A pair of early goals by Sophia Smith lifted the U.S. women’s national team to a 5-0 victory over Jamaica in the CONCACAF W Championship in Guadalupe, Mexico, on Thursday.
The victory put the Americans on the verge of clinching a berth in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, a goal they would accomplish if Haiti wins or ties host Mexico later in the second match.
The top two teams in the two four-team groups automatically qualify. The U.S. leads Group A with six points with a match remaining vs. host Mexico on Monday before the knockout round begins.
As a bonus, the winner of the W Championship also qualifies for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The U.S. had never lost to the Jamaicans in four previous matches, outscoring them 26-0, and Smith made sure there would be no upset as was the case when Jamaica defeated Mexico 1-0 on Monday.
She scored in the fifth and eighth minutes to give here eight goals in 18 international matches.
Rose Lavelle extended the lead to 3-0 in the 59th minute. Kristie Mewis added a penalty kick in the 83rd minute for her sixth international goal after Midge Purce drew the foul, and Trinity Rodman made it 5-0 in the 86th for her second goal in five U.S. games.
Smith opened the scoring by taking a pass from Naomi Girma on the right flank. Smith took a touch and moved the ball around a defender before deftly slipping a shot with the outside of her right foot past goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer.
Soon after, Smith took an overhead pass from Sofia Huerta and chipped a shot over the charging Spencer.
The U.S. had two goals more goals disallowed for being offside, one by Mallory Pugh and the other from Ashley Hatch, who also had two shots hit the post in the first 50 minutes.
Lavelle, meanwhile, was on target for her 21st goal, converting a cross from Ashley Sanchez at the right post.
Spencer made six saves. Alyssa Naeher stopped two Jamaican shots.
–Field Level Media