- Olivia Moultrie, 18, was able to score a double in her USWNT senior debut
- Four different Americans scored goals, including Alex Morgan from a penalty
- DailyMail.com provides the latest international sports news.
Olivia Moultrie scored twice in her first start with the national team as the United States beat the Dominican Republic 5-0 on Tuesday night in the inaugural CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup tournament.
Moultrie, 18, making only his third appearance for the national team, scored his first goal in the seventh minute when he stretched to hit the ball across the goal line.
Lynn Williams added a goal off a pass from Midge Purce in the 30th minute to make it 2-0 in the American team’s first game of the year.
Purce also fed Moultrie for her second goal in the 59th minute. Moultrie, who plays for the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League, is the third-youngest player to score multiple goals in a game for the United States.
‘I’m pretty euphoric right now. “I was very happy to be on the field tonight, to have the opportunity to start is incredible,” Moultrie said.
The United States team earned a 5-0 victory over the Dominican Republic on Tuesday night.
18-year-old Olivia Moultrie was able to score a double in her USWNT senior debut during the win.
Moultrie scored his first goal in the 7th minute before scoring his second in the 58th minute.
Jenna Nighswonger scored her first goal for the United States from the penalty spot in the 86th minute to make it 4-0.
Alex Morgan, who joined the team earlier Tuesday, came on as a second-half substitute. Morgan replaced Mia Fishel on the roster, who tore a ligament in her right knee in practice the previous day.
Morgan, who normally wears number 13, wore Fishel’s number 7 due to CONCACAF rules.
Morgan converted a penalty kick in stoppage time to close the scoring. It was his 122nd international goal.
It was the United States’ sixth victory under interim coach Twila Kilgore, who took over when coach Vlatko Andonovski left the team following the Americans’ disappointing finish at the Women’s World Cup last summer.
Kilgore will coach the United States until May, when current Chelsea coach Emma Hayes takes over. Purce said Kilgore did a good job making sure everyone was on the same page.
“I think we played against a low block, which gives us the opportunity to have a lot of creativity,” Purce said. ‘And we have a lot of creative players on the front line. So it’s really fun. It was a fun day.’
Alex Morgan, who joined the team early Tuesday, scored after coming on
Korbin Albert, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, also made his first start.
Veteran defender Becky Sauerbrunn, the match captain, was also a late addition to the squad as Alana Cook suffered a minor knee injury. It was Sauerbrunn’s 216th international match.
The Dominican Republic secured a place in Group A with a 1-0 victory over Guyana on Saturday. Kathrynn González scored the only goal early in the second half.
Gonzalez, a Pennsylvania native, came on as a second-half substitute against the United States.
Earlier Tuesday at Dignity Health Sports Park, home of Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, Argentina and Mexico played to a goalless draw to open Group A.
There are three groups of four teams in the tournament, with games in Carson, San Diego and Houston.
The United States plays Argentina on Friday night in Carson.