Commentary
USA-Canada: Rapinoe finishes comeback year with big performance in 3-1 win
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Nov 12, 2017
Nov. 12 in San Jose
USA 3 Canada 1. Goals: Ertz (Rapinoe) 11, Morgan (Press) 57, Lloyd (Morgan) 80; Beckie (Prince) 50.
Att.: 17,960.
A pair of Bay Area college products -- Julie Ertz and Alex Morgan -- and Carli Lloyd scored to give the USA a 3-1 win over Canada in its final game of the 2017 season before a near-sellout crowd of 17,960 fans in San Jose.
After struggling to earn a 1-1 tie against Canada on Thursday, the USA ended the year on a high note. It went 6-0-1 in its last seven games and finished the year with a 12-3-1 record.
1. Ertz is back home at position she played at Santa Clara.
Ertz played as a midfielder for
nearby Santa Clara and that's the position she's been playing since August for the USA after starting at center back at the 2015 Women's World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
She showed why she is
one of the most feared players in the air, flicking on Megan Rapinoe's corner kick with her head at the near post to give the USA a 1-0 win.
In the seven games Ertz started in
midfield since August, she recorded six goals and the year second on the U.S. team in scoring.
2. Morgan finishes with eight goals in her last eight games.
Canadian
Nichelle Prince blew past the left side of the U.S. backline to find Houston Dash teammate Janine Beckie for the equalizer in the 50th minute, but the USA regained the lead seven minutes
later.
Christen Press stole the ball from UCLA star Jessie Fleming and fed Alex Morgan, who put the USA back ahead with her eighth goal of the season -- all in her
last eight games -- and 80th of her career.
With Canada's John Herdman bringing on four teenagers, three of them eligible for the 2018 U-17 World Cup for the last half hour, the
USA repeatedly broke down the Canadian defense to get an insurance goal from Lloyd, the 98th goal of her career but just the second of the year, with an easy tap-in in the 80th minute.
3. Rapinoe completes big comeback year.
A year ago, it would have been hard
to imagine Rapinoe, then still recovering from her third ACL knee injury that almost kept her out of the Rio Olympics, would have the year she has had in 2017: three goals and a team-high five assists
for the USA and 12 goals for the Seattle Reign in the NWSL.
Rapinoe assisted on Ertz's goal, beat her defender to play the ball in that Morgan flicked on to Lloyd for the third goal and
had two long-range shots saved by Canada keeper Stephanie Labbe.
There is still no one on the U.S. team who can take set pieces and serve balls into the area like the 32-year-old
Rapinoe. With youngsters Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle and Tobin Heath all out for the Canada series, Rapinoe showed off her value as the main threat on the
wings.
Trivia. The USA is 48-3-7 against Canada and has not lost since 2001, a span of 33 games.
Nov. 12 in San Jose
USA 3 Canada 1. Goals: Ertz (Rapinoe) 11, Morgan (Press) 57, Lloyd (Morgan) 80; Beckie (Prince) 50.
USA -- Naeher; Smith (Short 66), Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper, O'Hara; Ertz (Sullivan 75), Horan, Mewis (Lloyd 75); Press (Williams 82), Morgan, Rapinoe.
Canada -- Labbe; Chapman,
Zadorsky, Quinn, Rose (Prince 31), Leon (Riviere 71), Scott (Young 71), Sinclair (Huitema 60), Kelly (Agnew 60), Beckie (Grosso 90), Fleming.
Att.: 17,960.
I would like to know why she is still on the team????????
Rapinoe is on the team because she is the best player. I'm surprised you did not notice that. Now if you asked why Smith, Mewis and Horan are on the team, I'd have to answer "I have no idea."
I dont question her playing ability. She is a very good player. But she is an embarrasment. Should not be on the team, period!
Fanfor soccer. What specifically do you mean when you say “she is an embarrassment? One more thing, why are you not using your real name when you post?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing
Turns out there are lots of crazy people that will brook no dissent. R2 Dad is not looking forward to the day someone is parked outside my hovel to hunt me down because I don't agree that NASL is a cancerous wart on the face of US Soccer.