WNT Downs Brazil 3-1 in Front of Record-Crowd in Orlando as Holiday, Chalupny Play Final International Game

ORLANDO (Oct. 25, 2015) – The World Cup Champion U.S. Women’s National Team continued its Victory Tour with a  3-1 victory against Brazil at the Orlando Citrus Bowl in front of 32, 869 fans, the largest stand-alone crowd to watch the USA friendly in the state of Florida.

Defender Lori Chalupny and midfielder Lauren Holiday played in their final match for the USWNT and were honored before the game. Both are World Cup and Olympic champions and retire as two of the most successful players to put on the USA jersey, earning 106 and 133 caps, respectively.

It was a fast-paced, end-to-end match that saw Brazil control the play for significant parts of the game, but the Americans finished their chances to defeat Brazil for the first time in the last four meetings (one loss, two ties and a win). Both teams created early chances, but unlike their last meeting four days ago – a 1-1 tie in Seattle - it was the United States that got on the scoreboard first. In the ninth minute, Alex Morgan received a perfect through pass from Tobin Heath on the left side, ran past the defense, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted it home.

Nearing the end of the first half regulation time, Brazil got its equalizer when Cristiane received a nice slip pass from Marta in the right side of the penalty box. She cut back inside to beat a defender and hit a powerful left-footed shot from just inside the penalty box that flew straight to the left corner.

The USA mounted an immediate response and went ahead three minutes later when a point-blank header from Lindsey Horan was blocked by Brazil goalkeeper Luciana but rebounded to Crystal Dunn, finished through traffic with her right foot to regain the lead just before halftime.

Stephanie McCaffrey, who was making her USWNT debut, added another score in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage, volleying home a perfect Megan Rapinoe cross from the left side for the final score line. Hope Solo was once again solid in goal for the USA, making two saves while dominating the penalty box against a talented Brazilian attack.

With the win, the WNT extended its unbeaten home streak to 102 games (89-0-13). The last loss at home came to Denmark on Nov. 6, 2004, in Philadelphia.

The USWNT will resume its Victory Tour in December when it takes on Trinidad & Tobago on Dec. 6 in Hawaii and on Dec. 10 in San Antonio, Texas. The team will then face China PR in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 13 and again in New Orleans on Dec. 16.  

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Alex Morgan (Tobin Heath), 9th minute. Tobin Heath found some space down the left sideline and timed her pass perfectly to Alex Morgan, who made a precisely timed run to beat the Brazil back line. Morgan outran her defenders and then beat Brazil goalkeeper Luciana to the left before rolling the ball into and open net for her 55th career goal. USA 1, BRA 0. (SEE GOAL)

BRA – Cristiane (Marta), 45th minute: Marta found Cristiane with a nice slip pass into the box on the left side and Cristiane did the rest, cutting back to lose a U.S. defender before ripping a left-footed shot into the left corner. USA 1, BRA 1.

USA – Crystal Dunn (Lindsey Horan), 45+3: After Brazil had found the equalizer right before the 45-minute mark the USA answered back three minutes into stoppage as Meghan Klingenberg crossed a ball to the far post where Lindsey Horan headed it on goal. Luciana was able to block the point-blank attempt, but it rebounded back Crystal Dunn who finished with a right-footed strike from close range. USA 2, BRA 1. (SEE GOAL)

USA – Stephanie McCaffrey (Megan Rapinoe), 90+4: Just before the final whistle blew as the USA was killing off the game, Megan Rapinoe worked her way free on the left flank and crossed it to Stephanie McCaffrey who was able to re-direct the ball into the net at the back post to make it 3-1. It was McCaffrey’s first career goal on her debut with the USWNT. USA 3, BRA 1, FINAL. (SEE GOAL)

Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
USA – Becky Sauerbrunn, 24th minute: Brazil’s counterattacked down the left side and crossed to the far post where Cristiane had an open shot from close range, but somehow Becky Sauerbrunn recovered to clear the ball away just inches from it crossing the line.

