Hope Solo was unaffected by the Brazilian boos as she came up big in her 200th worldwide appearance to help the United States women’s soccer team fight off France 1-0 in a Group G match at the Olympics on Saturday.
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Two of the three US goals in this tournament have been scored by Lloyd, the reigning Federation Internationale de Football Association world player of the year, and both have been set up by Heath.
Solo didn’t seem bothered by fans at the Mineirao Stadium, who tried to rattle her with a fun version of a negative Mexican soccer chant by screaming “Ahhhh, Zika” when the keeper touched the ball.
The most-capped men’s goalkeeper is Spain’s Iker Casillas with 167 games. United States midfielder Tobin Heath shot found the near post, but the rebound played perfectly to Lloyd, who easily converted her second goal of the tournament and her fifth in the last three competitive worldwide matches. Twice previously it had played the U.S.in a world championship competition only to lose, in the group stage four years ago in London and in the semifinals of the 2011 World Cup.
Amber Hearn received a low cross in the box in the 31st minute and had time to take a touch before scoring the game’s only goal.
The Stars and Stripes started the second half with more attacking objective, earning a corner nearly immediately, and France sat back slightly deeper in their own half to deal with the Americans’ high defensive line.
Despite being outplayed throughout the first half, the United States managed to see off France thanks to Carli Lloyd’s 63rd minute goal today in Belo Horizonte. A nice passing move by the USA found the ball at the feet of Heath, who was in on goal but from a tight angle.
All 10 USA swimmers who competed in individual events Saturday advanced to the finals or semifinals. France had three good first-half chances, including Wendie Renard’s header that Solo tipped off the crossbar in the 16th minute.
The 200th cap was Solo’s latest accomplishment in a 16-year global career.
With the victory the US, the three-time defending Olympic champion, moved a big step closer to winning its group and earning a quarterfinal date in Brasilia against a third-place team. And her absence resulted in a shaky display of defending. Whether it was tipping Renard’s powerful header off the crossbar or repeatedly stoning Marie-Laure Delie, Solo delivered for a USA team that rarely asks her to do much of anything. She made some huge saves in this one, unlike in the opener against New Zealand, during which she was rarely tested. With fewer than three seconds of play on the ball, she opened up enough room to launch an uncontested cross toward Lloyd. The game continued to be back-and-forth, with France doing their best to create chaos in the US box.
Shortly after that score, USA coach Jill Ellis moved to preserve the lead, inserting defender Ali Krieger into the game in place of Crystal Dunn – who had just been given a yellow card for a sliding tackle.
In the other match Saturday in Belo Horizonte, New Zealand defeated Colombia 1-0.
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The U.S. will play their final group stage game on Tuesday when they face Colombia in Manaus.
