LOS ANGELES, Oct 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Carli Lloyd scored three goals as the
United States beat Panama 5-0 Sunday to advance their bid to qualify for the
2019 Women’s World Cup.
With the win in Cary, North Carolina, the Americans have won the first two
of their three group matches in the eight-nation CONCACAF Women’s
Championship.
They opened with a 6-0 victory over Mexico and were assured of a semi-final
spot in the regional qualifying event when Mexico beat Trinidad & Tobago 4-1
on Sunday.
The US will play their last Group A match against Trinidad & Tobago on
Wednesday, when Mexico will take on Panama — level on three points — in a
duel for the second semi-final spot in Group A.
The top two finishers from the each of the two groups after round-robin
play advance to the semi-finals in Frisco, Texas.
The semi-final winners automatically advance to next year’s World Cup in
France, with the winner of the third-place playoff also advancing. The team
that finishes fourth will play Argentina for a World Cup berth.
US coach Jill Ellis made nine changes from the Mexico match, retaining only
midfielders Julie Ertz and defender Abby Dahlkemper in the starting lineup.
Lloyd took her tally of international goals to 105 with strikes in the
23rd, 29th and 48th minutes.
Samantha Mewis opened the scoring in the sixth minute when she headed in a
corner kick by Christen Press. Press herself scored on a breakaway in the
32nd.
Despite the lopsided score, it was a solid display for 17-year-old
Panamanian goalkeeper Yanith Bailey, whose eight saves in the first half were
double the US goals that got through.
“Very, very impressed,” Lloyd said of her impression of Bailey. “Hopefully
that gives her a lot of confidence in herself and Panama. They put the ball
down and played and credit to our team for getting the job done.”
The US are the reigning World Cup champions, but they’ve gone through a
shake-up since a shock quarter-final exit at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
On the rise again under Ellis, Press said the team was “in a really good
place”.
“Chemistry is there, defensive mentality is there — to not just win games
but win with a style and a strategy that we can use in games going forward,”
she said.