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'Casey's goal' gives Belho a 2-1 win over Czech Republic
The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team won its first official match of the year with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic.
Head coach Colleen Bell's women's national soccer team (No. 20 in the FIFA rankings) won a 2-1 friendly against the Czech Republic (No. 28) on Friday at 3 a.m. ET in Lisbon, Portugal, with goals from Ji So-yeon and Casey Paire. The victory gave South Korea a 1-0 lead in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
With a win in their first official match of the year, the Belo Horizonte will next face the Portugal Women's National Team in a friendly on Sept. 25 at 3:15 a.m. in Estoril, Portugal.
Head coach Colleen Bell went with a 3-5-2 formation. Choi Yoo-ri (Birmingham) and Casey Fair (Angel City) were up front, while Ji So-yeon (Seattle Reign), Jang Seul-ki (Gyeongju Hansuwon), and Cho So-hyun (Birmingham) formed the midfield. Jang Seul-ki reached the milestone of 100 A-Match appearances with this match.
Choo Hyo-Joo (Incheon Hyundai Steel) and Lee Eun-Young (Changnyeong WFC) were the two wing backs, while Shim Seo-Yeon (Suwon FC), Lee Young-Joo (Madrid CFF), and Kim Hye-Ri (Incheon Hyundai Steel) formed the back three. Kim Jung-mi (Incheon Hyundai Steel) was the last line of defense.
From the beginning of the match, South Korea actively utilized both flanks to attack. Choi Yoo-ri and Jang Seul-ki threatened the defense with threatening crosses after breaking down the left and right flanks. In the fourth minute, Choi Yoo-ri had a chance near the right side of the penalty area, but her shot went just wide of the far post.
The Taeguk Nangja continued to take the lead through aggressive switching. Choi Yoo-ri returned to the left side of the field to energize the flank, while other forwards organically switched positions to disrupt the opposing defense.
Eventually, South Korea scored the first goal. Ji So-yeon scored her 70th A-Match goal with a fantastic free kick. Ji stepped up to take the kick from a free kick in the penalty arc in the 바카라 16th minute. Ji executed an exquisite kick over the opposing defense, which hit the crossbar and went into the back of the net to give South Korea the lead.
In the 30th minute, South Korea responded. After Silaisova sent in a cross from the right flank, a scramble broke out in the penalty box. Mrazova and Petková had shots on goal, but Kim Hye-ri and Lee Eun-young were there to make the save.
South Korea widened the gap immediately in the second half. In the first minute of the second half, Choo Hyo-Joo played a pass to Casey Fair, who was running down the left flank. After receiving the ball, she beat one defender before breaking into the penalty box and firing a low shot that rattled the net.
Eight minutes into the second half, the Czechs got the equalizer. Svitková won the ball on the left flank and sent a cross into the penalty box. Eva Bartonova was free in the box, and she was able to redirect the cross with the outside of her foot to score.
Five minutes after the concession, Kim Hye-ri sent in a corner kick that was met by Casey Fair, who headed it straight at the Czech goalkeeper. In the 25th minute, Choo Hyo-Joo cut off a Czech ball and tried her luck with a left-footed shot from the penalty arc that went wide of the post.
South Korea's offense continued in the final minutes of the match. In the 35th minute, the ball came out of a corner and Jang Seul-ki wasted no time in hitting a left-footed volley that hit the post. On the next attacking move, Choi Yoo-ri tried her luck with a right-footed shot that was saved by the goalkeeper, and the game ended with a 2-1 victory for South Korea.