USWNT defeats Costa Rica 5-0 in Olympic Qualifying opener

FRISCO, Texas (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opened Group A play at the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship with a 5-0 shutout against Costa Rica at Toyota Stadium.

Alex Morgan opened the scoring just 12 seconds into the match with the fastest goal in CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship history. Carli Lloyd assisted both of Morgan’s goals, with the second coming in the 62nd minute, and scored one of her own in the ninth minute. Lloyd and Morgan have assisted each other five times in the WNT’s past two matches and are responsible for five of the 10 goals scored by the USA in 2016.

Crystal Dunn scored in 15th minute of her Olympic Qualifying debut to give the USA a 3-0 lead heading into the half. Christen Press entered the match in the 74th minute and scored just nine minutes later, also in her first Olympic qualifier.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo recorded her 92nd shutout, further extending her U.S. WNT record for most shutouts.

Earlier in the day, Mexico topped Puerto Rico 6-0 in Group A action and sits atop the group with both teams having three points after the opening day of competition, but Mexico with a slight edge on goal difference. The WNT improved to 13-0-0 all-time against Costa Rica and 4-0-0 all-time at Toyota Stadium.

The U.S. WNT next faces Mexico at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 13, in its second Group A match as it continues the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in search of a berth to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The match can be viewed live on NBC Live Extra and on replay on NBCSN at 8:30 p.m. CT.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd), 1st minute: Directly off the kickoff, Lindsey Horan sent a long ball from USA territory to Carli Lloyd who was about 30 yards from the goal. Lloyd flicked the ball with her head over the top of the Costa Rican defense to Alex Morgan, who fended off a defender and then struck a hard right-footed shot into the net from 10 yards out. The goal after just 12 seconds is believed to also be the fastest in the 31-year history of the U.S. Women’s National Team and it was the fastest goal ever scored in CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying. USA 1, CRC 0 ( SEE GOAL)

USA – Carli Lloyd (Penalty Kick), 9th minute: Crystal Dunn drew a foul just inside penalty area to earn a USA penalty kick. Lloyd converted with a low, driven shot to left corner as the Costa Rica goalkeeper dove the wrong way. USA 2, CRC 0. (SEE GOAL)

USA – Crystal Dunn, 15th minute: Becky Sauerbrunn sent a long throw-in into the penalty area from deep down the left sideline. Horan headed the ball toward the goal and Morgan slid to power a near post shot that was parried, but not held by Diannia Diaz. Dunn sprinted to the loose rebound and cracked a shot that was spectacularly saved by the sprawling Diaz, but she could do nothing about the rebound that Dunn powered into the net off the foot of a Costa Rica defender who was sliding at the goal line. It was Dunn’s first goal of Olympic Qualifying and fifth of her international career. USA 3, CRC 0. ( SEE GOAL)

USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd), 62nd minute: Lloyd worked her way free into the right side of the penalty area with a nifty dribble and chipped a perfect cross over a defender to Morgan who met it with her head just steps away from the goal to flick it home for the duo’s fifth combined goal and assist over the past two matches. USA 4, CRC 0 (SEE GOAL)

USA – Christen Press (Tobin Heath), 83rd minute: Tobin Heath found Christen Press with a cross into the penalty area from the left side. With her back to the goal, and just outside the six-yard box, Press settled the ball with the outside of her right foot away from a defender, spun around and finished into the roof of the net on the left side for her first goal in Olympic Qualifying. USA 5, CRC 0 (SEE GOAL ) FINAL

Next on the Schedule: The U.S. WNT continues Group A play in the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 13, against Mexico at Toyota Stadium. The U.S. is attempting to qualify for a sixth consecutive Olympic Games and win the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship for the fourth consecutive time. The match can be viewed live on NBC Live Extra and on replay on NBCSN at 8:30 p.m. CT.

