Rose Lavelle shines in Cincinnati homecoming as USWNT routs Paraguay again

Lavelle had a goal and three assists in the 8-0 rout.

Rose Lavelle (16) on the ball for the U.S. women in her home town.Read moreAaron Doster / AP

by Jeff Wallner, Associated Press

Published Sept. 21, 2021, 11:22 p.m. ET

CINCINNATI — Rose Lavelle thrilled her hometown fans with a goal and three assists in the first 15 minutes, Alex Morgan scored three goals and the United States women routed Paraguay 8-0 in an exhibition on Tuesday night.

The U.S. topped Paraguay by a combined score of 17-0 in the two-game series in Ohio, following Thursday’s 9-0 win in Cleveland.

Lavelle, a Cincinnati native, brought the crowd of 22,515 at TQL Stadium to its feet when she headed in a cross from Casey Krueger in the fourth minute.

Lavelle followed with a pair of assists, first to Sophia Smith in the sixth minute. Two minutes later, Lavelle’s cross set up Morgan’s first goal.

Catarina Macario scored in the 15th minute, assisted by Lavelle, to make it 5-0.

Carli Lloyd, who has two games left before she retires, entered in the 61st minute and scored her 134th career goal.

Lloyd was coming off a five-goal performance on Thursday that moved her into third on the career list.

Macario added her second goal of the match off a volley in the 82nd minute.

Lavelle was playing in Cincinnati for the second time as a member of the national team, but it was her first appearance in TQL Stadium, the new home of Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati.

She has 16 goals and 12 assists in 64 appearances for the U.S.

Lavelle left the field to a loud ovation in the 70th minute when she was subbed off for Kristie Mewis.

Morgan’s third goal was her finest of the night, a right-footed back-heel off a cross from Smith to make it 6-0 in the 53rd minute.

Coach Vlatko Andonovski was without Christen Press, who is taking time off to focus on her mental health. Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz, Sam Mewis and Megan Rapinoe missed the game with injuries.

The absences presented few problems against Paraguay, which also lost 7-0 to Japan in April in its only other scheduled match after three games against Colombia were canceled because of COVID-19.

The United States is in the midst of a four-game stretch following a disappointing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

The team is scheduled to host South Korea twice next month before a possible trip to Australia in November.