The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated the Republic of Ireland 3-0 on Mother’s Day in the first of its three-game Send-off Series ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Before a sellout crowd of 18,000 at Avaya Stadium that included almost all of the players’ moms, the USA took the lead in the 42nd minute off a corner kick. Megan Rapinoe sent in the cross on the 10th of what would be 19 corner kicks and an Irish defender who was facing her goal tried to clear it away. The clearance smashed off the face of the far post defender and rolled back to Christen Press in the right side of the penalty box. Press settled and squared the ball to Abby Wambach, who swept the ball into the net for the game’s first goal and her 179th score. Minutes later Wambach would notch her 180th, heading in a Carli Lloyd cross to put the U.S. up 2-0. Lloyd pulled off a nifty dribble to beat her defender before chipping a far post cross to Wambach for goal 180.
In the second half, Julie Johnston scored the game’s third goal, also of a corner kick as she athletically redirected the ball into the near post. It was her third goal of 2015 and she has now scored in three consecutive games.
In one week, the team will be back on the field at StubHub Center in Carson, California, for the second game of the Send-Off Series, against Mexico at 6 p.m. PT live on FOX Spots 1 and Univision Deportes.
Click here to read more.
About Marion Online Sports
