New Zealand Gets a Hat Trick but Lose to USWNT 5-0

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM DEFEATS NEW ZEALAND 5-0 ON SECOND MATCH DAY OF 2022 IN SHEBELIEVES CUP, PRESENTED BY VISA

USWNT Emphatic Attacking Display Forces Three Own Goals as Ashley Hatch and Mallory Pugh Also Score;
USA Extends Unbeaten Home Streak to 64 Matches and Home Shutout Streak to 16 Matches

CARSON, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team rolled past New Zealand 5-0 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday in its second match of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa. An emphatic attacking display in front of 16,587 fans forced the visitors into a U.S. record three own goals in the first half, while forwards Ashley Hatch and Mallory Pugh added goals of their own to seal the team’s first win of the year.

After creating numerous quality chances through some excellent attacking play on Feb. 17 vs. the Czech Republic but with no payoff in the 0-0 draw, the USA wasted no getting on the board on a sunny day in Southern California as a quickly taken free kick in the fifth minute led to forward Sophia Smith sending a cross into the box from the left wing which New Zealand defender Meikayla Moore accidentally deflected into the visitors’ net as she attempted to clear.

The USA then doubled the lead just 82 seconds later when a cross from defender Sofia Huerta, this time from the right flank, deflected off Moore as U.S. forward Margaret Purce flashed in front of her and bounced into the New Zealand goal for the second own goal of the night. The fifth-and sixth-minute goals marked the fastest and second-fastest USA goals in SheBelieves Cup history, both breaking the previous record set by Megan Rapinoe in 2020 when she scored against Japan in the seventh minute of the match.

The Americans continued to pile on in the attack, creating multiple chances which included a disallowed goal from midfielder Kristie Mewis that was waived off due to offside in the 19^th minute and an effort from forward Catarina Macario that smashed off the left post just five minutes later.

The USA made it 3-0 in the 36^th minute Purce beat New Zealand captain Ali Riley into the penalty box on the right side and crossed on the ground. The ball unfortunately deflected off Moore and into the net yet again as she attempted to clear, marking the first time in USWNT history that three own goals have been scored in their favor in a single match, never mind three own goals by the same player. Five of the USA’s last 11 goals against New Zealand have now been own goals, including four in a row dating back to the USA’s sixth goal at the Olympics and the first three of this game.

The U.S. team rode the momentum into the second half as confident build-out play from the back led to Hatch scoring in the 51^st minute as she buried a close-range header off a cross from Huerta from the right wing. It was Hatch’s third USWNT goal in as many matches after also scoring in both games against Australia last November.

The USA went down to 10 women during the final 10 minutes of the match and stoppage time after forward Trinity Rodman came off with an injury but defended stoutly to earn their second consecutive shutout of the tournament and 16^th consecutive clean sheet on home soil. The fifth and final goal game in the third minute of stoppage time as Hatch nodded on a long ball to Pugh, who raced in on goal to add the capper.

The 2022 SheBelieves Cup concludes on Sunday, Feb. 23 with the final doubleheader of the tournament at taking place Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. New Zealand and Czech Republic will face off in the first match of the day (5 p.m. CT on ESPN3) before the USA takes on Iceland (8 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and PrendeTV) in the last match of the tournament.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
USA – Own Goal (Meikayla Moore), 5th minute – Following a quick restart off a New Zealand foul, Sophia Smith sent a cross into the box from the left wing and Moore deflected the ball into her own net as she attempted to clear. USA 1, NZL 0

USA – Own Goal (Meikayla Moore), 6th minute – Sofia Huerta sent a cross into the box from the right wing, which sailed just over forward Margaret Purce then bounced off Moore and into the net for the second own goal of the night. USA 2, NZL 0

USA –Own Goal (Meikayla Moore), 36th minute – Forward Margaret Purce did well to dribble into the penalty box on the right side and sent a cross into the goal mouth on the ground. Moore once again attempted to clear but accidentally hit into her own net for the third New Zealand own goal of the night. USA 3, NZL 0

USA – Ashley Hatch (Sofia Huerta), 51st minute – After a nice buildout from the back, Huerta received the ball on the right wing and sent a cross into the box which Hatch met with a powerful header from about six yards out and into the right side of the net. USA 4, NZL 0

USA – Mallory Pugh (Ashley Hatch), 90+3 minute – Hatch played Pugh in on goal with a headed through-ball and Pugh raced in for a one-on-one chance against the goalkeeper after beating a defender in a foot race. Pugh then place her shot on the ground crisply into the right side of the net. USA 5, NZL 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Before tonight’s three own goals, only twice before Had the USWNT had two own goals in one game. That came in the 2020 Olympics vs. New Zealand and in Feb. 2014 in a friendly match vs. Russia (with the own goals the first two goals of an 8-0 win)
• After not scoring in her first two career caps, Ashley Hatch has now scored in her last three.
• Following her goal tonight, Hatch holds the distinction of being that last USWNT player to score in 2021 and the first USWNT player to score in 2022.
• With her goal tonight, Hatch continued her streak of speedy scoring. The forward’s last three goals have come on Nov. 27 just 24 seconds after kickoff, on Nov. 30 just three minutes and 16 seconds into the match, and on Feb. 20 just five minutes and 12 seconds after entering the match.
• Hatch is the first USWNT player to score three or more goals in her first five caps since 2013, when Christen Press scored four goals in her first four games, highlighted by a brace in her USWNT debut.
• Mallory Pugh checked into the match in the 68^th minute to replace Ashley Sanchez and played as an attacking midfielder as opposed to her usual position at forward but moved to a more advanced role after Trinity Rodman was helped off with an injury.
• Pugh’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time marked her first for the USWNT since October 3, 2019 when she scored in the 76th minute vs Korea Republic.
• Defender Sofia Huerta tallied her second career assist and first since her first cap on Sep. 15, 2017.
• The USA has not allowed a goal on home soil in nearly two years, last conceding at home on March, 11, 2020 in a 3-1 win over Japan in the final match of the 2020 SheBelieves Cup. Since then, they’ve kept a program record 16 straight home clean sheets, the longest such streak in program history.
• The USA now carries a 64-game home unbeaten streak which includes 57 wins and seven draws. During this home unbeaten streak, the USA has outscored its opponents 232-27, including a 102-3 margin during its last 26 matches at home, all of which have been wins save for the 0-0 draw with Korea Republic on Oct. 21, 2021, and the 0-0 draw against Czech Republic on Feb. 17.
• Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher returned to the field for the USWNT for the first time since Aug. 2, 2021, when she was forced to leave the Olympic semifinal in the 30th minute after suffering a serious knee injury. The match marked Naeher’s 79th cap overall for the USWNT and her first match for club or for country in 202 days.
• Midfielder Jaelin Howell earned her third USWNT cap on the night after coming into the match for Andi Sullivan in the 55^th minute.