CARSON, Calif. — Ashley Hatch and Mallory Pugh scored second-half goals for the United States and three own goals in the first half by New Zealand’s Meikayla Moore propelled the Americans to a 5-0 victory Sunday in the SheBelieves Cup.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski is evaluating younger players during the four-team round-robin tournament with stars Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Tobin Heath not on the roster.
“We’re excited about the win. They needed to see goals and that’s good. We’re hoping that this is just the beginning,” Andonovski said. “I thought that we were we were able to impose ourselves early on and set up a rhythm of pace that that suits us.”
The U.S. played to a scoreless draw against the Czech Republic on Thursday night but bounced back against the Football Ferns. The three own goals by Moore is the first time that has happened in a U.S. women’s national team match.
Andonovski said he thought Moore was in the right position to defend on all three own goals despite the final result.
New Zealand coach Jitka Klimkova subbed Moore out in the 40th minute, but reiterated support for her player.
“She had a tough day at the office. Obviously, she’s sad and disappointed, but she’s an unbelievable person and player who belongs on this team,” Klimkova said. “We are all behind her in this tough moment for her.”
The Americans were able to break New Zealand’s press often in the first half and forced own goals by Moore, who was making her 50th international appearance. A crossing pass from the American’s Sophia Smith into the box deflected off Smith’s right leg to put the U.S. on top in the fifth minute. The goal snapped a 181-minute shutout streak.
One minute later, Sofia Huerta’s pass into the center of the box went off Moore’s head into the net to extend the U.S. lead to 2-0.
Moore then completed the most unfortunate of hat trick’s in the 36th minute when the Liverpool women’s defender couldn’t clear Margaret Purce’s pass and had it go off her left leg.
“We did a lot of work to put the ball in good spaces. We put in balls that were difficult to defend and it worked out,” Purce said.
Hatch entered the game at the start of the second half scored her third goal in the last three games for the national team in the 50th minute on a header from the center of the box on a crossing pass by Huerta.
“We’ve been working on swinging the ball around to our outside backs and our wingers and making sure that we’re available in the box,” Hatch said, “Laid a nice one across the face of the goal and I was able to head it in. So good cross and easy finish.”
Pugh would score in stoppage time, splitting two defenders and scoring on a breakaway in the 93rd minute.
Alyssa Naeher made one save for the U.S. It was her first match since Aug. 2, 2021, when she was forced to leave the Olympic semifinal against Canada in the 30th minute after suffering a knee injury.
Naeher was one of six changes in the starting 11 compared to Thursday’s opener.
New Zealand’s best opportunity came in the 32nd minute when Olivia Chance’s shot in the box went wide left.
The tournament concludes Wednesday in Frisco, Texas, with the U.S. taking on Iceland, while New Zealand faces the Czech Republic.
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