Rose Lavelle guides U.S. women to win in Sweden

Nils Petter Nilsson/Ombrello/Getty Images

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Rose Lavelle scored to help the United States women's national team beat Sweden 1-0 in the opening game of its brief European tour.

The victory marked the first time the U.S. beat Sweden under coach Pia Sundhage, the former U.S. boss who beat the Americans in the quarterfinals of last summer's Olympics.

Lavelle scored the lone goal in the 56th minute, striking from a wide angle just inside the left post after receiving a pass from Crystal Dunn. It was her second goal in just her fifth appearance for the U.S.

Sweden nearly found an equalizer in the 86th minute, but U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher deflected a shot from Kosovare Asllani onto the crossbar and out for a corner.

The USWNT has now won all three games it has played in Sweden. The U.S. will finish its two-game tour on Sunday when they face Norway in Sandefjord.