USA-PORTUGAL EXPRESS:
Oct. 26 in East Hartford, Connecticut
USA 3 Portugal 1. Goals: Moultrie 1, 10, Coffey 82; Jéssica Silva 5.
Att.: 26,492.

---

The youth movement is well underway. Powered by a starting lineup that averaged just 21.7 caps, the United States women’s national team got back to winning ways with a commanding 3-1 win over Portugal.

Coach Emma Hayes opted for youth within her rotation from Thursday’s “horrific” performance, in which Portugal earned its first ever win against the United States and snapped the USWNT’s six-match run of shutouts.

What the USA lacked in caps and years, it more than made up for in cohesion, energy, attacking desire, composure and bite. 

The 20-year-old attacker Olivia Moultrie set the tone for her team with a well-taken finish in the back post after just 44 seconds (1-0). Portugal’s Jessica Silva replied with an equalizer from a missed U.S. defensive mark just five minutes later (1-1). However, Moultrie answered back with another confident goal in the 10th minute of play (2-1). Her club teammate Sam Coffey would have the final word with an expert finish off a corner kick in the closing stanza (3-1).

Teenage midfielders Lily Yohannes and Claire Hutton dictated the tempo with their measured and controlled play. Center back Jordyn Bugg, 19, brought a sense of tranquility and defensive alertness that calls to mind qualities of Naomi Girma, who remains injured. 

The team’s inspired performance will assuage nerves set off by Thursday’s alarming performance in the 2-1 loss. The future is bright.

---

USA Player Ratings

(1=low; 5=middle; 10=high.)

GOALKEEPER

Longtime USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was honored before the match, and thus far, it is uncertain who will inherit her gloves. Claudia Dickey earned her third start, and had a conspicuously idle night in goal. She faced just three shots — one of which was on target. Dickey looked comfortable playing out from the back to her club teammate and center back Bugg. Other than a mixup with Emily Sonnett during a defensive clearance that led to a Portugal corner kick in the 20th minute, it was a quietly confident performance.

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

5
Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) 3/0 (25)

---

DEFENDERS

Gone were the defensive nerves or tentativeness from Thursday night. Outside backs Avery Patterson and Lilly Reale each took turns pushing up high and joining the attack in a fluid manner. Hayes got the balance of the back line ostensibly right, as Patterson and Reale were well-covered by defensive midfielders Hutton and Yohannes. Young center back Jordyn Bugg was particularly impressive in both sparking the attack and snuffing out danger.

Emily Sonnett had a bounce-back performance on Sunday, as she led her line with more grit and intensity. For the second match in a row, she did get beat out on an aerial duel, which led to Portugal’s fifth-minute goal courtesy of former club teammate Jéssica Silva. However, Sonnet recovered by keeping the back line organized, particularly when the outside backs pushed up. 

In just her second start, Bugg turned in a poised and self-assured performance. Her clean and relaxed distribution out of the back was perhaps most noteworthy. She also successfully kept Portugal’s most dangerous forward, Jessica Silva, at bay with her strong 1 v. 1 defending.

Patterson was back in her familiar right back position and continued to make her trademark marauding runs forward. She combined and overlapped particularly well with Yohannes and Moultrie, whose dynamic runs and passing ability carved open lanes for Patterson to run into. Though she is still missing the final movement or pass, she has shown herself to be a fixture in Hayes’ vision. 

Reale earned just her third international start on Sunday, and offered an additional attacking option from her left back role. Her eagerness to push high and join in the attack has made her a contender for NWSL Rookie of the Year, and she again demonstrated that skill set today. Reale, however, wasn’t not tight enough on her mark Kika Nazareth when she assisted on Portugal’s goal.

Player (Club) caps/goals (age)

6
Avery Patterson (Houston Dash) 8/1 (23)

6
Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC) 112/2 (31)

7
Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign) 3/0 (19)

6
Lilly Reale (Gotham FC) 3/0 (22)

---