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SALT LAKE CITY — In four matches through the first round of group play at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, Utah Royals FC players were on the winning side of the result only half the time.
Desiree Scott’s Canada and the United States, which features Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press and Kelley O’Hara, were the three local pros who took a step toward qualifying for the knockout round.
Could things change with the second take, that featured the tournament’s first "Royal Rumble" when Scott faced club teammate Katie Bowen and New Zealand?
And how will the United States respond to their oft-criticized win over Thailand in the group-stage opener?
Here’s how Round 2 went for Utah's professional women’s soccer players in France.
Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press & Kelley O'Hara, United States
Carli Lloyd scored twice, and Julie Ertz added a goal for the United States, which clinched a spot in the Round of 16 with its second win of the group stage.
After coming off the bench in the United States’ 13-0 rout of Thailand, Utah’s Christen Press started for an American side that featured near-wholesale changes against Chile. Becky Sauerbrunn also made a return to the starting XI after sitting out the opening match with a precautionary injury for a side that rotated seven players between the two matches.
Press, along with first-time starter Tierna Davidson, was the primary corner kick-takers for the United States — and she nearly bagged a goal four times, but was denied by Chile goalkeeper Christiane Endler.
Lloyd, the veteran U.S. striker who wore the captain’s armband Sunday, became the first-ever player to score in six-straight Women’s World Cup matches when she scored the opening goal just 10 minutes in against Chile. Lloyd, who has 112 goals in 276 caps, has scored at least one goal in every World Cup dating back since 2007.
She nearly completed the hat trick with a second-half penalty kick, awarded to the United States after video review. But the captain’s right-footed shot was overhit from the spot, spinning off left of the goal mouth.
It was the fourth time in U.S. history that the side has missed a penalty kick at a Women’s World Cup. In addition to Lloyd, Mia Hamm missed twice, and Abby Wambach once.
With the win, the United States clinched a spot in the Round of 16. The Americans can win the group outright with a win or tie against Sweden in the Group F finale.
Next up: USA vs Sweden, 11 p.m. MDT, June 20 (Fox)
Desiree Scott, Canada & Katie Bowen, New Zealand
Utah’s Desiree Scott — nicknamed “The Destroyer” for the bite in her holding midfield style — anchored Canada to its second-straight shutout of the tournament.
The Canucks didn’t have to wait long to get on the board, though. Jessie Fleming notched her first goal of the tournament just three minutes into the second half, and Canada held the Football Ferns to just one shot for the first hour. Nichelle Prince doubled the advantage with just over 12 minutes remaining.
Canada finished with 18 shots, including a rare attempt by Scott to go along with eight shots on goal.
Still, even as New Zealand was out-shot by as much as 16-1 early, the defense — led by Utah’s Katie Bowen — was stout. Bowen cleared a ball off the goal line, but New Zealand couldn’t find the equalizer in falling to 0-2 in Group E.
Next up: Canada vs. the Netherlands, 10 am. MDT, June 20
Next up: New Zealand vs. Cameroon, 10 a.m. MDT, June 20
Rachel Corsie, Scotland
Rachel Corsie captained the Scottish side in their second-ever Women’s World Cup match, but the debutantes fell to 0-2 in Group 2.
Mana Iwabuchi and Yuika Sugasawa scored less than 15 minutes apart to give Japan a 2-0 halftime lead. Scotland’s Lana Clelland pulled one back in the 88th minute, but the Nadeshiko held on for their first win of the tournament.
Next up: Scotland vs. Argentina, 1 p.m. MDT, June 19
