USWNT starts Gold Cup run with rout

It was a case of mixing in the new with the old for the USWNT.

Christening the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup along with its first opponent, the Dominican Republic and the other two teams in its group, Argentina and Mexico, the US was all business on Tuesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. Led by Olivia Moultrie’s brace, the USWNT started the tournament off on the right foot. Moultrie’s performance along with goals from Lynn Williams, Jenna Nighswonger and Alex Morgan carried the US to a 5-0 win over the Dominican Republic.

The US thought they had scored two minutes into the match when Lynn Williams headed home a Nighswonger corner kick, only for the goal to be waived off due to Sophia Smith being in an offside position. It didn’t take long though for the USWNT to get that opening goal, and it came in the eighth minute, as Midge Purce, who was already inside the penalty area, crossed into the six-yard box, Sophia Smith touched a ball through the Dominican defense, leaving Moultrie wide open to tap in a ball into an open net to open the scoring for the USA.

The floodgates soon opened for the USWNT. Williams eventually got her goal in the 30th minute, as Purce dribbled into the penalty area, crossed into the six and Williams finished the shot to double the US lead. The USWNT put its stamp on the match in the second half, first with Moultrie getting her brace in the 58th minute, as Purce sent a ball into the penalty area and Moultrie redirected the ball into the back net. the US’ last two goals came from the penalty spot, the first from Nighswonger in the 86th minute and the second from Alex Morgan, a late addition to the team after Mia Fishel was injured in training, and not wearing her trademark No. 13, as Moultrie currently occupies that number, and CONCACAF Rules tie in a player to a jersey number for the duration of the tournament, meaning Morgan has to wear No. 7 for the Gold Cup.

The US next prepares for an interesting matchup with Argentina, who played to a scoreless draw with Mexico in the earlier match.