Alex Morgan: USWNT needs to be ‘cleaner’ as Concacaf continues

Alex Morgan wants the USWNT to build on their opening 3-0 win against Haiti at the Concacaf W Championship in Mexico.

The veteran forward scored two goals in the match, but she noted that the team’s performance was a bit sloppy at times.

“I think we need to build on this,” she said. “Obviously we got the win, got a few goals in. But at the end of the day we did give up a penalty, we had a couple of offside goals. I think we can be a little cleaner. It’s a long tournament, so I think it’s a good start overall.”

She gave credit to Haiti for being a “really athletic team” and said it was good to get on the scoreboard early. The veteran forward scored just 16 minutes into the game and doubled the score seven minutes later.

But the USWNT’s defense was tested by Haiti, as head coach Vlatko Andonovski acknowledged after the game.

“I don’t know if there was a miscommunication or anything between our center backs,” Andonovski told reporters following the match. “I would say it was the very good play of the attackers of the opposing team… world-class players, and you can’t give them a little space.”

With the win, the USWNT sits atop Group A, with a plus-three goal differential compared to Jamaica’s plus-one after its victory against Mexico. The United States continues its journey through the group stage at 7 p.m. ET Thursday against the Reggae Girlz.