PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 29, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its 2019 Victory Tour presented by Allstate with a dominating 4-0 win against Portugal before a record crowd of 49,504 thunderous fans at Lincoln Financial Field. The impressive crowd set the all-time attendance record for a USWNT friendly and witnessed Tobin Heath, Morgan Brian, Carli Lloyd and Allie Long score to power the USA to victory.
The USA bossed the match from the opening whistle, amassing more than 60 percent possession on 500-plus passes, while out-shooting the visitors 18-4. In just the fourth minute of play the U.S. took the lead when Heath converted a Christen Press cross. Eight minutes later Heath thought she had a second courtesy of the club teammate Lindsey Horan, but her heel-flick goal was ruled out for offside.
The second U.S. goal came in the 18th minute as Press served up her team-leading 10th assist of 2019 via a perfectly placed corner kick to the unmarked Morgan Brian who headed home.
The USWNT nearly made it 3-0 before the break when Lloyd got loose and cut in toward goal from the left wing, slipping a shot beneath goalkeeper Patrícia Morais. Portugal defender Joana Marchao nearly knocked the ball into her own goal as she tried to clear but recovered to sweep it off the goal line before Heath arrived.
At halftime, U.S. head coach Jill Ellis began using her subs, bringing on Jessica McDonald for Heath, Crystal Dunn for Tierna Davidson and Samantha Mewis for Abby Dahlkemper.
The introduction of McDonald paid off in the 52nd minute and she sent a long throw-in deep into the Portugal penalty box where a Horan header flicked it to the far post and into the path of Lloyd, who deftly volleyed home for the 3-0 U.S. advantage.
On the hour mark, Ellis used the rest of her available subs, giving the Philadelphia crowd a glimpse of more of the World Cup-winning U.S. players. Mallory Pugh was introduced for Horan, Long came on for Brian and Casey Short, who narrowly missed out on the USA’s World Cup roster was brought on for Emily Sonnett.
Eight minutes later, McDonald made a great run through multiple defenders, but her shot was tipped by Morais and struck the right post.
Press thought she had the USWNT’s fourth when she tapped in a misplayed ball by Morais, but the play was whistled dead for a hand ball on Press, sparing the goalkeeper’s blushes. The U.S. wasn’t finished and Long put an emphatic cap on the impressive night for the USWNT when she bravely nodded home the USA’s fourth in the 82nd minute, sending the record crowd off with a final gift of a goal.
Next on the Schedule: The USWNT continues the Victory Tour with a rematch against Portugal in Minneapolis-St. Paul at Allianz Field on Sept. 3 (7 p.m. CT; ESPN2).
Social: Twitter, Instagram (@USWNT) and Facebook
USA – Morgan Brian (Christen Press), 18th minute: The USA won a corner kick that Press whipped into the box from the left flag. It drifted over Portugal’s zonal marking system right to the head of Brian stationed at the top right corner of the six-yard box and the U.S. midfielder nodded the ball back across goal past a scrambling Morais into the middle of the net. USA 2, POR 0 [WATCH]
USA – Carli Lloyd (Lindsey Horan), 52nd minute: A long throw-in by Jessica McDonald from deep on the left sideline into the box was flicked on by Horan into the path of Lloyd who was crashing unmarked at the back right post. The U.S. captain sent a deft volley past the onrushing Morais into the vacated net for a goal in front of her hometown crowd. USA 3, POR 0 [WATCH]
USA – Allie Long (Carli Lloyd), 82nd minute: Moments after Christen Press nearly capitalized on a Portugal mistake to make it 4-0 only to see her effort called back, Long made no doubt with a brave headed goal. Carli Lloyd beat her defender one-v-one out wide on the right before crossing to the near post where Long sprinted between two defenders and beat the charging goalkeeper to nod the ball inside the right post. USA 4, POR 0 [WATCH] FINAL
The previous attendance record for a WNT friendly match was 46,037, set during a doubleheader with the Men's National Team in 1998. That game, against New Zealand at RFK Stadium, was part of the World Cup sendoff for the MNT.
