Watch: Alex Morgan Scores Twice as USWNT Cruises Past New Zealand 5-0
Alex Morgan scored twice to lead the United States women's national team to a comfortable 5-0 victory over New Zealand in Cincinnati Tuesday night.
Morgan's second goal was her 77th for the national team, which puts her in seventh place on the USWNT's all-time list. The USWNT also beat New Zealand 3-1 on Saturday in Commerce City, Co.
Midfielder Lindsay Horan led off the scoring with an athletic diving header in the 36th minute. Samantha Mewis played in a menacing ball to the top of the box, where Horan beat her defender to the ball before launching a looping header of the New Zealand keeper.
The next goal was a thing of one-touch beauty. After a lackluster clearance from the New Zealand defender, the U.S. won the ball and played two one-touch passes to find Horan just past midfield. Horan played her own one-touch pass, a perfectly weighted through ball that found a streaking Mallory Pugh. Pugh's finish was clinical.
Morgan then scored the first of her brace by capitalizing on a mistake by the New Zealand defense. A Kiwi defender failed to deal with a cross, leading to a bouncing ball int he box. Morgan pounced and slotted a shot through the keeper's legs.
Substitute Lynn Williams joined in on the fun in the 55th minute with a perfectly placed header.
Morgan added her second to claim seventh on the all-time list, and what a beauty it was. She trapped a hard cross with her right foot and fired a left footed half-volley off the crossbar. By the time the keeper realized what was going on, the ball was in the back of the net.
Next up for the USWNT is a matchup against South Korea on Oct. 19 at the Superdome in New Orleans, three days prior to a rematch at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C..
