U.S. women earn 1-1 draw with Brazil in exhibition game
U.S. midfielder Carli Lloyd (10) congratulates fellow midfielder Shannon Boxx as she is removed from her final match with the national team during a 1-1 draw with Brazil on Wednesday in Seattle.
Carli Lloyd scored in the 85th minute and the World Cup champion United States women pulled out a 1-1 tie with Brazil on Wednesday night after trailing since the opening moments.
Lloyd got her foot to a cross from defender Meghan Klingenberg and the shot got past goalkeeper Luciana, deflected off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
The U.S. was on the verge of suffering its first home loss in more than a decade.
Brazilian defender Monica scored on a header off a corner kick in the third minute. The header beat goalkeeper Hope Solo and was the earliest goal allowed by the U.S. in more than two years.
The Americans extended their home unbeaten streak to 101 matches, their last loss coming on Nov. 6, 2004, against Denmark in Philadelphia during a post-Olympic victory tour after the 2004 Athens Games.
Lloyd was the Golden Ball winner at the Women’s World Cup as the most outstanding player and capped the championship with the fastest hat trick in tournament history in the final against Japan. Lloyd has a career-high 17 goals this season.
The Americans had opportunities before Lloyd’s late goal. Alex Morgan missed wide on a header minutes after the opening goal and later had a left-footed volley in the first half saved by Luciana. Megan Rapinoe had a scoring chance in the 69th minute off a counterattack but directed her left-footed shot off a counterattack directly at Luciana and it was easily saved.
The match against Brazil was the fifth game of the U.S. victory tour after winning the Women’s World Cup this summer just a couple hours north in Vancouver, British Columbia. The two sides will play Sunday in Orlando, Florida.
It was also the next stage of evaluation for the U.S. as coach Jill Ellis begins to look at options for the January training camp from which the roster for Olympic qualifying will be selected. Ellis got a look at a few new faces to the national team pool with NWSL MVP Crystal Dunn starting and playing 72 minutes, and Jaelene Hinkle and Samantha Mewis checking in as subs in the second half.
It was the final game for midfielder Shannon Boxx, who retired after 195 appearances for the national team. Boxx started and was the team captain, checking out in the 41st minute. Boxx received a standing ovation from the crowd and her teammates on the U.S. bench. Solo ran up 60 yards to give Boxx a hug as she jogged off for the final time in her career.
Boxx was a three-time Olympic champion and returned from a knee injury and the birth of her daughter in February 2014 to make the World Cup roster and add a final title to her resume.
