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U.S. women complete preparation for Rio Olympics with resounding win

Christen Press and Carli Lloyd
Christen Press, left, is congratulated by Carli Lloyd after scoring in USA’s 4-0 win. (Getty Images)

Ridiculously dominant soccer team is still ridiculously dominant.

That was more or less the takeaway from the United States women’s national team’s final pre-Olympic tune-up friendly in Kansas City on Friday, a 4-0 victory over Costa Rica. Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh, Carli Lloyd and Christen Press got the goals as the Americans improved to 14-0-0 all-time against the Ticas with a 75-2 cumulative goal difference.

In Rio de Janeiro, the defending Women’s World Cup champion Lady Yanks will chase a fourth straight Olympic gold medal and a fifth overall. If they reach the championship game again, they will have done so in all six editions of the women’s soccer tournament at the Summer Games.

The Americans took an encouraging step towards that objective, giving a complete and resounding performance that utterly overwhelmed Costa Rica. That the score wasn’t totally lopsided probably had more to do with the on-field heat index of 106 degrees for the kickoff at 8 p.m. local time and U.S. misses than it did a lack of chances or any kind of defensive competence by Costa Rica.

From the first kick, the American high press sprung forwards Dunn, Pugh and Alex Morgan. Costa Rica withered under the pressure deep in its own half and gave the ball away in spots where the U.S. needed just a few moments to get to goal. The balance of power would never tip back.

In just the seventh minute, Dunn smacked a shot off the near post. And within a quarter of an hour, the U.S. was leading. Morgan picked out Meghan Klingenberg as she overlapped up the left. The defender had an acre of space and picked out the wide-open Dunn at the far post. She had a simple tap-in.

Then, Pugh ran at the defense without being bothered too terribly much and concluded her long dribble by beating goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz with a surprising shot to the near post.

In the sixth minute of first-half injury time – following one of several water breaks – Kelley O’Hara was fouled on a counter. Becky Sauerbrunn floated a long free kick into the box, where Lloyd headed in well at the far post.

That goal will have boosted Lloyd’s confidence as the captain and reigning world player of the year returns from injury – while fellow starters Megan Rapinoe, Morgan Brian and Tobin Heath still nurse various ailments and saw either limited or no time.

Pugh, the 18-year-old college freshman, was particularly impressive with her tireless toil in the first half.

Following the intermission, the USA didn’t let up. A few minutes in, Lindsey Horan hit the post on excellent preparatory work by Lloyd. And Morgan got a handful of good looks, although she converted none.

Finally, Press capitalized on yet another American recovery high up the field. She was played in well by Allie Long and her finish was simple yet clinical.

With 11 days separating the Americans from the first of their Olympic group stage games against New Zealand, France and Colombia, in that order, head coach Jill Ellis’s tactical evolution to a modern, technical, possession-obsessed and zippy team appears to be complete. The squad has been pared down to its 18-woman final roster and the system is well learned. The only remaining questions concern the health of the aforementioned players and Dunn, who took a late knock.

Other than that, the Americans look ready.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.