U.S. Women’s National Team Bounces Back at 2020 Tokyo Olympics To Defeat New Zealand 6-1 in Second Group G Match

SAITAMA, Japan (July 24, 2021) – After a stunning loss in their opening match, the U.S. Women’s National Team bounced back with an impressive and dominating 6-1 victory against New Zealand in Group G play of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at Saitama Stadium. The U.S. got goals from midfielder Rose Lavelle, midfielder Lindsey Horan, forward Christen Press and forward Alex Morgan while also forcing two own goals from New Zealand to put itself in position to advance to the quarterfinals.

The U.S. finishes group play on Tuesday, July 27 against Australia with that quarterfinal spot on the line. With Sweden’s 4-2 victory over Australia in the first Group G match of the day, the USA now sits in second place with three points – the same as Australia – but with a better overall goal difference (plus-2 to Australia’s minus-1), which is the first tiebreaker. Sweden (6 points) is in the driver’s seat and has already secured its spot in the knockout round, but the USA will finish second in the group with a win or a tie in the group finale. The top two teams from each group as well as the top-two third place teams advance to the knockout stages.

The USA could still potentially get through to knockout rounds even with a loss, via one of two third-place berths to the quarterfinals.

The crucial final game in Group G kicks off at 3 a.m. ET from Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan, on USA Network, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com and Telemundo Deportes App.

Playing with pace and a crispness that was absent in the first game, the USA controlled the match over the 90 minutes and Lavelle gave the USA an early lead that they would never relinquish in just the ninth minute. The goal was Lavelle’s first in the Olympic Games.

The U.S. was in control the rest of the first half and Carli Lloyd, Heath, Megan Rapinoe and Horan all appeared to have scored for the USA with goals during the run of play, but all four were correctly disallowed for offside in the build-up.

Despite the Americans controlling the match, three minutes before halftime, forward Hannah Wilkinson created a quality opportunity for New Zealand. The forward was able to slip behind the U.S. backline and get on the end of a well-placed service from midfield, but her header was inches wide of the right post. It would prove to be the Kiwis best chance of the game outside of their goal.

Less than a minute later, Horan got her goal off a corner kick. The goal was Horan’s first ever in the Olympic Games and she became the seventh USWNT player to score during her 100^th cap.

In the second half, the U.S. scored its third off a New Zealand own goal. The Ferns pulled one back in the 72^nd minute after a misplay in defense, but the Americans would score three more times to pump up its goal difference heading into the Australia match.

The U.S. slammed the door shut with goals from second-half substitutes Press in the 80^th minute and Morgan in the 87^th minute, and another own goal by New Zealand in extra time provided the sixth and final goal of the night.

The goal for Press was her first in Olympic play while Morgan’s was her sixth in the Olympic games.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA – Rose Lavelle (Tobin Heath), 9^th minute: After a good build-up, Lindsey Horan passed the ball across the top of the box to Heath who hit a one-time through ball into the right side of the box for a streaking Lavelle. With her first touch, the former Wisconsin Badger slipped her shot past goalkeeper Anna Leat for her first Olympic goal. USA 1, NZE 0

USA – Lindsey Horan (Julie Ertz), 45^th minute: With the first half coming to a close, the U.S. doubled its lead off a Megan Rapinoe corner kick. Rapinoe sent her cross to back post and Ertz broke free from her marker to smartly headed the ball back across the front of the goal to a waiting Horan who headed home from close range. USA 2, NZE 0

USA – Abby Erceg (Own Goal), 63^rd minute: Horan sent in a cross to Carli Lloyd in the box and she headed it back across the goal for a streaking Heath. New Zealand defender Abby Erceg had positioned herself between Heath and the goal, but accidentally knocked it into her own net. USA 3, NZE 0

NZE - Betsy Hassett (Paige Satchell), 72^nd minute: The Football Ferns pulled one back after a misplay by the U.S. defense. A long ball was sent down the right sideline that Abby Dalhkamper attempted to clear away, but instead mishit. Satchell was able to win the ball in the box, draw out U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and then find Hassett, who took one touch before burying it into the open net. USA 3, NZE 1

USA – Christen Press (Julie Ertz), 80^th minute: Julie Ertz provided the service for the USA’s fourth goal when she sent in a ball from the right sideline for Press. Press took two touches, one to control the pass and then her next was a banger past the New Zealand goalkeeper and into the lower right corner. USA 4, NZE 1

USA – Alex Morgan (Christen Press), 87^th minute: Press found her fellow substitute Morgan for the fifth goal of the night. From the left flank, Press whipped in a cross that teased Heath but then found Morgan in the penalty area. She took a settling touch before striking her shot on the ground into the left corner of the net. USA 5, NZE 1

USA – CJ Bott (Own Goal), 90+3 minute: Press streaked down the left side to get on the end of a long ball and looked to cross it back into the box, but Bott stuck her foot out and mistakenly directed it into the net. USA 6, NZE 1

• The USA’s record against New Zealand now stands at 16-1-1 and 4-0-0 at the Olympics.

