Samantha Mewis, #3, celebrates her goal with her teammates against Switzerland during an international friendly match at Rio Tinto Stadium on Oct. 19, 2016 in Sandy, Utah.
The U.S. women’s soccer team earned a 4-0 victory over Switzerland Wednesday evening as several players made their international debut in the friendly played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
U.S. coach Jill Ellis had 11 uncapped players on her roster, and one of them, Lynn Williams, turned her national team debut into history. Entering at the start of the second half of a scoreless match, this year’s National Women’s Soccer League’s Golden Boot winner pounced on a misplayed ball by the Swiss back line and took off downfield, capping the run by tucking the ball into the far corner just 49 seconds after stepping onto the pitch. It was the fastest debut goal in U.S. history and put the Americans up 1-0 in the 46th minute.
Fifteen minutes later, two-time Olympic champion Tobin Heath picked up her 17th international goal on a feed from Crystal Dunn. After her own shot attempt ricocheted off a Swiss defender, Dunn gathered up the rebound at the top of the penalty arc and sent a perfect ball to Heath, who was left unmarked to the left side of the goal. She slipped her shot under the outstretched arms of Swiss goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann and into the far side net.
Christen Press made the score 3-0 in the 69th minute on a crossing pass from 2012 Olympic gold medalist Kelley O’Hara, whose run from the right corner was set up by a Williams feed. Samantha Mewis closed out the scoring in the 76th minute, tucking away a header from Press less than 30 seconds after she entered the game.
Alyssa Naeher gave Team USA its 15th shutout of 2016 as the Americans improved to 18-0-3 (the penalty kick loss to Sweden in the quarterfinal round of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games officially is counted as a tie).
The 11 uncapped players on the roster was the most for the U.S. in 17 years as Ellis and her staff begin evaluating talent for the defense of Team USA’s World Cup title in three years.
Next up for the U.S. is return engagement against Switzerland, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 23, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
