USWNT routs New Zealand with 35,761 on hand in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Women’s National Team played the second match of its three-game Send-Off Series, recording a 5-0 win against New Zealand in front of 35,761 fans on a balmy spring night at Busch Stadium.

The USA dominated the flow of game, out-shooting New Zealand 25-1, and similar to the previous Send-Off Series match vs. South Africa, took the lead just past the half-hour mark when Tobin Heath touched home a Megan Rapinoe cross. Five minutes later, Rose Lavelle converted a Lindsay Horan cross with a fantastic finish to give the USWNT a 2-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw more of the same from the USA, which poured it on in the final half hour as substitute Carli Lloyd bagged a brace, the first after being on the pitch for a mere 44 seconds. Lloyd’s second in the 83 ^rd minute was followed less than a minute later by Samantha Mewis’ third goal and fourth this year.

Up Next: The WNT travels to Harrison, N.J. for a showdown with Mexico on May 26 at Red Bull Arena (11:30 a.m. ET; ESPN, UDN) in the finale of the Send-Off Series, Presented by Volpi Foods.

Social: Follow the #USWNT onFacebook;Twitter and Instagram.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Tobin Heath (Megan Rapinoe), 35^th minute: A long ball out of the back by Abby Dahlkemper was settled by Alex Morgan for Megan Rapinoe to collect and drive toward the left end line. Picking her head up, Rapinoe spotted Heath steaming toward the right post and delivered a low cross through the goal mouth for the Portland Thorns attacker to tap in at the back post for her fourth of 2019 and ninth in her last 12 matches. USA 1, NZL 0 WATCH

USA – Rose Lavelle (Lindsay Horan), 40^th minute: Five minutes after the USA’s opener, Horan and Lavelle produced a near carbon copy of Heath’s goal. Horan was played into space down New Zealand’s right flank and hit a well-placed cross to the into the middle where Lavelle, through an impressive ballet of body control, connected with the ball while sliding to the ground and volleyed her shot into the roof of the net for her seventh career WNT goal. USA 2, NZL 0 WATCH

USA – Carli Lloyd (Tobin Heath), 61^st minute : Foty-four seconds after entering the match as a substitute, Carli Lloyd finished of a transition opportunity at the left post by tapping in a Tobin Heath pass that cut diagonally through the box to the unmarked captain. USA 3, NZL 0 WATCH

USA – Carli Lloyd (Christen Press), 83^rd minute: With time ticking down, Lloyd capitalized on another quick strike attack by the USA. The ball was played out of the center of midfield to Press on the left and after driving forward with pace, she centered a low cross for Lloyd to tap home as her direct run into the heart of the box took her inside her trailing defender for the gritty conversion in front of a sliding defender. USA 4, NZL 0 WATCH

USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press), 84th minute: The U.S. worked down New Zealand’s right flank through Press again, but this time she laid the ball to Mewis who dribbled toward the top of the box, beat a defender and unleashed low drive from distance that a screened Erin Nayler in the Ferns goal couldn’t react to in time as deflected off a defender and stuck into the lower left corner of the net. USA 5, NZL 0 FINAL

Additional Notes:

· Heath’s goal was her fourth of 2019, which leads the team along with Samantha Mewis. She now has 11 goals in her last 17 matches and nine in her last 12.The strike was the 29^th of her career.

· Megan Rapinoe recorded her first assist of 2019 on Heath’s opening goal.

· Rose Lavelle’s goal was the seventh of her international career.

· Carli Lloyd’s brace in the second half raised her career total to 110 goals. She recently moved past Michelle Akers into fourth place on the WNT’s all-time goals scored list.

· Samantha Mewis scored her third goal in her last two games. She now has four goals in 2019 and 12 in her career. Tonight was her 49th international appearance.

· The game marked Alyssa Naeher’s 24th career shutout.

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

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand
Date: May 16, 2019
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Busch Stadium; St. Louis, Mo.
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT
Attendance: 35,761
Weather: 88 degrees; Sunny

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

USA – Tobin Heath (Megan Rapinoe) 35^th minute
USA – Rose Lavelle (Lindsey Horan) 40
USA – Carli Lloyd (Tobin Heath) 61
USA – Carli Lloyd (Christen Press) 83
USA – Samantha Mewis (Christen Press) 84

Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 5-Kelley O’Hara (11-Ali Krieger, 60), 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 19-Crystal Dunn; 16-Rose Lavelle, 8-Julie Ertz (20-Allie Long, 73), 9-Lindsey Horan (3-Samantha Mewis, 46); 17-Tobin Heath (23-Christen Press, 72), 13-Alex Morgan (2-Mallory Pugh, 73), 15-Megan Rapinoe (capt.) (10-Carli Lloyd, 60)
Substitutes not used: 18-Ashlyn Harris, 21-Adrianna Franch, 6-Morgan Brian, 12-Tierna Davidson, 14-Emily Sonnett, 22-Jessica McDonald
Head coach: Jill Ellis

NZL : 1-Erin Nayler; 14-Katie Bowen, 5-Meikayla Moore, 8-Abby Erceg, 3-Anna Green (19-Paige Satchell, 69); 16-Katie Duncan (22-Olivia Chance, 60), 10-Annalie Longo, 2-Ria Percival; 13-Rosie White, 11-Sarah Gregorius (17-Hannah Wilkinson, 75), 7-Ali Riley (capt.)
Substitutes not used: 23-Nadia Olla, 9-Emma Kete, 15-Sarah Morton, 18-Stephanie Skilton, 20-Daisy Cleverley
Head coach: Tom Sermanni

Stats Summary: USA / NZL
Shots: 25 / 1
Shots on Goal: 9 / 0
Saves: 0 / 4
Corner Kicks: 10 / 1
Fouls: 8 / 4
Offside: 7 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
NZL – Anna Green (caution) 33^rd minute

Officials:
Referee: Karen Abt (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Deleana Quan (USA)
4th Official: Christina Unkel (USA)

Woman of the Match: Carli Lloyd