• With the victory, head coach Vlatko Andonovski is now 23-1-1 in his first 25 games.

• With their inclusion in today’s match day roster, Jane Campbell, Casey Krueger and Catarina Macario are now officially deemed Olympians by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

• Horan became the 41st player in USWNT history to reach 100 caps and the first to do so since Julie Ertz made her 100th international appearance on March 5, 2020 vs. England.

• At 27 years and 59 days old, Horan is the 18th-youngest player to reach the milestone and the youngest to do so since Alex Morgan hit the 100-cap mark at 26 years and 211 days in January of 2016.

• Horan and Carli Lloyd are the only two players to appear in all 14 matches for the USA so far in 2021.

• With her start, Lloyd is the second-most capped Olympian in USWNT history, trailing only Christie Pearce Rampone (22 games) and her 18 Olympic caps rank in the top-10 all-time in the history of the Women’s Olympic Tournament.

• The opening goal was Lavelle’s second career strike against New Zealand. She also scored against the Football Ferns in the 2019 Send-Off Series.

• With her assist on Lavelle’s goal, Tobin Heath earned her 40th career assist and 6th career assist at the Olympics.

• Horan became the seventh USWNT player to score a goal during her 100^th cap, joining Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Tisha Venturini, Tiffeny Milbrett, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan.

• Horan’s goal was also her first in an Olympics Games and her fourth of 2021.

• Captaining the USA against New Zealand, Megan Rapinoe earned her 181st career cap and her 10th appearance and eighth start overall at the Olympics.

• Emily Sonnett, Catarina Macario and Casey Krueger made their Olympics debuts, with Sonnett — an alternate in 2016 — starting the match and Macario and Krueger coming on in the second half. Nine different players have made their Olympic debuts for the USA during the 2020 Games

-U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand

Date: July 24, 2021

Competition: 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Venue: Saitama Stadium; Saitama, Japan

Attendance: None

Kickoff: 7:30 a.m. ET

Weather: 84 degrees; partly cloudy

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F

USA                            2          4          6                         

NZL                             0          1          1

USA -- Rose Lavelle (Tobin Heath)                           9^th minute

USA -- Lindsay Horan (Julie Ertz)                              45
USA -- Abby Erceg (Own Goal)                                 63

NZL -- Betsy Hassett (Paige Satchell)                       72

USA -- Christen Press (Julie Ertz)                             80

USA -- Alex Morgan (Christen Press)                        88

USA -- Catherine Bott (Own Goal)                             90+3

Lineups:

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 14-Emily Sonnett, 17-Abby Dahlkemper, 12-Tierna Davidson, 2-Crystal Dunn (20-Casey Krueger, 84); 16-Rose Lavelle (3-Samantha Mewis, 67), 8-Julie Ertz, 9-Lindsey Horan (19-Catarina Macario, 84); 7-Tobin Heath, 10-Carli Lloyd (13-Alex Morgan, 74), 15-Megan Rapinoe (Capt.) (11-Christen Press, 68)

Substitutes not used: 22-Jane Campbell, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn

Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski

NZL: 18-Anna Leat; 4-Catherine Bott, 5-Meikayla Moore, 7-Ali Riley (Capt.), 8-Abby Erceg; 2-Ria Percival, 12-Betsy Hassett, 14-Katie Bowen, 15-Daisy Cleverley (9-Gabrielle Rennie, 80); 11-Olivia Chance (13-Paige Satchell, 65), 17-Hannah Wilkinson

Substitutes not used: 1-Erin Naylor, 3-Anna Green, 6-Claudia Bunge, 10-Annalie Longo, 16-Emma Rolston

Head coach: Tom Sermanni

Stats Summary: USA / NZL

Shots: 12 / 5

Shots on Goal: 4 / 3

Saves: 2 / 0

Corner Kicks: 5 / 2

Fouls: 7 / 3

Offside: 7 / 2

Misconduct Summary:

None

Officials: 

Referee: Stephanie Frappart (FRA)

Assistant Referee 1: Manuela Nicolosi (FRA)

Assistant Referee 2: Michelle O’Neill (IRL)

4th Official: Laura Fortunato (ARG)