Alex Morgan completes stunning year for USWNT vs. Scotland
By Jordan Small
The USWNT closed out the 2018 calendar year with a win over Scotland. Here are three takeaways from the game.
With a victory over Scotland on Tuesday afternoon, the USWNT capped off an undefeated 2018. Alex Morgan scored a goal just before the break, and Ashlyn Harris picked up the shutout in goal as the U.S. won 1-0. After a long year, the team will be off until late January when they travel to France to take on the World Cup hosts.
Alex Morgan continues her incredible form
With her goal on Tuesday afternoon, Alex Morgan now sits just two goals shy of 100 for her U.S. career. Morgan has scored 24 goals in her past 25 games in late 2017 and 2018. She also added five goals in 19 NWSL games this season. Morgan sits seventh all-time on the USWNT goals list at age 29. The U.S. will succeed in France in 2019 if Morgan is able to continue her form.
Is it time for Carli Lloyd to stop taking penalties?
It’s no secret Carli Lloyd has fallen out of favor for the U.S. in 2018. But one struggle that has continually resurfaced throughout her career is her penalty-taking abilities. While Lloyd has made some important penalty kicks, misses like the one on Tuesday afternoon are what often stick in people’s heads. So that raises the question, should Lloyd’s time as the kick taker be nearing its end?
The easy answer is yes. When kicks are going off the crossbar or skying over the goal, it’s hard to have confidence in your shooter. Very few other players on the team have experience taking penalty kicks in games. Now might be a good time to start shifting the duties around and allow for others to get a chance at it too. With the World Cup coming up soon, that could be the difference maker in a tournament.
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Crystal Dunn gets look at midfield
Crystal Dunn has played all over the field throughout her career. In 2018, she has made her home at left-back. She has become a vital part of both the defense and attack as she has played a very offensive style of outside back. On Tuesday afternoon, however, she got a look as a more attacking presence in the midfield. This allowed Dunn to play a larger role in the offense and attack using her speed and nimble dribbling skills. While she contribute to the score sheet, she still had an impact on the game from a different position.