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≡ U.S. WOMEN 3, ICELAND 1 ≡
After the thrill of the Olympic victory in Paris, the U.S. women’s National Team took the field again on Thursday in Austin, Texas against 13th-ranked Iceland, breaking the game open late for a 3-1 win.
The first half saw the U.S. on offense from the start, but without a quality shot on Iceland keeper Telma Ivarsdottir during the first 20 minutes. In fact, an Iceland corner in the 20th led to a good chance for Iceland forward Sandra Jessen that was saved by U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher.
The U.S. continued to probe, causing Iceland a lot of trouble on their own half with pressure on the ball, and creating turnovers. But the American defense went to sleep in the 34th as a lead pass from midfield to forward Dilja Zomers split two defenders, but her one-on-one shot against Naeher was weak and easily caught on the fly.
After the U.S. got possession in the 39th, a pass from midfielder Sam Coffey to the left side found forward Alyssa Thompson, 19 years old, with lots of space, moving toward the box. Unchallenged, she headed toward goal, dribbled to her right and let fly with a right-footed smash into the upper right corner of the Iceland goal for a 1-0 lead.
It’s Thompson’s first international goal, in her 10th appearance, for one of the future stars of the U.S. squad. Midfield star Lindsey Horan almost made it 2-0 on the final kick of the half at 45+2, but her free kick from the top of the box barely missed, outside of the right goalpost.
The U.S. had 70% of possession in the half and an 8-7 edge on shots; Iceland piled up nine fouls to one for the U.S. as they tried to manage so much American possession in their half of the field.
Iceland made three substitutions at half and showed a more determined offense to start the second half. The game went back and forth, but in the 56th, substitute defender Guony Arnadotter had the ball on the right side of the pitch in the U.S. half and passed to midfielder Selma Magnusdottir above the box. But she had space, dribbled left and smashed a left-footed strike that flew past Naeher into the far left side of the American goal for the 1-1 tie.
The U.S. also got some fresh legs into the game in the 66th and moved to the offensive again, and substitute striker Jadeyn Shaw found the answer in the 85th. Substitute defender Casey Krueger sent a left-footed lead pass from the right side into the box, with Shaw gaining possession, moving left and then right, finally sending a cue shot under the Iceland keeper that rolled into the net for the 2-1 lead.
Another build-up in the 89th, trying to keep possession, saw Thompson with the ball on the left side and sent a pass to sub striker Sophia Smith, who returned it, then got it back and with space to shoot, send a right-footed rocket all the way across goal and scored into the far right side of the net for the 3-1 final.
The Americans finished with 71% possession and 13 shots to nine, despite 17 fouls from Iceland.
The U.S. now leads the overall series with Iceland, 14-0-2, in the first match between the teams since 2022. U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR) has started her U.S. coaching career at 10-0-1.
The U.S. women have another match with Iceland on 27 October in Nashville and then on 30 October against Argentina in Louisville. They will finish 2024 with matches against England in London on 30 November and the Netherlands in The Hague on 3 December.
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