Catarina Macario and US women coast past China in friendly

SAINT PAUL – Catarina Macario scored and provided an assist for the United States women’s national football team as “security blanket” Naomi Girma made her return during a comfortable 3-0 friendly victory over China in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on May 31.

It was the 17th win in 21 games for English coach Emma Hayes, who was tasked with restoring the Americans to the summit of the women’s game following their early 2023 World Cup exit. She has already started the revival with gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

On May 31, the former Chelsea manager hailed the return of defender Girma – the first million-dollar player in women’s football history. It was her first appearance for the US in 2025.

Hayes said: “We’ve missed her... Just in terms of the way we control the game; her, in a deeper space, just making decisions when to play forward, when not to.”

Midfielder Sam Coffey added: “Having her on the field is like having a security blanket.”

Macario scored in the 28th minute and set up Coffey’s goal in the 35th. Lindsey Heaps made it 3-0 in the 54th minute at Allianz Field.

This was the first of five matches for the US ahead of Concacaf qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Next up for the US are Jamaica in St Louis, Missouri, on June 3.

Macario proved she is fully recovered and back to brilliance after an anterior cruciate ligament injury cost her nearly two years of action and saw her miss the 2023 World Cup. She has eight goals and five assists in her past nine starts and was in the right spot at the right time for the opening goal.

Macario got the Americans going by bundling home a close-range finish after good work from Alyssa Thompson.

The US doubled their tally seven minutes later with a brilliantly worked goal, which began when gifted 17-year-old Lily Yohannes released Thompson down the right, who crossed for Macario. She played a short pass to Coffey, who swept home with aplomb.

Heaps bagged the Americans’ third in the 54th minute, nodding past China goalkeeper Pan Hongyan to effectively seal the win.

A milestone occurred in the 70th minute when Lo’eau LaBonta replaced Yohannes. LaBonta, 32, became the oldest player to make her US debut, surpassing 30-year-old McCall Zerboni.

LaBonta, who is more than 14 years older than Yohannes, said: “When they called my name, I was sitting being the best cheerleader I could be on the bench.

“I was like, ‘This is amazing. I’ve never been field-view watching the national team’. It was so cool. And they were like, ‘Lo, go’. And I was like, ‘Go where? All right, let’s go!’” REUTERS, AFP