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USWNT pick up 500th win in program history against Portugal

By Jordan Small

LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 8: Jessica McDonald of USA Women during the International Friendly Women match between Portugal v USA at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on November 8, 2018 in Lisbon Portugal (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 8: Jessica McDonald of USA Women during the International Friendly Women match between Portugal v USA at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on November 8, 2018 in Lisbon Portugal (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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The USWNT beat Portugal 1-0 in their first match following World Cup. Here are three takeaways from the match.

The USWNT took down Portugal 1-0 on Thursday afternoon. Jessica McDonald had the lone goal for the U.S., and Alyssa Naeher kept a shutout as the team secured the 500th win in the history of the program. Here’s what we learned from the match.

Alyssa Naeher is human

Alyssa Naeher has been really good in goal for the United States this year, and entered this game coming off a World Cup qualifying tournament in which she didn’t concede a single goal. However, she struggled in the first half against Portugal, particularly with the ball at her feet.

One moment in particular stood out in the 14th minute, when Naeher came out to control the ball only for some miscommunication between her and her backline to send the ball spilling out. The U.S. were fortunate no Portugal players were bale to make them pay.

This is the sort of thing that happens when a team don’t have to make any decisions under pressure for long periods at a time. They got away with it, and it was only a friendly, but Naeher’s quality with the ball at her feet is something to monitor going forward.

Jessica McDonald adds another layer to set-piece lineup

It’s no secret the US are strong on set-pieces. With Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath delivering the ball, and Lindsey Horan and Julie Ertz in the box, the U.S. are hard to stop. But there’s another piece to that puzzle that can make them even better: Jessica McDonald.

McDonald, the MVP of the NWSL Championship game, is a throw-in specialist and can launch balls into the box from anywhere 25 or so yards from the goal line. That’s a little thing, but it could make a big difference come the World Cup.

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Positional fluidity an underrated part of the USWNT’s game

Crystal Dunn has cemented herself as first-choice left-back in 2018. That doesn’t mean she only stays on the left side, though. Late in the first half, Dunn found herself on the right side of the field, and delivered the cross from which McDonald scored the winner.

This wasn’t an uncommon feature of the USWNT’s play. Players consistently found themselves on the opposite side of the field to the one they started on. That sort of fluidity gives the attack an extra edge.

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