The Albany Gazette - Debutant Sears shines as US women rally to beat Iceland

Sears capped the scoring in second-half stoppage time, putting away the rebound after Alyssa Thompson hit the upright.

She had entered in the second half for the reigning Olympic champions and made her presence felt, dealing deftly with a cross from Thompson to deliver a precise pass to Lynn Williams for a goal that made it 1-1 in the 72nd minute.

Four minutes later, Lindsey Horan fired the hosts ahead as Williams received a free kick from Mallory Swanson and slid the ball across to Horan, who tapped it into an open net.

Iceland had taken the lead in the 31st minute when Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir curled a high corner kick directly into the goal.

US keeper Casey Murphy leapt to try to get a hand on it but it dropped behind her into the net.

It was the first time under coach Emma Hayes that the United States trailed in a match -- a run that included a fifth Olympic gold at the Paris Games.

Ingibjorg Siguroardottir also forced a save in the first half, when the United States dominated possession but struggled to create chances in the face of Iceland's disciplined defense.

Hayes opened with some fresh faces, including giving Emily Sams a starting spot for her first international cap.

Sams was a late callup to the US Olympic squad but even though she came away from Paris with a gold medal, she didn't play in a match.

Horan, Thompson and Emily Fox were among the second-half substitutes and Sophia Smith entered in the 66th minute as the Americans stepped up the pressure in search of a win.

They weren't disappointed, notching their 11th victory, with one draw, since Hayes took the helm.

The match was the second of a three-game friendly series to celebrate the United States' fifth Olympic title in Paris -- where they beat Brazil 1-0 in the final.

They beat Iceland 3-1 in Austin, Texas, on Thursday and take on Argentina on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky.

(P.Clark--TAG)