Incoming Bruins make Olympic debuts for women’s soccer national teams
Mallory Pugh made her Olympic debut Wednesday afternoon. The forward helped the U.S. beat Team New Zealand 2-0. (Photo by Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
By TuAnh Dam
Aug. 3, 2016 7:04 p.m.
Thirty-six past, current and future UCLA athletes and coaches will compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Each day, the Daily Bruin wraps up the different events with Bruin highlights, key performances and upcoming events.
Women’s soccer
Canada vs. Australia
Team Canada started the 2016 Rio Olympics with a upset 2-0 victory over fifth-ranked team Australia. Incoming freshman Jessie Fleming, one of the youngest members on the national team, started for the 2012 Olympic bronze medalists and played the entire match in her Olympic debut. The Canadians took the early lead with the fastest goal in Olympic history just seconds into the match. But the Australians pushed back and drew a red card on defender Shelina Zadorsky in the 19th minute. Playing 10-against-11, Fleming, a midfielder with over 20 caps on the national team, made multiple highlight plays on offense and defense. Just before halftime, the 18-year-old from Ontario, Canada, tackled an Australian player, denying the Matildas an equalizing goal. Team captain and veteran Christine Sinclair put the 10th-ranked Canadians up 2-0 with the insurance goal late in the second half off Fleming’s one-touch assist, Fleming and Team Canada will face Team Zimbabwe on Saturday in their second round robin matchup.
U.S. vs. New Zealand
The U.S. women’s soccer team began off their 2016 campaign with an electric 2-0 win over New Zealand on Wednesday afternoon. The three-time defending gold medalists put the Kiwis away in the first half behind stalwart defense and an early goal from team captain Carli Lloyd. Mallory Pugh, the youngest player on the national team who recently deferred enrollment to 2017, started for the Americans before being subbed out in the 51st minute by former UCLA coach Jill Ellis. Cal alumna Alex Morgan scored the insurance goal in the second half before Ellis brought on substitutes. Rosie White, who scored the winning penalty kick to send the Bruins to the 2013 NCAA championship game did not play for Team New Zealand, which will face Colombia in its next match Saturday. Team USA will also square off against France on Saturday afternoon.
