Commerce City, CO (Sports Network) - The U.S. women's national team sent head
coach Pia Sundhage out in style on Wednesday as the team secured a 6-2 win
over Australia in a friendly.
Sundhage coached her final game for the United States on Wednesday before
taking over the head coaching job in her native Sweden. And although the
Americans fell behind 2-1 in the first half, they rallied to score five
unanswered goals.
Heather O'Reilly got the game started well when she scored on a deflected shot
in the 25th minute. However, Australia came back strong and went in front with
two goals in the span of three minutes.
Lisa De Vanna got behind the defense and slotted her shot past U.S. goalkeeper
Hope Solo before Sarah Walsh scored a few minutes later in her final
appearance for Australia.
Alex Morgan leveled the contest before halftime after being set up by Kelley
O'Hara, and the Americans put together a second-half surge to pull away.
The first goal came in the 53rd minute when Abby Wambach redirected a shot
past the goalkeeper, while Morgan added to her tally in the 63rd when she
headed home a cross from Heather Mitts.
Shannon Boxx made it 5-2 by nodding Megan Rapinoe's corner kick into the back
of the net, while Sydney Leroux capped the scoring eight minutes from time
with a diving header from Rapinoe's free kick.
The U.S. team has now won its last 14 games, but the Americans will be under
the direction of a new coach for their next outing on Oct. 20 against Germany.
The Sports Network