Morgan ignites comeback, Sundhage serenades crowd

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Sep 16, 2012

[USA-AUSTRALIA] The USA improved its 2012 record to 22-1-1 with a 2-1 win over Australia Sunday before 19,851 fans, the largest women's crowd ever at the Home Depot Center for a non-Women's World Cup match. The Americans needed second-half goals from Alex Morgan and Shannon Boxx for the come-from-behind win. Afterward, departing U.S. coach Pia Sundhage serenaded the crowd with a rendition of "Jailhouse Rock" on her new Taylor guitar presented to her by her players and signed by them.

The USA faces Australia again on Wednesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., in what will be Sundhage’s final game at the helm of the national team (TV: ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET).

Australia opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a goal from Lisa de Vanna on a high shot past an outstretched Hope Solo.

Morgan equalized in the 55th minute on a shot from the right side of the penalty area and set up the winner eight minutes later.

Boxx scored the game-winner, sending a penalty kick just inside the right post past a diving Brianna Davey, who had clipped Morgan for a penalty after the U.S. forward ran on to a through-ball from Tobin Heath.

Sept. 16 in Carson, Calif.
USA 2 Australia 1. Goals: Morgan 55, Boxx (pen.) 63; de Vanna 34.
USA -- Solo; O’Hara, Sauerbrunn, Rampone (Buehler, 46), LePeilbet (Mitts, 46); Heath, Cheney, Lloyd (Boxx, 46), Rapinoe (O’Reilly, 46); Morgan (Leroux, 78), Wambach (Rodriguez, 67)
Australia -- Davey; Catley, Alleway (Kennedy, 64), Uzunlar, Foord; van Egmond,  McCallum (Simon, 72), Allen (Polkinghorne, 56); Walsh (capt.) (Kerr, 51), de Vanna (Brown, 78), Gill (Gielnik, 71)
Referee: Kari Seitz.
Att.: 19,851.