Saturday’s ladies’s soccer pleasant between the U.S. and Brazil was billed as a rematch of final summer time’s Olympic ultimate. That was a little bit of a misnomer since two-thirds of the ladies on the 23-player U.S. roster weren’t in Paris final August.
Even the uniforms weren’t the identical.
As for the outcome, solely the rating was totally different, with the U.S. driving targets from Trinity Rodman and Lindsey Heaps to a 2-0 win earlier than a crowd of 32,303 at SoFi Stadium.
And all that was high-quality with coach Emma Hayes, who’s utilizing her first full 12 months accountable for the U.S. group to audition a wave of younger gamers forward of the following main worldwide match, the 2027 World Cup.
“What we have been doing is giving opportunities to players,” Hayes mentioned earlier than the primary ladies’s skilled sporting occasion in SoFi’s 4½-year historical past. “You have to feel your way into that arena. This camp, the next camp, there is going to be experimentation.”
One experiment Saturday concerned utilizing Angel Metropolis FC winger Alyssa Thompson in additional of a play-making position and it labored, with Thompson, who was harmful in her 84 minutes, organising the one aim the U.S. wanted within the fifth minute.
After taking a one-bounce header from Crystal Dunn at midfield, Thompson weaved by the middle of the Brazilian group — deking fullback Mariza so badly she went to the turf — earlier than splitting two defenders with a low by ball that hit Rodman in stride for the simple end.
“She’s in her best place in terms of her start to the season,” Hayes mentioned of Thompson, who entered the weekend third within the NWSL with two targets. “The development in the [last] six months for her, you can see how much she’s closed the gap.”
U.S. ahead Alyssa Thompson controls the ball throughout a 2-0 win over Brazil at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Pictures for USSF)
The aim by Rodman, who has battled a again damage for the final seven months, was her first for the U.S. because the Olympic quarterfinals. Twelve minutes later the speedy Thompson almost obtained a aim of her personal, making a run throughout the highest of the field to create house earlier than sending a right-footed shot towards the far nook that Brazilian keeper Lorena Leite barely stored out of the aspect netting.
Thompson had three even-better appears within the second half, however Leite smothered the primary two, then leaped to raise the third strive — an athletic shot by Thompson, whose again was to the aim — over the crossbar to maintain the sport shut.
Thompson additionally confirmed some veteran moxie within the 62nd minute when Brazilian defender Tarciane tried to maneuver the ball properly ahead earlier than taking a free kick from deep in her group’s finish. However Thompson refused to yield, and Mexican referee Katia García noticed it her method, pushing the ball again greater than 15 yards.
Minutes later Lily Yohannes was tripped within the field, permitting Heaps to double the U.S. lead on a penalty kick.
Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce additionally impressed in her first look, turning again six pictures — and getting some assist from the crossbar, which stopped a strive from Ludmila seconds after the intermission.
