The United States women’s national team extended its home unbeaten streak to 104 games on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over China in Glendale, Ariz. Christen Press followed-up her hat trick on Thursday with another goal off the bench, and Crystal Dunn’s goal in the first half stood up as the game-winner.
Dunn scored with her left foot in the 39th minute, hammering a shot into the net after a failed clearance from China’s defense fell to her foot.
Two minutes later, Dunn bent in a through ball to Alex Morgan, who beat her defender, took a touch with her left foot and then calmly flicked the ball into the back of the net only to see the assistant referee’s flag raised. Replays seemed to show that Morgan was onside, but the goal was waved off.
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Press entered the match in the 79th minute and — for the second time in four days — scored on one of her first touches of the game, faking a shot with her right foot and cutting back onto her left foot to curl the ball into the net in the 81st minute.
Press’ quick production was reminiscent of Thursday, when she entered the match in the 60th minute and scored her first of three goals a minute later.
Alyssa Naeher started and played the full match in goal in place of starter Hope Solo as U.S. coach Jill Ellis looked to rotate goalkeepers. Naehere was not often called into action, but she did make an impressive stop on the last touch of the game when she caught Li Ying’s shot from close range on the goal line and did not give up a rebound.
China, under new coach Bruno Bini, was disciplined but not dangerous. Bini, the former manager of France, was hired in September as the 12th coach of China in the past 13 years and the third foreign manager. Frenchwoman Elisabeth Loisel andformer Swedish national coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors also previously coached China.
The U.S. women have not lost at home since November 2004. They have one more home match this year, on Wednesday against China at the Superdome in New Orleans, La. in Abby Wambach’s final match.
