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USA 1-1 Sweden: U.S. women extend home unbeaten run in friendly
Tobin Heath scored late to give the USA women a 1-1 draw with Sweden in the last friendly of a rather busy year.
Nov 20, 2011 4:02:00 AM
By Zac Lee Rigg
Norm Hall
The U.S. women's national team made it seven years unbeaten at home, now 55 games, with a 1-1 draw against Sweden in front of 18,482 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Sofia Jakobsson opened the scoring for the visitors half an hour in.
"Well, that was a beautiful goal," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "The crowd got to see two wonderful goals. That was a bending ball into the corner. A little bad pressure on the ball, but then again I give a big hand to that goal, because it was a beautiful goal."
The Americans hit both posts and the crossbeam before equalizing. Abby Wambach, who had scored in each of the six games prior, made way for Alex Morgan, who provided the impetus.
"[Morgan] is tremendous because she comes off the bench and gives us that spark and energy," Tobin Heath said. "She got behind the back line and created great goal scoring opportunities for us. We love having someone like that coming off the bench."
With 10 minutes left to play, Morgan raced toward goal from the right flank, and laid a shot on frame. Swedish goalkeeper Kristin Hammarström punched the effort away, but Tobin Heath stepped in front of her marker to turn the ball back into the net for her third international goal.
"We would have liked to win, but it showed a lot of grit and determination for us to come back and get that goal," Heather O'Reilly said. "I would have liked to have seen a win from us, but I think that we are growing as a team."
Up next for the U.S. team is Olympic Qualifying in January, with Mexico, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic in the same group.
Sofia Jakobsson opened the scoring for the visitors half an hour in.
"Well, that was a beautiful goal," U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said. "The crowd got to see two wonderful goals. That was a bending ball into the corner. A little bad pressure on the ball, but then again I give a big hand to that goal, because it was a beautiful goal."
The Americans hit both posts and the crossbeam before equalizing. Abby Wambach, who had scored in each of the six games prior, made way for Alex Morgan, who provided the impetus.
"[Morgan] is tremendous because she comes off the bench and gives us that spark and energy," Tobin Heath said. "She got behind the back line and created great goal scoring opportunities for us. We love having someone like that coming off the bench."
With 10 minutes left to play, Morgan raced toward goal from the right flank, and laid a shot on frame. Swedish goalkeeper Kristin Hammarström punched the effort away, but Tobin Heath stepped in front of her marker to turn the ball back into the net for her third international goal.
"We would have liked to win, but it showed a lot of grit and determination for us to come back and get that goal," Heather O'Reilly said. "I would have liked to have seen a win from us, but I think that we are growing as a team."
Up next for the U.S. team is Olympic Qualifying in January, with Mexico, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic in the same group.
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