The U.S. women’s national team defeated China 2-0 on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit, but the result was hardly the important part.
Alex Morgan joined the exclusive company of Mia Hamm as the only other player to notch 20 goals and 20 assists in a calendar year, while Amy Rodriguez earned her 100th cap.
Morgan assisted Sydney Leroux’s 84th minute goal to give her 28 goals and 20 assists this year. Hamm tallied exactly 20 of each in 1998, but in 21 games (Saturday was Morgan’s 29th of the year). Morgan was named U.S. Soccer female athlete of the year earlier this week and could cap off her year with a Ballon d’Or (FIFA world player of the year) award next month.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez wore the captain’s armband, a U.S. team tradition for players in their 100th national team appearance. Rodriguez was emotional before the match (see the video below) and beaming following the game.
Carli Lloyd scored the other goal in the first of three match-ups in a week between the U.S. and China. The two teams meet on Wednesday in Houston and again on Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla.
VIDEO: Rodriguez talks about her 100th cap, Morgan talks about her achievement and Leroux demonstrates her “hip shimmy.”
