Carli Lloyd hat trick highlights U.S. WNT 5-0 blowout win over Panama

CARY, N.C. (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign with another big victory, easily defeating Panama 5-0 at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The game was only the second between the teams at the senior level.

The USA scored in the fifth minute on a set piece as a corner kick from Christen Press was headed home by Samantha Mewis. Carli Lloyd then scored two goals in the first half, before adding a third in the opening minutes of the second to complete her first hat-trick since 2016. Press, who dished out two assists via corner kicks, also added a goal for the USA.

The U.S. WNT out-shot Panama 16-0 in the first half, and 19-4 in the second, but some excellent play from Panama’s goalkeeper Yenith Bailey, who had 12 total saves, some of them spectacular, kept the score down.

Next, the WNT will await the result from the second Group A game of the day between Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago (7:30 p.m. ET), and could qualify for the semifinals with one game to play if those teams play to a draw or if Mexico wins. If T&T wins, then the U.S. would need at least a draw in its final game to win the group and qualify for the semifinals. The USA will conclude Group A play at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship vs. Trinidad & Tobago in Cary, N.C. on Oct. 10 (7:30 p.m. ET; FS2, UDN).

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2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship Group A Standings

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press), 5th minute: The USA opened the scoring on a corner kick from the left side. Christen Press sent the cross into the middle, and Mewis rose over her defender to nod the ball into the lower right corner from six yards out. USA 1, PAN 0. WATCH GOAL.

USA – Carli Lloyd (Christen Press), 23rd minute: The second goal was much like the first: from a left sided corner kick and served by Christen Press. But this time Carli Lloyd got on the end of it at the far post and sent her header down into the lower right corner for her 103rd career goal. USA 2, PAN 0. WATCH GOAL.

USA – Carli Lloyd (Casey Short), 29th minute: Lloyd tallied her second of the game and 104th of her career after receiving a pass from Casey Short in the left side of the penalty area with her back to goal. She evaded one defender with a nifty step-over, wound up on a second to make space for her shot and then blasted the ball into the right corner from 12 yards out, giving the goalkeeper no chance. USA 3, PAN 0. WATCH GOAL.

USA – Christen Press (Abby Dahlkemper), 32nd minute: The USA made it 4-0 on a breakaway as Abby Dahlkemper’s long pass skipped between the two Panama center backs and Press was off to the races. She sped into the penalty area, faked the goalkeeper to the ground while dribbling to her right, and then blasted her shot into the open net from a tight angle. USA 4, PAN 0. WATCH GOAL.

USA – Carli Lloyd (Rose Lavelle), 48th minute: The USA’s only goal of the second half also came off a set play after Mallory Pugh was chopped down from behind just outside the penalty are on the right side. Lavelle took the free kick and set a perfect bending cross to the far post where the crashing Lloyd headed home from close range. It was the USA’s third set play goal of the match and third header. USA 5, PAN 0. WATCH GOAL. FINAL.

Additional Notes:

• The USA is 29-1-0 all-time in CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying, including a 15-0-0 mark at home.
• The USA has scored 169 goals in WWC qualifying while allowing five and has played nine different countries in World Cup qualifying; Mexico is the most common opponent with seven games between the teams.
• U.S. head coach Jill Ellis made nine changes to the starting lineup which faced Mexico on Oct. 4. All nine players who were available subs for the Mexico game started this evening. The only repeat starters were midfielder Julie Ertz and defender Abby Dahlkemper.
• Carli Lloyd earned her 261st cap today and scored her eighth career hat-trick (her first since Sept. 15, 2016 against Thailand). She now has 105 international goals and seven this year. She is in sole possession of fifth place on the USA’s all-time goals list and two goals away from tying Michelle Akers for fourth all-time. Lloyd has 50 career assists and is in 8th place all-time, but with six more, can move into fifth. It was Lloyd’s 16th WCQ appearance and has now accumulated 10 WCQ goals in her career.
• Samantha Mewis scored her eighth international goal today in her home stadium, where she plays for the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage. It was her first goal for the WNT since she last scored a brace on Oct. 22, 2017 vs. Korea Republic in this same venue.
• Christen Press scored her 46th international goal and second of the year. She also earned two assists today, upping her 2018 total to four. She is now in sole possession of 13th place on the all-time WNT goals list.
• Abby Dahlkemper earned her first assist of the year on Press’ goal. It was her 25th cap.
• Ashlyn Harris made her third start of 2018 and fourth appearance. She earned her fifth career shutout tonight in her 18th cap. It was her second World Cup qualifying appearance after playing in one game during the 2014 tournament.
• Hailie Mace earned her third cap for the WNT tonight and made her first career start, going all 90 minutes for the U.S.
• Six of the USA’s 11 goals scored in the tournament so far have come from set pieces.
• Today’s match was the first World Cup Qualifying appearance for Mace and Casey Short.
• The USA made two subs against Panama: Rose Lavelle for Julie Ertz in the 46th minute and Lindsey Horan for Abby Dahlkemper in the 77th minute.
• The USA is now 13-0-2 in 2018, with wins against Denmark, Germany, England, Mexico (thrice), China PR (twice), Japan, Brazil, Chile (twice) and Panama; and ties against Australia and France. The USA is unbeaten in its last 23 matches (20-0-3), and has outscored opponents 76-17 through that stretch, scoring in all 23 games.

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

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Panama
Date: October 7, 2018
Competition: 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship – Group A
Venue: Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET
Attendance: 7,532
Weather: 83 degrees Fahrenheit; partly cloudy

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                             4          1          5
PAN                             0          0          0

USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press)              5th minute
USA – Carli Lloyd (Christen Press)                23
USA – Carli Lloyd (Casey Short)                    29
USA – Christen Press (Abby Dahlkemper)    32
USA – Carli Lloyd (Rose Lavelle)                   48

Lineups:
USA: 18-Ashlyn Harris; 2-Emily Sonnett, 7-Abby Dahlkemper (9-Lindsey Horan, 77), 12-Hailie Mace, 14-Casey Short; 8-Julie Ertz (16-Rose Lavelle, 46), 3-Samantha Mewis, 6-Morgan Brian; 11-Mallory Pugh, 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 20-Christen Press
Substitutes not used: 1-Alyssa Naeher, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 13-Alex Morgan, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 17-Tobin Heath, 19-Crystal Dunn
Head Coach: Jill Ellis

PAN: 1-Yenith Bailey; 2-Hilary Jaen, 3-María Murillo, 5-Yomira Pinzón, 13-Onelys Alvarado (7-Kenia Rangel, 34); 4-Katherine Castillo, 6-Aldrith Quintero, 8-Laurie Batista, 9-Karla Riley (19-Lineth Cedeño, 59); 10-Marta Cox, 11-Natalia Mills (capt.) (18-Erika Hernández, 59)
Substitutes not used: 12-Farissa Córdoba; 14-Maryorie Pérez, 15-Rebeca Espinosa, 16-Sheyla Díaz, 17-Anuvis Angulo, 20-María Montenegro
Head Coach: Victor Suarez

Stats Summary: USA / PAN
Shots: 35 / 4
Shots on Goal: 17 / 1
Saves: 12 / 1
Corner Kicks: 10 / 1
Fouls: 9 / 7
Offside: 6 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
PAN – Katherine Castillo (caution)     71^st minute

Officials:
Referee: Tatian Guzman (NCA)
Assistant Referee 1: Princess Brown (JAM)
Assistant Referee 2: Chantal Boudreau (CAN)
4th Official: Odette Hamilton (JAM)

U.S. Soccer Woman of the Match: Carli Lloyd