Chester, PA, 1 March 2017 – The U.S. Women’s National team opened its 2017 SheBelieves campaign with a narrow win over Germany. US forward Lynn Williams’ goal in the 56th minute was all that separated the two sides in the battle of the champions. The goal is Williams’ second international goal in five games. The win earns the US three points going into their second match with England on Saturday in Harrison, NJ.
The US and Germany traded chances early. Crystal Dunn had the first promising chance for the US, ripping a shot from close range at the German goal. Almuth Schult made the point-blank save to deny Dunn. Germany answered a couple minutes later with a big change of their own. Isabel Kerschowski’s pass from the left flank found Sara Däbritz all alone at the top of the penalty mark. Däbritz struck a swerving shot toward the Americans’ net, but Alyssa Naeher made the save to keep the match even at 0-0.
The Americans broke the deadlock in the 56th minute. Christen Press interrupted a give-and-go between Germany’s Verena Faißt and Kerschowski, picking Kerschowski’s pocket and streaking toward goal. Press cut into the penalty area and fired one of her signature bending left-footers toward the far upper corner. The shot caromed off the corner of the crossbar directly to Tobin Heath whose one-timer was blocked by Kerschowski. Kerschowski couldn’t maintain control and Lynn Williams pounced on the rebound, placing the ball into the German net.
Williams squandered a golden chance to put the US up by two in the 69th minute. She made a lovely turn to the inside around a German defender and got in behind the German line alone. Unfortunately, her shot from about twelve yards out sailed well over the German goal. Carli Lloyd had the final chance for the Americans, dribbling the ball into the German penalty area along the goal line. Schult again made the point-blank save for the Germans.
Be sure to enjoy the photos in our match gallery.
Next Matches:
Germany faces France and the US squares off against England in the second round of the SheBelieves Cup on Saturday, 4 March 2017, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The doubleheader starts at 2:15pm EST.
Attendance: 16,318
Lineups:
USA, 3-5-2: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 20-Allie Long, 7-Casey Short; 19-Crystal Dunn, 6-Morgan Brian, 3-Samantha Mewis, 17-Tobin Heath 10-Carli Lloyd (C); 12-Lynn Williams, 23-Christen Press
Available Substitutes: 2-Mallory Pugh, 5-Kelley O’Hara, 8-Julie Johnston, 9-Lindsey Horan, 11-Ali Krieger, 13-Alex Morgan, 14-Jessica McDonald, 15-Emily Sonnett, 16-Rose Lavelle, 18-Jane Campbell, 22-Brianna Pinto, 24-Ashlyn Harris
Substitutions Made:
58’ Pugh in for Dunn
79’ Morgan in for Williams
79’ Horan in for Press
Head Coach: Jill Ellis
Germany: 1-Almuth Schult; 2-Josephine Henning, 5-Babett Peter, 14-Anna Blässe, 17-Isabel Kerschowski; 4-Leonie Maier, 9-Alexandra Popp, 10-Dzsenifer Marozsan (C), 13-Sara Däbritz; 11-Anja Mittag, 18-Lena Petermann
Available Substitutes: 12-Laura Benkarth, 21-Lisa Weiß, 3-Kathrin Hendrich, 7-Pauline Bremer, 15-Mandy Islacker, 20-Lina Magull, 23-Verena Faißt,24-Kristin Demann, 26-Hasret Kayikci, 27-Sara Doorsoun, 29-Felicitas Rauch, 31-Linda Dallman
Substitutions Made:
46’ Faißt in for Petermann
69’ Bremer in for Blässe
74’ Islacker in for Mittag
74’ Rauch in for Kerschowski
Head Coach: Steffi Jones
Misconduct:
42’ YC: GER – Kerschowski
63’ YC: GER – Blässe
90’ YC: USA – Horan
