Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan with a brace, and Carli Lloyd each scored in the U.S. women’s national team 4-2 win over France but Megan Rapinoe was the key to the nervy but dominant win in the team’s Olympic opener.

The midfielder got in on the action on 3 of the 4 goals and in addition to her consistent spot on crosses showed some vision and creative thinking in the run of play that is sometimes lacking for the Red, White and Blue in the final third.

With the U.S. down 2-0, Rapinoe served a perfect back post corner kick for Wambach to rise above her TWO defenders to head home the opener. And in the run of play, Rapinoe caused the French defense problems on the right flank regularly beating her mark to the outside to cross ball into the box.

Morgan Paces U.S. Fightback

In the second half Rapinoe and the U.S. broke down the French defense. Morgan’s pace forced French manager to replace Ophelie Meilleroux with Laura Georges but it was vision the broke down Les Bleus.

After repeatedly having her way down the flank, Rapinoe changed the script in the 55th minute. She faked down the line before slotting the ball back centrally to Lloyd who took a touch to line up the shot and then sent the ball in the back of the net. The ball was certainly not highlight reel special but the set up was a long time coming and created by Rapinoe’s repeated success down the flank.

Rapinoe helped finish off the game making the breakout pass on the final goal. The U.S. appeared contained at midfield before Rapinoe made a great cross field through ball to Heather Tobin on the left flank. OK, France right back Corine Franco made a mess of the play to allow it wide but the idea from Rapinoe was the needed play.

Tobin dribbled into the box then rolled a ball across the face of goal that Wambach nearly touched in at the near post before Morgan finished at the far post.

The impressive and hopefully sign for the U.S. team is to have found success in the run of play. The team has had difficulty against top opponents and in major tournaments of finding success during the run of play with the creative vision and making the final pass to break open the opposing defense and if Rapinoe’s play is any indication it may be the golden touch.