Written by Nicholas Mendola at NBCSports.com
Crystal Dunn scored five goals, and Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, Sam Mewis and Carli Lloyd also scored to go with a Puerto Rico own goal as the United States women’s national team com completed a perfect group stage in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying with an 10-0 win in Frisco, Texas, on Monday.
The match featured three second-half goals in less than two minutes — the own goal, Dunn’s third and Press’ goal — and the Yanks were flying.
Next up is the all-important semifinal, as the USWNT advances to the Olympics with a win and gets nothing with a loss. Their semifinal opponent will either be Guyana or Trinidad and Tobago, with those nations tangling on Tuesday in Houston.
The Yanks broke through before the clock hit 6:00, with 17-year-old Mallory Pugh using a scissors move to free herself for a run down the left flank before crossing for Dunn, who hit a low shot past Carly Gustafson to make it 1-0.
It was quite an ask for Gustafson, a part-time starter at Winthrop University now facing the best team in the world. And her next task was facing down a Lloyd penalty attempt, comically given after Pugh tripped herself up in the box. The Ballon d’Or winner didn’t miss, though her reaction (below) showed she know how close her upper-90 pinging blast was nearly off. 2-0.
Dunn added her second within two minutes of the pen, and the rout was on. The Yanks added another before halftime with O’Hara tapped in a set-up from Stephanie McCaffrey and Lloyd.
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