U.S. Women Extend Unbeaten Streak With 2-0 Friendly Win Over France

Alex Morgan looks on during the Women's International Friendly match between Sweden and United States at Friends arena on April 10, 2021 in Solna, Sweden.

The U.S. women’s soccer team saw its 16-match win streak come to an end Friday in Sweden, but it started a new one Tuesday against France thanks to two all-time great players.
Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, each playing in their 175th international match, scored first-half goals in Team USA’s 2-0 friendly win in Le Havre, France. Rapinoe scored the first goal of the match from the penalty spot after Morgan was fouled in the box, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead within the first five minutes. In the 19th minute, Morgan received a through ball in the box, beating two defenders and firing a shot past the outstretched arm of the France keeper. 
While the U.S. win streak now stands at one, the team did extend its unbeaten streak to 39 matches. Fittingly, the last U.S. loss came against France in the same stadium as Tuesday’s friendly back on Jan. 19, 2019. The teams met in a much higher profile match later that year, with Rapinoe scoring two goals in the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals. Six players in Tuesday’s starting lineup were a part of the January loss while 10 played in the World Cup quarterfinal matchup.
Rapinoe extended a streak of her own by scoring in her fourth straight match for the U.S. That’s the best run of her career, and she also leads the team in scoring with seven goals thus far in 2021. It’s her best run of scoring since she scored five goals in four games at the 2019 World Cup to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball. U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher also restarted her shutout streak after her record of 10 in a row came to an end against Sweden.