Necaxa vs. CF America Game Simulator

USWNT vs Nigeria score: Rose Lavelle scores winning goal; Americans concede for first time in 880 minutes

Tue, Sep 6, 2022
Soccer News (AP)

The United States women's national team beat Nigeria 2-1 on Tuesday in a friendly at Audi Field in Washington D.C. The match was the second of a two-game series against Nigeria during the September window. USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski made few changes from the previous starting lineup that featured against Nigeria on Saturday, with the Americans winning 4-0. Three positional changes at goalkeeper, center back, and defensive midfielder meant starts for Casey Murphy, Naomi Girma and Sam Coffey, respectively.'

Coffey's inclusion into the starting lineup was her national team debut after spending time with the USWNT during Concacaf W Championship, but she did not crack matchday lineups. Rose Lavelle scored the winning goal for the USWNT with the first coming on an Oluwatosin Blessing Demehin own goal, while Uchenna Kanu equalized during the second half for Nigeria. '

Let's take look at some highlights and takeaways from the match:

Game scenario management in play

Unlike their first game, Sndonovski made a few player rotations for the USWNT, but the formation was largely the same as the team lined up in their 4-3-3 with Mallory Pugh, Alex Morgan, and Sophia Smith leading the attacking line once more.

The team didn't find the same early success as they did in the previous match, despite Pugh and Smith finding pockets of space to exploit. The breakthrough goal came in the 24th minute by way of an own goal, forced by Pugh and ultimately toe poked through by Demehin.

The opening goal didn't lead to a flurry of goal scoring compared to the previous match, as the USWNT headed into halftime with the narrow lead.

Megan Rapinoe continues impressive form

Nigeria made an early adjustment into the second half as Kanu entered the game in place of Glory Ogbonna. Kanu, who plays for Tigres Femenil in Liga MX Femenil, leveled the scoreline for Nigeria in the 50th minute. The equalizer ended the USWNT's shutout streak at 880 minutes.'

The goal did wake up the match a bit, as Andonovski's first substitutions made an immediate impact. Rapinoe entered the game for Smith just after the hour mark and connected with Lavelle in the box for the go-ahead goal just 73 seconds after coming onto the pitch.

73 SECONDS.

That's all it took for @mPinoe to find @roselavelle to give us the lead! #USAvNGA x @Allstate pic.twitter.com/yDFzCOJ5Pg

- U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) September 6, 2022

What's next?

Next, the United States will face England at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 7., and the Americans are expected to play another match that month against an opponent yet to be announced.

Article Copyright © 2022 The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.