US women’s football team stretch unbeaten run under Emma Hayes to 13 matches
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Naomi Girma of the US celebrating after scoring the team's first goal in their 3-0 friendly win over Argentina on Oct 30.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOUISVILLE – The United States women’s football team extended their unbeaten run under English coach Emma Hayes to 13 matches after a 3-0 win over Argentina in a friendly on Oct 30.
Naomi Girma scored her first two international goals, sandwiching an own goal by Argentina’s Aldana Cometti, at the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
The victory took their record to 12 wins and one draw under Hayes, who was named Fifa’s Women’s Coach of the Year at the Ballon d’Or awards on Oct 28.
Girma, praised by Hayes during their victorious Paris Olympics campaign as “the best defender I’ve ever seen”, scored her first international goal in her 42nd appearance to put the US 1-0 up in the 37th minute.
Argentina goalkeeper Solana Pereyra and Cometti both went after a ball close to the net and neither was able to clear it.
The ball bounded over to Girma, who headed it into an empty net from close range.
Girma, who is highly regarded for her defensive abilities, appeared to be stunned when she scored for the first time.
“The ball just fell right in front of me, it was so great,” said the 24-year-old, who plays for San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). “I was like, I don’t think I can miss this. It fell right on my head.
“I feel like any time anyone gets their first goal, it’s always such a joy and the whole team gets excited. So it was fun to get mine tonight.”
Seven minutes later, US captain Rose Lavelle took a corner kick and Girma attempted a header. The ball went towards Cometti, who knocked the ball into her own net to give the US a 2-0 lead.
Girma was at it again early in the second half. Alyssa Malonson delivered a pass to Girma, who sent a header into the upper right corner of the net in the 49th minute to make it 3-0.
In the 82nd minute, Jaedyn Shaw had a chance to add some gloss to the scoreline, but sent a right-footed free kick over the net.
US goalkeeper Mandy Haught, called up to the squad after Jane Campbell suffered an injury, made one save while posting a clean sheet in her first international appearance.
That lone save came in the fourth minute when Argentina’s Vanina Preininger sent a long shot towards goal.
This was the third friendly in six days for the US, who had won their first two against Iceland (both 3-1).
Eva Gaetino and Malonson joined Haught in making their debut for the US, as Hayes rested players because of the final regular-season matches in the NWSL this weekend with play-off spots and seeding still on the line.
The US will end 2024 with friendlies against England at Wembley on Nov 30 before facing the Netherlands at The Hague three days later.
In January, they will have their traditional training camp in southern California in addition to an identification camp for young players that will operate simultaneously with the senior camp.
By early spring, Hayes should be able to identify the core of the team that she will be developing in the lead-up to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The four-time world champions will be looking to bounce back after their round-of-16 exit in the 2023 edition.
“I totally know that the challenges ahead won’t be straightforward,” Hayes said.
“But I absolutely want to develop a bigger playing pool, and we’ve demonstrated over three games the use of 26 players, a lot of debutantes, a lot with less experience, starting to build that picture. And we’ll continue with that.” REUTERS
