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This is a message to the rest of the world: good luck. When facing the U.S. women’s national team, it’s always going to be a long night. Their attack is too deep. Their forwards are too talented. Even when the now-famous Triple Espresso is down a shot, there’s essentially nothing you can really do.
That was the big story of Thursday’s U.S. women’s national team win over Iceland, a 3-1 triumph in Austin, Texas. It wasn’t one individual player. It wasn’t even one individual nicknamed trio. No, this was about depth, about the USWNT sending wave after wave at a team until they finally broke under an onslaught of unmatched quality.
Some of that quality came from Sophia Smith, who ultimately scored a stunning exclamation point of a goal in the game’s final moments to build on her Olympic breakout. Some came from Jaedyn Shaw, who, like Smith, came off the bench to dribble through multiple Iceland defenders to rebound from her lack of Olympic breakout and help erase a 1-1 score. And then there was Alyssa Thompson, back in the USWNT after missing out this summer, striking a stunner of her own by curling a shot to the far post to open the scoring early on – her first international goal.
“We have so much young talent coming in,” Smith said, “and for Jaedyn and Alyssa to score … for them to have the confidence to play their game and put the ball in the back of the net, it shows a lot about who they are as players. I think we have a very bright future.”
You never know who the star will be. It changes from night to night. Even with Trinity Rodman absent, there’s no dropoff. There are too many superstars – or superstars in the making – on this team, so many options for Emma Hayes to experiment with. It seems like she can’t go wrong with any of them, and that competition between them will only make them stronger. Shaw, who missed the USWNT Olympic gold medal run because of injury, summarized the moment.
“It was a really tough month for me, but it was also the best month of my life,” she said, looking back the Paris Games, “and I really learned a lot from it. It made me hungrier to come back and produce the same, if not more.”
Production is what the USWNT was all about Thursday night, keeping Hayes unbeaten in 11 games with the USWNT. How’s that for a start to a job?
So, again, good luck to everyone else. Thursday night was a reminder of what we learned this summer: this USWNT is a freight train, no matter who leads the way on any given night.
GOAL rates the USWNT’s players from Q2 Stadium..
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GettyGoalkeeper & Defense
Alyssa Naeher (6/10):
Not much she could have done on the Iceland goal, which was fantastic. Made a few good stops on Iceland’s other chances as the visitors certainly gave it a go.
Jenna Nighswonger (7/10):
Very much locked in to that left-back spot, and for good reason. Was strong for the USWNT, particularly when she got forward, and had one good tackle, too.
Emily Sonnett (7/10):
Big night for her as she got her 100th cap. Was generally solid defensively, too, to commemorate her big night.
Naomi Girma (6/10):
Stepped into the attack a bit more than usual, particularly early. Some might say she could have been closer on Iceland’s goal but, realistically, that shot doesn’t go in 99 times out of 100. It happens.
Emily Fox (7/10):
You know exactly what you’re going to get every time Fox takes the field. Stayed a bit deeper this time around, which suits her game perfectly.
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Getty Images SportMidfield
Sam Coffey (6/10):
Given the profiles of the two midfielder she plays with, Coffey is asked to do so much as that lone No. 6. She did it well, freeing up Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle to do what they do best.
Lindsey Horan (7/10):
Very smart on the ball as always, and came oh-so-close to a free-kick goal just before halftime. Credited with the assist on Thompson’s goal but, let’s be honest, that was all Thompson. Overall, though, a composed performance in which she really make a difference with her pressing, in particular.
Rose Lavelle (6/10):
Was partly at fault for Iceland’s wondergoal, as she was beaten in the seconds leading up to it. Still, this is Lavelle we’re talking about. Maximum effort and plenty of good moments creatively, even if none quite came off.
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ImagnAttack
Mal Swanson (5/10):
Was really roughed up by Iceland’s defenders, particularly in the first half. Couldn’t quite get going due to that physicality, but she still had some good moments.
Lynn Williams (5/10):
Never really broke through as that central striker. Clearly offers a lot, particularly as a supersub, but this just wasn’t quite her night.
Alyssa Thompson (8/10):
An absolutely stunning goal, and that might be putting it lightly. The 19-year-old got a taste of USWNT life under Vlatko Andonvoski, but this felt like her true arrival. Based on that finish, this could be the start of something spectacular.
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GettySubs & Manager
Casey Krueger (7/10):
Came in to represent Fox at right-back. Obviously, a bit more attacking than the Arsenal star, which added a bit of life to the second half. Credited with the assist on Shaw’s stunner.
Jaedyn Shaw (9/10):
Interesting to see her replace Horan, meaning she played as more of a midfielder than an attacker. Doesn’t matter where she plays, though. Her goal was brilliant, and it was the game-winner the USWNT needed.
Yazmeen Ryan (7/10):
A well-deserved first cap for the Gotham star, who really has blossomed as a player over these last two seasons. Had a scary collision with Iceland’s goalkeeper, but was able to walk it off.
Hal Hershfelt (7/10):
Another debutant. Replaced Coffey as that deep-lying midfielder. Certainly brought some energy as the USWNT made bulk changes.
Sophia Smith (9/10):
With the USWNT attack struggling a bit, Hayes turned to her star striker. She scored a star-striker type of goal: an absolute missile from outside the box to seal the win.
Emma Hayes (7/10):
Got just about everything right. Gave her new players chances and got her stars in to win the game. All according to the plan.
