The United States Women’s National Team played its first game of 2023 down under, picking up a comfortable win over New Zealand, 4-0. The Football Ferns are co-hosts of the 2023 Women’s World Cup with Australia. Therefore, it was a sensible friendly for both involved.



Then, for much of the first half, New Zealand did well to contain a heavily favored USWNT. A scoreless first 45 likely frustrated manager Vlatko Andonovski, who then made four substitutions up and down the pitch. The result paid off immediately.



Mallory Swanson opened the scoring with one of the halftime substitutes, Trinity Rodman, providing the cross. It was Swanson’s 26th goal in the red, white and blue. However, it was her first under her married name. She scored the previous 25 as a perhaps more familiar Mallory Pugh.



Alex Morgan put the game to bed not long after. In the 60th minute, Rose Lavelle played a backheel pass into the box for Morgan, who lashed the ball to the far post to beat New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Nayler. 



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Rose Lavelle with the backheel assist to Alex Morgan 😮‍💨 <a href="https://t.co/4MVxSdFtF9">pic.twitter.com/4MVxSdFtF9</a>— B/R Football (@brfootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1615567552452726791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Swanson went ahead and picked up her brace just two minutes after Morgan’s goal. The Chicago Red Stars forward was through on goal, dribbled around Nayler, and tucked the ball away. Then, the USWNT added a fourth as Lynn Williams scored off another Trinity Rodman cross.



<h2>USWNT starts big 2023 off with win over New Zealand</h2>



While New Zealand is hopeful to make noise at its own World Cup, it is not exactly the powerhouse among the favorites to win that World Cup. If you put any stock in the <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/women?dateId=ranking_20221209" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIFA Women’s World Rankings</a>, New Zealand is 24th, while the USWNT is top. Comparing that to the <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id13869" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">men’s list</a>, that is Brazil against Iran. 



However, this game, as well as the next friendly also against New Zealand, provide opportunities to those looking to break into Andonovski’s side. 



For example, Trinity Rodman picked up a pair of assists, her first assists with the USWNT. Taylor Kornieck made her first career start for the side, even if it was her sixth cap overall. 



Also, for the broadcasting side, this was <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/us-soccer-national-team-to-make-hbo-max-debut-in-january-20221202-WST-410783.html">HBO Max’s first game</a> of its <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/us-soccer-announce-new-tv-deal-turner-sports-20220301-CMS-373327.html">new deal with US Soccer</a>. The next game for the USWNT, set for Friday night, is airing on TNT.



PHOTO: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

The USWNT used a four-goal second half to pull away from New Zealand in its first game of what should be a massive 2023.

USWNT rides second-half surge to defeat New Zealand

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Doha (AFP) – Costa Rica became the last team to qualify for this year’s World Cup as Joel Campbell’s early goal gave the Central Americans a nervy 1-0 win over New Zealand in a play-off on Tuesday.
Former Arsenal forward Campbell netted in the third minute in Doha and New Zealand, who were reduced to 10 men in the second half, could not find an equaliser despite dominating for long periods. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Costa Rica will face Germany, Spain and Japan in a tough Group E at the tournament which starts in Qatar in November.
Victory put Costa Rica into their third straight World Cup and sixth in total. Their best effort so far was a surprise run to the quarter-finals in 2014.
New Zealand striker Chris Wood had what he thought was a leveller ruled out by VAR shortly before half-time at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium due to a foul earlier in the move.
The Kiwis also saw Kosta Barbarouses sent off, barely eight minutes after coming on as a substitute, for a challenge on Costa Rica’s Francisco Calvo. That decision was also changed by VAR after he had initially been shown a yellow card.
“We are incredibly disappointed, we are hurting,” said New Zealand coach Danny Hay.
“I thought we were by far the better team. There was one team that dominated.”
He called the decision for the disallowed goal “atrocious” and said the referee should not have been in charge of the game.
Both sides had suffered badly from the pandemic upheaval.
The whole Oceania qualifying group, that New Zealand won to reach this play-off, was held behind closed doors in Qatar this year because of the coronavirus.
Costa Rica star Bryan Ruiz went down with Covid-19 two weeks before Tuesday’s game and the team had to deny accusations that they played two infected players against Jamaica in January.
New Zealand’s neighbours Australia took the 31st qualifying spot in the same stadium on Monday when they beat Peru 5-4 on penalties.
The first World Cup in an Arab nation starts in Qatar on November 21, with the final on December 18.

Costa Rica claim last World Cup place with victory over New Zealand - World Soccer Talk

Costa Rica claim last World Cup place with victory over New Zealand

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Wellington (AFP) – New Zealand’s men’s football team will play in front of their home fans for the first time in nearly five years when they host Australia in a milestone friendly in September.
The All Whites face the Socceroos at Auckland’s Eden Park on September 25, marking the 100-year anniversary of the first international fixture between the neighbours.
It will be the rugby venue’s first senior football international, with the game falling one day after a Bledisloe Cup rugby Test between the nations there.
The Socceroos will also host New Zealand as part of a two-game series, with that date and venue to be decided. They have not played each other in more than a decade.
This week both nations will have thoughts only on World Cup qualifying.
Australia face the United Arab Emirates in an Asian playoff later Tuesday in Doha, with the winners to meet Peru on June 13 for a place at the World Cup Finals in Qatar later this year.
New Zealand play Costa Rica a day later, also in Qatar, to determine the 32nd and final team at the finals.
The All Whites’ last home international was a World Cup playoff against Peru in December 2017, a tie they ultimately lost.
New Zealand’s remoteness makes it difficult to convince strong opposition to travel, while the cost and logistics of summoning their largely overseas-based players adds further challenges.
With Covid restrictions lifting, New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnall hopes it will mark the start of more frequent home games.
“We made a commitment to play more games in Aotearoa (New Zealand) for all our national sides,” said Pragnall.
“This game represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to witness some of Aotearoa’s greatest football talent who have been developing and plying their trade abroad at the highest levels.”

USWNT rides second-half surge to defeat New Zealand

New Zealand

USWNT rides second-half surge to defeat New Zealand

Costa Rica

Costa Rica claim last World Cup place with victory over New Zealand

Australia

N.Zealand face Australia in first home match in five years