US girls outgun Australia 5-3

LOS ANGELES: Alex Morgan blasted home the 100th goal of her career as the US women’s national team posted a 5-3 win over Australia in a FIFA Women’s World Cup tune-up on Thursday. Morgan’s 100th strike opened the scoring in the 14th minute for the top-ranked Americans in the international friendly in front of a crowd of 17,200 in Denver, Colorado. Morgan, the 2018 US soccer player of the year, now has 27 goals over her last 32 games and is tied with Tiffeny Mibrett in sixth place on the American all-time scoring list. Mallory Pugh scored twice for the USA, who improved to 3-1-2 this year against World Cup-bound teams. Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe also scored for the US. Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Lisa De Vanna scored for the sixth-ranked Matildas. This summer the reigning world champion Americans will make their eighth straight appearance in the FIFA World Cup. They are gunning for their fourth title after winning in 2015, 1999 and 1991. The USA is one of about a half dozen countries to qualify for all eight Women’s World Cups along with Brazil, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Nigeria. The tournament will be held from June 7-July 7 in nine cities in France. The US’s next game is Sunday against Belgium in Los Angeles.