Americans complete series sweep

• by Soccer America , May 18, 2011

[USA-JAPAN WOMEN] The USA completed a sweep of its two-game series with Japan when it won, 2-0, on Wednesday thanks to goals by Amy Rodriguez and Heather O'Reilly in Cary, N.C.

Rodriguez had her second goal in two games against Japan when she scored after a excellent run by O'Reilly and ball back into the middle.

O'Reilly put the game away in the second half when she ran on to a ball from Carli Lloyd and scored from 12 yards out.

“Tonight two different players scored goals and both of them were great goals,” said U.S. coach Pia Sundhage. “We gain confidence when we look at the four goals we scored against Japan in these two games. That is something we are going to talk about and watch over and over again. We can gain some confidence just by watching.”

About the only negative was some poor finishing in the second half when the USA could have added several more goals.

The final warmup game before the USA heads to Germany for the Women's World Cup will take place June 5 against Mexico at Red Bull Arena.

NOTE: Following the knee injury suffered by Lindsay Tarpley, Sundhage called in defender Whitney Engen and midfielder Sinead Farrelly for training.

May 18 in Cary, N.C.
USA 2 Japan 0. Goals: Rodriguez 28, O'Reilly 69.
USA -- Solo, Krieger, Sauerbrunn, Buehler, Cox (LePeilbet, 46), O’Reilly (Cheney, 72), Boxx (Lindsey, 61), Lloyd, Rapinoe (Heath, 84), Rodriguez (Morgan, 61), Wambach.
Japan -- Kaihori (Fukumoto, 71), Iwashimizu, Kumagai, Sameshima, Kinga (Nasu, 78); Sakaguchi (Utsugi, 74), Miyama, Sawa, Kawasumi (Maruyama, 63), Ohno (Ando, 74), Iwabuchi (Nakajima, 78).
Referee: Moo Hackett (USA).
Att.: 5,323.