United States head coach Vlatko Andonovski believes that there is much more to come from Manchester City midfielder Sam Mewis despite the player having netted a first career hat-trick for The Stars and Stripes against Colombia in the early hours of this morning.
Mewis hit her treble inside 47 minutes at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida as she picked up where she left off in 2020 having been named last year’s US Soccer Female Player of the Year.
It was a deadly display from Manchester City’s ‘Tower of Power’, however, United States head coach Andonovski believes that Mewis is capable of even more when speaking to the media in the post-match press conference.
“I thought it was a great performance” Andonovski told FA Women’s Super League Full-Time. “One thing about Sam is that she did what she did, played very well and scored goals, but I don’t think that is her best.
“I really believe that Sam has more growing to do which is exciting. It is exciting for me, exciting for Sam, exciting for the fans and the whole country to have a player who is so good but is capable of so much more growth.”
Having won the 2020 US Soccer Female Player of the Year award last month, Mewis must now look to become the first United States player to win the award back-to-back since Abby Wambach in 2010 and 2011. Her coach Andonovski admitted that performances like the one against Colombia is going to make Mewis hard to beat as she looks to retain her position as the United States’ top player.
Andonovski commented by saying “If she continues to play anywhere near as well as she has in this game, she is going to be in there (amongst the final nominees for 2021 US Female Player of the Year).
“I don’t know if anyone can match that performance.”
Prior to the United States’ meeting with Colombia, Mewis had been in sensational form for new club Manchester City. Despite travelling across the continent during the winter break and having not played competitive football for more than a month, the player still managed to carry her club form onto the international stage.
Mewis could collect her 70th senior international cap for the United States should she appear in their second friendly fixture against Colombia on Saturday.
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