Sophia Smith scores game-winner as USWNT beats Mexico in Olympic tune-up

HARRISON, N.J. – Sophia Smith’s persistence on a warm day in Harrison, N.J. was finally rewarded in the second half and the U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team defeated regional rivals Mexico 1-0 in a pre-Olympic friendly on Saturday afternoon.

The Americans carried the play and outshot the visitors, 17-3, but had to wait for the breakthrough until almost 20 minutes elapsed in the second half. Once earned, however, that advantage was never threatened as the USA eased to its third victory in three games under coach Emma Hayes.

Before kickoff, U.S. Soccer and the sellout crowd of 26,376 at Red Bull Arena honored all 20 members of the iconic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship team as part of the “Impact 99” Legacy Match, presented by New York Life. After meeting and spending time with the 99ers on Friday, the 2024 team was energized and started Saturday’s match on the front foot.

Smith and midfielder Rose Lavelle tested Mexico goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras in the opening moments and in the first four minutes, the Americans already had more shots on target (three) than in the entire Concacaf W Gold Cup group-stage match between the teams in February. La Tri prevailed that day in Carson, Calif., winning 2-0 for just the second victory all-time in 43 games against the USWNT. But the hosts appeared determined to avoid a second-straight setback to their neighbors on Saturday and the scoreline flattered the Mexicans.

Despite several chances, the early goal never came. Barreras, a Phoenix, Ariz. native who plays for Pachuca, made four saves in the first half, including a fantastic parry of Smith’s short-range bid in the 22nd minute. Smith, who was flanked by forwards Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson, was especially effective at finding seams in the Mexican defense and put three shots on frame but could not find the back of the net in the first half.

Twenty-ninth ranked Mexico, meanwhile, mustered only one shot in the first half, that coming in the 40th minute, although its press posed some questions to the U.S. back four.

Barreras won another duel against Smith in the 52nd as the Americans kept their foot on the gas coming out of the locker room in search of the opener. Eleven minutes later, it finally came as Smith’s tenacity was rewarded. Her sixth shot of the day, and fifth on target, lifted the U.S. to a 1-0 lead. Lavelle got the play started with a long pass out of the back that Rodman picked up on the right wing. She fed it centrally to Swanson, who took several touches before sliding the ball left to Smith. With confidence and composure, the Portland Thorns FC star cut the ball back to create a shooting lane then beat Barreras inside the right post.

The goal was Smith’s 20th for the USWNT and fifth this year, lifting her into a tie with Jaedyn Shaw atop the 2024 scoring list. Smith also now has four goals and one assist in her past four appearances, setting a new personal best with goal involvements in four consecutive games. She came close to getting her second of the day, hitting the post after being played through by Swanson in the 73rd minute. Smith then made way for Lynn Willams in the 75th.

Among Hayes’ six second-half substitutes was Washington Spirit forward Croix Bethune, an Olympic alternate who made her USWNT debut when she replaced Swanson in the 82nd. Bethune, 23, nearly scored with one of her first national team touches but sent a 22-yard shot just wide of the left post.

The USA saw out the game without much difficulty and helped goalkeeper Alyssa Naaher get her 63rd career international shutout and fourth this year. She’s now nine behind 1999 World Cup hero Briana Scurry, who sits second on the program’s all-time chart. Naaher was also honored before kickoff on Saturday for earning her 100th cap during the W Gold Cup in March. She missed last month’s two U.S. friendlies with a thigh injury. The USA has yet to yield a goal with Hayes at the helm.

