LOS ANGELES — In a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal recreation, the U.S. girls’s nationwide crew earned one other win over Brazil, 2-0, in a pleasant on Saturday.
“[It was the] second-biggest crowd ever in LA [excluding the World Cup],” head coach Emma Hayes identified. “Even – it’s a very massive stadium – you may really feel the noise. I really feel like our followers – hear the followers of this crew have at all times been super.”
The primary-ever girls’s skilled sporting occasion at SoFi Stadium started with a bang from the Southern California women. Studio Metropolis native Alyssa Thompson minimize inside, dropped her defender, and assisted Laguna Niguel native Trinity Rodman for the opening aim within the fifth minute.
“They gave me a whole lot of house to go inside so I wished to take that,” Thompson described her help. “I wish to drive in and I noticed Trin operating, so with the ability to simply play it via the road to her and realizing that she’s gonna end was good.”
It additionally marked Rodman’s return to the nationwide crew for the primary time since that Olympic last.
“I’m very comfortable to be again with a more recent crew, however nonetheless similar atmosphere, similar viibes, vitality. I feel, I missed it lots,” Rodman shared postgame.
“It was simply type of me being again into it, bringing my degree of competitiveness, my vitality, but in addition type of making an attempt to relearn a pair new issues whereas remembering the inspiration of his crew, as a result of despite the fact that it was not that lengthy, it actually was on the similar time. I’m actually proud of my efficiency right now and the best way that the crew performed collectively.”
Thompson created hazard down the left wing nonstop within the first half, usually reducing inside to search for one other help.
Nonetheless, the Brazilian attacking high quality examined the USWNT defensively, requiring goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to place in a formidable show within the opening half of her nationwide crew debut with robust claims, highly effective punches, and a few essential saves.
“Glad. I’m very comfortable, wanting ahead to seeing my household, too,” Tullis-Joyce mentioned following her debut clear sheet.
“As I used to be saying, I didn’t inform them immediately that I used to be beginning right now. I simply couldn’t get it on my throat, so I do know they’re gonna be – I’d get slightly punch within the arm – however an enormous hug from my household is what I’m wanting ahead to.”
Brazil continued making use of stress to begin the second half however have been halted of their tracks by substitute Lily Yohannes, who drew a penalty three minutes after coming into the pitch simply previous the hour mark. Captain Lindsey Heaps dispatched into the facet netting to double the lead.
Brazil goalkeeper Lorena was known as upon a pair extra occasions to stunningly deny Thompson a aim to match her help and hold the scoreline respectable because the USWNT closed out the 2-0 victory.
The USWNT will shut their two-match collection towards the Brazilians on Tuesday at PayPal Park in San Jose.