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In search of a bounce-back performance, the United States Men’s Olympic soccer team jumped all over New Zealand en route to its first points of the tournament.
Djordje Mihailovic, Walker Zimmerman, Gianluca Busio, and Paxten Aaronson all found the back of the net in a 4-1 group stage victory on Saturday. The result was an important one after the Americans lost 3-0 to hosts France in their opening match last Wednesday.
Mihailovic began the scoring from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, netting the first Olympics goal for the USA men in 5,833 days (16 years).
Fellow overage player Zimmerman bundled the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 in the 13th minute. New Zealand failed to clear its box and the Americans made them pay for their second goal in quick succession.
Left-back John Tolkin, who created the opportunity for Zimmerman, was a standout performer on the day just as he was against France despite not finding his name on the scoresheet.
By the half-hour mark, Busio joined the show to help the USMNT break another record. With his finish to make it 3-0, the men’s team ended a 24-year drought (since Sydney 2000) without scoring three goals in an Olympic match.
Unfortunately, not everything went right as Busio became a forced substitution due to a hamstring injury seven minutes later.
Nonetheless, records continued to fall in the second half as the USMNT added a fourth goal in the second half. Paxten Aaronson finished off Griffin Yow’s service to give the Americans their first-ever Olympic match with four goals scored.
New Zealand’s Jesse Randall came off the bench and pulled a consolation goal back for the Kiwi, but it would be their lone bright moment of the match.
The same starting XI that fell to France three days prior took destiny into their own hands on Saturday, ensuring that a victory in their final match against Guinea on Tuesday will earn the United States a spot in the…
Source link : https://sbisoccer.com/2024/07/usmnt-olympic-squad-rebounds-with-historic-win-over-new-zealand
Author : Justin Ruderman
Publish date : 2024-07-27 19:23:33
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