Anthony K. Hewson - Alex Morgan

Anthony K. Hewson

Lerner Publications Minneapolis

Copyright 2020 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

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Main body text set in Albany Std.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hewson, Anthony K., author.

Title: Alex Morgan / by Anthony K. Hewson.

Description: Minneapolis : Lerner Publications, [2020] | Series: Sports all- stars | Audience: Ages | Audience: Grades K3. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018057300 (print) | LCCN 2019004521 (ebook) | ISBN 9781541556218 (eb pdf) | ISBN 9781541556119 (lb : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781541574465 (pb : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Morgan, Alex (Alexandra Patricia), 1989Juvenile literature. | Women soccer playersUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC GV942.7.M673 (ebook) | LCC GV942.7.M673 H48 2020 (print) | DDC 796.334092 [B] dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018057300

Manufactured in the United States of America

1-CG-7/15/19

Contents

Alex Morgan (middle) fights Canada for control of the ball in the 2012 Olympics.

The Gold Medal

The US Womens National Soccer Team was heading into the semifinal against Canada during the 2012 Olympic Games. Just one more win and the Americans would play for the gold medal. It was a high-scoring game.

Date of Birth: July 2, 1989

Position: forward

League: National Womens Soccer League (NWSL)

Professional Highlights: won an Olympic gold medal in 2012; won the World Cup title in 2015 with the US Womens National Team; scored her 90th professional career goal in 2018

Personal Highlights: wrote a series of childrens books about soccer; got married in 2014; starred in a movie in 2018

Facts at a Glance

Whenever Canada took the lead, the US team answered with a goal of its own. After minutes, the game was tied

The game went into overtime. After extra minutes, neither team had scored. The referee added on three minutes at the end of the match. Time was running out. It was in the 123rd and final minute when Alex Morgan worked her magic.

Morgan was waiting near the goal. Her teammate Heather OReilly chased down the ball. Just before the ball went out of bounds, OReilly caught up and kicked it toward the goal. Canada defenders surrounded Morgan. But she rose above them, meeting the ball with her head and shooting it at the goal.

Morgan didnt even watch the ball go in the net. She just heard the roar of the

Morgan dribbles the ball down the field.

crowd and knew she had done it. No US player had ever scored that late in a match.

A few seconds later, the final whistle blew. I cried on the fieldwho does that? Morgan said. But it felt good. . . . We were going to the finals. Three days later, the United States won the gold medal.