Emily Fox scores first international goal as USWNT tops Ireland 2-0 in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas – The U.S. Women’s National Team beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in the first of a pair of international friendlies as part of the final training camp for the USA before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup roster is chosen later this summer.

Defender Emily Fox scored her first international goal while midfielder Lindsey Horan added another off a converted penalty to earn the win in front of an electric sellout crowd of 20,593 fans at Q2 Stadium.

It was a physical match from the jump and the early part of the game was a chess match with both teams alternating in possession and most of the play taking place in the middle third as the USA tried to find ways to break the Irish down.

Still watching this @___emilyfox beauty of a goal ? pic.twitter.com/70zGX5YDdU

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) April 9, 2023

The USA posed its first threat in the eighth minute after a good run of controlled possession resulted in a cross by defender Crystal Dunn from the left side that met forward Sophia Smith inside the box. Smith, who made her first appearance of the year after recovering from a minor injury, stretched to connect with a shot but her attempt went just wide.

Ireland came close to opening the scoring in the 19^th minute after a corner kick led to a header at the back post, but forward Alex Morgan did well to deny the danger off the goal line and midfielder Rose Lavelle followed up with a clearance. Five minutes later, Ireland strung together a series of consecutive attacks that saw the USA put its defensive quality on display as the team denied several consecutive shots from close range.

The U.S. nearly scored in the 36^th minute after Lavelle created space for herself near the end line on the left side and found Smith inside the box. Smith put a good strike on frame but Irish goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan came up with the save. One minute later, Fox collected the ball deep in the middle of the field off a pass from midfielder Andi Sullivan, took her space on the dribble and buried a low shot from outside the box into the lower left corner for her first career goal.

Just before the halftime break, forward Mallory Swanson was stretchered off the field after a hard tackle resulted in a left knee injury. She was replaced by Trinity Rodman.

The second half saw more aggression in the attack from both sides with the U.S. creating plenty of chances highlighted by close attempts from Rodman and Lavelle following some dynamic team builds-ups.

Another step in the process of building toward the World Cup ?

⚽️ 37' – Fox
⚽️ 80' – Horan (PK) pic.twitter.com/67Ols1TxyI

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) April 8, 2023

In the 67^th minute, midfielder Julie Ertz came into the match for Sullivan, earning her first cap in 611 days and making her first appearance for the USWNT since the bronze medal match of the Tokyo Olympics. Ertz, who was recognized prior to the match for her 100^th cap earned back in March of 2020, becomes the 15^th woman to play for the USWNT after becoming a mother, having given birth to her son in August of 2022.

As the U.S. continued to pressure the Irish defense, Horan earned a penalty kick when she was dragged down inside the box while controlling a pass from Ertz with her back to goal. Horan stepped up to the spot and converted with a powerful strike to double the lead and seal the win.

Despite a close score line, the USA was dominant throughout, tallying 25 shots and six on target while limiting the Republic of Ireland to eight shots and one on target. The USA also controlled 70 percent of the possession and had 10 corner kicks to Ireland’s six.

The two teams will face off on Tuesday, April 11 at the brand new CITYPARK in St. Louis at 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT on HBO Max, Universo and Peacock. St. Louis native Becky Sauerbrunn will be honored in her hometown for her 200^th camp, which she earned at the start of last year.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – Emily Fox (Andi Sullivan), 37th minute: Sullivan played a pass to Fox outside the box and toward the center of the field. The Ireland defense was slow to close her down as she took a few touches toward the right and fired a powerful right-footed strike across her body from 20 yards out, burying it in the lower left corner.  USA 1, IRL 0

USA – Lindsey Horan (Penalty Kick), 80th minute: After being brought down inside the box on a dangerous chance, Horan stepped up to the penalty spot and converted with a low shot to the left that the ‘keeper got a hand on but was still carried into the net by the pace of the strike. USA 2, IRL 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Defender Emily Fox scored her first career goal and it came in her 28^th cap. She was one of five players who entered this match looking for their first international goal.

