Samantha Mewis scores twice to lead U.S. women past South Africa

Samantha Mewis is finding her stride again just in time for her first World Cup.

Mewis scored goals in both halves and the U.S. women's national team began its World Cup send-off series with a 3-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday at Santa Clara, Calif.

"Sammy's confidence just grows and grows and grows with match play and the experience that she gets out there," coach Jill Ellis said. "She's a dynamic player than can impact a game. When you go to a World Cup, your midfield, you need to have players that can score goals from distance, that can get in the box, that can obviously play make. There's versatility to Sam."

After starting every game for the national team in 2017, Mewis missed most of 2018 with a knee injury. But she has worked her way back and scored last month against Belgium and followed that up against South Africa with her second career two-goal game.

"Everyone on this team has been through adversity," Mewis said. "All of our journeys have been amazing in that they led us here. Sharing this with my teammates and sharing this with my family is the best part." Carli Lloyd added her 108th career goal in second-half added time to the delight of the crowd of 22,788 at the home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. That moved Lloyd into fourth place in career goals for the U.S., breaking a tie with Michelle Akers.

"Just doing my thing," Lloyd said. "''Just coming on trying to make a difference. Nothing has really changed from 2005 when I first got on this team."

The Americans controlled the play from the start, with the game played almost entirely in South Africa's end. But despite dominating possession, the U.S. generated few prime scoring chances early because several crosses and final passes just missed their targets inside the box.

Mewis had one of the best chances when her header off a cross from Tobin Heath sailed just over the crossbar. But Mewis made the most of her next opportunity in the 37th minute when she took a pass from Rose Lavelle near the top of the box. Mewis faked to her left, came back to the right and beat goalie Andile Dlamini with a shot from outside the box that went just inside the post.