The USWNT defeated Argentina 3-0 in the finale of their post-Olympic celebration. They finished their Gold medal celebration tour with three wins, three 100-cap celebrations and seven debuts.
Wednesday night was Rose Lavelle’s turn to celebrate, having played her 100th match back on June 4th.
Lavelle was honored before the match with a jersey presentation, surrounded by her family and friends, including a headphone-clad Wilma Jean Wrinkles.
“I think it's been like the privilege of a lifetime to be able to play for this team. There's so much history behind it, and I feel so honored to be able to add to that.” Lavelle said after the match.
Naomi Girma scored first two goals of her USWNT career with a header off of a Rose Lavelle free kick, and another header off of an Alyssa Malonson cross.
“I was not with the strikers this week, believe it or not.” Girma joked after the match “I Was excited to get the goal but also to get goals for my team. It was just so fun to celebrate with them and have them all cheering me on too.”
Mandy Haught started the match in goal and picked up her first win, and first clean sheet. She was a late addition to this camp after Jane Campbell picked up a muscle injury in training.
“I was planning my team Halloween party in Utah, and then it was like, oh, okay, I gotta get on a plane to Nashville tonight. But it's just surreal,” said Haught after the match. “I mean, everyone's journey starts differently, and I’m just so honored and privileged to have my opportunity to start my journey here, no matter what day, when and where. Just so grateful to be a part of this team.”
The joy of the team’s celebration was apparent in all three matches, but so too was the purposeful work of the camp.
During the Olympics, the team struggled to score off their set piece plays. On Wednesday, all three goals came off set piece opportunities. “We set ourselves a target to improve on attacking set pieces,” Emma Hayes said in the post-match press conference. “I think that’s important for us to keep building on.”
Naomi Girma was the 13th different player to score a goal for the USWNT since the start of Emma Hayes’ coaching tenure.
“The team are aligned in what we’re trying to do in front of goal. I think to have so many other goal scorers is so pleasing for us—that we’re coming through with three goals in each game, it’s not easy,” said Hayes “And I still don’t believe we’re generating as much xG as I think we can.”
Hayes also emphasized the importance of seeing new faces on the squad. Seven players made their debut as the USWNT begins a new chapter on the road to the 2027 World Cup.
Up next for the USWNT is a test against two European champions, England and the Netherlands. According to Hayes we won’t be seeing as much roster experimentation in this next window, but the work to develop the senior National Team pool will begin in earnest in the January 2025 camps.