• With her goal, Fox becomes the 116th player all-time to score for the USWNT as well as the seventh different player and first defender to do so in 2023.

• Midfielder Andi Sullivan recorded her fifth career assist and first in 2023.

• With her converted penalty kick, midfielder Lindsey Horan scored her 27^th international goal and first of 2023.

• The game in Austin was the USA’s 32^nd match all-time in the state of Texas and its second consecutive match in the Lone Star State after wrapping up the 2023 SheBelieves Cup with a 2-1 victory over Brazil in Frisco on Feb. 22.

• The USWNT has won all 32 of its matches played in Texas, outscoring opponents, 132-12.

• Saturday’s match was the 14^th meeting all-time between the USWNT and the Republic of Ireland. Overall, the USA leads the series against the Irish 14-0-0.

• Head coach Vlatko Andonovski is 48W-5L-6D in 59 games with the USWNT, 39 of which have been at home and 25 coming against teams ranked in the top-13 in the world.

• Ireland played four players born and developed in the USA: goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, who played at Syracuse, midfielder Sinead Farrelly, who played at Virginia and plays for Gotham FC, forward Marissa Sheva, who plays for the Washington Spirit and forward Kyra Carusa, who played at Stanford and Georgetown.

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

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Republic of Ireland
Date: April 8, 2023
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Q2 Stadium; Austin, Texas
Attendance: 20,593 (Sellout)
Kickoff: 2:37 p.m. ET (1:37 p.m. local)
Weather: 60 degrees; cloudy

Scoring Summary:    1          2          F
USA                              1          1          2
IRL                               0          0          0

USA – Emily Fox (Andi Sullivan)                     37^th minute
USA – Lindsey Horan (Penalty Kick)             80

Lineups:

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 23-Emily Fox, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (Capt.), 27-Naomi Girma, 19-Crystal Dunn (14-Emily Sonnett, 67); 17-Andi Sullivan (8-Julie Ertz, 67), 10-Lindsey Horan, 16-Rose Lavelle (2-Ashley Sanchez, 80); 11-Sophia Smith, 13-Alex Morgan (7-Ashley Hatch, 67), 9-Mallory Swanson (25-Trinity Rodman, 45+1)

Substitutes not used: 3-Sofia Huerta, 6-Lynn Williams, 15-Alana Cook, 18-Casey Murphy, 21-Adrianna Franch, 22-Kristie Mewis, 26-Taylor Kornieck

Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski

IRL:1-Courtney Brosnan; 14-Heather Payne, 25-Aoife Mannion (8-Ruesha Littlejohn, 60), 4-Louise Quinn (Capt.), 7-Diane Caldwell, 11-Katie McCabe; 28-Sinead Farrelly (13-Áine O’Gorman, 60), 10-Denise O’Sullivan, 6-Megan Connolly, 24-Marissa Sheva (26-Tara O’Hanlon, 86); 22-Kyra Carusa

Substitutes not used: 16-Grace Moloney, 23-Megan Walsh, 2-Harriet Scott, 3-Jessie Stapleton, 5-Claire O’Riordan, 9-Amber Barrett, 12-Roma McLaughlin, 15-Lucy Quinn, 17-Jamie Finn, 19-Hayley Nolan, 20-Abbie Larkin, 21-Ciara Grant

Head coach: Vera Pauw

Stats Summary: USA / IRL

Shots: 25 / 8
Shots on Goal: 8 / 1
Saves: 0 / 6
Corner Kicks: 10 / 3
Fouls: 5 / 13
Offside: 0 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

IRL – Aoife Mannion (Caution)          25^th minute
USA – Julie Ertz (Caution)                72

Officials: 

Referee: Carly Shaw-MacLaren (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Melissa Snedden (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabrielle Lemieux (CAN)
4th Official: Jasmine Peralta (USA)

Bud Light Woman of the Match: Emily Fox