Early Goals Lift US Ladies

by Greg Seltzer - June 24, 2007

 
▪ Adu Paces Tune-Up Win

Kristine Lilly and Abby Wambach staked the US Women's National Team to an early 2-0 lead and the scoreline held up until the end in a Send-Off Series victory over Brazil at Giants Stadium on Saturday night.

The Americans didn't wait long to break on top, with Lilly majestically burying a free kick she had won herself at the corner of the area in the opening minute.

Wambach then doubled the lead on 17 minutes in a practical carbon copy of her first strike against China last week. Cat Whitehill lofted a long free kick from midfield and the #20 shirt slipped into the slot to kiss home a header.

The USWNT has now scored all four of their Send-Off Series goals on restarts, which coach Greg Ryan believes could be the harbinger of good World Cup things to come.

"We’ve been working a ton on set pieces because we know most of the World Cups and Olympics have come down to set pieces in the final," he told reporters. "I didn’t think we'd get this many. We work on them constantly and probably spend four or five days a week doing some set piece work."

The US Lady 'Nats will now enjoy a breather before gathering in Hartford on July 6th to prepare for a friendly with Norway at Rentschler Field eight days later.

Scoring
USA - Kristine Lilly 1'
USA - Abby Wambach (Cat Whitehill) 17'

Line-ups
USA - Briana Scurry; Christie Rampone, Cat Whitehill, Kate Markgraf, Stephanie Lopez, Shannon Boxx (Leslie Osborne 46'), Lori Chalupny, Carli Lloyd (Angela Hucles 86'), Heather O’Reilly [(Lindsay Tarpley 24') Tina Ellertson 76'), Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly (Natasha Kai 85')

BRA - Andrea; Jatobá, Aline (Bagè 72'), Tania, Michele (Ester 46'), Maicon, Daniela Alves, Renata Costa, Formiga, Katia [(Grazielle 59') Maurine 76'], Cristiane

▪ US Duo Make Gold Cup XI
▪ Bradley Calls Copa 22
 

 

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