Mewis Scores as U.S. Trounce South Korea
- Updated: June 16, 2013
Hanson, Mass. native/BC Alum Kristie Mewis celebrates her first international goal with Boston Breakers forward Sydney Leroux. (Photo: @USSoccer)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Hanson, Mass. native Kristie Mewis scored her first international goal, while Abby Wambach hit number 156 as the U.S. Women’s National Team crushed South Korea 4-1 in front of 13,035 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. Mewis, a Boston College alumna, set the tone for a dominant U.S. performance with her goal in the third minute.
See Mewis’ post-game reaction below: (video from Carl Setterlund)
Lauren Cheney doubled the U.S. lead in the 7th minute, before Cho Sohyun’s 26th minute goal gave the Korea Republic some hope going into halftime. Carli Lloyd pushed the lead back to two with her 57th minute goal and Wambach assured the victory with a stoppage time penalty kick to put her at 156 career goals, two behind all-time leader Mia Hamm.
The win improved the U.S. to 8-0-2 in 2013, while South Korea dropped to 3-4-1. The U.S. is currently riding a 33-game unbeaten streak, having scored 105 goals while allowing 26 in 28 wins and five draws over that stretch. Additionally, the U.S. extended their home unbeaten streak to 71-games (62-0-9), dating back to 2004.
The U.S. immediately looked the superior team and Mewis gave the home side the lead in just the third minute after Boston Breaker Sydney Leroux had a shot denied by Kim Jungmi. With Jungmi out of position, the rebound fell to Mewis, who tapped into the empty net to make it 1-0 for her first international goal.
Seconds after Alex Morgan saw a shot saved, the U.S. doubled the lead in the 7th minute when Tobin Heath flicked a throw-in on to Lauren Cheney. Cheney turned and shot past Jungmi to give the U.S. an early two goal lead.
Morgan came close to adding another goal in the 20th minute, but her left footed shot on Jungmi was well saved.
Korea Republic pulled one back in the 26th minute through Cho Sohyun. Ji Soyun got the ball on the left flank and sent a pass back through the box where an onrushing Sohyun blasted a shot into the corner.
Chances were limited for the next 19 minutes as the U.S. went into halftime with the 2-1 lead.
South Korea had their best chance to equalize seconds after halftime, but U.S. substitute goalkeeper Hope Solo was equal to the task, just moments after entering. Korea broke forward and Soyun hit a well-placed shot on frame that Solo stopped with a diving save to her right.
The home side had a chance to add to their lead in the 51st minute when Rampone sent a quality cross into the box towards halftime substitute Abby Wambach, who volleyed a shot towards goal. The active U.S. leading goalscorer’s shot was just high of the net.
The U.S. then extended the lead back to 3-1 in the 57th on a long range blast from Carli Lloyd. Lloyd got the ball from Boston Breakers star Heather O’Reilly about 35 yards from goal and blasted a shot that just snuck by a diving Jungmi into the lower corner.
Wambach nearly added to the lead with headers in the 59th and 78th minutes, but both were well saved by Jungmi.
South Korea had one last chance to make a game of it when Kim Sangeun when she got behind the defense in the 83rd minute. Under pressure from a trailing defender, Sangeun hit weakly a low shot on frame, but Solo was able to make the save.
Wambach then scored her historic goal deep into stoppage time after the U.S. earned a penalty kick when Morgan was fouled in the box. Wambach coolly finished it past Jungmi for her 156th goal, two behind all-time leader Mia Hamm, giving the U.S. an impressive 4-1 victory.
The U.S. returns to action with another friendly against South Korea on Thursday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., with Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network .
Post game reaction from Alex Morgan (video from Carl Setterlund):
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