The United States Women’s National Team started their W Gold Cup Campaign with a dominant showing against the Dominican Republic, ending with a 5-0 victory for the Stars and Stripes.
It is the start of the calendar year for the USWNT, with this year marking much anticipation for the U.S. With the hiring of a new head coach and the Summer Olympics around the corner, the inaugural edition of this competition is a great opportunity for the country to show its potential. This tournament is one to not be overlooked; it will include many nations that will put the Stars and Stripes squad to the test. From long-time rival Canada to South American heavyweight Brazil, the W Gold Cup will set the stage for not just the U.S., but women’s soccer as a whole for the world to watch.
Heading into the tournament, Alex Morgan’s absence made headlines. However, on matchday, it was revealed that Morgan would join the U.S. squad after Mia Fishel had to depart the competition early due to an ACL injury she suffered during training.
The Stars and Stripes began the match with an onslaught of offensive attacks. Just two minutes into the game, Lynn Williams scored against the Dominican side during a corner kick but was ruled offside due to obstructing the goalkeeper’s view. However, it did not take long for the U.S. to get on the board after Olivia Moultrie tapped it in with her left foot. This goal marked her first for the U.S. at just 18 years old. The U.S. was able to continue to suffocate the Dominican defense, which allowed them to double their lead in the 30th minute. Williams scored from the center of the box – and this one was not overturned. While the rest of the half remained to be 2-0, there was no question of the team’s dominance. For the better part of the period, it felt like the game was only being played on DR’s side, which makes sense considering the U.S. had possession nearly 80% of the time. In a game where goals scored matters, it was key for the U.S. to net as many as possible in the event of a tiebreaker.
The Dominican Republic looked to try to stop the U.S. offense, and even though they were down by two, their spirit and young talent fought valiantly to try to level the game. This became evident as the Dominican side recorded 19 steals. However, the Stars and Stripes were able to continue to increase the lead in the 58th minute when Moultrie tapped in yet another goal from the center of the box, which was assisted by Midge Purce. In the 66th minute, the subs for the Americans came on, which included big names such as Trinity Rodman and Alex Morgan, hoping to lock down this match.
The Dominican Republic goalkeeper had much work to do deep into the second half. In total, Paloma Peña recorded five saves. Peña kept this game away from a total blowout like the one they experienced in 2012, which was a 14-0 loss to the U.S. However, this cause was not helped, as two late-game penalties were called in favor of the American side. The first one came in the 86th minute, which was converted by Jenna Nighswonger. The second penalty was in stoppage time and Morgan stepped up and drilled it to extend the American lead to 5-0. This was a crucial goal for Morgan as she has not scored for the U.S. in nearly a year, silencing doubters and critics.
The end result was a showing by the U.S. that had not been seen in a while. In total, 31 shots were attempted by the U.S. with 10 on target. The Dominican Republic, however, only recorded one shot attempted, and it was not on target. But, there is still much to be proud of with this Dominican side. Coming off a playoff win to qualify for the tournament, the team is in high spirits with their young talent. The squad also boasts UConn alumni Gabriella Cuevas and current Husky forward Giovanna Dionicio. Qualifying for this tournament and managing to keep off the U.S. offense as much as they did today was an impressive showing.
The U.S. ends matchday one with a victory that will send them to first place in Group A. Mexico and Argentina are tied in second after their game resulted in a 0-0 draw, while the Dominican Republic will sit at the bottom. The U.S. will seek to secure a spot in the Quarterfinals with a matchup against Argentina on Friday that is set to kickoff at 10:15 p.m.