The United States' squad is more motivated than ever, coach Jill Ellis said on Sunday after making seven changes in the 3-0 win against Chile in the women's World Cup to give her fringe players an opportunity to get rid of any tournament nerves.
The defending champions thrashed Thailand 13-0 in their opening Group F match, but with the demanding schedule in mind, Ellis opted to drop key players like Alex Morgan, who had fired five goals in that game, to boost the team's overall morale.
"The New Jersey native and Rutgers product almost had a hat-trick, just pulling her 81st-minute penalty kick wide left. She still became the first person to score in six straight World Cup games and the oldest, at 36, to score a brace, even dropping back into her old midfield role."