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Christen Press scores in USWNT win: 3 takeaways

By Jordan Small

CARSON, CA - AUGUST 31: Forward Christen Press #23 of the U.S. Women's National team takes a penalty kick during the friendly match against Chile at StubHub Center on August 31, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - AUGUST 31: Forward Christen Press #23 of the U.S. Women's National team takes a penalty kick during the friendly match against Chile at StubHub Center on August 31, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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The United States women’s national team beat Chile 3-0 in the second to last game before World Cup qualifiers. Here are three takeaways from the match.

All that is standing between the USWNT and World Cup qualifiers is a final match with Chile after beating them in the first game on Friday night.

The US went into the locker room up two goals and never looked back.

The US are very dangerous off of corner kicks

The United States had 10 corner kicks in the first half alone on Friday night. Things got started off just eight minutes in when Tobin Heath played a corner in toward the middle of the box where Tierna Davidson was waiting to get on the end of it. Davidson was able to get her head on the ball and put away her first career goal for the U.S.

Just 24 minutes later, it would be a ball in from a Heath corner that would put Chile under pressure. This time, Julie Ertz was able to flick it on with her head, and it was headed toward the back post when Chilean defender Carla Guerrero knocked it into her net for an own goal.

Crystal Dunn’s versatility will be key come World Cup time

Crystal Dunn has always been a two-way player. In college, she won both the offensive and defensive player of the year awards for the Atlantic Coast Conference. She was a great goal scorer for the University of North Carolina while also being a standout defender. If you needed her to play a position on the field, chances are she could do it. Once she got to the professional level however, her defensive days were numbered and her offensive talents rose to the top.

Fast forward to 2018 and Dunn is once again playing split duties. For club, she plays mainly as a winger, contributing to a potent offense in North Carolina for the Courage. On the national team, she has cemented her role as a left outside back. Right now, that versatility makes her almost impossible to take off the field. Her ability to get up in the play from the back line but then also get back and defend makes her an ideal part of head coach Jill Ellis’ system. Going into France 2019, Dunn is making a great case for a starting spot.

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Rose Lavelle’s creativity is shining through

The US is currently without one of their most creative players in Megan Rapinoe. With Rapinoe out with a rib injury, much of the finesse is falling on the shoulders of Tobin Heath. But another player stood out against Chile for her play on the ball. Rose Lavelle added a bit of creativity to the midfield that had been lacking in recent games.

Lavelle, now appearing to be nearly fully back from injury, complimented the game of her fellow midfielders well on Friday night. Playing alongside a strong defensive player in Julie Ertz and a physical player in Lindsey Horan, Lavelle was able to be that connection piece between lines for the US. This opened up a lot of opportunities for a fast front line of Heath, Alex Morgan and Christen Press.

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