Commentary
USA-Mexico Women's Friendly Player Ratings
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Jul 5, 2021
July 5 in East Hartford, Conn.
USA 4 Mexico 0. Goals: Horan 6, Lloyd 11, own goal 37, Heath 39.
Att.: 27,758.
In its final Olympic preparation game before heading to Tokyo, the USA followed up a dynamic first-half performance, which included all four goals, with a dour second half against a Mexican team that's now winless in its last seven games. The most encouraging performance came from Tobin Heath, who scored after coming off the bench in the 4-0 win over Mexico on Thursday in her return from injury. On Monday, in her first start since November, the 33-year-old played 45 minutes and proved the USA's most dangerous attacker.
USA Player Ratings
(1=low; 5=middle; 10=high.)
GOALKEEPER
Alyssa Naeher wasn't tested by the Mexicans, whose two shots on target lacked power and went straight to her.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
5
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) 73/0 (33)
Right back Kelley O’Hara hit the long ball that Carli Lloyd relayed to Lindsey Horan on the first goal. Shortly after a failed cross, left back Crystal Dunn delivered the perfect ball for Lloyd to score the second U.S. goal. The passing by Abby Dahlkemper and Becky Sauerbrunn, who headed clear Mexico's only promising cross, contributed to the USA's 73% possession in the first half, and 70% for the full 90.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
6
Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit) 140/2 (32)
6
Abby Dahlkemper (Man. City, ENG) 71/0 (28)
6
Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns) 188/0 (36)
6
Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns) 116/24 (29)
Besides one long-range effort that forced a diving save from keeper Itzel Gonzalez, Rose Lavelle's first-half shots were wide or weak. Lindsey Horan opened the scoring with a fierce, well-timed volley and took part in the buildup to the USA's second goal. Sam Mewis robbed Nancy Antonio of the ball and set up Heath's goal.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
5
Rose Lavelle (NC Courage) 56/14 (26)
7
Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns) 98/22 (27)
6
Sam Mewis (NC Courage) 77/23 (28)
Tobin Heath's shot off the crossbar led to the Reyna Reyes own goal, after Christian Press jumped on the rebound. Heath, who troubled the Mexican backline from the beginning and should been awarded a penalty kick in the 21st minute, scored with a crisp shot into the side-netting from 11 yards to make it 4-0. Carli Lloyd scored with a diving header and set up Horan's volley with a headed pass. Only Press returned for the second half.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
7
Tobin Heath (Unattached) 171/35 (33)
7
Carli Lloyd (Gotham FC) 306/126 (38)
5
Christen Press (Unattached) 149/62 (32)
SUBSTITUTES
Megan Rapinoe came on at halftime, misplayed her first four passes and failed to improve. Her first free kick glanced off the top of the crossbar and on her second she passed out of bounds. She shanked a corner kick into the outside side-netting. Catarina Macario stole the ball from a Mexican midfielder with her first touch and in the 74th minute set up, with a nifty pass, a chance for halftime sub Alex Morgan, who shot into the keeper when a chip was needed. Kristie Mewis, the third halftime sub along with Rapinoe and Morgan, helped the U.S. midfield remain in control but the possession didn't translate to solid scoring chances.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
3
Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign) 179/59 (36)
4
Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride) 180/110 (32)
5
Kristie Mewis (Houston Dash) 26/4 (30)
5
Emily Sonnett (Washington Spirit) 56/0 (27)
5
Catarina Macario (Lyon, FRA) 7/1 (21)
5
Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars) 34/1 (22)
TRIVIA: The victory extended the USA's unbeaten streak to 44 games and its home unbeaten streak to 58 games.
July 5 in East Hartford, Conn.
USA 4 Mexico 0. Goal: Horan 6, Lloyd 11, own goal 37, Heath 39.
USA -- Naeher; O'Hara, Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn (Sonnett, 68); Lavelle (K.Mewis, 46), Horan (Davidson, 80), S.Mewis (Macario, 68), Horan; Heath (Rapinoe, 46), Lloyd (Morgan, 46), Press.
Mexico -- I.Gonzalez; Reyes (Sierra, 66), Ferra (Rodriguez, 56), Orejel, Lopez; A.Gonzalez (Espinoza, 57), Antonio (Garcia, 88), Bernal (Perez, 88), Sanchez; Mayor, Palacios (Martinez, 66).
Yellow cards: USA -- none; Mexico -- Reyes 60. Red Cards: none.
Referee: Danielle Chesky (USA).
Att.: 27,758.
Stats:
USA/Mexico
Shots: 17/5
Shots on target: 11/2
Saves: 2/8
Corner Kicks: 5/2
Fouls: 5/11
Offside: 5/1
Possession: 70%/30%
I mean, We really have 2 teams that are Better than 99% of Opponents... let's hope we have One that can beat Sweden.!!!... Go USA, JUST WIN BABY, WIN.!!!
I watched only the second half, but it was interesting in that, while the US were assertive and tried some novel combinations, they were strangely sloppy, both when in possession and on defense.
Press played well and actually deserves credit for 2 goals. One was (properly) recorded as an own goal, but resulted from Press's point-blank shot. The other was wrongly negated by a horrible offsides call. It wasn't even close. Press was well onside running on a slant to stay onside until the ball was kicked. The mowing pattern of the grass makes it easy to see in the clips that Press was onside.
I understand not wanting to complain about officiating, but it seems to me that Press did not get credit that she deserved. The other goal scorers received 7 ratings.
It was not an offside call Bob ..... In the post-game press conference Vlatko said that the ref, Chesky, explained that she inadvertently blew her whistle which made the play "dead". I reviewed the video tape and here is the sequence:
(1) Chesky had her arm raised just before Press touches the ball
(2) the AR did not raise the flag for offside
(3) I personally did not hear a whistle due to crowd noise; but others did
(4) The drop ball to Mexico (rather than an IDK for offside) was the indicator that the referee had interfered in play ....
Bottom line: She had no choice but to disallow the play
So Chesky rating would be...? Whistling a non-call, if that's what it was, is not the error of a FIFA rated official.
Wow! It doesn't change my comment though. Press beat 3 opponents to finsish. None were distracted by the mistaken whistle. She ought to get credit for her performance.