Press, Williams score in US women’s 2-0 victory over Nigeria
Jun 16, 2021, 8:21 AM | Updated: 8:45 pm
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Christen Press scored late in the first half, Lynn Williams added a goal in the final moments and the U.S. women’s national team wrapped up its Summer Series with a 2-0 victory over Nigeria on Wednesday night in the last match before settling on a lineup for the Olympics.
The U.S swept to three shutout victories in the tune-up series for the world’s No. 1-ranked squad heading to Tokyo in July.
Temperatures were in the low 90s at kickoff and while the U.S. dominated possession throughout, it created few chances at goal until Press finally broke through in added time at the end of the first half.
A failed clearance by Nigeria fell to Carli Lloyd to tap the ball past a defender to Press, who was left wide open and hit a left-footed strike to the opposite corner just past the fingertips of diving goal keeper Tochukwu Oluehi.
Career goal No. 61 was another impressive moment from Press, who had two goals and an assist in the Summer Series and has been directly involved in 33 of the last 35 goals for the national team.
Williams, who came on in the 88th minute, beat Oluehi on a breakaway for the late goal.
The U.S. women are 9-0-1 this year are undefeated in 42 straight matches, the third-longest streak in team history. The team is undefeated in 56 games on American soil.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski now has to trim his roster to 18 players for Tokyo. That lineup is scheduled to play two pre-Olympic warm-up matches before facing rival Sweden in its opening match of the Olympics July 21.
The U.S. lineup against Nigeria featured six changes from the previous matchup against Jamaica, with Alyssa Naeher back in goal and Kristie Mewis in midfield for Rose Lavelle, who rolled ankle Sunday in a 4-0 win over Jamaica and left that game as a precaution.
Naeher recorded her 42nd career shutout and 13th in her last 14 appearances, but had a mostly quiet night behind a defense that quickly shut down what little possession Nigeria could manage in the U.S. half of the field.
The game was the opening match at brand new Q2 Stadium, home of the MLS expansion franchise Austin FC.
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