USWNT: U.S Women Defeat Brazil 4-1

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(November 10, 2013)-The U.S. Women's national soccer team fittingly won their 13th game of the year as they closed out the year with a 4-1 win against Brazil in Orlando, FL. A huge crowd of 20,274 came out to cheer on the team as they finished the year with a 13-0-3 record.

Though the U.S. was able to seal a victory against one of their biggest rivals it was one of the strongest challenges that they have faced in recent months. It has been considered an off year for the team with no major tournaments outside of the Algarve Cup earlier in the spring, which has allowed a softer schedule as they prepare for World Cup qualifying in 2014. Yet even without their best player Marta who is overseas with her European club, 4th ranked Brazil came into Orlando clearly looking to make a statement against the number one ranked team in the world.

A fast paced young Brazilian team challenged the U.S. from the start of the game and the first fifteen minutes were a bit of a shoving match with Andreia Rosen of Brazil earning a yellow card in the 5th minute for tripping up veteran forward Abby Wambach during a corner kick. Sydney Leroux who earned the start on the forward line with Wambach also was on the other end of a few physical confrontations early on in the game. Both players quickly got redemption as Leroux scored off a great volley from midfielder Heather O'Reilly in the 15th minute. Barely two minutes later Wambach was taken down in front of the goal and earned a penalty kick, which she easily converted for her 163rd career international goal.

Brazil was able to regroup and put a score on the board in the 25th minute when Rosana headed in a ball past a scrambling Hope Solo. Leroux however created more distance between the teams when she scored again in the 37th minute.

Solo once again demonstrated why she remains the best goalkeeper in the world by making three huge saves in the second half. Regrouping from the one allowed goal in the first half, Solo played flawlessly for the final 45 minutes. 

Coach Tom Sermanni brought in two players who are considered to be future stars of the team as Lindsey Horan and Erika Tymrak were subbed in midway through the second half. Horan, only 19 years of age currently plays in France and signed a lucrative contract to play with PSG last year instead of playing for University of North Carolina. Tymrak spent the summer playing for FC Kansas City and earned Rookie of the Year honors in the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League. She is currently on loan to Bayern Munich in Germany but earned her first international goal within minutes of stepping on the field against Brazil. With a swift pass from Horan, Tymrak was able to dance around a few Brazilian defenders before putting one into the left side of the net in the 76th minute.

For Sermanni this game marked the end of almost a full year that he has been on the job since taking over the reigning Olympic gold medal team. This game like most throughout the year featured a few fresh faces as well as a strong mix of veteran players as Sermanni continues to get a feel for his American squad. The only blemishes on his record this year have been three draws against Sweden, Germany and New Zealand respectively. 

Next for the national team will be a training camp in December and their first game of 2014 is slated to be played against Canada on January 31 in Frisco, TX.

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