USWNT 1-0 Republic of Ireland, summary: Cook goal, score, goals & highlights | Women’s International Friendly
USWNT vs Republic of Ireland: as it happened
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Joe
FT: USWNT 1-0 ROI
Ireland can be happy with that performance, despite the result. They took the USWNT all the way and probably deserved to come away with a draw. In the end, Cook's stunner was the difference. Happy birthday to her.
Ertz was the difference in the second half for the home side and she provided the quality needed to cover the spaces that were being left for Payne and McCabe in the first 45, but the USWNT failed to truly threaten the Irish goal, partly thanks to a heroic performance from Brosnan, who has the heart of a thousand lions.
Overall, it's two wins for the US and two strong performances from Ireland, so both teams can be happy with how this international break has gone.
And that's all!
Time for one last attack?
The 6 minutes are up...
Connolly booked as Rodman is brought down after some excellent skill on the break.
Krueger ushers the ball out of play intelligently as Ireland look to attack once more. It's a strong end to the game from the away team; the US just want the final whistle to go.
Rodman reads O'Sullivan's pass and breaks away, but Connolly defends the counter well.
McCabe goes on an inspired run down the middle but she gets tackled just as she arrives in the box...
Quinn gets her head on the ball from McCabe and it looks to come off Krueger, but the referee disagrees. Goal kick to the USWNT.
Louise Quinn's shot is blocked wide for a corner.
6 added minutes.
O'Sullivan tries a shot that is blocked as Ireland go for broke in the final minutes.
We're back underway...
Quite a long pause there as Thompson received treatment. She's walking off now with the help of the medical staff.
Uh, oh. Thompson is down... it looks like her calf.
Payne and Barrett OFF
O'Hanlon and Carusa ON
IRELAND CHANCE!
O'Sullivan slides in Carusa but the angle is blocked off for the centre-forward and she hits it wide.
Again, Ertz's introduction has given the US a completely different feeling this half: she is giving instructions and controlling what the team do as a whole. A fantastic impact.
Rodman gets her head on a bouncing ball inside the Ireland box but somehow the away side manage to clear the danger.
Hatch spins on her heels inside the box from the next phase of play before firing over the bar.
Quinn gets on the end of the corner from McCabe and the ball is headed back across goal, but nobody in white is there to attack the loose ball.
Ireland play the ball around nicely, with O'Sullivan in the middle of the spider web, dictating the move. They win a corner after their good work.
Denise O'Sullivan is pulled back by Trinity Rodman, who avoids a booking.
Rodman bursts down Ireland's right and hits a well-placed cut-back towards the penalty spot from the byline. Ireland scramble the ball away.
As the energy levels decrease, the pass accuracy drops. We've had a few minutes of slack passing and poor build-up from both teams.
Julie Ertz fires a shot over the bar from long range. No danger for Brosnan.
LucyQuinn and Sheva OFF
McLaughlin and O'Gorman ON
Ireland's defence stands strong against Hatch as she tries her luck around the edge of the box.
The U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-AAAA chant is in full swing around the stadium. I'm telling you so it's also in your head, as well as mine.
Rodman squeezed in between Quinn and Connolly, latching onto a fantastic, curling pass from Sanchez, but Brosnan flew off her line like a greyhound and smothered the ball.
BROSNAN MAKES A FANTASTIC SAVE!
Lucy Quinn pressures Davidson and forces the defender to pass the ball out for a throw high up the pitch. No player is leaving an ounce of energy in the tank today.
Ertz goes down, holds the ball... and gets penalised for handball!
Lots of loose balls over the past few minutes as the substitutes take a while to get used to the pace of the game.
Horan OFF
Mewis ON
Horan is down and receiving treatment...
Ireland make changes:
Grant and Nolan ON
Littlejohn and Caldwell OFF
Littlejohn pulls back Krueger as she burns forward... and goes into the book.
Immediately, it's easy to see the difference Julie Ertz makes to the team; she speeds up and slows the down the play as needed and gives a huge amount of stability to the side.
The US look a lot more switched on this half: they must have had some oranges at half-time. Or a good telling off from the manager.
Ertz tries to slide in Rodman but the pass is cut out.
Brosnan catches Huerta's long free-kick that is launched into the area from deep. Another strong, confident claim of the ball from the impressive goalkeeper.
Littlejohn's pass to McCabe is just too heavy and the Arsenal player sees Ireland's move break down. It's a frantic start to the second half from both sides.
The USWNT have started incredibly strongly, and are looking to press Ireland all over the pitch...
Rodman, Ertz, Krueger and Hatch ON
Sullivan, O'Hara, Smith and Morgan OFF
And we're off!
Almost ready to go for the second half.
HT: USWNT 1-0 ROI
Well, one mistake has cost Ireland a goal and the world champions lead at the break. However, it has not been plain sailing for the USMNT, who have had to deal with various chances that Ireland have created from the huge spaces in front of their full-backs, which have allowed Payne and McCabe to dominate.
Carusa has been excellent in hold-up play for the Irish and has kept Cook on her toes so far. Morgan is yet to appear and the only time Smith did so was when she hit a shot over the bar from a few yards out.
Ireland can be happy with their performance, but that Cook screamer was a special strike and given the fact that the US have hit the bar, you could say they deserve to be ahead.
We're in for an exciting second half of football!
No added time! That's the end of the first half at CityPark!
That goal is so far out I am not even sure if she meant to score or if it was a cross. Since it's her birthday, let's say she meant it.
We're back underway.
The centre-back hit a speculative effort from absolutely miles out after getting on the end of an Ireland clearance... and it flew over the head of Brosnan!
Brosnan had been amazing at getting off her line to stop Morgan and co. up front, but she was caught out there...
Happy birthday Alana Cook! What a screamer!
We've got a slight pause in play as the referee wants a word with the players after some argy-bargy in the penalty area...
McCabe challenges Smith inside the box and she goes down very easily...
NO PENALTY GIVEN!
Horan got in behind (replays show she was offside) but the dangerous, early cross from Sanchez caused all sorts of problems.
Brosnan did superbly to stop it.
The flag is up...
WHAT A SAVE FROM BROSNAN!
Caldwell and Littlejohn double team against Morgan as she drives towards goal. The mood has changed...
The USA have just turned up the speed a couple of gears...
Ireland are very content to hold their shape as the USWNT pass around the back line. They seem to be choosing their moments well to attack the spaces the home team leave behind.
Brosnan brilliance once more. She flies out of her goal to collect another high ball that was fired towards Morgan.
Heather Payne puts the US goalkeeper under immense pressure and forces one huge gasp of breath from the watching fans.
Brosnan bursts out of her goal seconds later as the ball is launched long to Morgan.
O'Hara again with a vital interception to stop Payne from bursting in behind the defence from a Lucy Quinn pass.
Nothing to worry about as far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any injury with Sauerbrunn, she was smiling as she came off.
It looks like a planned change.
Sauerbrunn OFF
Davidson ON
Some controlled possession for the home side, after a few minutes of constant Ireland pressure, calm things down.
Smith tries her luck on the right but McCabe defends well and forces her opposite number to play a frustrated pass back up the line.
Lucy Quinn heads wide from a corner. Ireland pushing.
Fantastic work from O'Hara as she stops Payne from advancing into a dangerous area down Ireland's right side.
Again, the USWNT midfield is offering nothing in defence: there is so much room for McCabe and Payne to take the ball on the wings.
When the USWNT have the ball in deeper areas, Ireland are doing well to keep their shape and force things wide.
Carusa wins the ball back and lays off to Lucy Quinn on the right, whose low cross is stopped by Murphy.
Ireland attack with a barrage of crosses, the last of which is saved by Murphy.
Twenty minutes gone, no goals as of yet. Sauerbrunn with the best chance so far, which came off the bar.
Carusa is almost played through by O'Sullivan but the pass is well cut out by Cook.
Ireland now with some nice possession on the end of the USWNT box. The attack ends with a McCabe shot that is blocked by a defender.
Caldwell loses the ball to Morgan high up the pitch. Thompson gets the pass square into the box and lays off to Smith on the penalty spot, who skies a shot high into the stands.
A HUGE CHANCE WASTED FOR SMITH!
Payne vs O'Hara is turning into a fantastic battle on the US' left side. They've already had some brilliant battles so far.
Sanchez pops the ball through the legs of Connolly, to the delight of the fans in the stands. Lovely stuff.
The crowd are performing brilliantly as well so far: I've already the U-S-A song in my head.
Littlejohn almost gets into a little bother(sorry, had to) asshe's forced back by good US pressure, but she manages to wiggle out of the sticky situation.
O'Hara shoots and many people around the ground think it's going in, but the ball fizzes past the post.
The USWNT burst forward with Smith and Caldwell gets a touch on her cross, sending the ball out for a corner. An end to end game!
McCabe shoots low and the shot is saved; Denise O'Sullivan did excellently well to squirm out of a group of blue shirts and start the attack.
