Tobin Heath was gifted a goal by a goalkeeper error early in the first half, Mallory Pugh and Christen Press scored late in the second and the United States beat Mexico 3-0 on Sunday in a World Cup send-off match that for much of the afternoon showed more negatives than positives for the Americans.
Seeking their second straight World Cup title and fourth overall, the top-ranked US have seven wins and two draws since a January defeat to France that ended a 28-game unbeaten streak. The Americans leave on Monday for London, where they will be based at Tottenham’s training ground before heading to France. They open against Thailand on 11 June, then play Chile and Sweden.
Mexico who failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup, are ranked 26th in the world, and fielded a relatively inexperienced team mixed with a few veterans. Goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago was to blame for the first goal when she made a careless pass to defender Rebeca Bernal, who wasn’t looking for the ball. Heath gained possession, took three touches to create space from Santiago and put the US ahead in the 11th minute with her 30th international goal, her 11th in her last 15 appearances.
Carli Lloyd, the star of the 2015 tournament, who is now a role player at age 36, entered at the start of the second half and sparked the second goal. She burst up the field and her pass was deflected in by Pugh. Press scored the goal of the game, controlling a cross in the penalty area, spinning and scoring her 48th international goal in the 88th minute.
US coach Jill Ellis made one change from the starting lineup she used in previous exhibitions against South Africa and New Zealand, starting Samantha Mewis in central midfield in place of Lindsey Horan. Mewis entered with four goals in her previous three games. The rest of the lineup seems set. Alyssa Naeher was in goal, with Kelley O’Hara at right back, Becky Sauerbrunn and Abby Dahlkemper in central defense and Crystal Dunn at left back, where she moved a year ago from wide midfield. Julie Ertz was the defensive midfielder in the 4-3-3 formation, with Mewis and Rose Lavelle in central midfield. Alex Morgan headed the attack, flanked by Megan Rapinoe on the left and Heath on the right.
With her 274th appearance, Lloyd tied Julie Foudy for fourth behind Kristine Lilly (354), Christie Rampone (311) and Mia Hamm (276).
