WNT Cruises to 4-0 Win against New Zealand before Record-Setting Crowd in St. Louis
WNT Cruises to 4-0 Win against New Zealand before Record-Setting Crowd in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (April 4, 2015)- In front of a record crowd of 35,817 fans that packed Busch Stadium, the U.S. Women’s National Team cruised to a 4-0 victory against New Zealand in its first match on home soil this year.
After Meghan Klingenberg put the U.S. up 1-0 early in the first half, St. Louis native Lori Chalupny, Julie Johnston and Morgan Brian all scored within a five-minute span late in the second half to put the game away for the USA. The win pushed the WNT’s all-time record against New Zealand to 11-1-1.
The crowd at Busch Stadium was the largest to watch a stand-alone Women’s National Team home friendly. In the history of the WNT program, only two other matches drew bigger attendances for home friendlies; however, both were part of double-header events.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA- Meghan Klingenberg, 14th minute: New Zealand cleared an Ali Krieger cross, but only to the top of the penalty box where it bounced to Klingenberg who ran onto it and blasted a first-time volley into the upper left corner. USA 1, NZL 0 (SEE GOAL)
USA- Lori Chalupny (Megan Rapinoe), 76th minute: After a short corner, Megan Rapinoe took the ball in from the left and laid a pass back to Lori Chalupny who curled a shot from 16 yards out into the far right corner of the New Zealand net. USA 2, NZL 0 (SEE GOAL)
USA- Julie Johnston (Lauren Holiday), 78th minute: From a free kick in the left channel, Lauren Holiday looped in a ball that Johnston met with a powerful header from the center of the New Zealand penalty area. Her shot left New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Naylor no chance as it caromed in off the cross bar for her second-career goal. USA 3, NZL 0 (SEE GOAL)
USA- Morgan Brian (Sydney Leroux), 81st minute: Morgan Brian helped create a New Zealand turnover in midfield. The ball ended up on the foot of Sydney Leroux whose well-weighted through ball found Brian, who had continued her run, and she finished into the lower-left corner to provide the final margin of victory. USA 4, NZL 0 FINAL
Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
NZL- Erin Nayler, 14th minute (save): Amy Rodriguez received a throw-in and took a half-turn before firing off a quick volley from just inside the box. Nayler jumped and pushed the shot up and off the cross bar.
NZL- Erin Nayler, 16th minute (save): Christen Press received a pass from the left and cut past a defender to the middle where she blasted a shot that Nayler jumped for and just reached, tipping it over the cross bar for her second save of the match.
NZL- Erin Nayler, 61st minute (save): Megan Rapinoe took the ball of a pass and dribbled it from the left into the center ripped a shot that forced Naylor into a sprawling save.
Milestone Watch:
*The two higher-attended matches were double-headers – one with the Men’s National Team, while the other was part of the Nike U.S. Women’s Cup in 1999.
^Includes all matches, including FIFA World Cup matches and Olympic matches played in the United States
Next on the Schedule:
The U.S. WNT faces Ireland on May 10 in San Jose at 11:30 a.m. PT
Broadcast information: FOX Sports 1
Social: Twitter @ussoccer_wnt; Facebook; Instagram
Additional Notes:
- U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report -
Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand
Date: April 4, 2015
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Busch Stadium; St. Louis, Mo.
Kickoff: 3 p.m. PT
Attendance: 35,817
Weather: 59 degrees; Sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 3 4
NZL 0 0 0
USA – Meghan Klingenberg 14th minute
USA – Lori Chalupny (Megan Rapinoe) 76
USA – Julie Johnston (Lauren Holiday) 78
USA – Morgan Brian (Sydney Leroux) 81
Lineups:
USA: 1-Hope Solo; 11-Ali Krieger (5-Kelley O’Hara, 83), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 26-Julie Johnston, 25-Meghan Klingenberg (16-Lori Chalupny, 57); 23-Christen Press (17-Tobin Heath, 56), 12-Lauren Holiday, 10-Carli Lloyd (capt.), 15-Megan Rapinoe (14-Morgan Brian, 79); 8-Amy Rodriguez (2-Sydney Leroux, 57), 13-Alex Morgan (20-Abby Wambach, 73)
Subs Not Used: 6-Whitney Engen, 9-Heather O’Reilly, 24-Ashlyn Harris
Head coach: Jill Ellis
NZL: 1-Erin Nayler; 5-Abby Erceg (capt.), 6-Rebekah Stott, 4-Katie Duncan, 2-Ria Percival; 7-Ali Riley, 16-Annalie Longo, 14-Katie Bowen (11-Kirsty Yallop, 85); 9-Amber Hearn, 10-Sarah Gregorius (24-Jasmine Pereira, 65), 17-Hannah Wilkinson (13-Rosie White, 74)
Subs Not Used: 21-Rebecca Rolls, 3-Anna Green, 15-Meikayla Moore, 18-Catherine Bott, 12-Betsy Hassett, 26-Daisy Cleverley
Head coach: Tony Readings
Stats Summary: USA / NZL
Shots: 18 / 2
Shots on Goal: 11 / 0
Saves: 0 / 6
Corner Kicks: 6 / 2
Fouls: 6 / 11
Offside 6 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Carol Anne Chenard (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Marie-Josée Charbonneau (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Suzanne Morisset (CAN)
4th Official: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (CAN)
Budweiser Woman of the Match: Lori Chalupny