United States forward Christen Press (23) beats Costa Rica…
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In its first game since winning the Women’s World Cup last month, the US women’s national team routed Costa Rica, 8-0, on Sunday at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Goals from fullbacks are fairly rare, but Klingenberg has a way of making hers memorable.
In front of a raucous crowd of 44,028 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, the team’s Victory Tour began in a truly celebratory atmosphere.
Picking up where they left off in Canada, the U.S. women were thirsty to unleash the scoring power they had lacked the bulk of their World Cup run, including their offensively nervy spring lead-up to the seven-game tournament. Several of the USA’s goals came off bad clearances and non-existent marking from the Costa Ricans, which showed the Central American side has plenty of work to do after exiting in the group stage of their first-ever World Cup this summer. The World Cup trophy had been on display all over the city as the U.S. women gathered for the first time since their July 5 championship win.
Press’ second goal, scored in the 45th minute, also came off a Rapinoe corner.
There was never any doubt that the Americans would crush Costa Rica on Sunday afternoon – but that wasn’t the point. But she started just one of the 10 pre-Women’s World Cup games and played just 10 minutes in Canada. A long run by Press flipped the field and shortly thereafter, the U.S. poured on the offense, with Klingenberg, playing in the midfield instead of her usual defensive spot, scoring her crowd-raising goal on a Tobin Heath feed in the 56th minute. The USWNT ended the first half up 4-0 with Press adding her second of the evening.
Hope Solo did not get the start. She pivoted and chipped a shot off the cross bar. Solo made three saves in the second half on Costa Rica’s only three shots.
But for the players that had quiet World Cup showings or may find themselves fighting for a place on next year’s Olympics roster, it was a chance to prove their value. Heather O’Reilly added two goals, with the other scores coming from Julie Johnston and Whitney Engen. That match kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN2 and WatchESPN. The match was less about the result and more about a World Cup victory lap as coach Jill Ellis cycled through her bench, using all her substitutions to give 17 players time on the pitch in an easy 8-0 victory.
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CRC – Dianna Diaz, 8th minute: With the USA threatening down Costa Rica’s right flank through some nifty combination play that almost put Meghan Klingenberg in alone on goal, Diaz made a diving stop, charging out of her goal to smother the ball a step before Klingenberg arrived.
