SheBelieves Cup: Pugh and Morgan rescue USA
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Mar 7, 2016
The game seemed to be headed to a scoreless draw when young French center back Griedge Mbock Bathy, starting in place of injured captain Wendie Renard, failed to control a ball in midfield. Pugh picked up the loose ball and charged into the French half before quickly pushing the ball ahead to Morgan, who beat onrushing goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi with a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.
First, Hope Solo pushed Louisa Necib's free kick over the crossbar, and after the ensuing corner kick, a ball was played into the area that was deflected off the left post by Carli Lloyd. Solo then saved Marie-Laure Delie's point-blank attempt off the rebound with a flying dive to her left, and Eugenie Le Sommer put her shot wide.
The USA has now won all eight games it's played in 2016 by shutouts.
The USA will face Germany in its third and final match of the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN3) at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. Germany has beaten France, 1-0, and England, 2-1.
TRIVIA. The game marked Solo's 97th career shutout and 146th win, extending her U.S. records in both categories.
March 6 in Nashville, Tenn.
USA 1 France 0. Goal: Morgan 90+1.
USA -- Solo; O'Hara (Press, 85), Johnston, Sauerbrunn, Klingenberg; Brian, Horan (Dunn, 85), Heath, Lloyd, Pugh (Engen, 90+3), Morgan.
France -- Bouhaddi; Houara, Georges, Mbock Bathy, Majri; Thomis (Asseyi, 75), Hamraoui (Bilbault, 77), Abily, Le Sommer (Bussaglia, 86), Necib (Lavogez, 76), Delie.
Att.: 25,363.
4 comments about "SheBelieves Cup: Pugh and Morgan rescue USA".
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The U.S. was lucky to win this game. The French outplayed them in the first half. Hope made some good saves and the French missed some shots but the U. S. looked bad. Lots of miss-hit balls, the midfield was missing for most of the game. The French seemed to play down to our level in the second half. Alex Morgan finally made them pay on one good breakaway. Not an impressive outing.
The number "ONE" and number "THREE" teams in the world. Probably would have been good TV. Nah... it's just the girls. Where is Gulati...? Probably having lunch with JK.
Ditto John.
"Devastating package of skills?" SA may be over-hyping the young star. Looks to me like she got a lucky deflection off her shin to maintain control, then made the nice pass to Morgan. Morgan scored with a signature dribbling run and an excellent shot.