The United States Women’s National Team (U.S. WNT) faced Switzerland August 20, 2014 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. This game was the first match between the two national teams at the senior level of play in the 29 years that the U.S. WNT has been active. Switzerland was defeated 4-1 in regulation time.
The August match was the sixth appearance the women’s national team has made at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, the previous match being against Japan in 2011, and the sixth win at the stadium. The team was welcomed by 9,992 fans, a number almost double that of the 2011 match. Fans also had the opportunity to watch the team during an free open training session at the stadium August 19.
Nicole DeBruyne, Erika Snyder, Rachel Snyder and Bella Carlos, all juniors, were just a few of many Athens students who attended the U.S. WNT match.
“Being able to watch the national team play at a stadium so close to home was definitely more exciting than going to a game somewhere else,” said DeBruyne. “Our club soccer team practices at WakeMed [Soccer Park] a lot, so it was cool seeing such a big team play there.”
“The environment tonight was phenomenal. When Abby walked into the locker room [before the game] she said, ‘THAT’S how it should feel going to playing a soccer game,’ because we all had the chills with the girls outside screaming and cheering and all the tailgaters,” Christen Press, forward, said to The News and Observer about the energetic crowd.
The U.S. WNT started the match strong with Megan Rapinoe, midfielder, scoring within the first three minutes. The first half ended with a 1-0 score.
“I think it popped out wide to Sydney [Leroux] and I was just filling in the top of the box. I took a quick touch and hit it,” said Rapinoe about her goal to U.S. Soccer. “I think it took a little bit of a deflection going in, but it was on frame at least, so count it.”
In the second half, USA earned a penalty kick after a Swiss handball in the box. Carli Lloyd, midfielder, took advantage and scored in the 56th minute, increasing the United States’ lead to 2-0.
“We were sitting on the same side as the players, so we had a really good view when they were warming up and subbing throughout the game,” said DeBruyne. “They were great seats to watch all of the penalty kicks up close, especially since there were three or four of them between both teams.”
Switzerland gained the second penalty kick of the match, allowing Swiss striker Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic to capitalize, closing the score gap to 2-1, after a USA handball. Press and Abby Wambach, forwards, both led USA offense in the final 15 minutes of the match with Press scoring off of a corner kick deflection and Wambach converting the third and final American penalty kick. Wambach is now the second USWNT player, behind Mia Hamm, to reach the 400-point mark in her career.
“I think the goal was a corner kick that was headed out. I got on the second ball, and it was a chest and shoulder and volley, I think before it bounced,” said Press on the third goal of the match to U.S. Soccer. “It was one of those where you strike through the ball, a little bit on one side and it bent into the upper part of the net.”
Switzerland has already qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada and the USA will continue to prepare until October for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying. Two more home matches against Mexico are scheduled for the team, the first Sept. 13 in Sandy, Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium and the second Sept. 18 at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y.