Next on the Schedule: The WNT will continue its Victory Tour with the final four games in December, making stops in Hawaii on Dec. 6, and San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 10. The team will then face Trinidad & Tobago in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 13, and New Orleans on Dec. 16 to face China PR.
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Milestone Watch:

• Lauren Holiday, who left the game in the 56th minute to a rousing ovation and was replaced by Carli Lloyd, ends her career with 133 caps and 24 goals.
• Lori Chalupny, who left the game in the 21st minute to a rousing ovation and was replaced by Meghan Klingenberg, ends her career with 106 caps and 10 goals.
• Holiday started the game wearing the captain’s armband.
• Forward Stephanie McCaffrey and defender Gina Lewandowski earned their first caps as substitutes. McCaffrey came on at halftime for Tobin Heath. The 30-year-old Lewandowski came on in the 74th minute for Ali Krieger, a teammate on FFC Frankfurt when they won the UEFA Champions League in 2008.
• With her goal against Brazil, McCaffrey became the 18th USWNT player to score in her first cap. The last player to do it was Christen Press on Feb. 9, 2013, against Scotland.
• University of Virginia senior Emily Sonnett started in her first cap and played the entire 90 minutes next to Becky Sauerbrunn.
• Lindsey Horan got her first start for the USA and earned her fourth cap.
• With the win the USA’s all-time record against Brazil improved to 26-3-5.

- U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report -

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Brazil
Date: Oct. 25, 2015
Competition: International Friendly; Victory Tour
Venue: Orlando Citrus Bowl; Orlando, Florida
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Attendance: 32,869
Weather: 80 degrees; sunny

Scoring Summary:       1          2          F
USA                               2          1          3
BRA                               1          0          1

USA – Alex Morgan (Tobin Heath)                                  9^th minute
BRA – Cristiane (Marta)                                                   45
USA – Crystal Dunn (Lindsey Horan)                              45+3
USA – Stephanie McCaffrey (Megan Rapinoe)                94

Lineups:
USA: 1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger (30-Gina Lewandowski, 74), 27-Emily Sonnett, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 16-Lori Chalupny (22-Meghan Klingenberg, 21); 25-Crystal Dunn (15-Megan Rapinoe, 60), 12-Lauren Holiday (capt.) (10-Carli Lloyd, 56), 14-Morgan Brian, 17-Tobin Heath (28-Stephanie McCaffrey, 46); 31-Lindsey Horan (8-Amy Rodriguez, 80), 13-Alex Morgan
Subs Not Used: 2-Sydney Leroux, 3-Christie Rampone, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 6-Whitney Engen, 7-Shannon Boxx, 9-Heather O’Reilly, 18-Ashlyn Harris, 19-Julie Johnston, 20-Abby Wambach, 21-Alyssa Naeher, 23-Christen Press, 29-Samantha Mewis
Head coach: Jill Ellis

BRA: 1-Luciana; 2-Fabiana, 4-Rafaelle, 5-Andressinha, 6-Tamires (7-Beatriz, 71), 8-Thaisa, 9-Andressa Alves, 10-Marta (capt.), 11-Cristiane, 14-Erika, 20-Formiga (17-Gabi Zanotti, 63)
Subs Not Used: 3-Monica, 12-Andreia, 13-Poliana, 15-Rilany, 16-Rafaela, 18-Bia Vaz, 19-Raquel
Head coach: Oswaldo Alvarez

Stats Summary: USA / BRA
Shots: 8 / 13
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves:  2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 6
Fouls: 11 / 5
Offside: 4 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Crystal Dunn (caution)   14^th minute
BRA – Cristiane (caution)          37
USA – Lindsey Horan (caution) 66

Officials:
Referee: Margaret Domka (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Felisha Mariscal (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Marie-Josée Charbonneau (CAN)
4th Official: Katja Koroleva (USA)

Budweiser Woman of the Match: Lauren Holiday