Stateside Olympic preparation will conclude July 16 in Washington, D.C., where the USA will meet Costa Rica at Audi Field in the 2024 Send-Off Match presented by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock). The Olympic tournament then kicks off against Zambia on July 25 in Nice, France.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA — Sophia Smith (Mallory Swanson), 64th minute: A long ball down the right flank from Rose Lavelle got the U.S. attack going, and successive passes from Trinity Rodman and then Swanson played Smith with the ball into the left side of the penalty area. Smith deftly cut the ball back, beating Mexico defender Karen Luna, and curled an unstoppable, right-footed shot across the face of goal and inside the right post. USA 1, MEX 0 FINAL 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The USWNT improves to 8W-1L-2D on the year and is now unbeaten in eight consecutive games following the defeat to Mexico on Feb. 26 at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
• The USA is now 41W-2L-1D in 44 all-time meetings against Mexico, its second-most wins against any opponent in program history.
• Defender Emily Fox earned her 50th cap, becoming the 67th player in USWNT history to reach the milestone. At 26 years, 5 days old, Fox is the second-youngest defender to reach 50 caps in the last decade, trailing only Tierna Davidson.
• Trinity Rodman made her 29th consecutive appearance for the USA, the longest streak by any player since 2020, and has now appeared in every match since the start of 2023.
• Sophia Smith now has 20 career goals and at 23 years, 337 days old, is the 11th player in USWNT history to reach 20 goals before turning 24 years old, and only the second in the last decade after Mallory Swanson did so in 2022 (23 years, 300 days).
• The other USWNT players to reach 20 goals before their 24th birthday are Mia Hamm, Sydney Leroux, Tiffeny Milbrett, Kristine Lilly, Alex Morgan, Heather O’Reilly, Cindy Parlow, Tisha Venturini and Abby Wambach
• Croix Bethune came on for the USA in the 81st minute, becoming the 261st player all-time to earn a cap for the USWNT and third player in three games to debut under new head coach Emma Hayes.

– U.S. WOMENS NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT –

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Mexico
Date: July 13, 2024
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.
Attendance: 26,376 (Sellout)
Kickoff: 3:37 p.m. ET
Weather: 88 degrees, sunny

Scoring Summary:          1               2               F
USA                                  0           1              1
MEX                                 0            0              0

USA – Sophia Smith (Mallory Swanson)              64th minute

Lineups:

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher (Capt.); 2-Emily Fox (14-Emily Sonnett, 65), 4-Naomi Girma, 12-Tierna Davidson, 13-Jenna Nighswonger (7-Crystal Dunn, 65); 17-Sam Coffey, 10-Lindsey Horan (3-Korbin Albert, 65), 16-Rose Lavelle (15-Jaedyn Shaw, 75); 5-Trinity Rodman, 11-Sophia Smith (8-Lynn Williams, 75), 9-Mallory Swanson (20-Croix Bethune, 81)

Substitutions Not Used: 6-Casey Krueger, 18-Casey Murphy, 19-Hal Hershfelt, 21-Emily Sams, 22-Jane Campbell

Head coach: Emma Hayes

MEX: 21-Esthefanny Barreras; 5-Karen Luna (6-Nicki Hernandez, 78), 14-Greta Espinoza, 23-Kim Rodriguez, 18-Reyna Reyes; 4-Rebeca Bernal (Capt.), 2-Jocelyn Orejel (16-Karla Nieto, 46), 20-Scarlett Camberos (8-Alexia Delgado, 68), 11-Jaqueline Ovalle (10-Diana Ordoñez, 78), 7-María Sanchez (17-Myra Delgadillo, 68); 9-Kiana Palacios (13-Mayra Pelayo, 68)

Substitutions Not Used: 1-Celeste Espino, 3-Karla Martinez, 12-Blanca Felix, 15-Cristina Ferral, 19-Nicole Perez, 22-Maricarmen Reyes

Head coach: Pedro Lopez

Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 17 / 3
Shots on Goal: 6 / 1
Saves: 1 / 5
Corner Kicks: 3 / 3
Fouls: 8 / 8
Offside: 4 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Sam Coffey (Caution)                        31s minute
USA – Jaqueline Ovalle  (Caution)                45+1

Officials: 
Referee: Deily Maria Gomez Espinoza (CRC)
Assistant Referee 1: Gabriela Jimenez Zuniga (CRC)
Assistant Referee 2: Nelly Odette Alvarado Quiros (CRC)
4th Official: Natalie Simon (USA)

Woman of the Match: Sophia Smith