Additional Notes:

• Lloyd leads the team with 10 all-time Olympic Qualifying appearances, followed by Hope Solo with nine.
• Morgan Brian, Crystal Dunn, Jaelene Hinkle, Lindsey Horan, Julie Johnston, Meghan Klingenberg, Christen Press, and Mallory Pugh each made their Olympic qualifying debut. Dunn and Press also scored.
• The match in Frisco marks the WNT’s fourth at this stadium (formerly Pizza Hut Park and FC Dallas Stadium). The USA owns a 4-0-0 record, including a two wins against Canada and a victory against New Zealand prior to tonight’s match.
• Mallory Pugh earned her second cap with the WNT, coming in for Crystal Dunn in the second half. She is the youngest player in WNT history to play in an Olympic Qualifying match at 17 years, 9 months and 12 days old. Pugh, the captain of the U-20 WNT team that will compete at the U-20 WWC in Papua New Guinea at the end of the year, scored in her senior team debut on Jan. 23 vs. Ireland at 17 years, 8 months and 25 days old, becoming the youngest player to debut for the U.S. in the last 11 years.

Milestone Watch:

• Carli Lloyd has now scored 83 international goals. She is in sixth place on the WNT’s all-time scoring list. Lloyd has scored 20 goals in the USA’s last 15 matches starting with the Round of 16 game vs. Colombia at the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
• Alex Morgan has tallied 59 international goals, just one short of tying Shannon MacMillan for eighth on the USA’s all-time scoring list.
• Lloyd notched her ninth goal in 10 career Olympic Qualifying matches and Alex Morgan scored her fifth and sixth in only her fifth Olympic Qualifying cap.
• With 187 caps, Solo is the leader for caps by a goalkeeper in U.S. history.
• Solo is the all-time leader in wins for a goalkeeper in U.S. history with 141.
• Becky Sauerbrunn earned her 97th cap and could reach the century mark during the tournament, becoming the 35th U.S. woman to play 100 times for the WNT.

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

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Costa Rica
Date: Feb. 10, 2016
Competition: 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying – Group A
Venue: Toyota Stadium; Frisco, Texas
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
Attendance: 8,143
Weather: 65 degrees, clear

Scoring Summary: 1   2   F
USA                        3   2   5
CRC                         0   0   0

USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd) 1st minute
USA – Carli Lloyd (penalty) 9
USA – Crystal Dunn 15
USA – Alex Morgan (Carli Lloyd) 62
USA – Christen Press (Tobin Heath) 83

Lineups:
USA: 1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger (19-Jaelene Hinkle, 68), 8-Julie Johnston (12-Christen Press, 74), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 7-Meghan Klingenberg; 14-Morgan Brian, 9-Lindsey Horan, 16-Crystal Dunn (2-Mallory Pugh, 68), 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 17-Tobin Heath; 13-Alex Morgan
Subs Not Used: 3-Samantha Mewis, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 6-Emily Sonnett, 15-Stephanie McCaffrey, 18-Ashlyn Harris, 20-Alyssa Naeher
Head coach: Jill Ellis

CRC: 1-Dinnia Diaz, 5-Diana Saénz, 6-Carol Sanchez, 7-Melissa Herrera (17-Karla Villalobos, 69), 8-Daniela Cruz, 9-Carolina Venegas, 10-Shirley Cruz (capt.) (3-Gloriana Villalobos, 80), 11-Raquel Rodríguez, 14-María Barrantes, 16-Katherine Alvarado (15-Cristin Granados, 46), 20-Wendy Acosta
Subs Not Used: 2-Gabriela Guillén, 4-María Benavides, 12-Lixy Rodríguez, 13-Yalitza Sánchez, 19-Fabiola Sánchez
Head coach: Amelia Valverde

Stats Summary: USA / CRC
Shots: 23 / 2
Shots on Goal: 12 / 2
Saves: 2 / 7
Corner Kicks: 9 / 1
Fouls: 9 / 7
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
CRC – Dinnia Diaz (caution) 15th minute
CRC – Katherine Alvarado (caution) 29
USA – Julie Johnston (caution) 31

Officials:
Referee: Cardella Samuels (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Stacy-Ann Greyson (JAM)
Assistant Referee 2: Princess Brown (JAM)
4th Official: Crystal Sobers (TRI)

Woman of the Match: Alex Morgan