The United States Women’s National Team rode a second-half goal by Rose Lavelle to a 1-0 victory over Sweden on Thursday, at Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg. The international friendly featured appearances by three Thorns FC players and marked a homecoming of sorts for defender Meghan Klingenberg.
Klingenberg, who played for Swedish side Tyresö FF in 2012 and 2013, was excited about being in familiar surroundings.
“It seems like [Sweden] is my adopted home, and being able to come back and play here against people I know and love and care about is a really special experience,” she said prior to the match.
The 28-year-old defender started the game alongside Thorns FC teammate Allie Long before Lindsey Horan came on during a pair of USWNT substitutions in the 46th minute.
The match featured a scoreless first half but not one without opportunities. Carli Lloyd had a strong chance which set up via a Klingenberg cross. However, Lloyd’s strike veered just wide of the goal.
Allie Long, positioned as a defender, helped to make a key save in the 44th minute on a Swedish attack.
After having lost to Sweden on penalties in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Long had been looking forward to the match.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this game since the whistle blew August 12, 2016,” she said before the game.
The U.S. will next travel to Sandefjord on June 11 to face Norway for the team’s final European match this week (4pm PT; FOX).
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In Winnipeg, Alberta, Thorns FC forward Christine Sinclair earned her 258th international cap and scored her 168th international goal in Canada's 3-1 win over Costa Rica in an international friendly Thursday night. The strike puts her just 16 behind all-time international women's goal-scoring leader Abby Wambach.
With the Canadians leading 1-0, Sinclair doubled her side's lead when she deftly converted a penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
