Tokyo Games - United States cruise past New Zealand for first Tokyo Games win in second match

Gold medal favourites USA got their Olympic women's football campaign back on track with an emphatic 6-1 win over New Zealand.

Meaning business after the loss of their 44-game unbeaten run against Sweden in their first Groyup G game, the USA started with a real intensity and barely let up in the first half. The All Whites are now all but out after successive defeats.

They took the lead on nine minutes through Rose Lavelle's neat finish at the near post. She was played in brilliantly by Tobin Heath and made no mistake.

It was wave after wave from then on, with the USWNT finding the net four times in quick succession, only for each to be disallowed for offside. Lindsey Horan's header was checked by VAR, but to no avail.

At the other end, Hannah Wilkinson was completely starved of real service, but made a nuisance of herself and went close with two headers.

With the break looming, though, Horan made it 2-0. She headed home after Julie Ertz won a backpost flick-on from a corner to cement her side's dominance at the perfect time.

Just past the hour, Abby Erceg put through her own net to compound New Zealand's misery by putting Lloyd's flick on from Ertz's cross through her own net.

Betsy Hassett then pulled one back for New Zealand but it was no more than a consolation, with USWNT substitutes Christen Press and Alex Morgan getting on the scoresheet before a CJ Bott own goal finally brought the game to a close.

It was back to normal for USA here and they were clearly reeling from losing that game to Sweden. But their response was incredibly impressive. Notwithstanding the six goals they managed to score, there were four disallowed for offside before half time. If anyone thought the world champions were slipping, they'll need to think again.

An early cross from Horan, who started the game on the left of a midfield three but spent most of her game as a de-facto fourth forward, set her stall out. She headed in the crucial second having already been denied by the assistant referee's flag and kept on going, typifying her side's ruthlessness. Of all the attacking stars on show, she shone brightest.

New Zealand: Leat 6, Bott 5, Erceg 4, Moore 5, Riley 5, Percival 5, Bowen 5, Cleverley 5, Chance 6, Hassett 6, Wilkinson 6 Substitutes: Satchell 6, Rennie n/a, Longo n/a

USA: Naemer 6, Dunn 6, Davidson 5, Dahlkemper 6, Sonnett, Ertz 7, Horan 8, Lavelle 7, Rapinoe 6, Heath 7, Lloyd 7 Substitutes: Mewis 5, Press 7, Morgan 7, Marcacio n/a, Krueger n/a

9' - GOAL! USA lead through Rose Lavelle's tidy finish. Deserved on the balance of play. 0-1.

44' - GOAL! Horan adds a second for the USA, after meeting Ertz' backpost flick on from a corner to head home.

63' - GOAL! USA have a third. Ertz' cross is put through her own net by Erceg after Lloyd headed across goal.

72' - GOAL! The All Whites have one back through Betsy Hassett, who was set up by Satchell's pass.

81' - GOAL! It is a fourth for USA. Press controls and finishes from Ertz's cross.

88' - GOAL! Alex Morgan gets in on the act. 5-1!

90' + 3 - GOAL! Bott's deflection on Press' shot takes it in.