International Recap: Alana Cook, Rose Lavelle and Quinn Make Appearances
England vs. Canada
In Canada’s opening match of the Arnold Clark Cup, the team played to a 1-1 draw with England. OL Reign midfielder Quinn subbed into the match in the second half to hold down the midfield for their country.
England was the dominant team in the first half, creating more threatening chances than Canada. Canada’s best chance of the half came in the 12th minute, when defender Kadeisha Buchanan headed the ball in the box and forward Deanne Rose was able to find a shot. In the end, the shot was wide of the goal.
England got the board in the 22nd minute to take the lead. They took a short corner and got a cross into the box. The cross was only half cleared, giving defender Millie Bright a chance to strike the ball into the back of the net for England. Before the end of the half, England nearly doubled the lead, but Buchanan came up big for Canada on defense.
Canada’s tenacity was on display in the second half. The team came out with new energy and a sense of urgency in the attack. In the 55th minute, they found an equalizer. Midfielder Ashely Lawrence started the attack and found midfielder Jordyn Huitema. Huitema played forward Janine Beckie, who took a couple of touches before sending a shot into the top corner of the goal to level the score.
Quinn subbed onto the field in the 59th minute in place of midfielder Julia Grosso. The game was more evenly matched as it came to a close. Both teams were finding quick breaks that provided dangerous attacking opportunities, but neither team could find the game winning goal.
Mexico vs. Suriname
OL Reign defender Jimena López did not feature in Mexico’s first Concacaf W Qualifier of the FIFA window, but the team pulled off a huge 9-0 victory over Suriname.
As conveyed by the score line, Mexico dominated the game. The team was predominantly playing their attacking third and spending a lot of time in Suriname’s box, working to find a shot on goal. They scored early and often, with forward Stephany Mayor contributing first in the eighth minute of the match.
Her goal was followed up with two goals scored by forward Katty Martinez in the 23rd and 33rd minutes of the match. Before halftime, Mexico added another goal, this time scored by midfielder Diana García.
After the halftime break, Mexico did not let up at all and continued to apply immense pressure to Suriname. Even through a flurry of substitutions, Mexico maintained quality form. García added a fifth goal in the 48th minute, earning a brace for herself.
Mexico missed a few chances due to sloppy play but were back on the board in the 62nd minute thanks to defender Rebeca Bernal. With plenty of time to score more goals, Mexico worked the ball around the field, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Midfielder Carolina Jaramillo added a goal in the 74th minute, followed by Maricarmen Reyes in the 88th minute of the match. Though it seemed like there was not time to add another, Mexico did just that in the 89th minute when forward Alicia Cervantes scored.
USWNT vs. Czech Republic
OL Reign defender Alana Cook and midfielder Rose Lavelle started for the United States Women’s National Team in the squad’s first SheBelieves Cup match in 2022. The team managed a 0-0 draw again Czech Republic.
The Unites States started the game strong, applying strong offensive pressure to their opponents. The team found several dangerous chances in the first ten minute of the match but were not able to find the back of the net. Lavelle was a standout for the United States, displaying her impressive dribbling and passive skills throughout the match.
The Czech defending throughout the match was noteworthy, as they prevented the U.S. from scoring, despite 18 shots on goal and eight shots on target. Czech Republic took six shots throughout the night, putting one on target.
Defender Becky Sauerbrunn subbed into the match in the 72nd minute to make her milestone 200th cap. Despite the reinforcements brought in by the United States, the team did not manage to find a breakthrough goal and the score stayed level at zeroes until the final whistle. Lavelle was named the Budweiser Player of the Match for her dominance in the midfield.
Next International Action for OL Reign Players:
Saturday, February 19
Wales vs. Belgium, 11:30 a.m. PT, Pinatar Arena Football Center in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain
Brazil vs. France, 12:10 p.m. PT, Stade Michel d’Ornano in Caen, France
Sunday, February 20
United States vs. New Zealand, 12:00 p.m. PT, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California
Canada vs. Germany, 12:15 p.m. PT, Carrow Road Stadium in Norwich, England
Mexico vs. Antigua Barbuda, 1:00 p.m. PT, Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic