U.S. women's soccer has a new hero. Alex Morgan rode to the national team's rescue, scoring deep into stoppage time to give the Americans a 1-0 win and a crucial road goal in the first leg of their Women's World Cup qualifying playoff with Italy.
For the first 90 minutes plus, it was another frustrating performance for the U.S. as the Americans couldn't break through the Italian defense or get the ball to star forward Abby Wambach. It took the 21-year-old Morgan, an 85th minute substitution and the youngest player on the roster, scoring her fourth career goal in just her eighth international appearance to give the U.S. the win. With road goals a key tiebreaker in the two-game playoff, a 0-0 draw would've put Italy in the driver's seat heading into next weekend's game in Chicago. But now the U.S. has the momentum.
Morgan's first international goal came in similar fashion just last month -- an 83rd minute tally against China to force a 1-1 draw and save the United States from its first home loss since 2004. Her fourth goal Saturday again saved the U.S.
Despite the dramatic win, the U.S. should still be concerned about its play. That it took Morgan's goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time -- well over the two minutes announced by the fourth official -- has to be worrisome. Morgan only got the chance after Italy inexplicably extended stoppage time to make a substitution.
The Americans were forced into bad shots all match long by a tough Italian defense and couldn't get the ball past Italy goalkeeper (and California native) Anna Picarelli. When the U.S. forced Picarelli out of the net in the 91st minute, it couldn't get a good shot on the open net, and Italian defenders cleared the ball off the line three times in a wild scramble.
Until Morgan's goal seconds before the final whistle, it looked like it just wasn't going to be the U.S.' day yet again. The Americans had more possession than they did in the stunning 2-1 loss to Mexico that dropped them to third place in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying and forced this playoff with Italy. But it wasn't the kind of dangerous possession that's expected out of them.
Woman of the Match: It'd be easy to say Morgan, but Nicole Barnhart's huge save off a Patrizia Panico volley in the 64th minute kept the U.S. from falling down 1-0. Barnhart, starting in place of all-world goalkeeper Hope Solo (shoulder surgery), proved she was more than up to the task. Christie Rampone also did well to hold Panico, Italy's top scorer, in check for most of the game.
Celebrate: Solo led the Twitter celebration of the U.S.' win: "My heart rate must be over 200! I don't need a workout today! Alex scores and I find myself jumping on my bed screaming! I love [you] guys!"
Recently retired defender Kate Markgraf quickly joined in. "Clutch-lex Morgan does it again," she wrote on her Twitter account. "I'm so getting an Alex [Morgan] jersey."