The U.S. women’s national team settled nothing in its new rivalry with Australia in Sunday’s 1-1 tie in its second game of the Tournament of Nations.
Once again, Australia scored first – as in its 1-0 win in 2017 – and then frustrated the U.S. again and again with a well-organized defense. Unlike last year, however, Lindsey Horan saved the game with a header off of Megan Rapinoe’s on-target corner kick in the 90th minute for the tie.
So with just Thursday’s games to go:
26 July: Australia 3, Brazil 1
29 July: Brazil 2, Japan 1
02 August: Australia vs. Japan
United States 4, Japan 2
Australia 1, U.S. 1
U.S. vs. Brazil
(Bridgeview, Illinois ~ U.S. game at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on FS1)
Both the U.S. and Australia have 1-0-1 records (4 points); with Brazil at 1-1-0 (3 points) and Japan at 0-2-0 (0). If either the U.S. or Australia win and the other ties or loses, the winner will take the trophy. If Brazil beats the U.S. and Australia and Japan tie, Brazil will win the tournament.
The tie-breakers after points are goal differential, then goals scored. The U.S. is +2 (5-3), Australia is +2 (4-2) and Brazil is -1 (3-4).
The U.S. now stands at 8-0-2 in 2018 and is unbeaten in its last 18 matches (15-0-3) since the loss to Australia, and has a 54-16 scoring edge in those games.
The U.S. has a 27-3-5 lifetime record against Brazil, which got goals from Marta and Beatriz in its win over Japan.
