HARRISON, N.J. — The U.S. women’s soccer team narrowly won its first of two Olympic warmup games.
Sophia Smith scored the lone goal in the 64th minute for a 1-0 victory against Mexico in front of 26,376 fans at Red Bull Arena, marking the seventh consecutive sellout crowd in the last nine years at the always-electric stadium.
No surprise starters
U.S. manager Emma Hayes fielded the same starting lineup that is expected to feature in the upcoming tournament.
The lineup included Alyssa Naeher in goal; Jenna Nighswonger, Tierna Davidson, Naomi Girma, and Emily Fox in defense; Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, and Rose Lavelle in midfield; and Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman in the attack, from left to right.
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The front three showed dynamism, with Lavelle occasionally pressing higher than Rodman when the team was on the defensive.
However, the trio struggled to create many shots in the first half, tallying just eight attempts despite having 65% of the possession. Rodman had some missed opportunities, either taking too many touches or passing when a shooting chance was available.
The second half started better, with Smith getting a one-on-one breakaway in the 52nd minute. She missed the initial opportunity before shooting straight at the Mexico goalkeeper and failing to convert the rebound.
Smith’s breakthrough
Smith eventually broke the deadlock with a well-executed finish following a nice buildup play. Lavelle set up Rodman on the right side, who then passed to Swanson in the middle, and Swanson found Smith on the left for a curling shot into the far post.
Hayes had substitutions lined up just before the goal, bringing in Korbin Albert, Emily Sonnett, and Crystal Dunn to replace Horan, Fox, and Nighswonger, respectively.
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In the 72nd minute, Smith came close to scoring a second goal with another break down the right side, but her shot hit the wrong side of the post by inches.
Hayes made additional substitutions in the 75th minute, bringing in Lynn Williams for Smith and Jaedyn Shaw for Lavelle. This move solidified Shaw as the backup attacking midfielder behind Lavelle, given Catarina Macario’s injury absence.
The final U.S. substitution came in the 81st minute, with Croix Bethune replacing Swanson. It marked Bethune’s senior U.S. debut, as she is an Olympic alternate and a top contender for NWSL Rookie of the Year with the Washington Spirit this season.
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Honoring history
Before the game, there was a ceremony honoring U.S. women’s players from 1985—the first-ever U.S. women’s team—and the legendary 1999 World Cup champions. Stars like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, and Michelle Akers received huge cheers during the introduction.
It was the first time in years that the entire 1999 team was reunited, with some players admitting they hadn’t watched their title game win since then.
Naeher, a Penn State alum, was also recognized before the game for reaching her 100th national team appearance earlier in the year. The Connecticut native wore the captain’s armband on this special occasion.
Naeher’s shutout on Saturday marked her 63rd in 105 national team games.
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