The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off its 2018 campaign with a powerful, come-from-behind 5-1 against reigning EURO Women’s runner-up Denmark in front of 17,526 fans at SDCCU Stadium on Sunday night.
Denmark got on the board early with a set-piece goal from Nadia Nadim in the 14th minute, but the USA quickly responded when Mallory Pugh connected with Alex Morgan for the game-tying score in the 17th minute. Julie Ertz then made it 2-1 in the 19th minute, and the USA carried the in to the half time break.
In the second half, Pugh added two goals – her first career brace – after taking advantage of a pair of defensive mishaps from Denmark, and Crystal Dunn wrapped up the scoring to give the U.S. the 5-1 win.
Next, the U.S. WNT will host the third annual SheBelieves Cup, the most elite four-team tournament in the world, that includes third-ranked England, second-ranked Germany and sixth-ranked France, from March 1-7 in Columbus, Ohio, Harrison, New Jersey, and Orlando, Florida.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
DEN – Nadia Nadim (Katrine Veje), 14th: Veje’s corner kick sailed to the far post where Nadim jumped high to head to the ball to the back of the net for the opening goal of the match. USA 0, DEN 1
USA – Alex Morgan (Mallory Pugh), 17th minute: Pugh shook off Veje and drove towards the six-yard box where she crossed to the ball to an incoming Morgan, who did well to tap it in before the goalkeeper had a chance to get to it. USA 1, DEN 1 GOAL
USA – Julie Ertz (Tierna Davidson), 19th minute: Abby Dalhkemper’s lofted pass into the 18-yard box was received by Tierna Davidson, who out-jumped every other player in the box to head it into the six-yard box where Ertz finished with a looping, right-footed volley for her first goal of 2018. USA 2, DEN 1 GOAL
USA – Mallory Pugh, 47th: Denmark’s Sofia Pedersen had a defensive mishap in the back which resulted in Pugh taking advantage of the slow-rolling ball to go alone at the goal, beat a defender and crush a shot from about 10 yards out for her first of the night. USA 3, DEN 1 GOAL
USA – Mallory Pugh, 65th: Another mistake for Denmark, this time from goalkeeper Stina Petersen, resulted in a goal for Pugh, who brought down the goal kick with her body and drove forward, excellently splitting two defenders before slotting the ball into the lower right corner for her second of the night. USA 4, DEN 1 GOAL
USA – Crystal Dunn, 81st minute: After Christen Press’ shot got blocked by the goalkeeper, Dunn received the rebound right in the middle of the box to sent it to the back of the net for the final U.S. goal of the game. USA 5, DEN 1 GOAL FINAL
