KEY POINTS

  • Christen Press scores two goals en route to US victory over Mexico
  • Tobin Heath makes her return after a six-month layoff due to an injury
  • USWNT will face Mexico again before flying to Tokyo Olympics

When it rains, it pours.

That’s exactly what the US women’s national team forward Christen Press did in their decisive four-goal victory over Mexico on Thursday.

The game was played in the middle of a massive downpour in East Hartford, Connecticut as part of the USWNT’s tune-up games for the Olympics.

Sisters Kristie and Samantha Mewis started the US goal-scoring affair in the 21st minute.

Megan Rapinoe started the sequence of events with a pass to Kristie, who was able to find her younger sister in perfect position for a strike where she tapped it in after Mexico’s goalkeeper Emily Alvarado’s late dive, giving the US team the 1-0 lead.

At the 39th minute, Press was able to score her first goal of the match after a masterful sequence that started--with Sam Mewis creating space and leading Rapinoe to the ball who slides it in perfect position for a soft touch from Press, increasing the lead to two goals.

Tobin Heath’s six-month layoff due to injury was well-received by the crowd as she came out to the field for Rapinoe at the 73rd minute.

She scored the third US goal barely a minute later as her strike hit the left post then ricocheted in between the posts.

The fourth and final goal for the Americans came at the 85th minute after a well-placed cross found Press who chipped in for her brace.

The stifling defense from the US rarely allowed the Mexican team to create scoring opportunities.

To their credit, they almost pulled off a surprise goal against the Americans at the 15th minute to tie the game up, but goalie Abby Dahlkemper made sure that no clear opportunities were given.

The USWNT will be meeting Mexico one more time on Monday, July 5 at 5:00 pm ET before flying to Japan for the Tokyo Olympics.

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