USWNT defeats Switzerland 5-1 in Minneapolis on Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS (Via U.S. Soccer) – Reigning FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd led the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 5-1 win against Switzerland on an another record-setting day in front of a crowd of 23,400 fans at U.S. Bank Stadium, the largest to watch the U.S. Women in the state of Minnesota.

The U.S. dominated the run of play throughout the match, but did fall behind early to Sandrine Mauron’s 7th-minute counter-attack strike. Lloyd evened the match in the 25^th minute with a rocket from 27 yards out that was a sign of things to come in the second half when she bagged the game-winner only six minutes after the break. It was her 96th goal of her career putting her just four shy of becoming the sixth U.S. player to score 100 times.

Christen Press scored in her second consecutive game and Crystal Dunn notched the 17th goal of her international career just 10 minutes apart, putting the match of out of reach for Switzerland.

Then it was time for yet another fresh face to add to the WNT record books as Kealia Ohai made her international debut as an 81^st minute substitute for Dunn and then scored just 48 seconds after entering the game, breaking the record for quickest goal in a debut set just four days ago by fellow newcomer Lynn William, who scored 49 seconds into her first game vs. Switzerland in Utah.

The U.S. WNT will finish its 2016 schedule next month with a pair of matches vs. Romania in California. The teams first meet at Avaya Stadium in San Jose on Nov. 10 (7 p.m. PT; ESPN2, UDN) before the USA takes to the field a final time this year at StubHub Center in Carson onNov. 13 (6:30 p.m. PT; FS1).

Goal Scoring Rundown:
SUI – Sandrine Mauron (Lara Dickenmann) 7th minute: Switzerland down the right flank, squeezing a pair of passes up the sideline and ultimately into the path of Dickenmann as she broke toward the USA goal. From a wide angle, Dickenmann sent a powerful shot on goal that U.S. goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was well positioned to push away; but the clearance fell right to the hard charging Mauron whose volleyed shot from near the penalty spot. Harris nearly saved the second chance, but couldn’t get enough of a hand on it to keep the ball from arching into the right side netting. USA 0, SUI 1 WATCH

USA – Carli Lloyd (Kelley O’Hara), 25th minute: A nice spell of U.S. possession set up Lloyd to score the USA’s equalizer. Some swift interplay between Andi Sullivan, Lloyd and Kelley O’Hara resulted in Lloyd receiving a pass from O’Hara and advancing toward the Switzerland goal. From 27 yards out, Lloyd sent a lightning bolt of a strike into the upper right corner for one of the best finishes of her career. USA 1, SUI 1 WATCH

USA – Carli Lloyd, 51st minute: Lloyd’s second goal, the game-winner, was no less spectacular than the first as she helped lead a USA counterattack with an exquisite outside of the foot pass that curled around a defender perfectly into the stride of Christen Press who was making a run down the right side. Press did well to lose her marker and get off a shot from the top of the box that was blocked and arched high into the air. As the ball fell just outside the top center of the box, Lloyd arrived to send a full volley along right down the middle of the goal mouth and into the back of the net for her 96th career goal. USA 2, SUI 1 WATCH

USA – Christen Press (Andi Sullivan), 53rd minute: From deep in the USA’s own half, Sullivan sent a long ball over top the Switzerland defense and into the path of halftime substitute Press. As the ball bounced near the top of the box, Press spotted Thalmann charging off her line and sent a perfectly weighted looping shot over the ‘keeper and into the right side of the goal for her 37th career goal in her 78th cap. USA 3, SUI 1 WATCH

USA – Crystal Dunn (Lynn Williams), 63rd minute: The USA broke at pace with Casey Short finding Lloyd in the center of midfield, who then sent Williams into the box with a nice lead pass down the left flank. Williams beat her defender om pace and sent a low cross along the six-yard box to the back post where an unmarked Dunn finished smartly her 13th goal of 2016. USA 4, SUI 1 WATCH

