USA a cut above as Ireland slump to four-goal defeat in Colorado friendly
Megan Connolly plays the ball under pressure from Claire Hutton. Picture: Jamie Schwaberow/Getty
After 16 meetings, these USA-Ireland match-ups follow a well-worn pattern. One which will be hard to shake when they face off again on Sunday.
Mixing the outrageous talent of Alyssa Thompson with the calm experience of Rose Lavelle, the reshuffled world number-one ranked Americans showed the wealth of their player development pipeline.
Ireland can’t compensate for absentees such as Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan in the same manner.
Carla Ward’s side couldn’t land a blow. Their two shots, both blocked in the one move, compared to the US’s 26.
The Girls in Green have scored just once in those contests. Michelle O’Brien’s 2004 goal remains unmatched.
The heat and altitude at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado made for tough conditions. America’s direct runners and pressing posed constant headaches.
But Ward will hope these lessons from the best will serve as a healthy tune-up for October’s Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs against Belgium.
Up against her good friend and mentor Emma Hayes, Ward’s possession-based style came under severe stress as they struggled to pick their way through the accomplished Americans.
Despite some high-profile absentees, seven starters remained from the Slovenia victory at Páirc Uà Chaoimh. Chloe Mustaki got her first start since April 2022, while Ruesha Littlejohn, Amber Barrett, and Lucy Quinn were also recalled.
Courtney Brosnan was handed the captain’s armband on her 50th cap. It would be a busy one.
American centurion Lavelle hit the post in the early stages, but the whistle had already sounded for offside.
Sam Coffey’s terrific crossfield ball enabled Thompson to thunder past two would-be tacklers, but Brosnan produced a wonderful one-on-one save.
Moments later, Claire Hutton’s low drive was turned around the post by Brosnan.
But Ireland were caught napping for the 18th-minute opener. They weren’t alert to a quick corner as Lavelle advanced to cross unopposed. Right-back Avery Patterson met it sweetly with a downward header. Brosnan got a hand to it but couldn’t deny the 23-year-old her first international goal.
A hydration break due to the 30-degree heat helped Ireland to settle.
Thompson did open them up late in the half. She was blocked by Caitlin Hayes before being foiled by Jessie Stapleton’s good defensive positioning.
Ireland hoped to reach the break just one behind, but the US struck in the fourth of five added minutes by slicing through from a throw-in.
Coffey saw the potential after instigating the move, sprinting across to receive the return ball from Thompson. Her surging dribble split through the defence to slide a left-footed finish home. Again, Brosnan couldn’t get enough of a hand on the well-directed effort.
Tyler Toland and Larkin were called upon at half-time as Littlejohn and Quinn departed.
Ireland’s first task was to clear Lavelle’s cheeky backheeled shot, and Hayes produced another brave block on Thompson.
But America carved them open again for a third in the 53rd minute. Michelle Cooper slipped Ally Sentnor away, and it was the simplest of jobs to pick out Lavelle for the finish. She was a popular goalscorer after her recovery from ankle surgery.
Thompson was anxious to add to her assist. Anna Patten blocked the pacy winger’s next chance in a scramble. Thompson then pulled back for Sentnor to guide inches wide.
An ambitious Larkin attempt marked Ireland’s first shot. The deflected long-ranger almost worked out. Kyra Carusa flicked the ball on for Emily Murphy, who fired at the keeper before being flagged for offside.
Thompson’s dazzling surge made it four. The 20-year-old sensation picked the ball up inside her own half by the sideline. She wasn’t there for long, flicking past Stapleton to sprint away and cutting inside Patten to curl in via the far post.
California-native Erin Healy came on for her debut, but Ireland were penned back to the end. Sentnor fired over, and Brosnan’s splendid fingertip save diverted Olivia Moultrie’s stinger onto the crossbar.
Dickey; Patterson (G Thompson 59), Sonnett, Girma (Bugg 73), Reale; Coffey, Hutton; Cooper (Biyendolo 73), Lavelle (Moultrie 59), A Thompson (Sears 86); Sentnor (Ryan 86).
Brosnan; Stapleton, Patten, Hayes, Mustaki (Atkinson 90); Connolly, Littlejohn (Toland 46); Murphy (Noonan 65), Carusa (Sheva 64), Quinn (Larkin 46); Barrett (Healy 75).
V Diaz (Dominican Republic).
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