USWNT routs Uzbekistan behind Sophia Smith's hat trick

[Kasey Langdon]

<br>Sophia Smith scored her first hat trick when the U.S.
women’s national team defeated Uzbekistan 9-1 at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday to extend its home unbeaten streak to 66 games.<br> <br>Despite the rout, the U.S. allowed a home goal for du lich nuoc ngoai the first time in more than two years when Aziza Norboeva made it 7-1 to end the 17-match home shutout streak.<br> <br>The Americans last conceded a home goal on March 11, 2020, in a 3-1 win over Japan.<br> <br>The world’s top-ranked team started slowly but goals less than a minute apart by Andi Sullivan (26th) and Mallory Pugh (27th) opened the floodgates for a 4-0 halftime lead.<br> <br>Smith made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute and she added another two minutes later as the U.S.

outshot the 48th-ranked team 13-0 in the first half. She got her third goal in the 56th minute. Smith has four goals in 14 international games.<br> <br>The U.S. has 59 wins and seven ties during its home unbeaten streak.<br> <br>Sullivan opened the scoring with her third goal in 26 matches off a header by Alana Cook.
Directly off the kickoff, the U.S. pressured and Rose Lavelle started a counter with three other attackers, while Pugh finished her 22nd goal from the center of the box for the two-goal lead.<br> <br>Pugh set up Smith for the third tally and on the fourth goal, Smith scored with a left-footed finish.<br> <br>There was no letup to start the second half when Catarina Macario padded the advantage to 5-0 with strong shot from the right side in the 46th minute.

She has seven goals in 16 games.<br> <br>After Smith made it 6-0 from Pugh, Jaelin Howell scored her first goal before Uzbekistan got on the board. Ashley Hatch made it 8-1 in the 87th minute and Ashley Sanchez got her first career goal in the 90th minute.<br> <br>The teams play again Tuesday at Chester, Pa.<br> <br>– Field Level Media<br>

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