The US Women's National Team hosted Russia on a hot Sunday afternoon in Houston, Texas.
Busy busy first half
There was a lot of action early for the USWNT. Two minutes into the match, they were already in Russia's box. As multiple people went up to get something on the ball, Russia's goalkeeper Iuliia Grichenko got knocked, but she was able to resume play. The US had many attacking chances in the first 15 minutes alone, not giving Russia time or space to effectively form a counterattack. In the 19th minute, Crystal Dunn was fouled in the box, and the USA was awarded with a penalty kick. None other than Captain Carli Lloyd stepped up to take it. Lloyd converted in the 20th minute to put the US up 1-0.
The USWNT wouldn't let up at all, with players such as Kelley O'Hara, Meghan Klingenberg, and Mallory Pugh all serving in balls. In the 38th minute, rookie Rose Lavelle found herself dribbling into the box and took a shot into the lower right corner to score her first ever international goal. A minute later, Klingenberg found Dunn in the box and Dunn hits it one time past the keeper for a 3-0 lead.
Only a few minutes later, defender Casey Short fouled Nadesha Karpova in the box to give Russia a penalty kick. Karpova stepped up and converted her PK to get one back for her country. The USA would find another goal though. In the dying minutes of the half, Lavelle played a corner in. It found Lloyd's head, but it was deflected off the foot of Ksenia Kovalenko for an own goal. They entered the locker room with USA leading 4-1.
Second half
It only took two minutes for the USWNT to find the back of the net once again. Dunn earned a brace for the second game in a row to put the USWNT up 5-1. In the 54th minute, the USWNT made three substitutions. Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and Megan Oyster went in for Lloyd, Lavelle and O'Hara. This is Oyster's second cap for the USWNT after earning her first the other night in Dallas.
The game calmed down there, but the USWNT still had a good number of chances. In the 73rd minute, USWNT made three more substitutions - most notably Jane Campbell made her first appearance for the USA when she came in for Ashlyn Harris. She will play for the Houston Dash this season after being drafted this past January. Campbell and the USWNT finished out the game without allowing any more goals in for a final score of 5-1.
This is the last match the USWNT will play until June, when they will travel to Europe to play Sweden and Norway.