International Friendly Report: USA 2 - 0 Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland fell to a 2-0 defeat to world number one the United States in Austin, Texas on Saturday. 

A goal from Emily Fox and a Diane Horan penalty gave USWNT their 14th consecutive win over Ireland, but Vera Pauw’s side can certainly take heart from the competitiveness showed against the best team in women’s soccer. 

USA boss Vlatko Andonovski showed how seriously he was taking the fixture, naming five starters with over 100 appearances, while on the Irish side, Denise O’Sullivan won her 100th cap and former U.S. youth international Sinead Farrelly made her Ireland debut at the age of 33. 

The game got off to a slow start with both teams getting a feel for each other in the opening minutes. Ireland were holding their own but the threat of quality from the U.S. was clear to see from the get-go. 

The Stars and Stripes began to take a grip of proceedings in the following minutes, pinning the Irish back in their own half, even as the Girls in Green showed flashes of danger on the break and from set-pieces. 

Ireland, however, were scratching their heads as to how they were not in front after a desperate goal mouth frenzy was somehow kept out of the net by the USWNT defence just after 20 minutes.

A cross from the right-hand side of goal was palmed away by U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher with shots from Denise O’Sullivan, Kyra Carusa and Sinead Farrelly all being either saved or blocked as the World Champions defended for their lives. 

This passage of play clearly rattled the home side as Ireland pushed on for the next few minutes, but the Americans eventually regained their composure and began to dictate once again, as they were met by resolute opposition from the defence led by Louise Quinn. 

Just as it seemed Ireland were about to take the world champions to half-time with parity, the deadlock was broken by a moment of pure class from defender Emily Fox. 

The full-back danced across the Ireland penalty area before unleashing a zipped low shot across Courtney Brosnan and into the far corner to give USWNT the lead with her first international goal. 

The celebrations were muted shortly after however, after a horror injury to forward Mallory Swanson. The Chicago Red Stars players planted her leg in the wrong way in an incident that drew gasps on replay and let to her being taken off by stretcher. 

The Republic of Ireland had the ball in the American net shortly after, but the celebrations were cut short by the lineswoman. A cross from the right wing ended up nestled in Naeher’s bottom corner, but Carusa was judged to have got the slightest of touches from an offside position and the goal was chalked off. 

The home side went in a goal to the good but were certainly troubled by their visitors as they were saved by an offside flag and somehow managed to keep out the Irish after the chaotic passage in the opening quarter in a very encouraging half from Pauw’s side against the world’s strongest team. 

The second half started in a similarly uneventful manner as the first with USWNT being content to knock the ball around midfield while Ireland once again attempted to catch them on the break. 

The Stars and Stripes began to turn the screw around the 55-minute mark as Rose Lavelle played in substitute Trinity Rodman, but the forward put her effort over the bar in what should really have been the decisive second goal. 

Both sides began to switch it up with multiples subs around the hour including a 100th cap for Julie Ertz as Carusa was cutting an increasingly isolated figure at the top end of the pitch. 

Brosnan was called into action to keep Ireland in the game shortly after as she somehow made a fingertip save to push a deflected Rose Lavelle shot onto the post. 

Ireland weathered this storm and gave themselves a chance to salvage a result going into the final 15 minutes thanks to the gargantuan defensive effort put in to keep the deficit to one. 

The game was finally put to bed from the penalty spot however as Diane Caldwell was judged to have pulled Diane Horan to the ground inside the box. 

Brosnan was agonizingly close to keeping Horan’s own penalty out, getting a strong hand on the ball but seeing it bounce off the crossbar and in. 

The Everton keeper was called into action shortly after, getting down to her left to stop Fox from getting her second of the day.

The Irish defence was clearly beginning to tire, and spaces grew larger for the home side to run in behind. Brosnan stepped up again however, this time keeping out Sophia Smith who looked sure to score. 

The Girls in Green were denied a deserved consolation in injury time with Louise Quinn looping a header just wide of the post and again moments later as an unorthodox pass from Katie McCabe had to be tipped over by Naeher. 

But it wasn’t to be as the game came to a close with a 2-0 win for the world champions. Ireland gave a good showing of themselves, as they could have easily taken the lead and were mostly able to deal with the threat of the USWNT bar a couple of moments of sheer quality from their hosts. 

The Girls in Green will now move on to St. Louis, MO to face the United States once again in the second game of their friendly series.

USA Women: Alyssa Naeher; Crystal Dunn (Emily Sonnett 67), Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Becky Sauerbrunn; Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle (Ashley Sanchez 81), Andi Sullivan (Julie Ertz 67); Alex Morgan (Ashley Hatch 67), Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson (Trinity Rodman 45). 
Subs not used: Adrianna Franch, Alana Cook, Samantha Mewis, Lynn Williams, Casey Murphy, Taylor Korniech, Sofia Huerta. 
Booked: Julie Ertz (72). 
Sent off: None. 
 
Republic of Ireland Women: Courtney Brosnan; Diane Caldwell, Aoife Mannion (Ruesha Littlejohn 60), Katie McCabe, Heather Payne, Louise Quinn; Megan Connolly, Sinead Farrelly (Aine O'Gorman 60), Denise O'Sullivan, Marissa Sheva (Tara O'Hanlon 87); Kyra Carusa. 
Subs not used: Megan Walsh, Grace Moloney, Jessie Stapleton, Claire O'Riordan, Harriet Scott, Hayley Nolan, Ciara Grant, Jamie Finn, Abbie Larkin, Amber Barrett, Lucy Quinn. 
Booked: Aoife Mannion (30). 
Sent off: None.

Referee: Carly Shaw-MacClaren (Canada) 

Attendance: 20,593

Extratime.com Player of the Match: Sophia Smith (United States)