US Defeats Three Of The Top Five Teams In The World
Republished News from US Soccer – The U.S. Women’s National Team scored two goals in a span of six minutes to defeat Germany 2-1 and win the 2016 SheBelieves Cup in front of a record crowd of 13,501 at FAU Stadium. The USA finished atop the tournament standings with wins against three of the top five teams in the world.
The crowd of 13,501 set a new record for an all-women’s soccer event in South Florida, breaking the previous mark of 12,031 that watched the USA play Norway in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 6, 2000.
After scoring a stoppage-time game-winner against France on Sunday and the game-tying goal against Germany, Alex Morgan earned the tournament’s Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards, while Hope Solo was awarded the Golden Glove after she allowed just one goal over three matches.
With Germany needing just a draw or win to claim the tournament title, Anja Mittag’s long-range tally in the 29th minute left the USA needing two goals to win the competition and the response was almost immediate. Morgan evened the score with a sublime bit of skill six minutes after Germany had taken the lead.
Samantha Mewis scored the title-clenching goal just six minutes after that in her first start of the competition. Mewis dispossessed Germany’s Melanie Behringer in the midfield and unleashed a low left-footed shot that deflected off a defender and slipped under diving German goalkeeper Almuth Schult.
The U.S. WNT returns to action in April when it squares off against Colombia on April 6 in East Hartford, Connecticut (7 p.m. ET, FS1) and April 10 in Chester, Pennsylvania (2 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Goal Scoring Rundown:
GER – Anja Mittag (Isabel Kershowski), 29th minute: Isabel Keshowski forced a U.S. turnover in its own territory and played a short pass to Anja Mittag. Mittag took three touches toward the center of the field and sent a low, driven shot from distance between a group of U.S. defenders that skipped past Hope Solo just inside the left post. USA 0, GER 1
USA – Alex Morgan (Meghan Klingenberg), 35th minute: Meghan Klingenberg evaded a defender and lofted a through ball into the left side of the Germany box for a sprinting Alex Morgan, who let the ball bounce twice before lifting it over a defender with her left foot and ripping a right-footed shot into the net in two fluid steps to haul the U.S. level. USA 1, GER 1
USA – Samantha Mewis, 41st minute: Samantha Mewis did well to steal the ball from Germany midfielder Melanie Behringer and pushed forward to the top of the Germany penalty box. Mewis then sent a left-footed shot from just over 20 yards out that deflected off a Germany defender and spun underneath German goalkeeper Almuth Schult to give the USA the lead and the eventually the tournament title. USA 2, GER 1 FINAL
Source: US Soccer (www.ussoccer.com)
