USWNT: U.S. Women Defeat China 3-0 Under Ellis

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(April 10, 2014)-The U.S. Women's national team completed their two game series with China PR in front of 12,857 fans on a gorgeous night in southern California. The U.S. Women easily handled their Chinese counterparts in a 3-0 win.

It was the first game under Jill Ellis who was handed the interim head coaching reigns Sunday night after the U.S. Soccer Federation abruptly fired Tom Sermanni. For Ellis, it was her sixth win after guiding the team to a 5-0-2 record after also serving as the interim coach at the end of 2012.

Ellis has served as an assistant with the senior national team since 2008 and also took over the role of Development Director for U.S. Soccer in 2010. Ellis who had a successful tenure at the helm of the UCLA Bruins before joining U.S. Soccer fulltime was praised by Sunil Gulati, the President of U.S. Soccer during his conference call this week.

“Jill is, I think, a strong candidate for virtually any job in our program. She’s done a terrific job as Director of Youth Development. She took the team for seven games a couple of years ago and when we were in the search process two years ago, Jill took herself out of that process. We think very highly of Jill, I think it’s safe to say.”

Ellis pulled herself out of consideration for the head coaching position in 2012 when Pia Sundhage stepped down after the London Olympics. Sermanni was then selected after a rigorous process that few saw ending after only fourteen months on the job. And now with less than a year a half until the Women's World Cup, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the number one ranked team in the world.

There was no uncertainty however with the focus that the U.S. Women brought to their game against China tonight. The U.S. put pressure on the Chinese right from the start with midfielder Carli Lloyd just missing a goal wide left in the 2nd minute. 

Lloyd didn't miss her next opportunity when she scored the opening goal for the U.S. in the 20th minute. Lloyd was able to convert a pass from forward Lauren Holiday that she blasted from close range to the right side of the net.

Only three minutes later Lloyd tacked on another goal with a shot from outside the box that gave Lloyd her 50th international goal. 

The second forty-five started with a quick goal from forward Sydney Leroux only fourteen seconds into the half. It was Leroux's fifth goal of the year for the U.S. Women. 

The Americans started their second game in a row in with a 4-3-3 formation that they also used Sunday night in Denver under the direction of Sermanni. The team continues to have a surplus of talented forwards at their disposal and the formation has allowed them to distribute playing time a little more generously with the forward line. 

Rachel Van Hollebeke, originally from San Diego, suffered an injury only three minutes into the game when she became tangled up with a Chinese defender during a corner kick. Van Hollebeke was seen on crutches after the game and is scheduled for an MRI on her leg tomorrow.

The national team members will now join their respective clubs as the National Women's Soccer League begins its second season this weekend. 

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