Jaedyn Shaw scored her second international goal after Sam Coffey scored her first, and the United States women’s national team rallied late for a 2-1 victory over China on Tuesday in Frisco, Texas.
The U.S. team prevailed despite seeing its long shutout streak end.
Shaw and Coffey’s heroics helped the U.S. officially complete 2023 undefeated, despite having been eliminated on penalties from this summer’s World Cup in the round of 16 by Sweden on penalty kicks following a scoreless draw.
The Americans finished a two-match friendly sweep of China, having won 3-0 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday.
But China, the 15th-ranked team in FIFA’s world rankings, pushed the third-ranked United States on Tuesday.
Shen Mengyu’s goal just before halftime was the first the USWNT conceded since the 17th minute of its first match of the 2023 World Cup, a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on July 26.
It ended an impressive shutout streak of seven full matches plus substantial portions of two more.
The USWNT climbed back to victory via its persistence on a pair of set-piece opportunities.
Coffey leveled the game in the 62nd minute when China failed to clear the initial phase of a corner kick.
Eventually the ball dropped to Emily Sonnett, who poked the ball to her left in position for Coffey to bend a right-footed shot from 16 yards beyond goalie Xu Huan’s dive and inside the right post.
Then Shaw put the hosts in front in the 79th minute when she drove a follow-up opportunity low and hard from about 16 yards to give Xu little chance.
This time the chance came after Jenna Nighswonger’s free kick struck China’s defensive wall, with China again failing to clear the danger after.
While the United States did not create as many first-half chances as in its win over China on Saturday, the visitors took the lead on one of their only forays forward.
Yan Jinjin struck an inswinging free kick from near the left corner flag to the back post, and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury came off her line but couldn’t clear the danger.
Wang Siqian headed the ball back across the face of the goal, where Shen was able to guide in a simple tap-in from about 4 yards out.
–Field Level Media
