U.S. Demolishes D.R. 14-0

It started as a soccer game. It ended with a football score.

Former Boston Breakers’ striker Amy Rodriguez grabbed a record-tying five goals in the United States’ record-setting 14-0 demolition of the Dominican Republic in the first game of Olympic Qualifying at BC Place in Vancouver.

The 14 tallies were the most scored by the U.S. since the program’s inception in 1985. Rodriguez’s quintuple goal effort matched the team high set by fellow teammate Abby Wambach and three others.

Incredibly, Rodriguez (46′, 47′, 58′, 70′, 74′) scored all five in the final 45 after coming on as a substitute at the start of the second half. Meanwhile, Abby Wambach (1′, 19′) Carli Lloyd (5′), Heather O’Reilly (17′, 32′, 77′), Rachel Buehler (19′),Tobin Heath (30′) and Lauren Cheney (63′) all put their names on the scoresheet as the Americans opened their qualifying campaign with a veritable sonic boom.

Wambach opened the account in the first minute and the Americans never looked back. She added another 18 minutes later and, with the attack firing on all 12 cylinders, called it a night at the interval with the Nats ahead 7-0.

O’Reilly, who recently signed with the Breakers, scored twice in the first frame and added another late. When she wasn’t putting them through, she was putting them on her teammates’ feet, as the Breakers’ mewly-signed striker recorded four assists in the course of her 90 minutes. But the four helpers didn’t eclipse the five that another Breakers’ player – Cheney – racked up before the final whistle

The statline itself further supported the dominance of the top-ranked squad over their outgunned opponents. The American defense didn’t yield a single shot to the Dominican Republic, outshooting them by an astonishing 35-0 margin, 20 of which flew on frame.

Although the Americans may have put on a clinic at BC Place, it wasn’t without incident. In the 41st minute, right back Ali Krieger had to be carted off the field after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury after a hard challenge from a D.R. defender. Krieger’s status for the remainder of the tournament is unknown.

The U.S. returns to the pitch on Sunday, when they face Guatemala at BC Place for the second game of Group B play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30pm ET.