THE USA CONTINUED their preparation for next month’s World Cup finals in France with an emphatic 5-0 win over New Zealand in St Louis.
The defending world champions saw off the southern hemisphere side with considerable ease, making it two wins from two from this month’s three-game ‘send-off series’.
Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath were the stand-out performers at Busch Stadium, with the former netting twice for the USA and in the process taking her career goals tally to 110.
She overtakes Michelle Akers on the USWNT all-time top scorer list and looked razor sharp, bagging her third and fourth goals in her last three games.
Heath grabbed the opener on Thursday evening, getting on the end of captain Megan Rapinoe’s crossed and tapping in from close range.
In all, the USA battered down the door of their fellow World Cup participants, finishing with 25 shots on goal in comparison to the Kiwis’ solitary effort.
Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis were also on target for the hosts.
US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was largely untroubled for the duration of the night’s action and recorded the 24th clean sheet of her international career.
Head coach Jill Ellis will be happy with her side’s performance and know her team will be full of confidence heading into their final warm-up game on 26 May.
They have kept both New Zealand and South Africa (3-0) scoreless and will look to continue that trend when they host Mexico at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
Action in France gets underway for the USWNT on 11 June when they begin the defence of the crown against Thailand in Reims.
Ellis’ side then travel to the French capital to take on Chile at the Parc des Princes, before finishing their group stage campaign against Sweden at the Stade Océane.
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