Tonight's game marked the ninth-largest attendance for a USWNT match on home soil in the team's history. The eight matches ahead of it are six from the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup and two from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
With the win, the USWNT improves to 8-0-0 all-time vs. Portugal.
Tobin Heath’s goal was her seventh of 2019 and the 32nd of her career. She has 14 goals in her last 26 matches and 12 in her last 21. The 14 goals represent 43 percent of her career total.
Morgan Brian’s goal was the seventh of her career and first since Nov. 13, 2016 vs. Romania when she scored in the final two games of the year.
Carli Lloyd’s goal was the 115th of her career. She has played in 283 games for the USA.
Allie Long’s goal was the seventh of her career, almost all on headers.
Christen Press upped hear team leading assist count to 10 in 2019 with a pair in the first half. She made her 19th appearance of the year and seventh start.
Carli Lloyd captained the USA in front of a hometown crowd in Philadelphia. She hails from nearby Delran, N.J.
Julie Ertz reached 90 caps today. Tonight’s match is the first time she played in her adopted hometown of Philadelphia proper and at Lincoln Financial Field, home stadium of her husband’s Philadelphia Eagles.
Abby Dahlkemper earned cap No. 49 in her 19th appearance and 18th start this year. She has played the most minutes of anybody on the team in 2019 with 1,517.
Adrianna Franch earned her second cap for the USWNT. She made her debut vs. England on March 4 at the 2019 SheBelieves Cup.
These teams last met at the end of 2018 in Lisbon, with the USA winning 1-0, on a Jessica McDonald goal.
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Portugal
Date: August 29, 2019
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field; Philadelphia, Pa.
Attendance: 49,504
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Weather: 78 degrees; clear skies
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 2 4
POR 0 0 0
USA – Tobin Heath (Christen Press) 4th minute
USA – Morgan Brian (Christen Press) 18
USA – Carli Lloyd (Lindsey Horan) 52
USA – Allie Long (Carli Lloyd) 82
USA: 21-Adrianna Franch; 14-Emily Sonnett (26-Casey Short, 60), 7-Abby Dahlkemper (3-Samantha Mewis, 46), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 12-Tierna Davidson (19-Crystal Dunn, 46); 8-Julie Ertz, 6-Morgan Brian (20-Allie Long, 61), 9-Lindsey Horan (2-Mallory Pugh, 61); 17- Tobin Heath (22-Jessica McDonald, 46), 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 23-Christen Press
Substitutes not used: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 18-Ashlyn Harris, 25-Kristen Hamilton
Not available: 5-Kelley O’Hara, 13-Alex Morgan, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Rose Lavelle
Head coach: Jill Ellis
POR: 12-Patrícia Morais, 2-Mónica Mendes, 4-Sílvia Rebelo, 7-Cláudia Neto (capt.) (13-Fátima Pinto, 46), 9-Ana Borges (5-Matilde Fidalgo, 63), 10-Jéssica Silva (capt.) (8-Melissa Gomes, 88), 11-Tatiana Pinto, 14-Dolores Silva, 16-Diana Silva (18-Carolina Mendes, 63), 17-Vanessa Marques, 23-Joana Marchão (6-Andreia Norton, 46)
Substitutes not used: 1-Inês Pereira, 22-Rute Costa, 3-Raquel Infante, 15-Ágata Pimenta, 19-Diana Gomes, 20-Ana Leite, 21-Inês Maia
Head coach: Francisco Neto
Stats Summary: USA / POR
Shots: 17 / 4
Shots on Goal: 8 / 2
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 4 / 1
Fouls: 6 / 5
Offside: 4 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
POR – Tatiana Pinto (caution) 83rd minute
Officials:
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Referee: Ekaterina KOROLEVA (USA) |
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Assistant Referee 1: Deleana QUAN (USA) |
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Assistant Referee 2: Jennifer GARNER (USA) |
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4th Official: Tatiana GUZMAN (USA) |
U.S. Soccer Woman of the Match: Carli Lloyd