INTERNATIONAL RECAP: SIX OL REIGN PLAYERS MAKE APPEARANCES OVER THE WEEKEND
Wales vs. Belgium
OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock earned another start for Wales as the team took on Belgium in the 2022 Pinatar Cup. Regulation ended 0-0 in this match and the teams were forced to go to penalty kicks, where Belgium earned the win.
Despite the outcome, Wales played a hard-fought match. They came out with energy, nearly taking the lead just four minutes into the match when Fishlock hit a close-range half volley juts over the crossbar. The game was evenly matched for the first half, with the teams battling the game out in the middle of the field.
In the second half, Wales had several chances on goal. Substitute defender Ffion Morgan used her energy on the outside to Wales’s advantage. Forward Kayleigh Green nearly scored the opening goal of the match, but her header went straight to the Belgian goalkeeper.
Belgium also had several chances in the second half, but Olivia Clark maintained a shutout in goal, coming up with some stellar saves. On the other end of the field, substitute midfielder Megan Wynne earned the best chance of the match for Wales but missed finding the back of the net but mere inches. As the match reached the end of regulation, Belgium pressed Wales intensely, but the Welsh displayed great resolve as they kept the score level at 0-0.
The match was forced a penalty kick shootout. Wales, a team with very little penalty kick shootout experience saw three attempts saved and Belgium advanced to the Pinatar Cup final.
Brazil vs. France
In Brazil’s match against France, OL Reign midfielder Angelina earned a start and played for 62 minutes before being subbed off in the second half of the match. Despite scoring first, Brazil was defeated 2-1 by France.
Though France was the dominate team at the start of the game, Brazil was first to get on the board. Forward Debinha earned a penalty kick for Brazil as she was fouled in the box by midfielder Kheira Hamraoui. Marta stepped up to take the kick for Brazil and converted in the 19th minute.
However, less than five minutes later, France mounted a successful attack to find an equalizer. Forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto was in the right place to put the ball in the back of the net for France and level the playing field. Throughout the rest of the first half, the game was deadlocked 1-1, though France came away with more possession.
In the second half, France came out strong again, taking the lead in the 59th minute. It was Katoto again to put the ball in the back of the net. Brazil fought to find a second goal, but the French were content to keep possession and patiently wait for more chances on goal. Brazil was not able to find an equalizer before the final whistle.
USA vs. New Zealand
OL Reign defenders Alana Cook and Sofia Huerta both started the game and played all 90 minutes in the United States’ 5-0 win over New Zealand.
The Unites States got on the board early in the match, when forward Sophia Smith sent a cross into the box after a quick freekick in the fifth minute. The ball deflected off a New Zealand defender before finding the back of the net. The U.S. doubled the lead less than two minutes later, when Huerta put a cross in. The cross once again was deflected into the back of New Zealand’s net to put the U.S. up 2-0 in the sixth minute. The two opening goals were the fastest and second fastest goals for the U.S. in SheBelieves Cup history, breaking the previous record set by OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe.
The United States continued to dominate the match and apply immense pressure to New Zealand. In the 19th minute, midfielder Kristie Mewis had a goal waived off due to an offside call and just five minutes later, forward Catarina Macario, who plays for Olympique Lyonnais, smashed a shot off the post.
The U.S. found a third goal in the 36th minute, as forward Margaret Purce crossed a ball into the box and it was once again deflected into the back of New Zealand’s net. The game went into halftime with the 3-0 score line.
After the halftime break, the United States came back with momentum in their favor. Forward Ashley Hatch was the first to score in the second half, thanks to an assist from Huerta. Huerta played a cross into the box and Hatch was there to head the ball firmly into the back of the net.
The United States went down to 10 players in the final 10 minutes of the match, as forward Trinity Rodman came off the field with an injury. The team doubled down to maintain the shutout and even added one more goal, three minutes into stoppage time. Hatch found forward Mallory Pugh in and Pugh was able to get on the end of the ball and score the closing goal of the match.
Canada vs. Germany
OL Reign midfielder Quinn started and played 77 minutes for Canada in their match against Germany, before subbing off in the second half. Canada earned their first victory of 2022 with a 1-0 win over Germany.
Canada had a strong start in the match, taking the lead in just the seventh minute, as defender Vanessa Gilles got her head on the end of a corner kick served in by forward Janine Beckie. Despite going down early in the half, Germany was not discouraged and continued to pressure Canada, looking to find an equalizer.
Gilles and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan were big on defense for Canada, going extraordinary efforts to preserve Canada’s lead. At the halftime whistle, Canada was still up 1-0.
In the second half, both teams found chances on goal. In the 53rd minute, Quinn played a gorgeous pass with the outside of their foot to forward Nichelle Prince, who took a touch that looked like it would put her in on goal, but she collided with the German keeper and was unable to score.
Coming up big for Canada before the end of the game was Sheridan once again. She made big saves in the 72nd and 91st minute minutes of the match to hang onto the shutout through the end of the game and preserve to 1-0 win for Canada.
Mexico vs. Antigua & Barbuda
OL Reign defender Jimena López started Mexico’s match vs. Antigua & Barbuda and played throughout the game. Mexico earned another showstopping victory with an 8-0 score line over Antigua and Barbuda.
Mexico dominated the game from the first whistle, applying swift pressure to Antigua & Barbuda, but were unable to get on the board until the 24th minute, when forward Stephany Mayor opened her account for the night with a shot past Antigua and Barbuda’s goalkeeper.
It wasn’t long before Mexico struck again. This time it was defender Rebeca Bernal to double the score for Mexico in the 27th minute. Continuing to surge forward, Mexico earned a penalty kick in the 32nd minute. Mayor stepped up to the spot and coolly found the back of the net to make the score 3-0 in Mexico’s favor just 33 minutes into the game. Before halftime, Mexico found one more goal, thanks to the head of forward Alicia Cervantes in the 42nd minute.
At halftime, Mexico made a couple of substitutions, ensuring that they were energized for another half. Antigua & Barbuda held Mexico’s attacks off for just over 15 minutes, until forward Katty Martinez subbed on and scored Mexico’s fifth goal in the 61st minute.
Just three minutes later, Jimena López played a great cross into midfielder Maricarmen Reyes, who scored the sixth goa in the 64th minute of the match. Not done scoring yet, Mexico’s midfielder Carolina Jaramillo found the team’s seventh goal in the 76th minute.
Just before the end of the match, Myra Delgadillo scored the final goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Mexico secured another dominate win.
Final OL Reign International Action:
Wednesday, February 23
Spain vs. Canada, 9:15 a.m. PT, Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England
United States vs. Iceland, 6:00 p.m. PT, Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas