U.S. women’s national team defeats Mexico in World Cup send-off match

Tobin Heath was gifted a goal by a goalkeeper error early in the first half, Mallory Pugh and Christen Press scored late in the second and the United States beat Mexico 3-0 Sunday in a World Cup send-off match that for much of the afternoon showed the Americans’ failings more than their facets.

Seeking its second straight World Cup title and fourth overall, the top-ranked U.S. has seven wins and two draws since a Jan. 19 defeat at France that ended a 28-game unbeaten streak. The Americans leave Monday for London, where they will be based at Tottenham’s training camp before heading to France. They open against Thailand on June 11, then play Chile and Sweden.

Mexico failed to qualify after consecutive group stage eliminations, is ranked 26th and fielded a relatively inexperienced team mixed with a few veterans.

Goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago caused the first goal when she made a careless pass to defender Rebeca Bernal, who wasn’t looking for the ball. Heath ran onto the ball, took three touches to create space from Santiago and put the U.S. ahead in the 11th minute with her 30th international goal, her 11th in her last 15 appearances.

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Carli Lloyd, the 2015 star who is now a role player at age 36, entered at the start of the second half and sparked the second goal with runs up the left side. She burst up the field and put the ball in front of the goal, where it went in off Pugh’s foot in the 76th.

Press made the most impressive offensive move for the U.S., controlling a cross at the top of the penalty area, spinning and scoring her 48th international goal in the 88th minute.