USA – Kealia Ohai (Christen Press), 82nd minute: From a free kick at midfield, the ball was played to second-half substitute Lindsay Horan whose pass into the left side of the Switzerland box found Press as her run took her across the path of Ohai who headed straight toward the penalty spot. Press then cut the ball back to the Ohai, who had only entered the match seconds earlier. The young attacker did well to hold off a defender and hook a low shot from the center of the box that scooted into the right corner beyond the reach of the diving ‘keeper. USA 5, SUI 1 WATCH FINAL

Additional Notes:

• The win improves the USA’s record to 20-0-2 in 2016 and 4-0-0 all-time vs. Switzerland.
• Ashlyn Harris earned her second start in goal of the year and earned her 10^th cap.
• Casey Short and Andi Sullivan both made their second consecutive starts to earn their second caps. Both played 90 minutes.
• Kelley O’Hara picked up her 11th career assist on Carli Lloyd’s first goal.
• Carli Lloyd now has 33 goals in her last 34 goals starting with the Round of 16 game at the World Cup.
• Lloyd finished one goal short of tying her record for most goals in a calendar year. She scored 18 in 2015.
• Sullivan earned her first WNT assist, setting up Christen Press’ goal.
• Lynn Williams started her first career match and also earned her first assist, setting up Crystal Dunn’s goal.
• Dunn’s goal was the 13th of the year, third best of the U.S. team this year, and it was her 17th overall in 43 caps.
• Abby Dahlkemper earned her second cap when she replaced Becky Sauerbrunn in the 67th minute.
• Switzerland’s goal was just the ninth given up by the USA this year.
• The USA played in a 3-5-2 formation for the second match in a row with Allie Long playing center back.

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

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Switzerland
Date: October 23, 2016
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium; Minneapolis, Minn.

Kickoff: 12:45 p.m. CT
Attendance: 23,400
Weather: Indoor

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

SUI – Sandrine Mauron (Lara Dickenmann) 7^th minute
USA – Carli Lloyd (Kelley O’Hara) 25
USA – Carli Lloyd 51
USA – Christen Press (Andi Sullivan) 53
USA – Crystal Dunn (Lynn Williams) 63
USA – Kealia Ohai (Christen Press) 82

Lineups:
USA: 24-Ashlyn Harris; 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (14-Abby Dahlkemper, 67), 20-Allie Long, 8-Casey Short; 5-Kelley O’Hara (23-Christen Press, 46), 19-Andi Sullivan, 6-Morgan Brian (3-Samantha Mewis, 46), 16-Crystal Dunn (7-Kealia Ohai, 81), 17-Tobin Heath; 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.) (9-Lindsey Horan, 74), 13-Lynn Williams
Subs not used: 1-Alyssa Naeher, 12-Emily Sonnett
Head Coach: Jill Ellis

SUI: 1-Gaëlle Thalmann (12-Stenia Michel, 46); 15-Caroline Abbé (capt.), 22-Vanessa Bernauer, 18-Viola Calligaris, 6-Selina Kuster; 5-Noelle Maritz, 14-Rahel Kiwic (3-Melanie Müller, 88), 11-Lara Dickenmann; 8-Cinzia Zehnder (7-Martina Moser, 59), 19-Eseosa Aigbogun (4-Fabienne Bangerter, 71), 20-Sandrine Mauron (2-Patricia Willi, 85)
Subs not used: 21-Seraina Friedli, 16-Fabienne Humm, 23-Barla Deplazes
Head Coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg

Stats Summary: USA/SUI
Shots: 21 / 4
Shots on Goal: 9 / 2
Saves: 1 / 5
Corner Kicks: 9 / 0
Fouls: 7 / 14
Offside: 11 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
SUI – Sandrine Mauron (caution) 17^th minute
SUI – Viola Calligaris (caution) 21
USA – Casey Short (caution) 73
SUI – Martina Moser (caution) 90+3

Officials:
Referee: Margaret Domka (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Chantal Boudreau (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Marie-Han Gagnon (CAN)
4th Official: Danielle Chesky (USA)

Woman of the Match: Carli Lloyd