Payne goes to ground as she takes the ball from Smith on Ireland's right. The opening minutes have been fairly even...
Payne skips past Thompson on the right channel before being challenged by Huerta, who gives away a corner to Ireland. Positive play from Pauw's side.
Bronson gets out brilliantly to stop Morgan from latching onto a ball in behind Ireland's defence.
The centre-back hits a header off the corner and it smacks against the bar. She was unmarked there; what a huge chance to mark a special occasion.
SAUERBRUNN OFF THE BAR!
The first chance goes to the away side after Louise Quinn plays into Carusa who gives to McCabe.
The Arsenal player's cross lands with Lucy Quinn, who hits over the bar.
And we're off!
Ireland, in all white, get us going from right to left.
Time for The Star-Spangled Banner!
Amhrán na bhFiann, the Irish national anthem, sounds around the ground.
We've got a quick presentation for Sauerbrunn on winning her 200th cap. What an achievement.
USWNT vs Ireland: played 14, won14.
Will that change today?
The players are coming out of the tunnel!
What a huge roar from the crowd!
Ver Pauw's pre-game thoughts:
We're always going for a win, a historic result.
We need games like this to prepare for the World Cup.
We have a strong bench, we are growing together.
Let's see what we can do today.
The game on 8th April was our best game ever.
Here are the starting XIs:
USWNT: Murphy, Sanchez, Huerta, Sauerbrunn, O'Hara, Horan, Smith, Morgan, Cook, Thompson, Sullivan
Ireland: Brosnan; Lo Quinn, Connolly, Caldwell; Littlejohn, O'Sullivan, McCabe. Payne, Lu Quinn, Sheva; Carusa
Just ten minutes to go!
Grab your popcorn or snack of choice as we're almost ready for kick-off!
The teams are headed to the dressing rooms for the final team talk before we get going!
With just 100days to go until the beginning of the Women's World Cup, an official chant has been released, called 'Unity Beat'.
Check out all the information here.
Ireland's starting XI:
McCabe leads the side that only sees 2 changes from last time out, with Ruesha Littlejohn and Lucy Quinn coming into the XI.
Some USWNT pre-game stats:
- Thompson was three years old when Sauerbrunn made her USWNT debut on January 16, 2008.
- Horan has nowscored at least one goal for the USWNT each of the last nine years, the only USWNT player to score in each calendar year dating back to 2015.
- This Starting XI averages78 caps per player with two players in today’s Starting XI.
- Alana Cook is celebrating her 26th birthday today.
- If Casey Kreuger plays, she will be the 16th woman to play for the USWNT after becoming a mom.
USWNT starting XI:
6 changes from the side that beat Ireland last time as Sauerbrunn leads the side on her 216th game for her country - in her hometown!
Quinn is ready to go
Birmingham City defender Louise Quinn is a two-time Ireland Player of the Year and will make her 101stappearance today, should she feature.
Andonovski has hinted at making wholesale changes for today's game against Ireland, given the fact that Mallory Swanson tore her knee ligament in the previous game and is out of the World Cup.
Ireland's manger was not happy about her side being labelled as rough:
How am I going to respond to this?
We played Sweden and they said exactly the same thing but Sweden had 24 fouls and we had 3 fouls. We are a team that within the rules of the game, we put pressure on an opponent.
That is why [US coach] Vlatko [Andonovski] wanted to play us — he told me.
We will be fair but we will not give anything away. I don’t know why people say that on Twitter because what do you do? You don’t stop them going forward?
Go on you Girls in... white?
Ireland have unveiled today their very smart away shirt that they will be wearing today and at the 2023 World Cup. As a result the USWNT will be in their snazzy blue kit.
Team news: Ireland
No news for Vera Pauw's side who travelled today all fit and healthy, despite some huge tackles that occured in the previous game.
Team news: USWNT
Mallory Swanson is the only absence for the US, as she was stretchered off in the previous game and is certainly going to miss the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
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Here's how things went last time for Vlatko Andonovski's side in Austin, Texas.
For today's game, the two teams have travelled to CITYPARK, in St. Louis, Missouri. The 22,500-seater stadium opened just last year!
Last time out...
Well, the last time, it didn't go so well for the Girls in Green, as they lost 2-0, thanks to goals from Fox and Horan sealed the result.
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the AS USA live text coverage of the USWNT vs Ireland.
Do not adjust your screens, you are not seeing things: the two sides did face off against each other just days ago, but we're all ready to go again!