14-Jiyoun SEO, 20-Hahnul KWON, 21-Seongmi KIM, 22-Jeongmin LEE, 23-Mijin CHO
Head coach: Colin Bell
Stats Summary: USA / KOR
Shots: 19 / 8
Shots on Goal: 8 / 1
Saves: 1 / 8
Corner Kicks: 6 / 2
Fouls: 9 / 8
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Lindsey Horan (Caution) 77th minute
Officials:
Referee: Katja Koroleva (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Deleana Quan (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)
4th Official: Melissa Borjas (HON)
Budweiser Woman of the Match: Lindsey Horan